Learn From Your Experience and Keep Going

Thanksgiving is over.  November is in the rear view mirror.  We are now in the countdown to holiday cheer, parties, ho-ho-ho, gift giving and all the rest.  It's a tall order.  I am hearing from my workout studio to focus on goals and regular workouts and not get distracted by the demands of December, the weather and lagging motivation.  It is good advice for all of us.  

First, let's consider how things are going so far.  How was Thanksgiving, i.e. the pressures of eating, indulging, trying this and that, getting carried away by nostalgia or family drama?  We thought about it ahead of time.  Did it go according to plan?  If so, give yourself a lot of credit.  If not, for whatever reason, then it's time to refocus on what you really want.   Let's keep moving because no matter what the reason, the behavior change has to happen.  Even a baby step in the right direction is enough to get you moving along and refocused on the present and the future.  The past is just that--over--and done.  Leave it there and move on.

Because the month of December is often full of socializing, pot-lucks, decorating, holiday prepping, cooking, entertaining, shopping at crowded stores, we have our work cut out for us.  Knowing this, it is time to make a realistic plan for what can happen this week.  Where are the hot spots that might distract us?  What are the challenges?  Let's identify these in advance, for this week and no more. Then, let's develop a strategy for coping.  Is there one event that is so much more point-worthy than another?  Is there an occasion that you might like to skip so you can stay home and relax, recharge and spend some ME TIME?  It's up to you.  Feeling depleted, exhausted or frustrated will not make it easier to follow the program.  It will make it stressful.

Consider giving yourself a gift that keeps on giving this December.  What about the gift of good health.  That means quality sleep, taking frequent mini breaks throughout the day, having appetizing snacks for yourself at all times, indulging in what really matters and is worth it.  What about treating yourself to some ME TIME at the gym, at the massage studio, at a coffee shop so you can enjoy the holiday season too?  You're worth it.  The gift is priceless.

Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Control

It's that time of year when counting our blessings and filling the table with seasonal recipes takes center stage.  It's hard to pretend that Thanksgiving doesn't come with a major food focus.  It can be even more than that though, if we create new traditions that make the day funner and healthier and more like something we can all be grateful for.

Traditions are wonderful if they still work.  This is the time to ask ourselves if feasting until we're stuffed still makes sense?  This is the time to ask ourselves what do we really want from the holiday? What can we do to focus on something else besides food, leftovers, more food, extra helpings?

If the family and friends are agreeable, getting some exercise in is a great idea.  Some fresh air and being outside can be a great distraction.  Playing games, interviewing elders in the family for stories about their lives can also be a great way to pass the time without overeating.

With that being said, let's not pretend that food isn't a major player in the day.  Of course it is. However, if we are striving for something better (control, not overeating, feeling satisfied, getting through the day in one piece (peace)), then we have to make a more thoughtful plan for a better day. Let's be honest; we are going to indulge in our favorites.  That makes perfect sense.  However, we don't have to eat like it's the last day on earth.   Furthermore, Thanksgiving is on Thursday.  Not Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Let's practice the "one and done" rule.  I anticipated it; I planned it; I ate it slowly; I tracked it accurately; I was satisfied with my food and myself.  So, I was done.

The best laid plans are just that--plans.  There has to be an overriding reason--a compelling personal drive in us all--that will enable us to actually carry out the plan when temptation is all around.  Dig deep.  Look inside.  Ask yourself:

What is it that I really want?

What is it that I am willing to pass up or minimize to get it?

Why is this so important to me?

The answers to those questions will make it a lot easier to pass up the extra points, focus on what really matters, enjoy the day in all its glory--stuffing and pie and all the rest and still keep your dream of a healthier, happier, more confident life alive.

I am grateful to know how to handle a holiday like this.  I am grateful to have a plan, and I am very clear about why it is so important to me.

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

GOTCHA at the Grocery Store

It's set up to trap you and catch you and keep you coming back for more, i.e. the grocery store.  The layout is designed to force you to travel from one end to the other and all pathways in between.  With well-organized displays, endcaps of GOTCHA items that you didn't know you needed and fragrant smells wafting from the bakery, it is important to focus on your mission.  You are going in to get out without succumbing to GOTCHA.

A few rules to remember:

1)  Eat a snack before you go to the store.  No standing in the aisles hungry.
2)  Chew gum or drink bottled water in the store so that samples are less likely.
3)  Shop the perimeter of the store and stick to the list.
4)  The list is made up of weeknight dinners that can provide leftovers for lunches.
5)  Do not go down any aisle that you can't be trusted in.
6)  Remember, once it is in your cart, you have given yourself permission to eat it, all of it.
7)  Don't look at candy bars, high fat and high sugar items in the checkout lane.  Read a magazine.
8)  Avoid busy times like Saturday (sample day) or after work when everyone is stressed and hungry.

