06 Dec What Nutrigenomics and Epigenetics Have To Do With Weight Loss with Dr. Emi Hosoda

What Nutrigenomics and Epigenetics Have To Do With Weight Loss
with Dr. Emi Hosoda

Doctor Emi Hosoda is originator of the Youthful Slim Solution, a fat loss solution that helps people achieve the toned, beautiful body they desire as and they look younger, more beautiful and more toned. Doctor Emi helps make weight loss simple by customizing fat loss solutions uniquely to the person. She does this by testing for what makes each of us unique, our unique genes which can control which diet and exercise is best for us, our unique hormone balance, our unique mind body wellness, our unique food sensitivities, our unique intestinal health- all of these factors can hold keys to making weight loss simple.

Doctor Emi also helps makes weight loss a journey in aging in reverse, becoming more beautiful and vibrant as you lose weight by supporting our skin and muscles with proper supplementation unique to your specific needs as you lose weight. Having lost 100 lbs and 15 % body fat by using this specific information to help her after a lifetime of weight struggles, Doctor Emi is passionate about helping others do the same. Getting answers unique to you and finding the root cause of where your struggles with weight came from and how they can best be corrected in a way that is specific to you and no one else.

She sees medicine as a field of service and a dynamic opportunity to help change lives.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What is Nutrigenomics
• What are natural things you can do to heal
• Why you need to utilize Nutrigenomics with your health

Comments

This article was originally published by nataliejillfitness.com. Read the original article here.

This article was originally published by mindbodygreen.com. Read the original article here.

This healthy Zucchini Bread is easy to make and so delicious! I love having this with eggs for breakfast or topped with grass fed butter, dairy free butter, or nut butter.

Including applesauce and zucchini in this recipe adds moisture, texture and is a great way to get a little extra plant power in your day.

In addition to our macros, we also need micronutrients – vitamins and minerals – to grow, metabolize properly, and enjoy an overall sense of well-being. And fruits and veggies are such a great source! Both apples (1) and zucchini (2) are nutrient dense, as well as being widely available and affordable.

Even though we only need a comparatively smaller amount of micronutrients than macronutrients, they are equally as important to our health and wellness. You can read more about all of their benefits here!

This gluten free zucchini bread is so good I’m sure you’ll love it too! You can toast it, slice it, spread stuff on it and enjoy!

Ready to start baking? Let’s go!

So delicious, simple and healthy!

Leave me a comment below and let me know how it turns out!

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This is my signature eating system and it contains 6 weeks of done-for-you meal planning and recipe guides! You will not only learn the strategies that have given me long-term success, but also enjoy the time-saving benefits of having it all planned out for you!

The Body Fuel System uses my simple, proven Eating Types to make it easy to stay on track. It also gives you healthy, fat-burning recipes and foods you can eat to look and feel your BEST every day!

Recipes like…

Learn more right here, and find out why people love this program so much! 

The post Gluten Free Zucchini Bread appeared first on The Betty Rocker.

This article was originally published by thebettyrocker.com. Read the original article here.

The food you eat before and after a workout is vital to get the most out of your exercise routines. The kind of diet you have allows you to stay on track with your fitness goals.

If you’ve tried CBD before, you should know that you can incorporate this non-psychoactive compound into your diet. 

Before you start googling for the best CBD oil in the market, spend a few minutes reading this article to learn how CBD can help boost your meal’s nutritional value. Also included here are pre- and post-workout CBD recipes you have to try. 

CBD and Its Purported Benefits 

Cannabidiol (CBD) is an active element of cannabis. Although CBD is a component of medical marijuana, the compound is mostly derived from hemp. 

CBD is known for its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, you may benefit from it, primarily if you’re engaged in rigorous exercise routines. 

A study issued by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition suggested that anti-inflammatory dietary interventions and supplementations are crucial to improving athletic performance.

Physical exercise has numerous benefits. However, long-lasting, heavy training with transient immune system dysfunction may increase inflammation and oxidative stress.  

Oxidative stress is an imbalance that transpires when reactive molecules that may cause inflammation are more than the substances that protect cells from damage. 

A 2020 study from the journal Antioxidants hypothesized that CBD may protect lipids and proteins against oxidative damage by regulating the oxidative stress level.

Pre- and Post-workout CBD Recipes You Should Try  

Now that you know the purported benefits of CBD. You may want to add it to your diet for an extra anti-inflammatory boost.

Below are some CBD recipes that are perfect for pre- and post-workout.

Pre-workout Recipes

Before you start exercising, you must fuel up your body to prepare for the physical activity you’re about to do. 

A few hours before working out, you must stick to eating something light yet high in carbs like oats. They’re gluten-free whole grains packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They’re also a good source of protein. 

Since oats are released slowly, they’re perfect for eating pre-workout. Make sure to add CBD oil to your food, so you’ll keep your energy levels high throughout your exercise routine. 

If you’re a morning gym-goer, this honey CBD overnight oat is perfect for grabbing on the go.

Honey CBD Overnight Oats

Ingredients:  

• ½ cup oats
• ½ cup milk of your choice
• 1ml CBD oil 
• One teaspoon raw honey
• ½ tablespoon peanut butter 
• One or ½ banana 

Directions: 

Add oats, followed by all the other ingredients, into a glass or bowl. Make sure to stir the mixture lightly enough that the oats are completely wet. 

Store the mixture in your fridge overnight. You can also top it with more bananas or other fruits in the morning.

