A Weight Lifted

Diets Don't Work!

We've been saying it for over 36 years. Finally, the whole world is getting hip to this message (but not quite there yet). To show solidarity, join us in celebrating International No Diet Day today!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: THE ASDAH CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL NO DIET DAY

"Are you putting your life on hold until you lose weight? On May 6, 2008, join the Association for Size Diversity and Health in celebration of International No Diet Day, a one-day moratorium on weight-loss dieting sponsored by an international coalition of health professionals, activists and community groups.

Now celebrated worldwide,  International No Diet Day originated in 1992 by Mary Evans Young, the director of a British activist group called Diet breakers.   INDD was established to challenge the cultural attitudes and values that contribute to chronic dieting, weight preoccupation, eating disorders, and size discrimination.

ASDAH is an international professional organization composed of individual and organizational members who are committed to the principles of Health At Every Size (HAES).   In line with INDD goals, the mission of the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) is to promote education, research, and the provision of services which enhance health and well-being, and which are free from weight-based assumptions and weight discrimination."

“It is important to recognize that health and well-being are multi-dimensional and that they include physical, social, spiritual, occupational, emotional, and intellectual aspects,”  says ASDAH Board President Dana Schuster, “And perhaps most important, we need to recognize that people of all shapes and sizes deserve basic human rights, including the right to not be discriminated against.”

Join ASDAH for International Diet Day on May 6 and eat well, play well and give yourself a break from self-recrimination because of some arbitrary definition of perfection and beauty."

For more information visit the official INDD web site: http://www.largesse.net/INDD/

For more information on ASDAH, visit:  www.sizediversityandhealth.org

ASDAH’s Annual international conference is coming up in July 2008 and will be held at the LAX Marriott.  For more information visit www.sizediversityandhealth.org.

Tags: healthy eating , diets don't work , healthy lifestyles , ASADH .

Disordered Eating: The "New" Epidemic

Several years ago I was on a media tour in New York, visiting various women's magazine editors in an attempt to get them to think about publishing different kinds of stories on eating and weight loss and weight loss programs. My focus: That women (and increasingly men) were suffering from disordered eating -- too much focus on calories, fat grams, weight loss, even 'healthy' choices. The response I remember from one prominent magazine in particular was that the term 'disordered eating' was too 'scary,' that it was even too sensational for magazines (imagine that!).

So imagine my relief that they have finally jumped on board (although I do admit a bit of exasperation that they didn't even talk to me in putting together their story on the issue!). Self magazine recently published the results of survey that showed '65 percent of American women are disordered eaters." MSNBC published this story on the survey:

The disorder next door: Alarming eating habits

SELF poll reveals 65 percent of American women are disordered eaters

By Tula Karras, SELF

SELF's groundbreaking survey reveals that more than six in 10 women are disordered eaters. Another one in 10 has an eating disorder. Find out if you're at risk and how to get healthier, starting today:

Michelle Marsh, 32, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, seems like the perfect dieter. If you ran into the 5-foot-1-inch, 103-pound marketing specialist checking food labels for calories in the supermarket or powering through one of her seven weekly workouts, you'd envy her ability to control her intake and burn off any excess, too. But Marsh, who had her first baby nine months ago and is now below her prepregnancy weight ("I'm the tiniest I've ever been!" she says), could be the poster girl for an unrecognized epidemic among women: disordered eating.

No, she doesn't starve herself to an unnatural weight (like anorexics) or throw up daily (like some bulimics), but she doesn't seem to have a healthy relationship with food or her body, either. "I spend about half my time thinking about food and meal planning," she says, although her meals don't require much planning — she usually restricts herself to the same foods every day (oatmeal, brown rice and two small corn tortillas with chicken and a sweet potato). "I weigh myself every morning, and if the scale goes up a pound, I exercise more. If I gained 5 pounds, I'd be very upset."

To read the rest of the story, go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24295957/. They even have tips at the end of the story for moving away from disordered eating and achieving healthy weight loss, if it's in your cards. The tips echo what we've been saying at Green Mountain at Fox Run for years. It's nice to know they've gone mainstream.

Overcome Self-Doubt to Build Self Esteem

My daughter first looked at me strangely when I mentioned to her that her "I feel fat" thoughts really weren't about her body. I explained that fat is not a feeling; instead, when we think we feel fat, we're usually distracting ourselves from something else that's bothering us. For many of us, negative body image often has to do with feelings of insecurity -- we're worrying about how we're falling short in some area.

To the rescue: Tips from one of my favorite e-letters -- that from Annette Colby. She recommends we try the following tips when fears and self-doubt threaten to overwhelm us.

1. Awareness Recognize the fear and doubt within you. The first step to overcoming doubt is to be willing to face the situation. By being honest and admitting that you have doubts can you seek alternatives.

2. Acceptance
Understand that it is all right to have doubt. What matters most is that you love yourself enough to overcome your doubt by taking calculated risks.

3. Explore Your Fears
Take out a piece of paper and write down a list of your fears. Explore your doubt, examine your fear, and look at the areas in your life where they get the upper hand.

