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Common Things We Hear or Say That Hijack Our Weight Loss Success - Part 3 of 3

"You look so good; what are you eating?"

Why are we always connecting appearance to some diet or eating strategy? You may have noticed your friend's weight loss, but perhaps she looks so good because she's happy or is wearing a new outfit or just read an uplifting text from a good friend. Our culture is obsessed with external judgment, external measurements, and everyone else's business. How about reframing that question to "How are you? You look fabulous!" Or "How are you? You seem so happy!"

By thinking about someone's behavior, mood, and wellness, 

you'll stop engaging in the social stigma around appearance and weight. This will in turn help you to live in an easier, kinder world that is concerned with people on an emotional level, not just a physical level.

Remember: Focus on the wellness of the whole person. Ask "How are you?" rather than "How much weight have you lost or gained?"

​"My sister got the good genes, and I got the bad genes."

Genetics are definitely part of the picture that affects our health, our biological disposition, and even our temperament. However, we are now learning that our genes are not set in stone. You can turn certain genes on and off through environmental cues and behaviors. The rhythm of your body clock can influence the expression of your genes.

Remember: Work with your body to create wellness. Don't play the genes card; it's a cop-out.

"I could look like her, but I don't want to eat bird food."

Fruits, vegetables, granola, nuts, whole grains, wheat germ, and even dark chocolate all used to be considered "bird food" or "diet food." We gave them a label, called them things we should be eating more of, and as a result made these foods seem unappealing. But look at what happens when you adopt the attitude that all foods can fit into a healthy diet. Suddenly all foods become appealing. Nothing is sacrificed, so there's no stress.

By being mindful of the nutrients in your meals (protein, fat, and carbohydrates), you can choose foods and portion sizes consistent with your metabolic needs, all the while eating cookies and milk!

Remember: All foods fit. Eat nutrient-dense foods 75 percent of the time and less nutrient-dense foods the other 25 percent of the time.

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Common Things We Hear or Say That Hijack Our Weight Loss Success - Part 2 of 3

"No matter what I do, the scale never goes down."

How frustrating is this one? How depressing is it to go to your doctor's office, hear your weight, and be told you're obese according to the body mass index (BMI) chart. "I'd like you to start eating healthy and lose at least 50 pounds," your doctor says. "Have a good day. Next!"

Well, that wasn't helpful. You think, I'm trying, but nothing works. I hate the scale and I hate you, doc. Let's get one thing straight—health is not weight. They are not synonymous. Weight is just one of many measurements, including lab values such as triglycerides, glucose, and C-reactive protein; behaviors such as exercise and sleep cycles; and more that can help assess one's true health status and risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even eating disorders. 

I don't like weight scales. They don't accurately gauge health or percent of body fat. The specific number on the scale reflects just a moment in time. It's the trend of those numbers and how quickly the numbers fluctuate that may provide insight into your health status. Remember that losing too much weight can be just as unhealthy as gaining too much weight too quickly. 

Remember: Health and happiness matter more than the number on the scale. Feel confident and celebrate yourself the way you are. Be your own best friend. Forget the scale and focus on eating well, moving often, and being mindful of the many gifts and talents you share with the world, which is your real worth as a human being.

"I lost 40 pounds on one diet, but I gained it all back and more."

How many diets have you tried? Atkins, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, the Cabbage Soup Diet, the Scarsdale Diet, the BluePrint juice cleanse, and now this, the Body Clock Diet. Don't worry. This is not a fad diet. This is the anti-diet.

A fad diet has a beginning and an end point. And once you stop your fad diet, you tend to overeat and gain all the weight back plus more. This happens every time you choose a calorie-restrictive diet, so you end up with a higher set weight than if you had never restricted in the first place. This can lead to an unhealthy pattern called yo-yo dieting. 

Remember: Starving yourself ultimately makes you fatter. Stop dieting and establish a lifestyle habit of eating well.

"Tonight is my birthday, and we're going out to eat. I'll start my diet tomorrow."

This classic declaration is a sure way to set yourself up for failure. The idea of starting a diet tomorrow rather than choosing to create change right now is the MO of start/stop fad dieting. Self-care is not a game that begins and ends.

Habitual nourishment means establishing a pattern of eating with no right or wrong, winning or losing. Food, exercise, and self-care are choices we make. There is no cheating—only choices with consequences. Take a mindful breath, decide to eat or not to eat, and then move on. The cheating mentality is self-sabotaging. Who are you cheating? Yourself?

Remember: All foods fit, and it's about choosing which foods, how much, and when to eat. This is not a game, so cheating is not in your vocabulary.