Post-workout Recipes

You must replenish your body after your workout so it can recover from the exercise routine you just did.

Having a proper meal after a workout is a must. Remember that you need to restore diminished glycogen levels and load your body with protein. This way, you’ll be able to recover from the physical stress in no time.

A study from Nutrition Reviews examined the fundamentals of glycogen metabolism for athletes and coaches. 

Glycogen, a stored form of glucose (sugar), provides your body with energy when your blood glucose levels go down. 

Therefore, athletes or any individual engaged in rigorous exercises should consume enough carbohydrates for sufficient muscle glycogen. A high-carbohydrate diet is also necessary to replace the depleted glucose during the day. 

The following recipe is a strengthening CBD smoothie that’s ideal for a great post-workout meal. It’s packed with protein and ingredients that can help balance your sugar levels. Meanwhile, the CBD oil in it may help fight inflammation. 

Strengthening CBD Smoothie

Ingredients: 

• One to two scoops of protein powder (vanilla)
• ½ cup milk of your choice
• ¼ cup peaches, chopped
• ¼ cup mangoes
• One banana
• 1ml CBD oil
• One tablespoon hemp hearts
• ¾ cup vanilla greek yoghurt

Directions: 

This recipe yields one large smoothie. You need to add all the ingredients together in a blender. Transfer the mixture into your glass or tumbler and enjoy! 

However, if you want something a little heavier than a smoothie, this CBD lemon pepper chicken bowl provides an excellent source of nutrients. 

Meanwhile, hemp CBD is a valuable source of nutritional benefits. For example, CBD oil products often include hempseed oil, a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).

Polyunsaturated fats, which include omega-3 and omega-6 fats, can help lower your LDL (low-density lipoproteins) or bad cholesterol.

CBD Lemon Pepper Chicken Bowl

Ingredients: 

• One chicken breast
• ¾ cup broccoli, chopped
• ¾ cup zucchini, chopped
• ¾ cup Brussel sprouts, chopped  
• 1ml CBD oil
• One tablespoon of olive oil
• ¼ lemon 
• ⅔ cup cooked quinoa
• One teaspoon of lemon pepper
• One tablespoon of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste  

Directions:

Pour the olive oil into a non-stick skillet and heat it over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Wait until it’s cooked through, for about five to eight minutes.  

Set the chicken aside. Proceed to cut your lemon into thinly sliced pieces. Add the sliced lemons, veggies, and a few drops of CBD oil into the pan. Stir and sprinkle with lemon pepper. 

Turn the heat to medium-low, and then add the chopped chicken breast, quinoa, and lemon juice. Transfer the food into a dish and enjoy! 

Conclusion

There are increasing studies about CBD’s purported health benefits. The results may be promising, although they’re still inconclusive. 

Therefore, make sure to speak with a physician experienced in cannabis use before you incorporate CBD into your pre- and post-workout meal.   

This article was originally published by rosannadavisonnutrition.com. Read the original article here.

No matter where you live in the world or your religious beliefs, this time of year isn’t just about tradition and family, it’s also about celebrating with food – lots of it! End-of-year feasting has been popular for millennia and, as our larders creek under the weight of our festive favourites, it can seem nigh on impossible to stick to healthy habits. And on one hand, why should we? After all, it’s a time to let ourselves off the hook, celebrate togetherness, take stock of the year that’s been and enjoy time with loved ones without guilt over what we consume.

However, it doesn’t take an expert to tell you that too much eating and drinking – and the impact that overindulgence has on your body – can bring fluctuations in emotions and shifts in behaviour that can exacerbate the pressures of the season.

But it is possible to feel good and nourish ourselves over the festive season without a side portion of setting tensions at boiling point along with the spuds and inducing a cheese coma at 4pm on 25 December.

If you want to embrace comfort, joy and peace to all men as well as yourself, setting realistic intentions before the holidays is a solid start. Try journalling about how you want to feel. When I think about it, I hope to feel happy, fulfilled and energised. I want to spend as much time as possible feeling vital and living in my most healthy body and mind with the people I love, eating the foods we enjoy. Our choices are going to be far more effective if we have a clear idea of our emotional and physical health goals, rather than a vague notion of how we might reach some unobtainable concept of food perfection.

Understand the impact of food on your emotions

If we begin our festivities by eating foods that spike our sugar levels, we’re likely to be emotionally charged early, then feel sluggish and downbeat as the day progresses. The key is to realise that not everything we eat during our celebrations should be something to feel guilty about. And it’s not just about what we eat – how and when we eat certain foods can affect how they make us feel. The combination of particular food groups and even the order in which we eat the ingredients in our meals can have a huge effect on blood-sugar levels.

‘High blood-sugar levels can be toxic for the body, so it releases a surge of the hormone insulin. One of insulin’s many functions is to tell the body to pack away excess energy for later use, storing it as fat, which is dangerous for healthy body function,’ explains Tabitha Roth, a nutritional therapist.

So what’s the solution? On a meal-by-meal basis, start with protein or fibre and you’ll enjoy your sweet treats a whole lot more. ‘Having a few olives or crudités with hummus before tucking into mince pies or your selection box can significantly reduce their blood-sugar impact,’ says Roth.

And what about party food? ‘Reach for a handful of nuts before you go for a glass of bubbles,’ Roth advises. On the protein and fibre front, on the big day, balance your main meal and treats by having a protein-rich breakfast, such as smoked salmon and scrambled eggs or avocado tempeh. This will yield less of a blood-sugar spike – and fewer spiky tempers!

