Happy Pre-Turkey Day!
I don't know about you, but
I'm not a "holidays" type of gal. I just feel like you have all the
other days in the year to celebrate your life and the people around
you..why choose to go so hard on only a couple days a year? But,
regardless of my views, this is the time of year when people dream and
breathe and eagerly wait to devour turkey, potatoes, pie, stuffing,
cornbread..and every other tempting piece of food on the planet! :-P
Here are my tips for maintaining your weight around the Thanksgiving/Winter holiday time.
1.
Get a workout in THURSDAY MORNING. Trust me, you won't regret it. It
works well because first of all, you won't want to work out later in the
day - let's be honest. Secondly, you're raising your metabolism so that
at least a portion of the food you eat will be going to fuel your
muscles and your body, not just going into fat cells.
2.
Make half of your plate vegetables. Note: Green bean casserole does NOT
count as a vegetable. Not sure if there are going to be vegetables at
your place of gathering? Let me ask you this -- if you weren't sure if
there was going to be wine, would you bring your own bottle?? That's
what I thought. You can pack a little bag of baby carrots, too.
3. Eat the vegetables first. And slowly. And with lots of water.
4.
Round of the kiddies or relatives who you can stand (haha, joke!) and
go for a brisk walk or play tag or do something somewhat physical
outside. This is what is called the "post-pig-out-zone" where you just
want to nap. Don't! You'll have so much more fun and you'll actually get
to spend time with your family and friends if you do something fun and
interactive now that your bodies and minds are fueled to the brim.
5.
Take time the next day to reflect on the progress you've made this past
year and then set goals for the upcoming year. Don't wait until the
first of the year -- now is the time to get a move on. Think of it as a
secret head start against everyone else. Think about it: the day after
Thanksgiving, everyone is going to be shopping, not at the gym. Make it a
great workout to kickstart your new routine!
I have
complete faith and confidence that you all can reach your goals in a
safe, effective, and realistic manner. I'm here to help, so feel free to
reach out at any point if you'd like - stepupfns@gmail.com
Monday, November 19, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Heart Healthy Diets and STEP CHALLENGE!!
We're in the last week!! Hopefully our little chat about motivation has re-sparked that fire to lose weight and become healthier - one step at a time.
The bottom line regarding heart healthy diets - specifically, the DASH and TLC diets that are designed to lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, respectively, is that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is key to maintaining a healthy body.
I want to talk a little bit about the perception of food and diet in the media. Not to play the blame game, but companies understand that by advertising "healthy products" on television or getting celebrity endorsers, they are in a way brainwashing us to believe that powders, gels, and bars are the way to a healthy weight. "You won't have to eat another vegetable again if you start taking this vitamin!" or, my personal favorite, "Should have had a V-8". (Why actually encourage your kids to eat fruits and vegetables when they can just drink juice instead? :-/
Nutrition is a business, and I get that. It's when the business of food and nutrition starts to completely change the mindset of the general population for the worse that I start to get concerned. Keep in mind that I'm a dietitian and I'm going to say this: eating the right stuff isn't that complicated. Yes, there are formulas to find out exactly how many calories you need and what percentage from fat, carbohydrate, protein; what levels of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) you need. I'm not at all trying to retract from that, because there are many instances where medical nutrition therapy plays a key role in preventing and treating illness.
Achieving the proper weight for you is actually much simpler than the media portrays it to be. I challenge you to actually listen to your body and figure out your own hunger cues. When are you hungriest? Why? When are not hungry? Do you eat anyway? Why did you eat your last meal - routine, hunger, boredom? These are just some of the questions that you can ask yourself to better understand your relationship with food.
Next week, we'll be discussing hunger and fullness cues - it will he helpful for you to have a general idea of the point of hunger that you usually start eating at, and how you feel when you stop eating (not hungry vs. full vs stuffed).
Remember, you're supposed to be watching your salt intake this week! What foods do you notice are especially high in sodium?
Have a great week - and post your pedometer readings!!
Rachel
The bottom line regarding heart healthy diets - specifically, the DASH and TLC diets that are designed to lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, respectively, is that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is key to maintaining a healthy body.