Part 3




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Common Things We Hear or Say That Hijack Our Weight Loss Success - Part 1 of 3

Did you know that Americans spend $60 billion annually on diets, diet foods, and weight-loss remedies? The diet industry is pervasive, and we're all falling prey to it because it's impossible to avoid the constant drumbeat of "you're fat and you need help" messages. We need an obesity epidemic cleanse.

Let's start by deconstructing the negative thoughts surrounding our food and our bodies. Read through the following statements. Have you ever spoken these words? Chances are, they'll sound familiar. American women have spoken those phrases or at least heard other women say them. Let's dig a little deeper into those and apply lessons to each that will help you overcome the pervasive negativity surrounding food and weight.

"I know what to eat, but I just can't do it."

Many people tell me they know more about nutrition than I do or they know what to do, but they just don't do it. Well, bah, humbug! Who really knows how to eat, what to eat, and when to eat? Our parents definitely did not teach us this one. More than half of them don't have a positive relationship with food.

If someone really knew how to eat, what to eat, and when to eat, they would know that eating is more than just fueling your body. It's about enjoyment and fun. It encompasses mind, body, and spirit. Nothing in this world works alone; every little atom affects every other. Remember, we're like onions—we have many layers. And so does our food.

Remember: Our mind, body, and spirit are one. How we feel about our food, as much as the food we eat, affects our "one."

"On a good day I eat good food, such as proteins, fruits, and vegetables, but on a bad day I eat bad food—you know, carbs—bread, pasta, and sweets."

When did food become a value judgment? Why does what we eat determine if we are going to have a good day or bad day? Why does getting on the scale determine a good day with good spirits versus a bad day with mood swings? I'm not sure who came up with this notion, but throw it away. It's useless, and it sabotages all efforts to reset your body clock.

When we refer to body clock, please remember: Your body clock is mind, body, and spirit. I'm telling you now: There are no good foods or bad foods. Stop judging them by giving them labels. Just as there are no good kids or bad kids, just kids who behave badly at times, foods should be identified fairly, too. Granted, it's hard to break the labeling mind-set, but you must.

Remember: Stop labeling food with morals and values. Start identifying food by its name. Food is food. An apple is an apple and a cupcake is a cupcake. And a scoop of "death by chocolate" has never murdered anyone, so why call it "bad"?

"That skinny b**** . . . I'm so jealous. She can eat whatever she wants, and I just look at food and gain weight."

Here's a classic! Who hasn't said or heard this before? Finger-pointing, blame, jealousy, competition, and worse, hating yourself for being hungry—all negatives. Isn't that a sad way to go through life? But there's another way, which requires a shift in attitude that can be life changing.

Have you heard of the self-care and self-compassion movement? This psychological and behavioral approach is going to be one of the keys to your success.

Remember: Stop stressing and start smiling. Whenever a negative thought enters your mind, find a way to sweep it away by being positive and proactive.

Part 2 

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Beware These Common Mistakes Before You Start Your New Diet

You've created a menu plan and a fitness schedule, but one little mistake is all it takes to completely derail your weight loss progress. It could be a sneaky snack or an unproductive mental approach, but before you know it, your diet has tanked and any positive work you've done has quickly been reversed. 

Targeting these potential areas of pitfall— especially before you even begin your diet—can help defend against backsliding. So as you get started on your weight loss journey, beware of these common dieting fails that work to make you fat:

1. You Drink Diet Soda Like It's Water
A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study found that when people swapped their favorite sugary soft drink for the diet variety, they ate more desserts and more bread than people who swapped their go-to beverage for water. Artificial sweeteners may increase your hunger for sweets, says study author Barry Popkin, PhD.

2. You Try Too Hard. 
Adopting a very rigid diet almost guarantees that your weight-loss efforts will be sabotaged by food cravings, suggests a new study in the journal Appetite. So cut yourself some slack. Flexible dieters have just as many cravings and give in to them just as often, says study author Adrian Meule, Dipl.-Psych. The difference is that they are more likely to get back on track quickly.

3. You Skimp on Sleep.
A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that scant sleep can cause you to overeat fatty foods. When people slept only 4 hours a night for 5 days, they took in nearly 300 calories more than when they slept 9 hours a night. Too little shut-eye may increase your appetite by short-circuiting your brain’s sense of reward.

4.  You're Too Darned Optimistic. 
If you're like most people, you wildly overestimate the number of calories you burn during exercise. According to a study in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, people thought that a workout incinerated about 900 calories when it actually burned just 300.

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

The Science of Appetite - Beating Overeating

As we approach Christmas this may explain why those goodies taste so good. What do you think?