Stick with tradition

The foods we usually eat at Christmas are healthy and sustainable. Turkey is a high-protein, low-fat meat and roast potatoes don’t cause too much of a blood-sugar spike compared to other spuds, such as mash, due to their lower glycaemic index. The rest of the festive plate offers a chance to ramp up our minerals and antioxidants by way of humble, everyday veggies.

‘Broccoli contains a smorgasbord of protective antioxidants, such as carotenoids and vitamin C,’ says the nutritionist Tipper Lewis. ‘Cabbage may not be as trendy as kale, but that doesn’t mean we should neglect it. Its bitter taste stimulates our gastric juices, helping us digest our food better, while the sulphur in cabbage is beneficial for our skin and gut.’

Love them or hate them, Brussels sprouts are my best friends on Christmas Day because they help the liver with the detoxing process (bye-bye hangover), and the humble pea is a versatile powerhouse of nutrients, protein and minerals. Carrots are high in vitamin A, which is brilliant for eyes, skin and hair, and parsnips are full of immune-boosting vitamin C, which is also great for boosting the immune system. Consider the following when shopping for your main festive meal:

Use nature’s glorious palette. Christmastime is resplendent with hues that brighten midwinter, and it’s the colourful seasonal fruits and vegetables packed full of phytonutrients that you should embrace. ‘Aim to incorporate a rainbow of colour, which will help you get a broad spectrum of nutrients, vitamins and minerals – and this is surprisingly easy at Christmas,’ says Roth. ‘These nutrients give traditional Christmas foods, such as carrots, beetroot, cranberries, carrots and oranges their colour, and they’re all abundant at this time of year. The varying colours of our foods play different roles and bring different benefits, so eat as many as possible.’

Buy food that is locally produced. In general, the fresher the food, the more packed it is with nutrients. The minute a fruit or vegetable is picked or pulled from the earth, its plant cells begin to shrink and its nutrients diminish. Most of the produce you find at your local farmer’s market or farm shop will have been picked within the past 24 hours, when at its most ripe and delicious, whereas supermarket produce is processed and grown with its shelf life as a priority. Ripe produce gives us the highest nutritional value, you’ll be supporting a local business and reducing your carbon footprint. It’s an all-round win!

Give yourself permission to eat the food you want.  We’ve had another year of restriction, so let’s not make nourishing our bodies about limiting satisfaction. Sometimes the moment calls for a tasty treat, and that’s fine. Who doesn’t love the clink of a crystal glass, a hot mince pie or a crunchy biscuit? It’s important not to restrict or ban any food – that type of thinking only makes us want it more. Relish the treats you choose, but eat them mindfully. Focus on the treat, instead of wolfing down handfuls of sweets mindlessly while watching your Christmas specials. Savour the pleasure and be in the moment.

Cook to protect the nutrients in your food. All vegetables are a great source of fibre, which is superb for gut health, but how we cook our vegetables makes a big difference to their nutritional value. ‘To maximise nutrients and antioxidants, steam vegetables lightly and quickly,’ says Lewis. ‘The leftover water will have grabbed precious nutrients, so a top tip is to add it to your gravy as stock. To get the best out of potatoes, leave the skins on because many of the key nutrients are removed by peeling. It’s also a good idea to have roast potatoes on Boxing Day – they contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps soothe nerves if you’re feeling stressed after the big day,’ she says.

Enjoy a tipple if you like. We may associate Christmas with an excess of alcohol and aim to steer clear, but certain drinks are considered helpful to the system. ‘In medieval times, a small drink containing aromatic herbs to stimulate and support digestion would have been enjoyed after the main meal,’ explains Lewis. Is that a green light to a glass of warming mulled wine? ‘Yes, if you make your own,’ she says. ‘Include ginger, star anise, cinnamon, orange peel, cardamom and cloves, and add milk thistle seeds for extra support.’ I alternate every alcoholic drink with water, and start with a bottle of maple water, which helps metabolise alcohol. Try to finish your evening with a glass of coconut water for maximum hydration and, if you can’t get hold of these special flavours, ensure you get a few glasses of the regular stuff to keep your body ticking over well.

Bon appétit! After the year we’ve had, I’ll be diving (mindfully, of course) into my mother’s roast with all the trimmings, but with my good intentions set, I won’t need to ‘undo’ anything in January or punish myself for having a wonderfully festive time with those I love. Food is comfort, joy, tradition, celebration, nourishment, love, connection and so much more… Use it to give back to your body, to love yourself, energise and fuel yourself and all will be merry and bright. You deserve it.

Expert advice

With thanks to our experts for their advice and tips:

Tabitha Roth is a nutritional therapist at Bodyism.  You can also find Tabitha here. 

Tipper Lewis is a naturopath and nutritionist at Neal’s Yard Remedies. 

Photographs: Getty Images

This article was originally published by psychologies.co.uk. Read the original article here.

Each year, influenza epidemics result in 1 billion infections and between 300,000 and 500,000 deaths globally. Sadly, the majority of these incidents could be prevented if people simply received a flu vaccine, so why aren’t they getting vaxxed?

Most adults are hesitant because they’re concerned about the side effects of the vaccine. Others simply don’t believe the vaccine is that effective. Yet, while it’s by no means perfect, the injection is safe for most healthy populations and does provide significant protection against the seasonal virus.

