Mindful Living

First, we think something.
Second, we act on it.
Third, we live with the consequences.

There are so many blogs and twitter feeds about positivity, positive thinking, daily meditations on life, thoughts for the day, etc.  Not all of them are helpful or even great, but they all share a similar purpose, i.e. they try to help people look at things more positively so they can live more fully.  I am all for that, because it works.  In fact, mindful living makes it easier to say yes to what we really care about and no to things that don't matter.  Mindful eating means we choose the food we love, and we leave the lesser options alone.  It means we slow down with our eating, savoring every bite.  We limit distractions and make the most of the moment.

There are so many thoughts that run through our minds all day long.  They are not all positive, nor should they be.  Sometimes negative thoughts can protect us from impending danger.  However, when it comes to behavioral change, the more positive we can be, the better results we will achieve. Often, when I am coaching someone, he will say to me that he can't do this or that or the other. Eventually, I stop him and say--tell me what you can do.  Let's reframe this conversation to what is possible because that's where the change happens.  We can be realistic too.  While maybe you can't get to the gym because of sick people at home, you can close the door for two minutes and breathe deeply and then make a cup of tea.  That's positive and intentional, mindful and restorative.  It's not the same as going to the gym, but you couldn't get there anyway, so forget about it.  Focus on what you can do.  Let everything else fall away.  Those negative thoughts do not serve you.  Free yourself from them.

I know it is not possible to be positive and intentional all of the time.  However, moving towards a more mindful life where you take the time you need for the things that matter to you will quiet some of those negative thoughts.  Then, it will help those negative behaviors from creeping in as well.  (I can't work out so I might as well pick up take out fast food.)  In addition, it will balance all that you do that is good and hopefully paint a much more realistic picture of your life.  No one's life is all pluses or all minuses.  There are parts of both in everyone's life.  That's normal.  Of course, we like the positive times more than the negative.  That's normal too.

Watch what you are thinking.  Then watch what you are doing.  Do your thoughts and actions match the mindful, intentional life of good health that you are looking for?    If so, keep it up.  If not, go back and try to discover where the breakdown occurred.  Try again the next time.  Keep going. That's it.  No need to belittle your efforts.  Keep going.  You will get where you want to go as long as you don't give up.

Pick Yourself Up and Move Forward

I've been hearing a lot of booing and hooing this week about staying focused and on track.  It happens to everyone at some time or other.  Living a busy life gets in the way of planning meals, cooking and packing meals, getting fitness in, managing stress, sleeping well and enjoying fulfilling experiences and hobbies.  That's a tall order.  I didn't even mention work.  Here are some basic ideas to keep you focused and in the moment:

Step 1:  Be realistic.  What can you do?  What is possible given the kind of schedule you have with the demands on your time?  Then, what will you do?

Step 2:  Set small goals.  Make them doable so that your health and wellness aspirations don't add to your stress.  Maybe a small goal might be taking a ten minute "recess" twice a day.  Walk, drink water.  Leave your phone at your desk.  Maybe a small goal might be picking up a nutritious dinner from the grocery store deli just to make life easier.  Take the help where you can get it.

Step 3:  Be honest.  Everything in your life is not an A-1 priority.  What HAS to be done?  What is NICE to get done?  What can WAIT?  Prioritize the list to calm yourself down.

Step 4:  Drink a lot of water.  Whenever you get up to use the restroom--get a drink.  Stay hydrated no matter what the temperature outside.  It helps keep fatigue at bay.  It makes everything work better.  It takes no time to drink water.

Step 5:  Ask for help.  If you are overwhelmed and cannot manage, try talking to the people who might be helpful.  Let them know you need an assist.  Let them know where you are so that you don't feel so burdened and frustrated.

Step 6:  Breathe in and out, slowly, through the nose.  Roll both shoulders back and down. Concentrate on a happy place in nature.  No matter what, the sun is going to rise again tomorrow no matter what happens today.  Stay mindful and in the moment.  That relieves stress and promotes happiness.

Step 7:  Give yourself extra credit.  What is something fulfilling that you can do to help get you through the day.  No, a bouquet of flowers won't solve your problems, but it might be just the pick-me-up you need.  A home facial or bubble bath?  Ten minutes to read a book?  It all counts.

This doesn't sound like a path to healthy eating.  Yet, it is.  The Beyond the Scale program in Weight Watchers has three pillars:

1)  nutrition  -- get it in, healthy meals and snacks and limited treats.
2)  fitness  --get it in, set small achievable fit goals.  See the "fitbreak" app for more ideas.
3)  fulfillment  --get it in, ME TIME, you deserve it. Make it happen.

