Fitness Friday :: The Power of Three

I was so optimistic that I’d write a decent post this week. What was I thinking? Did you know yesterday was THANKSGIVING?? Imagine that…just sneaks up on ya. Anyway, between the cooking and the cleaning and the packing and the travel, I failed to write.

So instead, I bring you an oldie but a goodie. Originally published in 2009, chances are pretty good you haven’t read it yet.

If you are one of those crazy Black Friday shoppers, I hope you find some killer deals (unless you’re one of those “door-buster” types–then I hope you get some sleep!) If you are putting up your Christmas tree today, don’t forget to play the Mariah Carey Christmas CD and sing like you mean it.  And if, like me, you are on the road visiting your loved ones–I pray the dysfunction of your extended family doesn’t drive you to drink; but instead, you give thanks for another year with them–dysfunction and all.

(Because you, too, are dysfunctional on some level.)

(And by “you” I mean “me.”)

(Or in this case, “I”)

Have a wonderful weekend, friends! On Monday, we will return to our regularly scheduled programming.

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THE POWER OF THREE

1.Salted almonds
2.Dried cherries
3.Dark chocolate chips

3 Reasons Dark Chocolate is good for you:

1. It contains anti-oxidants, like those in dark-colored fruit
2.It boosts endorphin production, a feel-good hormone
3.It contains serotonin, a natural antidepressant

3 Times of the day I like to eat chocolate:

1.Morning
2.Noon
3.Night

Top 3 Dark Chocolate Bars, rated by taste:

1.Cacao Reserve by Hershey’s Extra Dark—180 calories
2.Lindt Excellence Extra Fine Dark –180 calories
3.Chocolove Organic Dark—160 calories

3 Things I love:

1.Lists
2.Peanut butter
3.The color pink

3 Foods that will help you beat belly fat:

1.Eggs
2.Whole grains
3.Blue berries

3 Foods that will help you expel excess fluid, so you LOOK like you have less belly fat:

1.Asparagus
2.Celery
3.Cucumbers

3 Things you might not know about me:

1.My grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Poland
2.I hate to sew, and I’m very bad at it
3.I cannot add or spell in my head to save my life

3 Superfoods offering maximum nutrition

1.Beans
2.Broccoli
3.Salmon

3 words I can never, ever spell correctly without spell-check:

1.broccoli
2.Occasionally
3.Surprise

3 Foods you will never see me eat

1.Walnuts
2.Clams, oysters or anything remotely resembling either
3.Walnuts

3 Cardio-exercises and the calories they burn (145 pound person)

1.30 minutes of brisk walking—180 calories
2.30 minutes of running—300 calories
3.30 minutes of swimming—400 calories

3 Symptoms you should never ignore:

1.Fainting or shortness of breath—could be due to a clot in your lungs
2.Unexplained throat pain—could be sign of a heart attack
3.Persistent diarrhea or cramping—could be Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis

3 Ways to keep depression at bay

1. Steer clear of things or people who bring you down
2.Get outside, even if it’s cloudy, every single day
3.Exercise

3 Things I do to lift my spirits

1.Pray
2.Listen to music
3.Fix my hair—shallow, but true

Top 3 Causes of death in the U.S.:

1.Heart disease
2.Cancer
3.Stroke

3 Causes of death that are almost completely preventable by healthy living habits

1.Heart disease
2.Cancer
3.Stroke

3 Ways to lower your risk of heart disease:

1.Exercise regularly
2.Reduce stress in your life
3.Enjoy your family and friends

3 Ways to lower your cancer risk:

1. Eat at least five servings of fruits and veggies a day
2.Choose fruits and veggies with the most color
3.Consume less than one alcoholic drink per day

3 Ways to leave your lover

1.Hop off the bus, Gus
2.Make a new plan, Stan
3.Don’t need to be coy, Roy—just listen to me

3 Ways to lower your risk of stroke:

1.Don’t smoke
2.Keep your weight in a healthy range
3.Eat a diet rich in cereal fiber

3 of my favorite songs from the 80’s

1.Crazy for You—Madonna
2.One Thing Leads to Another—The Fixx
3.No One is to Blame—Howard Jones

3 Scents that make me happy:

1.Yankee Candle, Pumpkin Pie Scent
2.A pot of coffee brewing and an open window
3.The top of each of my kids’ heads

3 Ways to Reduce Stress:

1.Get proper rest and sleep
2.Have lots of good, healthy friendships
3.Manage your time effectively

3 Ways to Manage your time effectively:

1.Focus on one thing at a time—don’t multitask!
2.Write things down as you think of them. Keep a master list, either paper or electronic
3.Check e-mail only twice a day