4. Examine Your Excuses
Write down your reasons for not pursuing a personal challenge or moving forward on something important to you

5. Say Good Bye
Write a goodbye letter to your doubt, then bury it, burn it, or release it in some other creative way.

6. Mirror Mirror On the Wall
When your doubt pops up, go to the mirror and talk to yourself. Positive talk isn’t the entire answer, but without we haven’t got a chance of success. People are more successful when they talk to themselves in a reassuring, compassionate, and loving way.

7. Build Self-Esteem
Keep reminding yourself that you are valuable, that you have worth, and that your life matters.

8. Take Positive Action
Take positive action in the direction of your dreams. You can put doubt in it’s place when you take action on the activities and goals that are most important to you.

9. What's the Best that Could Happen
Imagine the best possible outcome. Practice allowing yourself to envision yourself being the person you want to be.

10. Take Care of Yourself
Take some action every day that allows you to feel better about yourself.

No matter what self-doubt is blocking our way to -- whether it be successful weight loss or going after our dream job -- these tips can help us move forward. The bottom line is believing in ourselves because our minds are the most powerful tool we have to help us achieve our dreams.

Can Journaling Help Keep Us Healthy?

There seems to be a fair amount of evidence that journaling is an effective tool in healthy weight loss management. I’m not talking about simply putting together charts and graphs about your age, height, weight, what you eat and how far you walked. I believe journaling can provide an outlet for expressing ones thoughts and feelings. Allowing us to express things that we need to get out in the open or at least on the written page. 

Daily journaling engages us to self-monitor, but more importantly check in, which is essentially a conversation we have with ourselves. It also provides an opportunity to repeat the best practices in our new healthy lifestyle choices until they become more intrinsic and natural to us. It is therapeutic, and helps bring a daily level of awareness to the issues you we’re grappling with.

Journaling about the stresses in our lives – recognizing what might be getting in the way of our success helps put perspective around and focus on what we might be doing to sabotage ourselves and some very simple steps we could take to get back on track.

Tags: mindfulness , self reflection , healthy lifestyles , journaling .

Meditation for Healthy Living & Healthy Eating

I recently began meditating as a way to help myself move forward in life, to find what I want to do with the rest of my life and get out of the rut that I felt myself in. So on the vacation that I just returned from, it was good that my two girlfriends were as interested in meditation as I was. We took time each morning we were in Sicily to spend time focused inward. I do believe it made our time there more fun, as I certainly felt calmer and more able to deal with the anxiety of navigating a country in which I do not speak the language -- and not many of the folks there speak English that well.

We've talked about the value of meditation before on this blog and covered it in length in an article on mindfulness in meditation Here's how we describe the value of meditation:

The practice of meditation is about relaxing in order to focus: a daily session in which we intentionally focus our minds on something, such as our breath or a word. When the mind inevitably strays to a thought or emotion, we bring our attention back to the chosen focus. By letting thoughts and feelings pass without judging them, most regular meditators describe feeling more relaxed, less anxious and therefore less disturbed by negative thoughts, feelings, and perceptions.

Meditation can also help us with eating struggles, such as binge eating, eating to manage type 2 diabetes, or just plain eating well. To wit:

Meditation can be very useful for people who struggle with eating. The relaxed, upright posture produces a calmer, more balanced emotional state. Watching the mind, being aware of thoughts, feelings and sensations, and bringing the mind back to a focus gradually trains us to be a “witness” rather than “victim” of our own states. Every time we bring the mind back to the focus, it is like exercising a muscle in the gym—the ability to let go of disturbances and focus the mind grows stronger. Gradually, we recognize that thoughts and feelings are temporary experiences, arising and falling away like waves in the ocean.

I try to spend about 20 minutes a day meditating, but shorter or longer periods are useful, too. That's just the amount of time that seems to work for me. And now -- excuse me -- I need to go meditate. I've got a lot of catching up to do after being gone for two weeks, and meditation will help me approach what seems like an overwhelming amount to do in a more relaxed fashion.

Ciao for now!

Healthy Living: Celebrate National Women's Health

One of the more common negative effects that being over fat face women is self consciousness, lack of self esteem and a negative body image. Shame about their bodies often keep them out of the doctor’s office.

News from womenshealth.gov and OWH National Women's Health Week and Check Up Day. You can now join the many organizations participating in the 2008 National Women's Health Week Celebration. Anyone can participate - from individuals, corporations, fitness centers, cities, and even entire states!

*National Women's Health Week empowers women across the country to get healthy by taking action. The nationwide initiative, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health (OWH), encourages women to make their health a top priority and take simple steps for a longer, healthier and happier life.

Community health centers, hospitals, and other health care providers across America will participate in this event by offering preventive health screenings to women. You can register your event online and find other events taking place in your area.

*Visit WomensHealth.org to register today!

Tags: National Women's Health , OWH , healthy lifestyles , wellness .

Healthy Living: It's Cherry Blossom Time!

Two of the most beautiful things in the world involve cherries. One is baked cherry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and the other is the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C.

From March 29th through April 13th you can explore and enjoy one of our nation’s most gorgeous sights. Japanese cherry trees in bloom exploding with clouds of delicate pink and white blossoms. These famous trees were originally a gift from Japan in 1912. For many, they signal the coming of Spring and can be seen in abundance surrounding the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin.

Turns out there may be three things that make cherries particularly special - especially those of the tart variety. Some of you may have read about a recent study that came out today suggesting tart cherries might help prevent belly fat.