Ways To Stay On Track When Life Goes Crazy Especially Over The Holidays

When life goes according to plan, sticking with weight-friendly habits like good nutrition and exercise feels doable – if not altogether easy. "I've so got this," we tell ourselves, as we post pictures of our avocado toast on Facebook.

But when life jumps the tracks, whether it's with all-consuming hours at the office, family emergencies or a daily to-do list that you can in no way tackle in 24 hours, you're playing a completely different weight-loss game.

Luckily, it's still one that you can win. Here, psychologists, trainers and nutritionists share 10 simple tips to make health and weight loss fit into your life – no matter how crazy it is.

1. Consider the Oxygen Mask

You know how flight attendants explain that, in case of an emergency, you should put on your own oxygen mask before helping others? Well, when you're on the ground, healthy eating and exercise is your oxygen mask, explains Barbara Walker, a sports psychologist with the Center for Human Performance in Cincinnati. In fact, according to research published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, you're automatically more productive on days in which you work out. Even a short exercise session improves mood, cognition, focus and energy levels.

2. Ask Yourself, 'What's the First Thing to Go?'

"Be aware of your excuses, even if they are legitimate," recommends California-based certified strength and conditioning specialist Holly Perkins, author of "Lift to Get Lean." "If you make the choice to not accept those excuses, it's incredible what you can accomplish." Plus, by flagging any stressors or time constraints that typically trip you up, you can be proactive about working around them, says Walker, who notes that, for most people, sleep and exercise are the first things to go during hectic times.

3. Think, 'Unwise, Better, Best'

Most people have a pretty "all or nothing" mentality regarding diet and exercise, which makes it easy to completely abandon both when Plan A isn't an option. That's why Hilton Head Health's weight-loss program has coined the phrase: "unwise, better, best." Is a frozen low-cal meal the healthiest thing you can eat for lunch? No, but it's likely better than what you'd get at the drive-thru. The same goes with exercise. While getting in your hourlong workout at the gym might be the best thing for your body, doing a 20-minute at-home workout is definitely better than forgoing movement entirely, Perkins says.

4. Refuse to Compromise on Sleep

"Lack of sleep dulls the decision-making part of the brain and lights up its reward centers, making it difficult to resist cravings and control impulses," says obesity scientist Lisa M. Davis, chief nutrition officer of Terra's Kitchen meal delivery service. In fact, 2016 research published in the journal Sleep found that getting 4.5 hours of sleep per night increases the brains levels of endocannabinoids, chemicals similar to THC in cannabis, by 33 percent to cause intense cravings. Plus, research from Northwestern University shows that sleep quality (and duration) is tightly linked with one's exercise ability. Even when there don't seem to be enough hours in the day, carve out seven to nine for sleep, and you'll be better able to deal with stress and stick with your healthy habits.

5. Break Things Up

"Even if you don't have time for a full 30-minute workout, chances are that you have three 10-minute blocks open throughout your day," Perkins says. "They will add up." And, possibly, to even more than your full-fledged workout would have. Case in point: In one 2015 European Journal of Applied Physiology study of young men, those who performed three 10-minute workouts throughout the day enjoyed better improvements in cardiovascular health compared to those who performed one full 30-minute workout each day. "Just do something whenever you can," Walker says. "Hold walking meetings or do wall sits while taking calls."

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6. Focus on the Right Weight-Loss Goal

Your ability to stick with health and fitness is largely dependent on how motivating your goal is, explains Kansas City-based exercise physiologist Greg Justice, author of "Mind Over Fatter." For that reason, no matter how calm or crazy life is right now, it's important to identify your true goal. Sure, you want to lose 20 pounds, but why? So that you can be there in the future for your kids? Have more energy? Feel confident and comfortable in your body? These are the true "whys" that are going to keep you going. Write them down and keep them displayed in a place that you see daily, he says.

7. Ask for Help

Receiving support is important in helping you achieve any weight-loss goal, but it's especially critical when you're faced with hectic times. "Enlist the people around you to help so that managing all of the stress is not just an internal job," Perkins says. That might mean asking a friend to shoot you daily encouragements via text message. Or, it could be asking your spouse to cover dinner one day so that you have time to make it to the gym.

8. Minimize Meal Prep

"Amid a chaotic work schedule and family busyness, healthy eating can be made simpler and easier through planning and preparation," says Davis, who recommends devoting one day per week to prepping healthy meals and snacks in order to make the rest of the week's meals grab-and-go. And, if you have trouble finding time to meal prep, there are several meal delivery services now that will do it for you, she says. While services such as Terra's Kitchen and Blue Apron will send you pre-portioned and prepped ingredients that you can throw together into an easy meal, other companies like Fresh Diet that deliver freshly made meals to your door each morning can save you a ton of time in a pinch.