I want to talk a little bit about the perception of food and diet in the media. Not to play the blame game, but companies understand that by advertising "healthy products" on television or getting celebrity endorsers, they are in a way brainwashing us to believe that powders, gels, and bars are the way to a healthy weight. "You won't have to eat another vegetable again if you start taking this vitamin!" or, my personal favorite, "Should have had a V-8". (Why actually encourage your kids to eat fruits and vegetables when they can just drink juice instead? :-/
Nutrition is a business, and I get that. It's when the business of food and nutrition starts to completely change the mindset of the general population for the worse that I start to get concerned. Keep in mind that I'm a dietitian and I'm going to say this: eating the right stuff isn't that complicated. Yes, there are formulas to find out exactly how many calories you need and what percentage from fat, carbohydrate, protein; what levels of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) you need. I'm not at all trying to retract from that, because there are many instances where medical nutrition therapy plays a key role in preventing and treating illness.
Achieving the proper weight for you is actually much simpler than the media portrays it to be. I challenge you to actually listen to your body and figure out your own hunger cues. When are you hungriest? Why? When are not hungry? Do you eat anyway? Why did you eat your last meal - routine, hunger, boredom? These are just some of the questions that you can ask yourself to better understand your relationship with food.
Next week, we'll be discussing hunger and fullness cues - it will he helpful for you to have a general idea of the point of hunger that you usually start eating at, and how you feel when you stop eating (not hungry vs. full vs stuffed).
Remember, you're supposed to be watching your salt intake this week! What foods do you notice are especially high in sodium?
Have a great week - and post your pedometer readings!!
Rachel
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Food and Fitness
Time is flying by -- it's already almost week 5! Last class, we talked about the relationship between food and fitness in the overall scheme of weight management. Based on our discussion, it seems that starting an exercise program, being motivated to continue the exercise program, and progressively increasing the intensity of the program are key areas of concern for people.
I challenged you to view food and exercise in a different way. Instead of automatically thinking that food is good and exercise is bad, take a thoughtful approach to both. Why is food good and exercise bad? Why do we like eating so much but hate moving?
The relationship between food and exercise should be one of balance. I like food but I also like to exercise. It's when one of the variables gets out of wack that we have either weight gain or weight loss.
I know that exercise can be challenging. It can be defeating. It can make you feel sick, sore, and sweaty. The great part, though, is that it's YOUR time. You get to zone out, turn off your mind, and just listen to your body. It's amazing.
I also know that food can be a wonderful comfort. It can be something that we look forward to, something that makes us feel better and take our minds off of a stressful situation.
Most of all, I know that I have a much different view of fitness and food than probably 90% of Americans. I look at food as means to not being hungry. Exercise is my stress relief - it's what I look forward to. I eat so I can exercise - not the other way around. (Not that I'm perfect by any means, trust me!).
Integrate positive thoughts into your day about exercise. What do you like about it? Try putting exercise in the category of "good" things in your brain.
I challenged you to view food and exercise in a different way. Instead of automatically thinking that food is good and exercise is bad, take a thoughtful approach to both. Why is food good and exercise bad? Why do we like eating so much but hate moving?
The relationship between food and exercise should be one of balance. I like food but I also like to exercise. It's when one of the variables gets out of wack that we have either weight gain or weight loss.
I know that exercise can be challenging. It can be defeating. It can make you feel sick, sore, and sweaty. The great part, though, is that it's YOUR time. You get to zone out, turn off your mind, and just listen to your body. It's amazing.
I also know that food can be a wonderful comfort. It can be something that we look forward to, something that makes us feel better and take our minds off of a stressful situation.
Most of all, I know that I have a much different view of fitness and food than probably 90% of Americans. I look at food as means to not being hungry. Exercise is my stress relief - it's what I look forward to. I eat so I can exercise - not the other way around. (Not that I'm perfect by any means, trust me!).
Integrate positive thoughts into your day about exercise. What do you like about it? Try putting exercise in the category of "good" things in your brain.
Tomato, Cucumber, and Red Onion Salad with Mint
Here is the Week 4 Recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tomato-Cucumber-and-Red-Onion-Salad-with-Mint/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=94187800&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2012-09-27&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1
No major suggestions unless you want to cut down on the fat and calories by lessening the amount of olive oil that you put in. This would count as both a vegetable and fat serving (1 vegetable and 1 fat per 1/2 cup serving). This makes for a great snack or serve with a lean protein and whole grains for a meal.