The study, conducted at the University of Michigan Cardio Protection Research Laboratory, discovered that rats which were given whole tart cherry powder mixed into a high-fat diet were less likely to build up fat in their bellies. Another nifty finding is that these same rats gained weight less quickly and their blood had lower levels of inflammation factors which are typically linked to heart disease and diabetes.

Of course, the tart cherry theory hasn't been tested on human beans just yet. However, the results were promising, in that belly fat and favorable effects on blood levels were visible even when diets were comprised of high fat. Who knows, maybe cherries will turn out to be a real fat buster. I was encouraged to learn that the recommended dose wasn't the typical inedible 50 bushels or 500 pounds. In this case, scientists suggested just a cup and ½ of tart cherries a day.

                                                                                                   Someone pass the pie…

Tags: tart cherries , lipids , healthy lifestyles , belly fat .

When Is a Diet Not a Diet?

My colleagues on this blog may have already posted on this -- I know we've personally talked about it a few times before -- but regardless, I feel the need to post now. Everywhere I look it seems I see Weight Watchers' new ad that says they are not a diet! What a disservice! Any program that has you counting points, calories, grams or even watching your weight in relation to what you eat is a diet!!!

Karin Kratina, a consultant for our program at Green Mountain, may have said it best on her great site Nourishing Connections:

...is the diet industry simply promoting a diet in disguise? To decide, ask yourself, “Does this program promote looking outside of my body’s wisdom and signals to determine how much and what I should eat?” If the answer even hints of “yes,” then it is still a diet.

Staying true to yourself and your body's wisdom when the diet industry bombards you with messages about what, how, when and where you should eat, how you should exercise, how you should manage emotional eating, etc., etc., etc....well, it's difficult, to say the least. But notice a theme here? Notice the word 'should'? Change it to 'want' and you're getting somewhere.

We've talked about intrinsic fitness motivation before, and I encourage you to go back and review. Mindful eating is the same; it implies that we are eating according to internally-directed desires. When it comes to whether a diet is a diet or not, that's the bottom line. If we're having to depend on external things like points or whatever it is a diet has you count, instead of following the internal cues that guide us, then we're dieting, no matter what the ads say.

Healthy Eating - Ten Best Tips For Managing Food Cravings

Most women who participate in the healthy weight management program at Green Mountain at Fox Run, confess they struggle with managing food cravings. When you're in the midst of a food craving cycle, the idea of creating a healthy eating plan seems more like someone taking away your emotional blankie than a good idea. "What about my ice cream, potato chips, pasta, chocolate...(fill in the blank)..?"

To help you adopt a healthy eating plan that includes the foods you crave, try these 10 Green Mountain Tips:

1. Think "management" instead of "control." "Control" implies an adversarial relationship with food; it's gnerally a constant struggle to maintain control. "Management" is much easier. When we manage something, we work with it to achieve our desired results.

2. Eat at least three well-balanced meals a day. Don't skip meals! You'll only be hungrier for the next one. It's a normal physiological reaction to crave food if you're hungry.

3. Give up guilt. One brownie never made anyone fat, but your attitude about eating brownies or any foods you consider forbidden can make you fat. Believing you have 'cheated' on your diet, and therefore having ruined your chances of success, will produce feelings of failure and guilt. Allow yourself your favorite foods in moderation, without guilt.

4. Accept food cravings as a normal part of living in a food-oriented society.  Everyone experiences food cravings, regardless of whether they struggle with their weight. The more you understand cravings, the more manageable they become. Food cravings can be caused by physical cues and emotional cues. Although you cannot necessarily emliminate all cravings, you can manage your reation.

5. Look at cravings as suggestions to eat, not commands to onverindulge. Overeating does not have to be an automatic response to craving. Take charge. When a craving begins, determine how you want to deal with it.

6. Believe that cravings will pass. Researchers have found that people believe a craving will continue to intensifiy until they give into it. In truth, a craving is similar to a wave in the ocean. It grows in intensity, peaks and then subsides if you don't give into it. The more you practice riding the wave, the easier it will become.

7. Disarm your cravings with the 5 D's.

Delay - at least 10-15 mintues before you eat.

Distract - yourself by engaging in an activity that requires concentration and is not compatible with eating.

Distance - yourself from food - leave the room, ask the waiter to remove your plate, take steps (literally) to get yourself in a non-food environment

Determine - how important it is to eat the craved food and how much you really want it.

Decide - what amount is reasonable and appropriate to start with. Eat it mindfully and enjoy!

8. Stop labeling foods as 'bad', 'illegal' or 'forbidden. It's not the food. It's the manner i which you may consume it and how often you consume it. You can eat some of anything you want - even if it is high in fat, calories, sugar or salt - but if you want to reach your healthy fitness goals, you may not be able to eat all of what you think you want

9. Aim for moderation instead of abstinence.  Avoiding things you fear only reinforce your fear. If you think you can never eat certain foods again, you may feel driven to eat as much as you can whenever you can. Explore what you really want. Is it really food? Or do you want well-being too.

10. Exercise regularly. Exercise is the key to managing food cravings. Rather than burn calories, one of the most important contributions of regular exercis is a relief from tension and stress. It is also a very healthy way to delay, distract and distance yourself from food.