This year, it’s more important than ever to get your flu vaccine. Here’s why:

1. Boost Immunity To Prevent Sickness

More than four in 10 Americans don’t plan to get their flu vaccine this year, which means those who remain unvaxxed have a higher likelihood of contracting the virus and getting sick. Moreover, the flu virus is constantly changing, and your body’s immune response naturally grows weaker over time, so an annual, updated vaccine is required to provide continuous protection.

Modern flu vaccines also guard against multiple types of influenza, which can boost overall immunity and provide superior protection during the fall and winter months. In fact, 99% of those who got 2020-2021 flu season shots received quadrivalent vaccines. These deliver broader infection protection than a trivalent shot.

2. Reduce Hospitalizations And Death

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that, during the 2019-2020 flu season, 400,000 were hospitalized and 22,000 died from contracting the virus. That same year, vaccines prevented 3.69 million medical visits, 105,00 hospitalizations, and 6,3000 deaths. Getting the shot is crucial to reducing hospitalizations and deaths in healthy and vulnerable populations alike.

In addition to lowering mortality rates, getting the vaccine can also free up hospital beds and preserve health care resources for patients with other diseases and conditions, including COVID-19. This way, the people who require immediate medical attention get the help they need and you stay healthy and free of costly medical bills.

3. Minimize Risk Of Cardiac Events

Experts caution that it is possible to get COVID-19 and the flu simultaneously, and the health implications aren’t yet clear. However, they do know that, even without the influence of COVID-19, patients with heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions are at increased risk of complications from the flu.

From heart attack to stroke, these people can suffer major cardiac events. Luckily, getting a vaccine can reduce their risk of getting sick and experiencing one of these life-threatening complications.

4. Protect Your Loved Ones

Most people are eligible to receive a flu vaccine. However, vulnerable populations like infants and the immunocompromised may not be able to receive shots. In this case, they’re at the mercy of others and whether or not they decide to get vaccinated. If you fail to armor up, you could easily transmit the disease to a loved one who may suffer serious consequences as a result.

Do your part in protecting yourself and others by getting vaxxed. Should you choose to do so, your decision will also boost herd immunity. When a high enough percentage of the population receives a vaccine, there’ll be a lower risk of disease spreading throughout the community — and the planet as a whole.

Getting Your Vaccine

Most doctors recommend getting your flu vaccine by the end of October, before the start of flu season. However, it’s not too late to get your shot, so there’s no time like the present to schedule an appointment and check it off your to-do list. Contact your health care provider or a local pharmacy, health department, or urgent care clinic to find free vaccines near you and armor up today. That way, you can stay safe and healthy all season long.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

New year, new me. How many times have you already said that to yourself? Maybe each new year, but something distracts you from building that new character and personality. What is it? Right, old habits and views. You know that it is hard to start doing something, and the reason is that the human brain is reluctant when it comes to learning. If it were up to it, Neanderthals would be lying on their stone couches in pajamas (the same way you lie sometimes). Hence, to progress in your life and set the foundation for a good year, grab your thoughts in your hands and do these 3 new things.

1. Try Something Accessible

How many times have you passed by that interesting coffee shop you wanted to enter? Many. Have you thought of visiting the ice skating rink nearby? Yes, you have. And how many times have you dreamed of participating in a master class related to your hobby? You certainly dreamed of that at least once a week. These examples show you that new things are at arm’s length. However, you haven’t tried all of these new activities due to work obligations and promises to family, friends, neighbors, and relatives’ cats. This year, remember to prioritize yourself, and your wants to make those new things come to your life.

2. Try New Format Of Gatherings

COVID-19 had people live at home for more than a year, affecting their relationships. Think about how you can rekindle relationships with your friends or family members or anyone you have been missing. There are several things you can do in this regard. For example, you can think of a gathering under your roof. It should not necessarily be a gathering where not everyone knows each other. There can be your friends from different job sites or relatives that have not seen each other for a long time. Gather your favorite people and create exciting memories with them. Play games, sing karaoke, cook and clean together, and most importantly, take many photos. Finally, make a board for them to look at all those cheerful people every day you wake up. The more positive your everyday attitude is, the better your day will evolve.

3. Try New Recipes And Foods

Have a look at your everyday diet. Has it changed a lot during the previous year? Have you tried good-looking festive dishes or healthy and easy-made recipes? If you haven’t, you know what to do. If you have, what about making it a habit at New Year’s? First, you can search what traditional dishes different nations eat at New Year. For instance, in Central Asia, people used to eat dishes from meat that they had long preserved (mutton meat in oil). Second, you can try a lovely dish that contains things you don’t like that much. Who knows, maybe sauces and design can turn your “No, I don’t like beans” into “Give me more.” Finally, if you are into healthy canna consumption, you can try pantry cannabis cookies and jellies. The bottom line is that the new year should start with new impressions that may lead to enjoyable habits and hobbies.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

In the midst of holiday gift-giving, I can’t help but think about the fact that often well-intentioned gifts eventually lead to more stress, for the giver and the receiver. So much so that over time my husband and I decided to give experiences instead of material gifts as often as we can. After a few years of trial and error, this is now pretty much the norm in our family… and the results are amazing!