9. Keep Snacks on Hand

"During crazy times, you're likely spending a lot of time at the office or in the car, so keep healthy snacks like nuts and fruit there," Davis says. "Toss snacks in your glove compartment, your bag or keep them on your desk so you can reach for something healthy rather than use the vending machine."

10. Don't Multitask (While You Eat)

We aren't as good at multitasking as we tend to think – especially when food is in the mix, as distracted eating inhibits the brain's ability to effectively gauge how much you've eaten. That's why 2015 research published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that simply walking while you eat causes us to eat significantly more later. Previous research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that eating in front of your computer screen has the same effect. "Try to slow down. Remember to take in a deep breath and check in with yourself before you start eating," Davis says. Then, chew your food slowly and mindfully. It'll take you a few minutes longer to eat your meal, sure, but you'll have to take fewer snack breaks throughout the day.

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Drinking Tips to combat the Holidays

Tips for Drinking

1. Sip before you eat.

Pregaming a meal with a glass of water has been linked with more weight loss than cutting calories alone.  You can also take some mid-meal breaks and guzzle a little water to give the brain time to register fullness.

2. Sip some green tea.

Drinking green tea is one of the most common tips for shedding a few pounds, and for good reason green tea is known for its ability to metabolize fat.  And in combination with resistance training, green tea increases the potential for fat loss.  Add a squeeze of lemon for a little flavor and to amp up antioxidant affects. 

3. Gulp H2O.

4. Cut back on liquid calories.

Milk and cookies, orange juice and French toast, wine and cheese some foods seemingly require a liquid counterpart. But, it’s easy to pour on the pounds by chugging soda, juice, alcohol, and even milk on the regular.  Sugar sweetened beverages are associated with increased body fat and blood pressure. 

5. Water down your drinks.

When you simply must have a swig of juice, try watering it down. While it may sound unappealing, gradually adding more water to less juice will keep some of the flavor without all the sugar and calories. Added incentive: Increasing water intake in place of sugar-sweetened beverages or fruit juices is associated with lower long-term weight gain. 

6. Banish the booze.

We probably don’t have to tell you that heavy boozing will pack on the pounds. And you’ve likely heard the phrase “drink in moderation.” The point is, alcohol houses a lot of sneaky calories and has the ability to inhibit healthy eating decisions (midnight pizza delivery, anyone?). Even after you’ve sobered up, alcohol can have negative impacts on strength and may leave you lagging in the weight room days later. 

7. Choose tall and thin glasses

When you’ve got a hankering you can't ignore for juice or a cocktail, ask for a tall, thin glass, not a 

short, squatty one.

 Research shows that people pour less liquid into tall narrow glasses than into their vertically challenged counterparts, meaning you'll (probably) drink less in one sitting. This is especially helpful when it comes to boozing.

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Fresh vs Frozen Food

What vegetables are you going to be using for the holidays? This may be useful to know.

Beating the Holiday Weight Gain

Staying in shape over the holidays is not as difficult as it sounds. Although the rich foods and extra leisure time can make slacking off tempting, having a plan will help you maintain your edge. Here’s how: 

1. Stay active. If you’re worried about potential weight gain, remember that walking is one of the easiest, safest, and most effective forms of exercise. A short, brisk walk early in the day will start the day off on the right note and may inspire you to take a longer walk later—say, after holiday dinner. If it’s cold out, you’ll burn even more calories! 
2. Set a seasonal goal for yourself to take you from Thanksgiving to New Years. Whether it’s a jog every day, or a gym workout, decide in advance what your goal will be. Tell family and friends. When everyone knows you’ll be taking care of yourself in this way, it will be easier to stick to your plan. You may even inspire others to join in! 
3. If your goal is not to overeat, drink plenty of water. One or two glasses before a meal will discourage overeating and provide the body with essential hydration.
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6. Eat slowly and chew well. Eating consciously will help satisfy your hunger with less food and will discourage mindless snacking. 
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8. Keep track of what you eat. Keeping a mental or literal log of how much you have eaten each day can go a long way toward moderating consumption.
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10. Use a small plate and take smaller portions. 
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12. Remember that alcohol reduces inhibitions—including your desire not to overeat.
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The holidays should be a time of good feelings. Keep yourself feeling good by keeping yourself fit.