Tags: managing food cravings , mindful eating , healthy lifestyles , riding the wave .

Overcoming Exercise Obstacles

Today's a perfect day to post on this subject. We have a torrent of icy rain covering the snow that has been rained on previously, then followed by cold weather, so much so that it's now a nice pile of ice from which I can step onto my roof without much trouble. Needless to say, we're looking forward to Spring around these parts!

Also needless to say, my motivation to step outside for a refreshing walk (or to add to my daily steps)isn't too high at the moment. Still, I'll probably make it to the elliptical at some point today, just because it will help me feel better. After 30 years of pretty regular exercise, I'm very clear that I feel better after I do it, even though I may not want to do it some days.

The title of this post has to do with overcoming some of those motivation killers when it comes to physical activity. In this case, however, I want to talk about fears about exercise -- fears that people are watching us -- and laughing; fears that we're so out of shape we can't keep up in class or when out on a walk with friends; fears that we'll injure ourselves. These are frequent fears that we hear at our women's weight loss retreat Green Mountain at Fox Run, from the women who come to us for help in overcoming exercise obstacles like this. We address them regularly, but recently posted a new FitBriefing on our site that addresses these specific fears. Read this article "Overcoming Exercise Fears: Yes, You Can!" for tips that will help you get past these issues, and get on with taking good care of yourself. And in the coming wonderful outdoors months of summer in North America, you just might find yourself donning those sneakers and getting outside to enjoy. Or if you're facing winter in coming months in another part of the world, consider all the wonderful sports of winter that we've grown just a bit tired of at this point!

A Time of Change

Spring is a glorious time of year, especially here in the Northeast where we've been buried under snow for months (or if it's been a snowless winter, the brown landscape gets pretty dreary). Spring represents change at its best -- a time of growth, a time of awakening, a time to celebrate.

Many of us don't look at change that way in our personal lives, however. We may actively resist it, instead of seeking out the positive aspects of change. My favorite self-help website, Daily OM, describes the benefits of change this way:

It is only through change that we are able to grow. Transformation takes you out of your comfort zone so you can evolve. A change will always bring new experiences and add different elements to your life. In the midst of change, we learn how to handle a fresh set of variables. As we adapt, we assimilate this change into our beings; we have already grown when we become more than we were just a moment before. When you allow change to happen naturally today, any plans you make will be able to evolve organically so that you can realize your dreams.

Women who come to Green Mountain are seeking change -- change in how they eat to adopt healthy eating, how they move their bodies to start to enjoy exercise, how they think about themselves to improve body image and how they view the world around them. They may not realize the seek change in all these areas, but all these areas generally get touched upon in the journey to taking better care of ourselves.

Change is not always a smooth course to the finish. Witness snowstorms in April -- we've even seen snow in June in these parts! But one thing is true about Spring -- it's persistent. It's there regardless of the form it takes, and it leads the way to sunnier times.

Of course, lifestyle change is the same. It can get pretty bumpy. But staying positive, and keeping our eye on the goal can keep us going. Try this affirmation: I embrace the change that is inevitable in my life, to find the positive and continue to grow into the person I want to be.

Healthy Living - Spring Ahead and Fall Back.

Yippee! Saturday night (well, technically at 2 a.m. on Sunday), we can all set our clocks ahead  - think SPRINGTIME!

In honor of spring I thought it would be a good idea to try and put a little spring in my step by going out to do some shopping this weekend.  It's time for some new workout threads and I was reminded how invigorating it can be tossing out the old and bringing in something brand spanky new. 

Even exchanging your dingy socks with a fresh pair of crispy white ones can put a skip in your step.  Replacing your old tired tees and tennies with ones that are comfortable and well suited to your workout can make a big difference.  Clothes that stretch, breathe and most importantly fit!   

I think it is important to ‘gear up’ for exercise the same way you do for any other event that is important to you.  I’m not implying you go out and buy the most expensive athletic wear you can find just to prove how serious you are.  Or waiting one more minute to go out for a walk because you don’t think you have ‘the right clothes’.  I’m talking about making a commitment to your new active lifestyle by treating your fitness activity and more importantly your body with respect. 

When you start a fitness routine you figure out all kinds of things.  Too many layers, not enough layers, shirts that pull and drag as you sweat… or the dreaded undies that ride up or bras that give way under duress.  It’s important to appreciate the kind of exercise you’ll be doing when putting together exercise apparel that will endure your workout and keep you feeling comfortable.

At ‘A Weight Lifted’ we appreciate that shopping for good athletic wear can be challenging.  In the next few weeks we’ll be adding a shopping link to our blog featuring athletic wear, books and tapes we think you may find useful.  In the mean time, here are a few links that could assist you in gearing up for your next fitness adventure! 

Shop Fitwoman 

A Big Attitude

Danskin

Tags: intrinsic exercise , walking , women's active wear , fitness .

Sleeping Well, Eating Well, Living Well

It's National Sleep Awareness Week! I know -- pretty exciting stuff. Sarcasm aside, getting enough sleep is basic to good health and healthy weights. It's estimated that one-third of people in the US suffer from chronic sleep loss. With so many of us also struggling with healthy weight loss, it makes sense to pay attention to this problem.

