PREVENTING STRESS EATING WHEN YOU'RE STUCK AT HOME

So let's be honest. How many of us are guilty of emotional eating? Yesterday, when my daughter called and opened the conversation with, "Ma, don't freak out."  I immediately freaked out and then carried the phone over to the pantry closet. 

I opened it, and realized I had just eaten breakfast so I wasn't hungry at all and if I'm being really honest, there wasn't much in there treat wise except for dog treats. And...I'm not quite at that point yet.

Anyway, it is all too easy to self-medicate with food during times of extreme stress because it is a comfort to us. Dopamine (as well as other hormones) which is known as the "feel good" or "pleasure" hormone is released when we choose foods that tend to comfort us.

But this is a temporary fix and the long-term effects could lead to excess weight gain. Which doesn't feel so good and could damage your overall health especially if you're gaining that weight around your mid-section.

One way to help prevent stress eating is exercise! Because the same feel good hormones released during comfort food eating are also released during and after a workout. 

In the moment you might think, "what's so pleasurable about exercise?"  But it's a no brainer due to the multiple positive effects it can create. You get double for your effort. The feel good hormones kicking in to fight off over-eating.  And, burning calories at the same time instead of an increase of unneeded calories. 

Another strategy is to clean out those cabinets and free them of junk food. Besides working from home, what else have you got to do? Sorry. Too soon?  Seriously though, refer back to my opening of this blog about how there was nothing in my pantry.

 In our "old" lives, if you're trying to lose weight this was a recommended tactic but let's face it, if we wanted to just hop in our car and go seek out the comfort foods we were out of, it was easy and we could do it without thinking twice. Now, not so much. 

While that simple freedom has been taken away from us like so many others, maybe we can turn it around and think on the bright side. Maybe NOW is the time to focus more on better healthful eating habits since food, while there is thankfully no shortage, is not just always at our fingertips. At least for the time-being. 

Another way, is to stay hydrated! Not only does water help flush away toxins but also can help you feel full when your brain is trying to trick you into feeling hungry when in fact you probably are not. 

Lastly for today's blog purpose (there are many other ways), stick to a schedule.  If you were working outside your home like pre-corona days, you were most likely on a schedule.  There should be no difference now. It's all a mind-game. Remember your schedule from before and implement it now at home!

Oops sorry, I meant this one to be last. Give yourself a break! Just like any other time. One mess-up is not an excuse for total derailment. If you stress eat one day just forget it, and try to do better the next day.  As our lives have been turned upside down sometimes the feel good hormones we get from food is exactly what we need. As long as it doesn't become a habit! 😉

DIETS?  UGH!! I HATE THAT WORD!

As we collectively go through the most challenging time of our life, some of us may tend to let our dietary control and exercise habits fall by the way-side while others may be experimenting with different "diets" and the like. 

Let's face it, unless you're working from home (and even then) our forced and sudden transition of constantly being on the go to boredom has us exploring and searching the internet for all kinds of information. 

If you've visited my blog before, you've probably read why I hate "DIETS." Instead I prefer the term "Lifestyle Eating." 

When we focus on long-term health and fitness we eliminate the word "diet" from our vocabulary because the word "diet" suggests something you must "go on" and when you "go on" something, you eventually "go off". It's just human nature. 

If anything we try to implement is too restrictive, we are unable to sustain for the long-term. 

When we have a certain weight loss goal in mind, any "diet" will work in the short-term because we are restrictive in our calorie intake by eliminating entire food groups. 

Take the infamous KETO diet for example.  In this plan you are asked to eliminate most carbs. Hence, an entire food group. Not to mention some of the health risks it comes with but that's for another blog. 

So in the beginning, you will lose weight for awhile. But unless you plan on giving up your beloved breads, cereals and pastas for the rest of your life, you will quickly begin to see the pounds gradually creep back on as soon as you start introducing those foods again.  

So why put yourself on that rollercoaster? There actually is an answer to that. Because we all want a quick fix! 