Even last minute, an experience gift can be easy to arrange, thoughtful, and rewarding to both giver and receiver. Going to the movies as a family, taking a painting class, making pottery, learning to scuba dive, or simply receiving a homemade “spa day” and a night off with the remote control… these are priceless memories or skills that last a lifetime.

Give the Gift That Lasts

Don’t get me wrong… I love giving gifts and always enjoy finding, wrapping, and giving the perfect gift to a family member or friend. Still, as a mom, I also dread the aftermath: the paper and toys all over the floor, the lingering messes, the kids complaining about having to clean up their toys…

As every parent has inevitably experienced at some point, the joy of material gifts fades quickly, and even the most anticipated Christmas toys soon become a chore to clean up.

Which leads to my next question…

Are We Drowning in Too Much Stuff?

The dramatic success of the book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up provides a hint that perhaps many of us feel that we simply have too much stuff (short summary of the book = throw most of it away).

Turns out, we probably do!

Think for a second about your grandparents’ home when you were growing up. If it was anything like mine, it was probably a small house with even smaller closets. And the closets were not that full. And they raised six kids in that house! They also didn’t need drastic storage and organizing solutions or extra storage rental units.

Fast forward to the present day. Joshua Becker, my favorite expert on the topic of clutter and minimalism (see my interview with him here), shared some sobering trends on his Becoming Minimalist blog.

Consider this:

• Back in 2013, the LA Times reported that the average American home had over 300,000 items in it, and there were over 50,000 storage facilities nationwide (and this is the fastest-growing real estate segment!).
• At least 1 in 10 of us has a storage unit to store our excess stuff.
• There are five times more storage facilities in the U.S. than the number of Starbucks!
• There is enough physical space for every man, woman, and child in America to stand in U.S. storage facilities—all at the same time!

Do we really have so much more stuff than people did just two generations ago?

Yes, we do…

More Clothes

Our grandparents had an average of nine outfits, including dress clothes and work clothes.

Now, we have an average of 30, plus a lot of extra clothes that don’t qualify as an “outfit.”

The AVERAGE family spends $1,700 on clothes annually while giving or throwing away over 200 pounds of clothes per year.

More Toys

This is the part that really shocked me…

The average child in the developed world owns over 200 toys but only plays with 12 of them on average per day!

Even crazier? Only 3% of the world’s children live in the US, but they own 40+% of the world’s toys!

If It Makes You Happy…

Those staggering statistics about how much stuff we all own wouldn’t worry me if it seemed that the excess stuff improved our lives in some way or made us happier, healthier, or closer to our children… but that isn’t the case. To quote Sheryl Crow:

If it makes you happy
It can’t be that bad
If it makes you happy
Then why the hell are you so sad

We have and consume twice as many material goods as we collectively did 50 years ago, but statistically, we are much less happy.

54% of us report being overwhelmed with clutter, and 78% of us have no idea how to overcome it!

This also leads to additional stress. Joshua Becker explains:

Over the course of our lifetime, we will spend a total of 3,680 hours or 153 days searching for misplaced items. The research found we lose up to nine items every day—or 198,743 in a lifetime. Phones, keys, sunglasses, and paperwork top the list.

Certainly, there is much more to why we are less happy than we used to be than just the excess clutter, but statistically, it is a contributor and an easy one to address.

Why Give Experiences Not Stuff?

Many studies have shown that material possessions do not equal happiness and that experiences are much more intrinsically fulfilling than things. (Additional bonus: you don’t have to find a place to store experiences except in your heart, memory, and maybe in a photo book!)

A researcher named Thomas Gilovich at Cornell University has spent more than a decade trying to understand why experiences have the ability to contribute to happiness so much more than material purchases. Along with another researcher, Matthew Killingsworth, he published this research in the Journal of Psychological Science, showing that experiences provide more lasting happiness than material possessions.

They basically concluded that people tend to get less happy with material purchases over time and happier with experiences. They speculate that this is because we adapt to physical things, so even the nicest car or newest phone becomes commonplace after enough time, while memories tend to get fonder over time.

Isn’t that fascinating?

Gilovich explains:

Our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods….You can really like your material stuff. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but nonetheless they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences.

Gilovich and Killingsworth found that we remember even negative experiences fondly as a funny story or bonding experience. Experiences are also a uniting factor. You are more likely to bond with someone who enjoys the same hobby or activity or has traveled to the same places that you have than with someone who has a similar possession.

The anticipation leading up to a family trip, event, or experience even has the potential to provide happiness itself, making it the gift that truly keeps on giving! Happiness in the anticipation, happiness during the experience, and happiness in the memories.

Beats the heck out of a pile of toys that you trip over while tucking the kids in at night!

It turns out that Aristotle had it right all those years ago: “Men fancy that external goods are the cause of happiness (but) leisure of itself gives pleasure and happiness and enjoyment in life.”

Give Experiences: The Importance for Kids

As important as shared experiences are for adults, they are even more important for children and their healthy psychological development. In fact, shared family time (even in simple things like family dinners together) is drastically important for a child’s well-being (much more important than the dozens of extracurricular activities we often neglect family time for).

Shared family time and experiences have been linked to:

• bonding within the family
• fewer behavioral problems in children
• a stronger sense of identity
• a sense of security for children
• higher rates of academic success
• lower rates of violence

Of course, these shared experiences can be as simple as time spent together during/preparing meals, while driving, or reading stories before bed, but prioritizing shared experiences as gifts helps reduce unwanted material items and fosters family bonding.