Have a great weekend.  Stay strong in the windchills and keep moving forward.  The sun will come up tomorrow, and there is more joy waiting for you on the path to your long, healthy, happy life.

Welcome Frigid Winter: Welcome New You

We are in the early, cold days of January.  In the past week, Minnesota has been plunged into arctic temperatures.  Not unusual for us, but we hadn't had this kind of "old fashioned" winter all season.  I noticed it made me want to cook more, eat more comfort foods and feel more snuggled in at home. At the same time, I also noticed that with the new year and the new focus on healthier living and managing stress proactively, I was making healthier comfort food choices and no matter what, continuing my rigorous workout routine.

It is this kind of clear focus, determination and attention that gets us results.  There are so many times in a day when it would be so much easier to make the unhealthier choice, to sit instead of stand, to grab a sugary coffee drink and donut. What I am looking for is the healthier option.  I'd like it to be the easier option too.  Thank you, Weight Watchers.  Now that we are counting sugar grams and saturated fat grams, those unhealthier options are looking less appealing.  I am also noticing a decrease in stress levels when I am loading up on healthier choices.  Feeling fuller longer, feeling energetic, counting fewer SmartPoints is a big win.

Our Beyond the Scale approach to healthier living includes managing food, engaging in fitness and promoting fulfillment.  All three parts of the program support a change for the better.  All three parts of the program support each other.  Feeling good is motivating.  Doing good things to keep feeling good is affirmation.  Getting results is the proof we want and need.

Stay strong no matter what the weather brings.  Stay focused on what your heart's desire really is. Stay positive knowing that your hard work will deliver results.  And say hello to new you.

Renewal

I am hearing it and seeing it everywhere.  Clean eating!  Lose more weight!  My diet vs. your diet showdown!  Exercising is fun and new again!  I have to ask myself, what's new and what's different? Or is this the same old/same old thing?  We follow up the excesses of holiday celebrating, eating and overindulging with a push towards restraint.  Sometime in later January, however, for a lot of people, those "new year's resolutions" start to fade, and the old habits creep back.

Stop the madness, and stop it now.  Every day of the year is a good time to commit to a healthier, happier, more balanced lifestyle.  Every day of the year is an opportunity to balance wants and needs, a little restraint with "mostly right most of the time" and a little indulgence.  In January, we are surrounded by reminders that now is the time to push these goals to the forefront and commit to them. I have to admit, it does make it easier to look at gym clothes at the front of Costco stores instead of the towering gift baskets of chocolate and cookies and cakes.  I'd rather look at Target ads for gym equipment than ads for holiday MnMs in every flavor.  However, that's not enough to make me do anything.  It's a reminder of what I already know.

Taking good care of myself is a commitment that has to be taken seriously year-round.  In Weight Watchers, we do just that.  We set ourselves up for success by tapping in to the reasons why we come in the first place.  We write down our very clear "whys" so that we can refer to them at any time.  We surround ourselves with a supportive group of like-minded people who can inspire us and help us along.  We make efforts and reap the rewards.  We also make choices we regret sometimes, and then we consciously move on.  In short, we keep going.  No matter what.  We keep choosing to move to the future.  That's where our success lies, and we have to keep directing our intentions in that direction:  renewal.

New Year's Day can mark the start of something great.  It can be a continuation of some great things that have already been happening.  It can be a slam of the door to 2015 so that we are unburdened as we go into 2016 with a clean slate.  No matter what, it is a time of renewal on many levels.  Let's keep this cyclical image in mind as we change and grow and travel the circuitous path to self improvement.  Let's commit to continuing this process, getting better at it all the time.  I am in.  All in.  Are you?

Feels Like Groundhog Day

That week between Christmas and New Years...it feels like the same day over and over again.  Some people are at work or working from home or still entertaining or still trying to keep the kids who are home from school occupied or looking forward to more seasonal joy or trying to get past a little too many seasonal joys.  It's not yet time to turn the page, but it is getting closer.

To me, it feels like nothing too serious can happen right now because we are "in between."  It is precisely at this time, when we can look back on what we've learned and look forward to what might benefit us in the future.  Sometimes those life lessons came our way painfully.  Other times, those life lessons were happy reminders of what we already know.  This is an ideal time to take stock.  Why not spend some moments thinking about this past year and what you experienced?   Why not spend some time writing down the life lessons (good, bad, indifferent) and give yourself a chance to notice what came of those events?  How did they change you?  What do you know now?  Why not think about some new experiences you'd like to have in 2016.

