HOLIDAY SURVIVOR

Do you get more nervous at the prospect of facing a Thanksgiving dinner with mom than a Chihuahua on expresso? Does resisting the spread at the office Christmas party present more of a challenge than any set of lunges ever will? Then read on for a few simple strategies to help you stay on track and still enjoy an occasional piece of pumpkin pie (hold the whipped cream).
Don’t skip meals.
If you skip a meal thinking you will save a few calories now, so you can indulge later, think again. When you skip a meal, you will not only feel lethargic and irritable, but you will overeat more calories than you “saved” by skipping the earlier meal. Add this to the fact your body can only digest a limited number of calories at once, and know all of the excess will go toward filling out that Santa suit.
The solution is to eat sensibly. Whole grain cereal and milk, or 2 eggs and whole wheat toast for breakfast, a small handful of walnuts for a snack, a salad or turkey sandwich for lunch, an apple (perfect and in-season right now) in the afternoon and small amounts of a few yummy holiday foods for dinner will keep your energy up and your New Year’s weight down.

Stay away from the buffet.
Mom’s homemade apple pie, cornbread stuffing and a fried drumstick are almost impossible to resist, so stay away. Fill your plate with high fiber choices like fruit, vegetables and whole grain crackers and protein-rich food like white-meat turkey. Baked sweet potatoes are perfect this time of the year and offer a naturally sweet taste and a nutritional punch. Try a serving of cheese or a small handful of nuts to take the edge off of your appetite before enjoying a small holiday treat. The key is to fill up on nutritious foods first, and then, if you still have room, enjoy.

Slow down
Between driving three hours to your parents’ house, catching up with old friends and lugging gifts around you can feel busier than a mall Santa on Christmas Eve. In the rush, resist the temptation to wolf down your food and give your body the 20 minutes it needs to feel satiated after you eat. So, begin with small portions on your plate and set your fork down between bites. Try a glass of water before your meal. Relax and enjoy each bite, while you enjoy the company.

Keep healthy snacks handy
The holidays bring out the best in us and that includes our best, most sugary recipes, which just have to be shared. Keep seasonal fruit like apples, oranges and tangerines handy for a sweet alternative to the cornucopia of treats around you. As always, low-fat dairy or soy products, nuts, dried fruit and cut, raw vegetables will take the edge off of your cravings, or at least, help you to eat less.

Exercise…please
If exercise is a great way to control your weight and de-stress in January or June, why don’t you do it in December? The holidays are a hectic time, but regular exercise will prevent that slice (or two) of pecan pie from taking up permanent residence on your thighs. Of course, a workout can also be a great escape from a house full of family, or a good way to take the edge off after a long shopping day. Even if you have to reduce the amount of time you workout, keep the habit. If you decide to quit now, where will you be on January 1?

WHY AM I DOING THIS?

The secret to permanent weight loss isn’t a secret if you consistently exercise and follow a diet loaded with fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, whole grains and nuts and seeds. So why do you have less than a 50/50 shot, according to studies, of maintaining your exercise program beyond six months? Frustration over a perceived lack of results is the number one reason. The hard truth is many of the benefits of exercise are not as easy to spot as Buns of Steel.
• Increased energy: The right combination of exercise and nutrition creates a hormonal environment conducive to fat loss, increased muscle strength and increased energy. When your body is working at peak efficiency, your energy levels soar. As a result, everyday things become easier to do.
• Increased Self-Esteem: Choosing to begin and continue a fitness program – even when you don’t feel like it – is an amazing way to increase self-esteem. You look better and are more confident, which empowers you in everything you do. You’ll find the self-discipline required and learned through regular exercise spills over into other areas of your life.
• Increased Mental Focus: Did you know that the latest research shows that exercise helps keep the brain sharp well into old age? Anything which involves mental acuity (focus and concentration) is improved. You also stand a much better chance of avoiding such diseases as Alzheimer’s and senility.
• Decreased Risk of a Heart Attack: By exercising regularly and making positive changes in your diet, you lower your cholesterol and blood pressure and greatly diminish the chances of having a heart attack. One reason is because the action of your muscles pumping blood back to your heart actually stretches the heart, thereby increasing its efficiency even when you are not working out.
• Increased Strength and Stamina: Your body interprets exercise as stress and adapts to handle that stress with less effort. These adaptations benefit your heart, lungs and central nervous system, while also affecting your muscles. The degree to which adaptations occur is dependent on the type of exercise and the intensity of your workout.
• Reduced Depression: The production of Endorphins (feel good hormones) is increased through exercise. Nothing improves mood and suppresses depression better than those endorphins.
• Decreased Stress Levels: The worries and stresses of everyday living (commuting, work demands, the candy bowl on your secretary’s desk) can stick with you long after the work day is done. Exercise is the perfect natural therapy that can change your mood. You’ll sleep better too.

ARE YOU READY?

Do you exercise on a regular basis? That is, do you break a sweat for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week? If you don’t and you are waiting for the exercise fairy to grant you motivation, use this exercise readiness questionnaire to get honest with yourself.
Carefully read each statement and circle the number that best describes your feelings in each statement. Please be completely honest with your answers.
4-Strongly Agree
3-Mildly Agree
2-Mildly Disagree
1-Strongly Disagree
1. I enjoy exercise ____
2. I believe exercise can lower the risk for disease ____
3. I believe exercise contributes to better health ____
4. I have participated previously in an exercise program ____
5. I have experienced the feelings of being physically fit ____
6. I can envision myself exercising ____
7. I am contemplating an exercise program ____
8. I am willing to set aside time at least four times a week for exercise ____
9. I can find a place to exercise (the streets, the park, a fitness center) ____
10. I can find other people who would like to exercise with me ____
11. I will exercise when I am tired, irritable and when the weather is bad ____
12. Exercise will make me feel better and improve my quality of life ____
The scoring is simple. The more 3’s and 4’s you have, the more ready you are to commit to an ongoing program. As for the 1’s and 2’s, ask yourself what is holding you back. The answers may reveal beliefs, which you may not serve you any longer.

QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

Have you ever eaten a bag of apples? How about a pound of grapes? Do six broiled chicken breasts sound appealing? You probably answered no to all three questions. Yet, you would answer yes if I asked about a box of cookies, a whole pizza or a big bag of chips. Quality (i.e. clean) food delivers nutrition and appetite satisfaction. Part of the reason is junk food is often made with refined grains and sugars, which stimulate the appetite. So, you eat some, want more, eat more, want more, feel bad, get fat, etc. The rule of thumb is the less processed a food is, the less packaging it has and the fewer ingredients there are listed on the side, the better it is for you.

QUOTE THIS BLOG

The greatest wealth is health.
~Virgil

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.
~Doug Larson

He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors.
~Chinese Proverb

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.
~Irish Proverb

It’s bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children’s health than the pediatrician.
~Meryl Streep

If I’d known I was going to live so long, I’d have taken better care of myself.
~Leon Eldred

I’VE GOT YOUR BACK

A few points to consider, if you suffer from back pain:

1. A bad back is not always a weak back, but a weak back can lead to a bad back.

2. Lower back pain can be caused by misalignment of your feet, knees or hips.

3. Stretching alone is an incomplete answer to back pain. Also, simply doing the same back exercises for months or years has diminishing returns.

4. More serious medical problems sometimes mimic lower back pain.

5. If medication is your only intervention, you’ll be medicating for life.

DON’T KEEP IT SIMPLE

Refined sugar. Enriched flour. Degermed wheat flour. Oat flour. They come in many names on the ingredients list, but all simple carbohydrates are anathema to weight loss. These quick-digesting substances (they aren’t much of a food) are processed quickly and do not satisfy nutritional needs, nor your hunger. This is because the refining process strips the fiber and many of the vitamins from the wheat, the oats or other whole grains leaving simple molecules, bereft of fiber and vitamins. Think about it: why do packaged cereals need to be “enriched with vitamins and minerals?” They were stripped away! It really is simple to avoid simple carbs. Stay away from white flours, sugars and all foods whose ingredients include refined or processed sugars or grains – especially in the first three ingredients. Look for whole wheat, sprouted grains, and choose a piece of fruit over fruit juice. You will get more nutrition and will feel full longer, thus reducing the temptation to overeat.

DROP THIS HABIT AND DROP THE POUNDS

What do you reach for when you’re thirsty? For too many of us, the answer to this question is soda. This answer comes with up to 12 teaspoons of sugar in a typical 12-ounce can and that means extra pounds on your thighs and stomach. The simple carbohydrates in sugar are digested quickly, but deliver no nutrition. Moreover, soda consumption is linked to cavities, obesity and osteoporosis (the acids in carbonated beverages are the culprits).
Unfortunately, diet soda isn’t a good option. Aspartame, saccharin and other artificial sweeteners have been shown to stimulate the preference for sweetness, which leads to overeating of other sweet foods. Also, despite the FDA’s approval of these sweeteners, many users complain of headaches, dizziness, diarrhea, memory loss and mood changes after use.
Of course, diet and regular soda is not a suitable replacement for non-chlorinated water. In particular, when it comes to sodas with caffeine, drinking a carbonated beverage with the diuretic, caffeine, will dehydrate your body. So, if you’re changing your habits to drop a few pounds or to simply improve your health, eliminate or keep your soda consumption to one (that’s a 12 ounce serving) per day.

THE HEALTHY TOP 10

10. Fitness and good health are about lifestyle. Being active, eating right and stress reduction are all part of the equation.
9. Aim for five to ten servings of fruit and vegetables a day. To make it easier, snack on fruit and add something green (guacamole doesn’t count) to every meal.
8. Get off the couch! Clean the house, go for a walk or go to a movie so you’re less tempted to hunker down and mindlessly eat the whole bag of chips.
7. Take the stairs. Ride a bike. Play with your kids. Take the dog for a walk. Sweep the front porch. Drop and give me 20. Try a yoga class…You get the idea.
6. How many times have you seen someone wait five minutes for a close parking spot to open? Park a little farther away and walk. This is an easier way to be more active.
5. Drink a minimum (minimum!) of eight glasses of non-chlorinated water a day.
4. Strength train for more muscle, bone health, a faster metabolism, and to fit into those jeans you have your eye on.
3. Do something you enjoy! If you don’t you won’t be consistent.
2. Find a partner. Even if this person doesn’t sweat with you, a supportive spouse, friend or trainer will give you motivation to exercise when you don’t feel like it.
1. Consistency! Consistency! Consistency! You didn’t gain 30 pounds in a week and you won’t change your body in a week. Over time…anything is possible.

CRAVING CLUES

Who hasn’t felt the grip of a French fry craving so bad even the thought of the hour on the treadmill needed to burn off the damage couldn’t stop it? Did you know it may have been the signal you were suffering from a mineral deficiency? A study from the Monell Chemical Senses Center revealed this and other clues to your cravings.
The Center’s studies have revealed sodium cravings often signal low levels of calcium, potassium and iron, three minerals women, in particular, are often lacking. When it comes to the universal crave, chocolate, you cave in for the serotonin rush. Serotonin is basically an antidepressant. To beat this one, try a little exercise, which spurs the release of feel-good endorphins
If you crave a little more sweetness in your life, you may simply need an energy boost. This is something which refined sugar gives you in a rush of empty calories. Try a walk and make sure you are eating whole, unrefined carbs to maintain your energy.