The link between adequate sleep and healthy weights has to do with hormones. According to the National Sleep Foundation, if we don't get enough sleep, it may affect our levels of the hormone leptin, which regulates carbohydrate metabolism. Low levels of leptin can cause carbohydrate cravings, "...regardless of the amount of calories consumed."

The Sleep Foundation also points out that adequate sleep may also be part of a type 2 diabetes program. It cites a small study on 11 healthy young adults that showed after several nights of only four hours a night of sleep, "their ability to process blood glucose had declined, in some cases to a pre-diabetic state, prompting their bodies to produce more insulin."

And that's the tip of the iceberg when it comes to negative effects of not enough sleep. Here are a few tips from the National Sleep Foundation to help you get your zzzzz's.

At night:

Establish a regular bedtime routine and a regular sleep-wake schedule. That means getting up at the same time every day of the week, no matter how much you've slept the night before, and going to bed at about the same time.
Don't spend too much time in bed. Your time in bed should be about the same as the amount of time you can actually sleep during the night. You can't force yourself to sleep by spending more time in bed.
Do not eat or drink too much before bedtime.
Create a sleep-promoting environment that is quiet, dark, cool and comfortable.

During the day:

Consume less or no caffeine, particularly late in the day.
Avoid alcohol and nicotine, especially close to bedtime.
Exercise, but not within three hours before bedtime.
Avoid naps, particularly in the late afternoon or evening.
Establish a regular bedtime and get up at the same time every day. Do not stay in bed to make- up for lost sleep or beyond your regular rise time.
Keep a sleep diary to identify your sleep habits and patterns that you can share with your doctor.

Mindful Eating/Intuitive Eating Case Studies

I just have to share this post and comments about mindful eating or intuitive eating from the blog Shapely Prose, which I recently learned about. It's one of the best real-life discussions of mindful eating or intuitive eating that I've seen. I don't want to take away from its thunder by excerpting it because it's really valuable to spend the time reading the whole thing, including all the comments. One note: The person who let me know about it felt compelled to say that it does contain some !@# language, so I guess I should also notify you about it.

Becoming a mindful eater/intuitive eater is a major step in eating well to be healthy. For some of us, it paves the way to healthy weight loss -- that is weight loss that occurs because we've gotten our bodies to higher than healthy weights because of all the unmindful/non-intuitive eating that we've done, largely the result of dieting or the diet mentality. At the very least, mindful eating can lead the way to peaceful eating, which is a huge step forward in achieving the goal of health and happiness.

After you've read the post on mindful eating/intuitive eating, bookmark the blog so you can read other entries, too. It's a great place to spend some time!

It's That Chocolate Time of Year Again

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and in honor of it, I'm not going to talk about the nutritional value of chocolate. Yes, there does appear to be some real health benefits associated with eating small amounts of dark chocolate, but I think that's really not what we eat chocolate for. Instead, when we focus on the good nutrition found in chocolate, it's often an attempt to assuage guilty feelings that I encourage you not to have in the first place!

If we enjoy it, eating chocolate is part of intuitive healthy eating. We eat it because it tastes good, and eating too much of it doesn't taste good. Mindful eaters know that nothing tastes good in excess. And if we don't eat chocolate in excess, whatever things that are in it that may not be good for our health in excess aren't relevant.

I argue that, if we like it, eating chocolate is good for our health regardless whether it contains anything that scientists have found has disease-fighting benefits or not. That's because happiness is a big part of being healthy. If we walk around feeling down because we're deprived, or guilty, or joyless because we don't let ourselves take part in life's pleasures that are food, it's hard to feel happy.

So when your sweetie, or friend, or mom, or whoever, hands you a box of chocolates tomorrow, go ahead and enjoy! Banish those thoughts of calories, fat, weight, health. Just savor each piece you decide to eat, and trust your body to tell you when enough is enough. Then enjoy the rest of your day knowing you've treated your body well...and your psyche to boot!

Healthy Living - Sometimes All You Can Do Is Laugh

Author Unknown ~ (but not unrecognizable!)

Dear Diary,

For my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am still in great shape since being a high school cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try. I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear. My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress

MONDAY:
Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She is something of a Greek goddess -- with blonde hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile Woo Hoo!! Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring! Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!

TUESDAY:
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile I feel GREAT! It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot. Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life.

THURSDAY:
Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late, it took me that long to tie my shoes. Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. She had to come find me. Then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.

FRIDAY:
I hate Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it. Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the darn barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on the nutritionist. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

SATURDAY:
Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

SUNDAY:
I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank God that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter (the little pischer) will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!

For some authentic information about finding a good trainer - go here.

Tags: intrinsic joy of exercise , how much exercise is enough? , healthy lifestyles , body image .

Healthy Cooking vs. Healthy Eating Out

I was sitting in on a cooking class at Green Mountain yesterday where Chef Jon was talking about adding flavor to foods. His lively presentation showed how to make healthy eating fun. And his food proves he knows of what he speaks. Interesting combinations of ingredients that are often jazzed up by clever spicing.

At the end of the class, a participant noted that she just couldn't get up the interest in cooking for herself -- she lives alone and is surrounded by really good restaurants. My first response was that you can eat healthfully when eating out. In a good restaurant, there are generally lots of choices that don't spell trouble for healthy eating. Consider these ideas:

- Go simple. The more complicated a dish, the richer it is likely to be. Likewise, the more items we order, the more we're tempted to eat. So consider whether you really want an appetizer and an entree. If the appetizer really appeals, can you make it your entree?