Be sure to check out the main post from this week (Food and Fitness) as well!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tomato-Cucumber-and-Red-Onion-Salad-with-Mint/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=94187800&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2012-09-27&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1
No major suggestions unless you want to cut down on the fat and calories by lessening the amount of olive oil that you put in. This would count as both a vegetable and fat serving (1 vegetable and 1 fat per 1/2 cup serving). This makes for a great snack or serve with a lean protein and whole grains for a meal.
Be sure to check out the main post from this week (Food and Fitness) as well!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Fats 101
First off -- I'm typing this from my computer at home and the keyboard is going a bit crazy -- certain characters just aren't working. If it looks like I am spelling or typing like a 3rd grader, my apologies.
I hope everyone had a happy and healthy weekend and is ready to start the week off right! Tracking food and activity in MyFitnessPal or on your own is a great way to continue to hold yourself accountable and help you reach your goals. I know it can be tedious at times, but it is well worth it in the end and will get easier with time.
I really enjoyed the nutrition session on Wednesday. It's not often that I get to share my dorky passion for macronutrient metabolism with a group of people who are somewhat interested :)
How are we doing with our fat intake? Are you guys more aware of what types fat you are primarily ingesting, and where you could potentially make improvements to eat more unsaturated fats and less saturated fats?
I've noticed that I eat a lot more monounsaturated fats than polyunsaturated fats. While this isn't a huge deal, I'm getting salmon at the store and buying walnuts instead of almonds next time I'm out of nuts. It's just a matter of being aware and then creating a balance so that you don't eat the same things all the time.
This week, we'll be talking about fitness as well as food and fitness. Basically, we're going to cover how you should workout, how often, when, and what to eat to balance physical activity. It would be helpful to track your activity today and tomorrow to see just how physically active you are.
Enjoy the Fall weather and get outside!!
Rachel
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Nutrition Behaviors
Thanks to everyone for a great session on Wednesday! I was very happy to see the participation and openness in the group. It made for a great series of discussions!
I want to know how everyone is doing with their "problem" behaviors - are you at least starting to identify potential triggers that may cause you to engage in an unhealthy behavior? Are you taking steps to avoid, mitigate, or recover from that situation?
I had a thought this weekend - sometimes the people who are closest to us can also be triggers, unknowingly. It is a good idea to get the people who you surround yourself with on a daily basis (significant others, friends, family members, coworkers) on board with your healthy lifestyle plan so that they can offer additional motivation and support. Just a thought :)
For next week, I want you to make a list of your 5 most popular "dinner" dishes that you cook. We are going to talk about food preparation and I want you to be able to share ideas with your peers!
See you soon!
Rachel
I want to know how everyone is doing with their "problem" behaviors - are you at least starting to identify potential triggers that may cause you to engage in an unhealthy behavior? Are you taking steps to avoid, mitigate, or recover from that situation?
I had a thought this weekend - sometimes the people who are closest to us can also be triggers, unknowingly. It is a good idea to get the people who you surround yourself with on a daily basis (significant others, friends, family members, coworkers) on board with your healthy lifestyle plan so that they can offer additional motivation and support. Just a thought :)
For next week, I want you to make a list of your 5 most popular "dinner" dishes that you cook. We are going to talk about food preparation and I want you to be able to share ideas with your peers!
See you soon!
Rachel
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Welcome to the Healthy Weigh!
Hi All!
Thanks for participating in The Healthy Weigh. We discussed goals and action plans yesterday - I want to know how the changes are coming along. Are you keeping up with your action plan? Are you logging your food and physical activity?
I also want to plant another thought seed in your brain. Next week, we will be discussing food behaviors - that is, how do you see and interact with food? This may seem like a silly topic, but we all view food in a different way. Some of us look at food as a pure source of energy to get through the day - that is, food is simply a means to not be hungry. Others look at food as enjoyable due to the social interaction, or the comfort factor, or maybe taste. Some of us eat out of boredom, others eat when stressed. Both over- and under-eating are most often triggered by these views toward food.
Why do you eat? What makes you WANT to eat? Do you overeat? If so, why do you think you overeat? These are very intrinsic and personal questions, but I would appreciate any and all candid responses. Remember, this is a place of honesty and growth and most definitely not of judgement! You never are obligated to share anything. Even by realizing within yourself what your strengths and weaknesses are to food, you can learn and grow to better avoid temptation and set yourself up for success.