Our Rule for Gifts

You might have heard of the “4-Gift Rule” that some parents follow:

Something they want, Something they need, Something to wear, Something to read

We follow a variation of this focused on a few material gifts and a few shared experiences. Our kids typically get:

1. The “Want”: One Material Gift – Despite my preference for experiences, we do get one gift for each child that is strictly something they want. Often these end up being experience gifts as well, like craft supplies or a sewing machine or the Gorilla Gym that has been a favorite in our house for years. Sometimes they are also educational gifts like Osmo, a Perplexus puzzle, or bulk Legos.
2. The “Need”: Experience Gifts – Each child gets at least one experience gift per year, and often we get them several more experience-based gifts as well (see my full list below). Since family experiences are so important for us, we consider these gifts a need, so we prioritize and budget for them.
3. The “Wear”: Clothes – I’ve created capsule wardrobes for my kids, and for holidays they often get one clothing item they need, like a new coat or hiking boots. This may also be something fun, like dress-up clothes, if they don’t need any new clothing.
4. The “Read”: Memory Books – We try to take the kids to the library often since they get to choose so many new books without them taking up room on the shelves, but our kids do get a different kind of book as a gift. Each year, I keep a folder on my desktop for each child and, throughout the year, add pictures from field trips, birthdays, daily hikes, camping trips, and other fun memories. At the end of the year, I compile each child’s photos into a hardcover book that I print through a photo service (like Mixbook). This is my favorite gift to give them each year since it helps them relive and remember everything we did as a family that year, and it is a gift that they can take and show their own families one day. These books end up being the favorite gift every year (and bonus, the photo service saves them so I can reprint if one ever gets ruined!).

In addition, each child gets fun (and sometimes practical) stocking stuffers.

What About Extended Family Gifts?

Even once we decided to make the switch to experiences with our kids, it took a while to figure out how to approach the topic with extended family. We approached it in two ways:

1. Switching to giving experiences to family members as well
2. Gently explaining our reason for choosing experiences and encouraging extended family to give experiences as well

It has taken a few years, but our extended family is now on board, and the kids cherish the time with other family members as well. One year a family member took our daughter to see The Nutcracker, and grandparents often give memberships to museums or zoos or gift certificates to go to a movie or lunch.

At the end of the day, we can’t (and shouldn’t) control what extended family chooses to give our children. Personally, I’m very grateful that our family has decided to prioritize experience-type gifts as well, but even if they didn’t and decided to still give material gifts, we would welcome these and teach our children to be grateful for these gifts (as the relationship with family is more important than arguing about the gifts).

46+ Ways to Give Experiences This Year

The average parent spends over $250 per child on toys and gifts each year! While experience-type gifts can be a little more expensive up-front, they end up being much cheaper in the long run. Especially when we consider that with that average, we’d spend over $1200 on gifts for our children, so we don’t mind spending even a couple hundred dollars on a worthwhile membership or experience that will last all year.

The move away from material gifts was a slow one for us. We’re always adding to our running list of ideas, and each year we try to choose a few that sound suited to our current family ages and interests.

Maybe one of these will spark an idea for a special someone left on your list!

Family Gifts

Bigger memberships or vacations are often family gifts:

• Escape Room – These are popping up everywhere and run about $15-30 a person. Check to make sure the theme is family-friendly, but this is an ideal group activity Mom, Dad, and older kids can do with extended family for some fun quality time.
• Museum Memberships – Check around for local museums that offer annual memberships. Many offer discounts for local residents or have programs for kids. We have found great deals on local art and history museums.
• Science Center Memberships – Many cities also have a children’s museum or science center with an annual pass option. We found that it was cheaper to purchase an annual membership to a nearby science center than for our family to go one time! This is a great place to go on a rainy day and is a common destination for our Friday field trips.
• Orchestra Season Tickets – Even though we don’t live in a large city, we have a local orchestra that performs every couple of months. I called and found that season tickets for children were extremely affordable (less than $8 a show), and this is now a fun family activity that the kids look forward to.
• Community Theater Tickets – If you have a local theater, take children to these performances as well. This was our big family gift last year, and we got a few season tickets. My husband and I get to go to the more grown-up performances as date nights, and we alternate taking the older kids to performances that they enjoy (like Annie, Rudolph, etc.).
• Tent for Camping – Sometimes a material gift leads to an experience. This tent was a family gift a couple of years ago, and we’ve used it quite a few times. (I picked that one because it is really easy to set up!)
• Minor League Baseball Tickets (or college, or MLB)– We all love baseball (because it is the best sport ), and season tickets to our local minor league team have been a great family outing that lasts all summer long. Really, any sports ticket (college, pro, etc.) is a great family activity.
• Nature Center Tickets – Check for local nature areas or nature centers in your area and see if they offer an annual pass. We’ve found these for nature centers, a local cave, and state parks.
• Local Attraction Season Passes – Any other local attraction with a season pass can be a great gift. Check for other types of museums, historical sites, or local attractions.
• New Family Hobbies – Take up hiking, camping, card games, a sport, or other fun activity and get the necessary equipment or passes for your new hobby.
• Be Puzzled – Feeling brave? This 33,600 piece puzzle is the world’s largest. It might take you the whole year to put together and will foster a LOT of family time!
• Fun Family Outing– Plan in advance a trip to a local amusement park, a family vacation, or other activity. Remember, looking forward to an experience makes the experience more fun and fosters happiness on its own!
• Volunteer – Truly a gift that keeps on giving. If possible with your kids’ ages, volunteer at a local food pantry or charity and give your kids (and yourself) the gift of helping others!
• Give to Charity – Another favorite in our family—we designate about $100 in end-of-year contributions per child to let them decide how to give. Most often, they love choosing gifts like farm animals, fruit trees, or educational supplies for those in need around the world through programs like Food for the Poor.