- Listen to your body. If you really want the richer dish, remember that our bodies are very good at giving us signals when we've had enough...if we listen. Tune into those internal cues. They're likely to tell you that finishing the whole serving of fettucini alfredo isn't something your body wants. In general, restaurant portions are enough for a couple of meals.

- Go well-fed. That doesn't mean to eat right before you go. But you don't want to skip meals or 'save calories' in order to 'eat what you want.' All that does is set you up for overeating out of hunger. The fact is, the more well nourished we are over time -- that means regularly eating well-balanced meals and snacks that provides our bodies with sustenance -- the stronger we will be at making supportive choices when faced with a variety.

- Eat what you want on a regular basis. If you deprive yourself of foods you like, you'll be more vulnerable to food in general, less likely to be able to resist external cues that call to you to eat richer foods and more of them. Design your daily meals and snacks to include the foods you like. That way, when putting together a special meal, whether it be at home or in a restaurant, you'll be better able to balance your choices so that you enjoy the meal and enjoy what you feel like after.

Bon appetit!

When Getting Your ZZZ’s Seems like Mission Impossible

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there is more and more evidence that lack of sleep contributes to a host of health conditions like, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. We’ve written on this topic on several occasions, and the news just keeps getting worse.

It seems every year the recommended amount of sleep we're supposed to get increases. The standard recommendation by the National Sleep Association is now 7 to 9 hours. Can you imagine getting 9 hours of sleep? I long for that much sleep. The last time I remember sleeping more than 4 or 5 hours in one shot was after a typical 3 day sleep drought - and that just seems more like passing out then restful sleep!

So, today I read that it’s possible I might be losing sleep at night because my cell phone is too close to my head while I slumber. Yes, indeed! A new study* conducted by Bengt Arnetz, a Wayne State University professor and lead author of the study found that radiation from cell phones delayed the onset of sleep and shortened deeper stages of sleep. When the body doesn’t have adequate time to repair itself, there is more chance you’ll suffer long term health problems.

So, for now, I'll sleep with my cell phone in the kitchen - where it belongs - and hope for the best.

Check out more recommendations how to get a more restful night sleep here.

*This study was published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium and funded by the Mobile Manufacturers Forum, an international association of radio communications equipment manufacturers.

Tags: sleep deprivation , mindful , healthy lifestyles , relaxation .

Weighing In for Healthy Weight Loss?

According to an article in last Sunday’s Parade magazine, the first step in losing weight is to buy a scale. The article cites a Brown University study that showed daily weigh-ins are key to weight loss. I looked up the study and see that it really says daily weigh-ins helped their study participants keep lost weight off. Either way, though, I beg to disagree with the advice.

One of my colleagues said it best when she noted that daily weighing is essentially a way to trigger obsessive thinking about weight. And that it’s a surefire way to give yourself the eating disorder experience. People with eating disorders generally maintain weight loss pretty easily. The discussion then went to the fact that people don’t really understand that disordered eating is more than starving or throwing up. It encompasses a whole realm of chaotic behaviors around food and body that do not support well-being, indeed detract mightily from it.

Another colleague suggested that if you’re thinking about weighing, whether it be daily, weekly, monthly or whenever, ask yourself how it affects you. Does it change your mood? Does it consistently make you feel positive? For most of us, likely not.

I compare weighing to the store window that we walk by, and when we’re not feeling good about our bodies, see our reflection and fall into despair. I’d wager that many of us feel that way when we get on the scale. The last thing that we feel like doing when we don’t like the number on the scale is to feed ourselves well or go have some fun physical activity. Instead, it often triggers a downward spiral of emotional eating that ends with depression.

We don’t really need a number to tell us whether we’re at a healthy weight that feels right for us. Instead of weighing, why not keep track of our healthy behaviors such as healthy eating and physical activity, and if we need to, even keep a journal that tracks our eating and physical activity so we can objectively see how well we are doing (important point: this isn’t in order to judge ourselves if we don’t eat well or be active one day; it’s just to see our overall patterns better). When we establish healthy behaviors that become our pattern over time, our weight will reach a happy, healthy place for each of us. And it will feel great getting there.

Tags: healthy eating , weight loss , weighing in , weight loss scale

Avoiding Health Mistakes in the New Year

The Washington Post had an article on this subject this week that I found interesting. The snippets are from readers, and reminds me of important advice we've long given at Green Mountain. For the full effect, take a gander at the article itself. I list below the healthy weight loss tips that stood out for me, with a few comments of my own following the tip. If you're a regular reader of our blog, you won't necessarily find these insights revealing, but they do bear reminding.

"Don't go on a diet." So what do we do when we feel like we've overdone things and need to find a healthier weight? Eat sensibly -- three meals a day and snacks if we need them. Healthy eating includes plenty of lean protein, vegetables and fruit and reasonable amounts of healthy starch foods like whole grains (wheat, rice, oatmeal), legumes (beans and peas), winter squashes, etc. This type of eating keeps us satisfied. If we also feel like eating a piece of chocolate or other treat, we can be satisfied with a small amount because we're not hungry.