I'll start by sharing myself: I eat partially because I need energy to get through my day and partially for taste. My main "problem" with food is the issue of control. I've always been a bit of a control freak - in all aspects of my life. I like the feeling of being in control of how I think, what I say, and how other people affect me. When I was much younger - middle/high school aged- I had a couple of incidents where I felt like the control in my life was forcefully taken from me. When I lost that control, I decided to over-control another aspect of my life, and that happened to be food. I started gradually reducing my food intake, and over time I restricted more and more and more. When I was a freshman in high school, I was under 100 pounds and simply skin and bones. I ate only raisins and Tums (strange combination, huh?) a couple of times a day and exercised compulsively. I was eventually forced to start eating again, somewhat against my own will. It wasn't until years down the road that I finally understood the huge toll I had put on my body and how my interactions with food had such a negative impact on both my body and my life.
How does this impact my life today? I know that if I get myself into a habit of not eating, I'll continue it. I have extremely strong willpower - my mind can convince myself of pretty much everything. If I tell myself I'm not hungry, I'll convince myself I'm not hungry and it will spiral from there. I have to make sure that I am scheduled and routined with my meals, and that I have available access to food at mealtimes if I'm out teaching and training all day. By having food with me, I avoid talking myself out of stopping to get food during the day.
ALRIGHT! I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on food behaviors and/or how you are implementing the plate technique, logging foods, sleeping more, or increasing physical activity!
Has anyone tried the recipe or the daily fit challenges??!!?
GOOD LUCK and keep in touch!! :)
Rachel
Thanks for participating in The Healthy Weigh. We discussed goals and action plans yesterday - I want to know how the changes are coming along. Are you keeping up with your action plan? Are you logging your food and physical activity?
I also want to plant another thought seed in your brain. Next week, we will be discussing food behaviors - that is, how do you see and interact with food? This may seem like a silly topic, but we all view food in a different way. Some of us look at food as a pure source of energy to get through the day - that is, food is simply a means to not be hungry. Others look at food as enjoyable due to the social interaction, or the comfort factor, or maybe taste. Some of us eat out of boredom, others eat when stressed. Both over- and under-eating are most often triggered by these views toward food.
Why do you eat? What makes you WANT to eat? Do you overeat? If so, why do you think you overeat? These are very intrinsic and personal questions, but I would appreciate any and all candid responses. Remember, this is a place of honesty and growth and most definitely not of judgement! You never are obligated to share anything. Even by realizing within yourself what your strengths and weaknesses are to food, you can learn and grow to better avoid temptation and set yourself up for success.
I'll start by sharing myself: I eat partially because I need energy to get through my day and partially for taste. My main "problem" with food is the issue of control. I've always been a bit of a control freak - in all aspects of my life. I like the feeling of being in control of how I think, what I say, and how other people affect me. When I was much younger - middle/high school aged- I had a couple of incidents where I felt like the control in my life was forcefully taken from me. When I lost that control, I decided to over-control another aspect of my life, and that happened to be food. I started gradually reducing my food intake, and over time I restricted more and more and more. When I was a freshman in high school, I was under 100 pounds and simply skin and bones. I ate only raisins and Tums (strange combination, huh?) a couple of times a day and exercised compulsively. I was eventually forced to start eating again, somewhat against my own will. It wasn't until years down the road that I finally understood the huge toll I had put on my body and how my interactions with food had such a negative impact on both my body and my life.
How does this impact my life today? I know that if I get myself into a habit of not eating, I'll continue it. I have extremely strong willpower - my mind can convince myself of pretty much everything. If I tell myself I'm not hungry, I'll convince myself I'm not hungry and it will spiral from there. I have to make sure that I am scheduled and routined with my meals, and that I have available access to food at mealtimes if I'm out teaching and training all day. By having food with me, I avoid talking myself out of stopping to get food during the day.
ALRIGHT! I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on food behaviors and/or how you are implementing the plate technique, logging foods, sleeping more, or increasing physical activity!
Has anyone tried the recipe or the daily fit challenges??!!?
GOOD LUCK and keep in touch!! :)
Rachel
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