Gifts for Kids

• Local Pottery Painting – An absolute favorite with our girls. Our local pottery place has dozens of options to paint, and this has been a fun activity for the kids (and me!). Either pick out some unpainted pieces to paint or get a gift certificate.
• Pottery Making – For older kids, some places offer pottery-making lessons or classes.
• Rock Climbing – Have a local rock-climbing gym? See if they offer annual passes or pick up gift certificates for a climbing outing with older kids. Bonus: It is a great way to get exercise too!
• Local Jump Gym – Another fun activity that helps kids stay active. See if you have a local jump gym or indoor trampoline center and get annual passes or gift cards.
• Batting Cage Membership – For a child who loves baseball, look for a local batting cage that offers year-long memberships or bulk discounts on packages. This is a great way to stay active and have a fun outing with your child.
• Bowling or Skate Tickets – These are getting harder to find, but if you have a local bowling alley or skating rink, ask them about family passes or gift certificates.
• Every Kid in a Park – If you have a fourth grader, there is no excuse not to get this one: a free year-long pass to all the national parks with the “Every Kid In a Park” program. This pass provides access to national parks for everyone in your immediate family, not just the fourth grader, so it is a great family gift and is available to homeschoolers as well! (Here’s how to get it)
• Treasure Hunt – If you are giving a material gift, make the giving itself a fun experience. Instead of wrapping up the final gift, wrap up a clue and let the child go on a treasure hunt to find the final gift (or figure out what it is and go with you to get it!). This is especially fun for a larger gift or experience!
• Geocaching – Speaking of treasure hunts, geocaching is fun, free way to go on a treasure hunt with your kids almost anywhere in the world. You can learn more about it here.
• A New Skill – If your child wants to try horseback riding, sewing, painting, or other similar activity, give them classes or ways to experience and develop this new hobby or skill. To keep it low-cost, see if you can find a family member or an elderly member of your community who might enjoy passing on the skill at a lower cost.
• Lunch Dates – Give gift certificates to a favorite breakfast or lunch place to a child and plan a one-on-one date with that child.
• Movie Tickets – We don’t go to the movies often, but often there are some great family movies coming out around Christmastime.
• Question Book – My kids all love this Question A Day Book, and it gives us a fun conversation starter each day. The “question book” is a fun pre-bedtime activity at our house.
• Learning Magazine Subscription – Our kids love getting “real mail” in the mailbox, and extended family members often get them subscriptions to learning magazines. They look forward to the magazine coming each month and to doing the activities (and bonus: you can recycle the magazine when they are done with it!).
• Craft Bucket – One of my favorite Christmas gifts as a child: a basket of craft activities that lasted me a year! My aunt filled a large basket with scissors, paper, glue, string, and every other craft supply imaginable. That basket led to dozens of hours of fun for me as a kid, and now my girls sometimes get activity baskets like this with crafts we can do together. My kids love getting books about how to draw, painting kits, sticker pads, construction paper, and other craft kits.
• Garden Kit – Just like crafts, gardening is a great activity to do with children. If you have a budding gardener (pun intended) on your hands, wrap up some seeds and gardening supplies and let your child help you garden all year!
• Musical Instrument – A favorite gift one Christmas was a steel drum that my husband has been teaching the kids how to play (though I admit, on a couple of especially loud days I have regretted the idea!). This is the one we got, and they have loved learning to play it. We’ve also ordered mini musical instrument kits for the kids to all create their own music.
• Movie Night Packages – Our children don’t watch much TV, but we do love family movie nights. To make the tradition even more fun, we wrap up a new family movie DVD and some healthy snacks in a box for each child to let them “host” the movie night.
• Game Night Packages – A game night is another great family activity. Giving each child one game is a fun way to expand our collection, and they love playing “their game” when we have a game night. Some favorite games are Apples to Apples, Tsuro, Uno, Sequence, and basic card games.
• DIY Kits – My kids have enjoyed getting the supplies to make homemade soap, lip balm, lotion, or other DIY items that we can make together (like this DIY Christmas garland) or give as gifts. (Bonus: they are learning new skills too!) This paper-making kit was an especially big hit!

Gifts for Dad

Check out this post for ideas of usable, practical gifts that dads will enjoy (and that help them be healthier, sleep better, etc.). In my experience, guys are the toughest to find experience-based gifts for, but here are a few ideas that my hubby has liked over the years:

• Home Brewing – My hubby likes beer, and I prefer when he drinks organic (or at least non-GMO) beer. A few years ago, he got into home brewing beer, and it has been a fun hobby for him. I’d recommend this book to learn more about brewing, and while there are pre-made brewing kits, I’d suggest talking to a local homebrew store if possible to find out what supplies and ingredients he will need.
• Sports – Any sports-related experiences have been a hit with my hubby. I think my biggest (and most expensive!) surprise for him ever has been sending him to spring training for his favorite team, where he got to play with some of the players! Tickets to see his favorite teams play have also been a big hit. These all tend to be more expensive, so I had to save for several years for one of these surprises, but I think it ended up being an amazing and memorable experience for him.
• Outdoor Activities – This will vary a lot depending on the guy, but finding ways to support outdoor experiences he already loves is a great gift idea. This might be finding time to camp as a family or for him to go hunting, hiking, or play sports.
• Scuba Certification – One year, my hubby and I gave each other scuba certifications as a gift. We got to go through the process together and ended up with a great hobby we could enjoy (though not a great one for taking younger kids!).
• Skydiving – Is your guy adventurous? Skydiving is a ton of fun, and many cities have a local place you can go.