"Don't give up! On exercise, that is." But don't do it for weight loss; do it to feel well. And regular, reasonable exercise does just that -- it helps us feel great! And that helps us keep doing the other things that are important for healthy weights -- like eating sensibly. It creates its own feedback loop. If you need to conquer your fears about exercise, read our FitBriefing "Overcoming Exercise Fears."

"Don't think you can do it alone." Support is one of the key predictors of success. You can find support from friends and/or family, or you can find it online via blogs like this or other venues. Just get it. It helps you stay the course when things get tough...and they will get tough at times as we our busy lives and self-doubts get in the way of living healthfully.

Hope your 2008 has started off strong. We'll do our best to help keep you going with our posts each week!

Tags: healthy eating , healthy weight loss , healthy weight , diet

Another Weight Lifted

I’d be dishonest if I didn’t admit I get melancholy when I think about saying goodbye to my youth, but, like most things, its keeping life’s journey in perspective that prevents us from going off the deep end.  Life is short.  How much time do we want to waste trying to live up to an unauthentic perception of ourselves?

As I get older I care less about how I look and much more about how I feel.  Am I healthy?  Do I feel strong and limber?  What about endurance? Can I get through my day with a reasonable amount of zip and zest? Am I controlling my stress so that I’m able to enjoy my work and the people in my life?  These are much loftier goals in my view and infinitely more challenging because I can no longer take any of them for granted.

So, is all the fuss over body image important in the scheme of things?  I think it is if your self-image is healthy and unwavering – because only then can you let it go. What I realize as I say hello to my 50's, is that if I work on all the things I’ve mentioned above, I’ll find a natural weight and size meant just for me - and that’s a huge weight lifted!

If you’re interested in finding out more about how to create a positive body image, while ridding your head of those self-defeating voices, check out the books listed below:

“The Body Image Workbook: An 8-Step Program for Learning to Like Your Looks”"The Body Image Workbook: An 8-Step Program for Learning to Like Your Looks" By, Thomas F. Cash, Ph.D.

“Taming Your Gremlin: A Guide to Enjoying Yourself” "Taming Your Gremlin: A Guide to Enjoying Yourself" By, Richard D. Carson

Resolutions for a Healthy New Year

If you know us at Green Mountain, you know we're not into the usual New Year's Resolutions. They just too full of the old way of looking at healthy living, healthy eating, healthy weights, taking care of ourselves. Actually, the old way is not about those things really at all; it's more about diets. Consider this ditty we posted previously in a FitBriefing that best describes how we encourage looking at the coming year.

Important: Read through to the 'after' part or you'll get the wrong message!

Before

‘Twas the month after Christmas, and all through the house,
nothing would fit me, not even a blouse!

The cookies I’d nibbled, the eggnog I’d taste
at the holiday parties have gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales, there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber)

I’d remember the marvelous meals I’d prepared,
the gravies and sauces, and beef nicely rared,
the wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese,
and the way I’d never said, “No thank you, please.”

As I dressed myself, in my husband’s old shirt,
and prepared once again to do battle with dirt,
I said to myself, as only I can,
“You can spend the winter disguised as a man!”

So away with the last of the sour cream dip.
Get rid of the fruitcake, every cracker and chip!
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
‘til all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won’t have a cookie, not even a lick.
I’ll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won’t have hot biscuits, or cornbread, or pie;
I’ll munch on a carrot, and quietly cry!

I’m hungry, I’m lonesome, and life is a bore –
but isn’t that what January is for?

Unable to giggle, no longer a riot,
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good DIET!!!!!!!!!

After

Hey, what am I thinking? That's really old hat!
A 'dieting' mind-set will just make me fat.

So away with restriction! I'll eat what I want.
I'll start when I'm hungry and stop when I'm not.

May all my friends join me in this state of mind.
For then we'll be happy,creative,and kind.

Wishing a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Tags: healthy eating , healthy weights , New Years resolutions , diet

Getting Rid of a Mean Holiday Hangover

We’ve all been told at one time or another, the best way to get rid of a hang over is to  imbibe in a little of the hair of the dog that bit ‘cha. Somehow, it just doesn’t seem the most prudent solution to an age old problem. After searching through a plethora of “get rid of” advice on the internet, I came up with what seemed to me to be the most reasonable. (Nope, this isn’t scientific).

• Re-hydrate your body. Drink water like the fish you were the night before.
• Drink a cup of coffee or two as soon as possible. Coffee contains caffeine which is a very strong vasoconstrictor which will narrow the swollen blood vessels in your head and might help with a headache.  However, coffee is a diuretic, so you should drink even more water to replenish if you drink coffee.
• Make a nice, hot bowl of chicken soup, as soon as you have overcome any queasiness. Chicken soup will help replace salt and potassium, the body loses salt and potassium when you have been drinking. 
• Check the label before you take a pain reliever to reduce any hangover-induced aches. Some pain relievers, including acetaminophen, aspirin and naproxen sodium, should not be used when alcohol is still in your system.
• Your next instinct will be to stay in bed. Instead, take a brisk walk around your street. The fresh air and activity will do you good.
A Few Tips…For Next Time:
• Drink lots of water and eat some bread or crackers before going to sleep if you expect to have a hangover in the morning. Drink 2 glasses for water between each drink (I know…but it helps keep you dehydrated!).
• Practice moderation. It's not healthy to drink to the point of dehydrating your body. Take a couple aspirin before you hit the hay.