Good health is not a resolution or a yearly goal.  Good health is a lifelong pursuit that comes in many ways.  It can change from day to day.  At the least, it is something that we intentionally cultivate throughout our long, fulfilling lives.  For example, good health can mean getting quality sleep, drinking more water, managing sugar and saturated fats like never before, taking time for personal fulfillment, engaging in fitness for its own sake, learning a new hobby or just walking the dog.  Good health can mean balance, and hopefully balance brings a sense of calm control over what you can manage and a sense of calm acceptance over things that are not yours to manage.  

Self improvement can come from unlikely sources.  Give yourself a chance to see what you might benefit from in 2016.  Thoughtfully consider your options and let the sky be the limit.  Now is the time.

Tis the Season...

Here we are in last weeks of December--heading straight into the New Year.  It's the time of year when treats, gifts, socializing, entertaining and stress come to the forefront.  It's supposed to be a fun time, but with all that has to get done, we often lose sight of the ho ho ho.

Now is the time to be realistic.  What can you do with gifts, wrapping, entertaining, cooking?  What will you do?  Is there anything that you can cut back on and take an assist from the store?  Let them do the work.  That's why they are there.  Gift cards may seem like a let-down gift, but if you can't find the right gift, the card is an excellent choice, and you can always put it in a bigger box and disguise it for fun.

Let's get real about the eating too.  What is likely to happen this time of year?  Where are the big meals, appetizers, desserts and drinks coming from?  When will they be showing up?  What is a "must have" and what is an "ok" thing to pass up?  Decide ahead of time if possible, and then carry out your plan. Otherwise, when you get to the gathering, assess the entire situation and make smart choices then and there.  Drinking lots of water, not going places hungry, standing far from the food, getting busy chatting and catching up are all ways to make the eating less stressful and the good times more enjoyable.

This is not the time to give up on some quiet, peace and calm and even fitness.  A little bit of away time, normalcy, can keep the healthy routines alive and keep you on better track.  You will feel better when you rest, take breaks, get exercise, and enjoy your special hobbies.  Again, this fulfillment piece has the capacity to refuel your tank so that the food doesn't have to jump up and eat you like a gingerbread man.

No one is going to be perfect over the holidays. We are human, and we all have the capacity to make choices we might regret.  However, we can always do better when we know better.  We can always make a smarter choice the next time.  We can always keep moving.  Your health does not take a vacation.  Your piece of mind does not take a vacation.  Your desire to be a fulfilled person does not take a vacation.

I asked my yoga students this week if they had one gift, that cannot be bought, that cannot be wrapped, to give to themselves--what would that gift be?  I ask you too.

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings.

Time for a Fresh Start in Three Ways

On the path to self improvement, there are many twists and turns.  When we know more about how to be healthy, fit and fulfilled, we do more to achieve all three.  Interestingly enough, they all go together to create health, wellness and positivity. 

Healthy eating is critical to healthy weight loss and healthy living.  Food is fuel for the body. Pleasure too.  We can't forget that, but too many high fat, high sugar foods will make us feel sluggish, tired and zapped of energy to say nothing of potential weight gain.  Eighty percent of weight loss comes from eating healthfully.  

Fitness is also a major piece of the healthy living puzzle.  Finding ways to turn downtime into up time by moving more is a great way to go.  Taking longer walks to the restroom, parking further from the door, checking out the fitbreak app on weightwatchers.com can give you great ideas for anytime and anywhere.  Making time for fitness is so important to counteract the sedentary lifestyle that technology creates.  Exercise is the best source for stress reduction.  Meditation is the second best source.  We can do both.  In fact, I teach both in my yoga classes.

Finally, fulfillment...ah yes...what have you done for yourself lately?  What do you do on a regular basis that makes you feel good about who you are?  Hobbies, fitness, social time, crafts, projects, bubble baths, recess at work, massage, napping, listening to music...these are all ways to recharge the battery and feel better about life.  If you give all your attention and energy away to others, the battery runs down, and the resentment builds.  At times like that, it seems so easy to turn to food to cope. It doesn't help though.  It actually adds more frustration and stress.  

The better we feel, the better we do.  This means shining a spotlight on all three things: health, fitness and fulfillment.  Like I said, what have you done for yourself lately?  You can always start now.  You might even consider it the best holiday gift of all--the gift of time, that you give yourself, to take good care of you.  After all, you are worth it.