Gifts for Mom

Memes abound online about mom enjoying going to the bathroom alone or her hobbies, including eating without a child in her lap or sleeping in. These are some practical experience gift ideas that every mom will enjoy! Since moms deserve every good thing (ok, I know I’m biased), here’s a list of material gift ideas I’ve loved receiving as well.

• A Day Off – Moms work hard all year, and things seem to get even busier around the holidays. One of my favorite gifts ever was a series of “days off” that I didn’t have to cook, clean, or have any household responsibilities (and it included a gift card to go out for coffee!). Even better (hint to dads), get together and schedule a moms’ night out for several of your wives to go to dinner together!
• Pampering – With that whole “motherhood is pretty hard work” thing, any kind of pampering is an awesome gift and one that mom may not do unless it is a gift. Massages are my personal favorite!
• Date Nights – Getting time alone can be tough with kids, so some of my favorite gifts ever have been pre-planned date nights when my husband handled the arrangements, lined up a sitter, and made the plans.
• A Nap or Getting to Sleep in – This may be one of the toughest gifts to pull off, but one of the most appreciated. If you can figure out how to let mom sleep in for a day or take a nap, she will be grateful!
• Any Family Gifts – Any of the family gifts listed above are also a great option to get for moms as they’ll enjoy the family bonding and the idea of an activity to do with the kids.

Gifts for Grandparents + Extended Family

• Day Out with Kids – This has been a favorite for grandparents to give to the kids, but also to receive. The kids pick a fun activity they want to do with grandparents or extended family and give it to them as a gift. It might be something like going out for smoothies or playing at the park, or even a trip to the grocery store to gather ingredients and cook a meal together.
• Amazon Prime – I know several extended family members who use Amazon all the time but did not want to pay for the Prime membership. In the past, we’ve given these family members a Prime membership (click on “give the gift of prime” and enter their email address). This is partially a material gift as well but tends to make purchases they are already making faster and easier.
• Memory Book – Either make a photo book with a company like Shutterfly that showcases some favorite memories with the recipient, or let your kids make a homemade book by printing and cutting out pictures and writing captions.
• Membership Add-Ons – For grandparents who live close by, you may be able to add them to any of the family memberships listed above. We added guests/grandparent options to our zoo and science center memberships as well as to many of the local attraction places. This allows them to come for free and spend time with our kids (and is a bonus for us as well, since we have extra eyes to watch and help with the kids).

Giving Experiences: The Bottom Line

Even if you’ve already purchased gifts for this year, consider adding some experiences as well or slowly transitioning to more experience-based gifts over time. The family time and memories are worth so much more than gifts, and statistically, giving experiences may help reduce your stress levels and contribute to family bonding. Here’s more on how I plan for the holidays and save my sanity.

Have you tried to give experiences instead of gifts in the past? What other suggestions would you add to this list?

This article was originally published by wellnessmama.com. Read the original article here.

This article was originally published by mindbodygreen.com. Read the original article here.

Today I have an awesome posterior chain pyramid workout that will get your muscles fired up and your heart pounding in just 20 minutes!

You may be wondering what exactly is your “Posterior Chain” and why is it important to train?

“Posterior” is an anatomical term that refers to the backside of the body, so your “posterior chain” is simply the chain of muscles along the back of your body.

So many movements in our daily life use the muscles on the front side of the body because so much of our activity is forward facing (makes sense, our eyes aren’t in the back of our heads). Our front body muscles can get a little overworked without us even realizing, causing symptoms like rounded shoulders, neck pain and lower back pain.

BTW –  you’re looking for more ways to incorporate balanced training for your workouts and everyday movement, check out the Free 14-day Foundations of Functional Fitness Workshop right here!

Posterior chain workouts are great to consistently add to your workout rotation so you can have strong, upright posture, create a solid base for functional movement and enjoy all the benefits of a balanced physique – not to mention sculpt strong legs, a lifted butt and strong back.

So let’s get right to it!

Did you enjoy that workout? Now let’s get you a plan! Check out the 30-Day Abs and Booty Challenge for a home workout program that will strengthen your posterior chain and sculpt and define your abs, legs and glutes. Plus this program works your entire body using minimal equipment and will get you on track to feeling and looking your best!

Amazing job Rockstar! I am so proud of you for showing up today! Check in with me and let me know how you liked the workout and anything else you want to share – I love hearing from you.

The perfect follow up to this workout is the 30-Day Booty and Abs Challenge!

This program targets and strengthens your abs and glutes from multiple angles so you not only get a beautiful sculpted shape, but improve your body’s function as well.

Define your abs and sculpt your booty and legs with this time-saving 30-day workout plan that can be done at home or in the gym!

You can check out the entire program right here!

The post Posterior Chain Pyramid Workout appeared first on The Betty Rocker.

This article was originally published by thebettyrocker.com. Read the original article here.