HAAAPPY HOLIDAYS! (Sh-h-h, not so loud!)

Tags: treating a hangover , mindful , healthy lifestyles , healthy eating .

Holiday Treats Are Meant To Eat - Mindfully!

We’re officially in the middle of December and that means houses and office buildings across our land are filling up with yummy holiday treats. Fudge, frosted cookies, peanut brittle, baklava, brownies and candy canes, just to name a few. You name it, it’s out there.

If you’re at all like me, you're bound to be experiencing a little stress around holiday eating. Having all those tempting treats right under your nose can put even the strongest resolve to the test. Here are a few things you may want to think about: (note to self!)

• Traditional holiday goodies are a good thing! They’re part of what makes the season special, don't be afraid to indulge.
• Eat treats when you really want them. Not just because they're there.
• Give yourself permission. No sneaking!
• Sit down. Be mindful. Savor the experience.
• Taste what you’re eating. If you’re not crazy about fruitcake, leave it be, eat something that really rocks your boat.
• Put closure on your eating. Treats are just that - a treat – not a substitute for lunch!
• Make it count. Indulge in special holiday treats only in conjunction with a healthy diet. Don't skip or skimp on meals because you had a piece of fudge!
• Rejoice in the season.

Happy Holidays!

Tags: mindfulness , mindful eating , healthy eating , healthy treats .

Holiday Shopping, The Workout

When the holidays roll around there’s lots to do. Every year I start out with great intentions, but no matter how well I plan ahead I still find myself running around like a crazy woman, picking up last minute stocking stuffers or trying to find something essential like chestnuts.

When our daily schedules are thrown for a loop like they are during the holidays, other things can get thrown to the wayside – like our fitness programs. Although, it may only be an hour out of your day (counting prep time), with all that juggling it’s still an easy ball to drop.

It’s important to think about activity during the holidays a bit differently. There are many ways to make all that activity work for you. This doesn’t mean you should throw the baby out with the bath water, it just means there are many ways to incorporate some purposeful fitness activity while you’re running around doing Santa’s business.

Here are some tips to start you thinking:

• While standing in those long lines, remember to keep your feet shoulder width apart and remain soft in you knees. Hold your tummy in tight for 30 seconds and release. If you’re hold heavy bags and they have handles (most bags do), try some curls. (This also works great with laundry detergent in the supermarket).
• Walking briskly, with purpose, to and from stores – hold your head up breathe!
• When taking the escalator ‘up’ – walk, don’t ride.
• Sometimes you have no choice, but park far away from your intended destination. If you normally walk for exercise, you’ll be able to enjoying the benefits of all that all that ‘training.’ Walking will not seem like a chore.
• The ladies dressing room is a great place to get a few stretches in. When your back is aching or your feet are about to give way – sneak in and go through your stretches.
• Remember when you’re squatting or lifting during the holidays use legs and really think about what you’re doing
• Pack healthy snacks and toss them in your handbag before you take off and eat frequently, this will stave off hunger and keep you feeling focuses and energized.
• Wear comfortable clothes and definitely wear tennis shoes!

Here’s to Healthy, Happy, Holiday Shopping!

Tags: fitness , mindful exercise , healthy lifestyles , holiday shopping .

Try a Little Self Confidence for Happy Holidays

Many of us who struggle with negative body image dread the days that are upon us. All the holiday gatherings mean finding clothes to wear, seeing people (relatives!) whom we haven't seen for a while perhaps, facing down tables laden with food we often feel a bit fearful of. But it doesn't have to be this way. If we begin the season thinking about ourselves differently, it can make a world of difference in how we enjoy them.

An e-letter arrived this week from one of my favorite sites, Daily OM, that talked about self confidence and how we compare ourselves to others. And, of course, that's what goes on when, while we're feeling bad about ourselves, we walk into a room full of people whom we think are thinner, more successful, happier, etc., than we are. The bottom line according to the article: What we think we see in others is usually what they want us to see. If we looked more closely, we'd see they have imperfections, too. They're human. The article calls the imperfections "glorious" and say they make us who we are. It also encourages us to appreciate our imperfections as our uniqueness, and notes that if we're too busy comparing ourselves to others, we really can't see what makes us unique.

Read the article yourself to get the full force of what they are saying. They do a much better job than what I did above. Then go out there and have a wonderful, happy and healthy holiday season!

Tags: healthy holiday , self confidence , body image , positive thinking

Getting Ready To Be Thankful

Thursday is Thanksgiving in the U.S., when many of us will gather with family and friends to celebrate another year.  I love Thanksgiving because my family usually spends the day at home (maybe a relative’s home, but it’s a home) with a group of people we feel very special about. 

We have a special Thanksgiving meal for the folks who choose to be at Green Mountain on this day, too.  It ends up being a very festive day, and most of the folks who join us appreciate not having to make their own Thanksgiving meal.  That’s usually my job – I’m the only cook in my East Coast family, although my husband started learning this year, and he’s doing a great job.

Several years ago, we started the tradition in our family of each of us speaking alou