Sources:

“8 Secrets to Staying Fit during the Holidays” by Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACM, Http://Health.USNews.com

“15 Surefire Strategies to Stay Fit from Thanksgiving to New Years,” http://Greatist.com

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Weird Ways to Burn 200 Calories

Really like the watching the TV and laughing bit. What do you find the best?

The Dreaded Weight Loss Plateau

You may hit a weight loss plateau when you have been on a reduced-calorie diet for a few weeks, and it may reoccur from time to time thereafter.

During such a plateau, weight reduction stops completely or slows down to almost nothing. If you are monitoring what you eat AND exercising regularly but still can't seem to lose any weight, you have most probably 'plateaued'. The most important thing to remember is that this is a completely normal experience for many dieters. The key to success is not allowing yourself to become discouraged! Take a long-term view. Giving up now means slipping back to where you started, which is such a shame given all the hard work you've done to get this far. There are solutions and steps you can take to kick start your weight loss again and ensure you reach your goal.

Why do I hit a plateau?

A plateau may occur because

• Your body simply wants a 'rest' to cope with your calorie-reduction


• Your calorie-intake equals your calorie expenditure - in other words you are not creating a sufficient calorie deficit to lose weight


• You have reduced your calorie-intake too low. If you are not eating enough calories, your body thinks there is a 'famine' and slows down your metabolism (how fast you burn calories) in order to conserve calories.

Most people lose weight quickly in the beginning of their diet, and then weight loss tends to stabilize at around 1 - 2 lbs per week. Unfortunately weight loss doesn't always follow a smooth downwards curve, but is rather a series of stops and starts. Expect this to be the case. The closer you get to your goal weight, the slower the weight tends to come off. This is partly due to the fact that your body has less fat to lose - it now has more lean tissue. Also, as you exercise more, you are increasing the proportion of muscle mass in your body, and muscle weighs more than fat. Then, there are weeks when you simply retain fluids and weigh a pound or two more than you did the week before.

• Avoid weighing yourself too frequently - once a week is enough. The timing of your 'weigh-in' is also important, as having gone without something to eat or drink for a few hours and having just spent a penny could make several pounds difference and give a low reading; whereas the opposite scenario could imply a higher than actual weight. In fact the difference between the two results could be as much as half a stone! So make sure you weigh yourself once a week, at the same time, after the same routine, and on the same scales. That way, your weight is more comparable to the previous week. Sometimes a better way to judge whether you are slimming down and changing body shape is just by monitoring how your clothes feel.
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• Ensure you have set a realistic goal weight for your body type and age. It may be helpful to consult with a nutritionist for advice. The most important thing is to reach a healthy weight - it is not about trying to get back to the size 8 body you had at 18, now you'1re 35 and have had 3 kids!
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• Go back to keeping your food diary religiously. By tracking what you eat, you may discover that you're actually consuming a good deal more calories than you'd imagined.


• Check serving sizes by weighing food. It is very easy for portions to start to creep up over time. Measuring and weighing food may seem tedious, but this is a common reason for weight loss slowing down or stopping. (And also have an honesty check with yourself that you haven't started picking at food which 'doesn't count' because you didn't eat the whole thing!)
  
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• Start exercising! To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. Trying to lose weight by merely controlling your food intake is only one side of the coin. You must also increase your activity level to burn more calories, and this can also help to kick-start your metabolism. Start by just trying to walk more. Buy a pedometer and build up to the target of 10,000 steps per day.


• Step up your exercise level. If you are already exercising regularly, you may need to give your metabolism a little boost by increasing the amount or intensity of your workout. For example, if you exercise for 20 minutes each day, increase this to 25-30 minutes. If you are already exercising quite hard, try varying your workout routine. For example, if you do 20 minutes cardio and 30 minutes strength-training, switch them around. Add weight training to your workouts. Lifting weights helps build muscle mass, which, in turn, burns more calories. It is recommended that you should change your exercise programme every 6 weeks to stop your body becoming accustomed to the routine and it not having the same benefit it did initially.



• Drink plenty of water! Water helps speed up the metabolism.


• Don't starve yourself - this will have the opposite effect! If you eat too few calories, your body will try to protect itself by slowing down your metabolism and hanging onto its fat for survival. Also avoid going for too long without food as this can trigger the same effect. Ideally eat something such as a piece of fruit every 3 hours (women) or about every 5 hours (men). This reassures your body that food is plentiful and facilitates calorie burning.


• Be determined! Focus on your successes to date and remember the fact that weight loss is simply about creating an energy deficit - do this and you will lose weight. Stick with it and continue to exercise regularly and calorie count your diet. The last few pounds may be stubborn, but they WILL come off in the end!
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