With the holiday season coming right up, there will be lots of trips to the grocery store.  Arm yourself with this knowledge so that you can stick to your plan and let the shopping trip be one less stressor during such a busy time.

Lastly, if the store really is too much to take, you can dial up your groceries and avoid the whole hassle. Whatever makes following the plan easier, your life less complicated, and your time better spent will be worth it.  Now that's a game you can win.

 

Reduce Saturated Fat and Added Sugar

Ninety percent of people in the US overconsume saturated fats and added sugars in their daily intake from the following three sources:

Sandwiches/burgers/pizza,
Desserts, sweets, candy, donuts,
Sugary beverages like coffee sundaes, sodas, juice and sugary prepackaged "smoothies".

OUCH!  The message is loud and clear.  It is time to take a serious look at what is going into your mouth and rethink your options.  That means paying closer attention to the supersizing of burgers and fries, foot-long sub sandwiches and treats like "muffins" (also known as CAKE!) king-size candy bars and big-gulp sodas and fancy coffees.  It also means planning how often you will allow yourself to indulge in these things.  We live in the land of supersize this and all-you-can-eat buffet that.  It not only gives us permission to overeat, but we also get a distorted sense of portion control.  Our eyes have gotten too big for our stomachs.  In addition, it has become socially acceptable to eat these "treat" foods all the time.  In fact, "treats" are no longer treats but just regular foods that keep showing up like donuts every Friday and visits to the vending machine whenever you feel like it.  It's making us all very unhealthy, sluggish and addicted to more sugar.

We need to be especially mindful of these issues at this time of year when the body is producing more melatonin (the sleepy time hormone), the sunlight is lacking, the seratonin (happy hormone) is dipping, the temps are getting colder, and we feel like being lazy and staying indoors.  This can lead us to look for high fat and high carb foods to "feel better."  It's a temporary fix, and it has long-term consequences for those trying to lose and maintain weight.

First, let's be mindful of what is going into the shopping cart, what is going into the cabinets, what is being ordered at restaurants.  If it sounds like a high fat food (cheesey, gooey) then it is.  If it is a jumbo burger and fries, then it needs to be split--or saved for a treat like on the weekend.  It can't be lunch on a Monday for no reason.  It's too many points, and it is too high in fat for a healthy intake. We also need to look at those times when we'd just like a little something....sweet.....to get through....maybe the afternoon.....or evening.  There is nothing wrong with a treat now and then, or a small treat regularly.  Plan it in so you can enjoy it properly, i.e. mindfully without regretting or overdoing it.  If you fall into the sugary beverage category, it's time to cut way back on the sugar that goes down too quickly.  Take a look at the nutrition facts and see just how much added sugar is in those drinks (even bottled smoothies).  Try to cut back on by replacing at least half of them with water or fancy seltzer waters.

As we head into the Weight Watchers Olympics (Holiday Season) we know we will be faced with many opportunities to overindulge.  Let's plan a healthy holiday season where high point foods that are also high fat and high sugar are worth it, tracked correctly and really appreciated.  That way we can have what we want with no regrets.  That's what you really deserve, after all.

Create a Healthy Environment for Yourself Wherever You Are

So much of healthy lifestyle depends on our environment.  The physical space, a certain time of day, a certain restaurant smell, the weekend itself are all examples of the environments we find ourselves in.  While it is easier to follow good eating, exercising and sleeping habits when we have complete control, it is impossible to have complete control of every situation that might arise.  Temptations arise.

However, we still have to find a way to make sure that the spaces and places we go become more supportive.  For members who have followed the program for a while, we know very well where our "hot spots" are.  We do our best to avoid them, because we know that is helpful.  In fact, that's the first line of defense.  "Don't sit next to chips at a party if you don't want to eat chips." The best laid plans don't always materialize.  Now that the holiday season is coming right up, we can start contemplating where our seasonal challenges may be and plan accordingly.

For me, it's always all about the sweets.  Not having them in the house is the best way to go. However, people in my house bring things home.  Despite my telling them not to, this continues.  So, I've decided that in order to make the program plan friendly for me, I am going to put those treats as far away from the kitchen cupboards as I can.  By doing that, whenever I go to the kitchen to make a healthy meal, I won't be tempted by the treats.  Having good, healthy meals planned is also a strategy I am going to use.  If I have the healthy options, it will be easier for me to stay focused on what I really want...to maintain my weight and stay in control.

We continue to support our behavioral changes by taking ME TIME--a mini vacation from the rigors of daily life.  The better we feel about our lives, our hobbies, our interests, our social connections, the better we do.  So, despite the busyness of the season, we still need to bring quality ME TIME into the day even if it means little bursts of time away from the desk by walking, stretching and filling up the water bottle.

There is no one-size fits all approach to making eating less and moving more easy.  There is a path to progress, though.  By doing a little bit at a time, one day at a time, we can promote our health and wellbeing and not just get through the holidays but thrive during the holidays.  That sounds calmer already.

Fitting in Fitness

No matter what level of fitness you have, you can always improve by taking a step in the right direction.  Little bursts of activity add up to a sense of accomplishment, a much-needed mental health break and a physical break from just sitting, sitting, sitting.

Because of today's technology-driven lifestyle, our lives are convenient.  That can be a nice thing but not without its down side.  We sit for such long stretches with no need (or desire) to get up.  This has become a health problem. Sitting is now considered a disease with long-term health problems like obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Adding in a five or ten minute walk mid-morning and mid-afternoon is what I am suggesting. Parking your vehicle further from the door every time you run an errand counts.  If you have a dog, your best friend and you could benefit from more time exploring outside in the fresh air. Getting off the bus one stop sooner than your destination could add the extra steps (10,000 per day is recommended) you might need.  What about all those tv commercials?  That is also the time to do something good for yourself.  Use those intervals as a reminder that you've got to get up and get moving.  Stretching, going up and down the stairs, taking out the trash would all help.

Even if you go to the gym and make a regular workout part of your routine, which is fabulous, you still need to keep moving throughout the day.  We all need to stop being so sedentary and start being active throughout our busy lives.  The benefits for both body and mind are real.

We have been talking about how important it is to find ME TIME...quality moments to yourself that make you feel good about who you are.  These mini physical, active bursts of fitness fit the bill.

The better you feel, the better you do.
The better you feel, the more you want to do.
The better you feel, the more fulfilling life you are leading.

After all, that is the point.

Protein is the Way to Go

On the path to self improvement, weight loss in particular, we need certain key ingredients to make things work.  One of those ingredients is a daily intake of 2-3 servings of protein per day. Protein does a lot of work to keep the body healthy, repair tiny muscle tears that come from exercise, promote brain health and keep the hunger monster away.  Because the body works harder to break down protein, that macronutrient powerhouse, the body takes its time to process and digest, which means we feel fuller longer.  Ideally, if we aren't hungry, we won't be overeating.

We need all the food groups to keep going, but when in doubt, add a protein source to your breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks to keep the blood sugar level and the hunger monster from roaring.
Ideas include:  lean meats, (meat without saturated fat, cholesterol) fish, eggs, (2 eggs equal 1 serving) greek yogurt, other dairy, tofu, black beans, quinoa, nuts and nut butters and some vegetables too.

Eating well, in a balanced way is the key to consistent weight loss.  Eating at regular intervals helps keep the mood, satisfaction and hunger under control.  Sometimes a piece of fruit or some veggies doesn't provide the hunger management we need.  That's when adding a protein to a snack can really make a difference.  Hummus (chick pea protein) and carrots would work.  Other ideas include peanut butter or a cheese stick with an apple or banana.  Rolled up turkey or lean roast beef and cucumber spears.  Even cottage cheese and canned peaches or diced cherry tomatoes might keep you going from late afternoon to dinner.

People have asked about protein powder.  Is it the same as eating an original protein source?  No, it is not because the powder has been processed, so the body will not work as hard to break it down and keep the same level of satiety as it would with a protein source in its original form.  Think about eating an orange versus drinking its juice.  Think about getting your vitamins and minerals from your food versus from a pill.

If you aren't sure you are eating enough protein, or you are feeling too hungry too often, it might mean you need more protein blocks.  You can always check to see how many servings you get in a typical day by looking at your tracker.  Yes, the good old tracker from yesterday online or from the past week on paper will help tell the story about meeting the nutritional needs your body requires.

It's ironic.  Overeating anything at all including lean protein will produce weight gain for Weight Watchers members.  However, not eating does not produce weight loss.  We have to eat the right things, at the right times, in the right combinations (protein, healthy carb, healthy fat) to get the best results--sustained weight loss and satiety.  It's a challenge to keep it going.  Not to worry, though because perfection is not the goal. Mostly right, most of the time is what we are looking for.  That will be enough to get to a weight loss goal, and it will be enough to stay there.

Eat well.  Eat from all the food groups.  Eat at regular intervals.  Single ingredient foods, the clean foods, the power foods will give you the best chance to lose the weight.  The road to self improvement is paved for you.