So as we not only deal with boredom in our daily "new normal," we also must practice patience. We have no choice. It's our only option. So maybe we can start to use the same approach in our eating habits and workouts? 

Any good thing takes time. Whether it means riding out this storm we are faced with or incorporating healthful lifestyle changes. We must persist and persevere!

Please leave your comments and questions and I will be happy to answer them.

Have a blessed day!

LOWER BODY vs. UPPER BODY EXERCISES. Which is most beneficial?

Today we will be discussing the role Testosterone plays in exercise. Testosterone is a steroid hormone produces in men in the testicles and in women in the adrenal glands.. When thinking of Testosterone, most people might get an image of men flinging heavy weights around the gym. But this hormone is much more significant than that especially when it comes to fat burn and even bone density.

Testosterone IS of course much more freely available in men by a huge percentage than it is in women which is one reason why women shouldn't worry about lifting heavy weights and fearing bulk. 

Contrarily, women who lift heavy weights build more lean muscle (not bulk) and by building lean muscle we are able to burn more fat.  

But how you lift weights and what body parts you emphasize is also a factor. Along with Testosterone which as we know is more available in men, women tend to have more HGH (human growth hormone) which also increased during shorter, more intense bouts of exercise. 

That along with a small amount of Testosterone, can help increase fat burning in women and decrease fat storage. 

If you're a woman who tends to steer clear of heavy leg machines at the gym and gravitate toward hip abductor and adductor machines, it might serve you well to reconsider and add heavier exercises for your lower body whether it be through machine or squats, lunges and deadlifts with the heaviest weight you can handle.  

Your lower body is comprised of bigger muscle groups and the bigger the better in terms of fat burning.  Adding heavy resistance increases both HGH and Testosterone and can have an after burn effect of up to (some say) 48 hours. I tend to err on the side of less. But even so, long endurance exercises such as running, jogging, walking burn calories only while those exercises are being performed. Lifting weights that are challenging to heavy, increases the time you continue to burn even after your workout is completed. 

All this is not to say don't walk, run, cycle, jog etc...as all exercise is beneficial. And of course there are exceptions depending on one's overall health or past injuries, But we should be careful to not overdo any one thing and incorporate all modalities to the best of our abilities, age and fitness levels.  

There are ways of incorporating all these no matter what your age or fitness level. And further, High intensity interval training or ( HIIT) is even highly recommended for older adults! I've included a link here for you to read more on this method of training for older adults. .   https://www.mayoclinic.org/why-interval-training-may-be-the-best-workout-at-any-age/art-20342125

While you can get resistance from bodyweight exercises without weights, this is one of those methods that should be incorporated into a smart eating and exercise plan, not to be used solely and forever. 

I hope this info gives you even more incentive to workout during this public health challenge and if you don't have weights at home, order some online!  

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments section so I can respond and all can see.  

Thank you and God Bless!

ENCOURAGEMENT

I'd like to begin this dialogue with some words of hope and encouragement.  Never in our lifetime have we been through a collective crisis such as this. Most people who know me, know I am a person with great faith. You also know I never impose my own beliefs upon another but I will try to encourage through words of faith. Through this faith, I whole-heartedly believe that with each passing day, no matter what the news is telling us, things are looking brighter. I believe that through a combination of methods being implemented and prayer (or maybe prayer alone), COVID-19 will soon be rendered powerless. 

If you believe it with all your heart too, it doesn't matter what your faith is or even if you have any at all. Positive thinking is what matters. Our collective thoughts being as we are all in this together should reflect positivity and hope.  Without it, what is the alternative? A bleak or (the unthinkable) NO future? 

I don't know about you, but I for one, am not willing to accept that as an alternative. So then, can we say there is no alternative but to think positive? 

 Now, I am in no way being naïve or blinded to the fact that those fortunate and blessed enough to not be touched physically by this monster, may in fact be impacted financially.  I'm probably one of them. I also realize that some are alone and have no other financial means or back-up. But to give up and think there's no way out is also not an option. 

You, WE are survivers.  And I truly believe if we continually invoke positive thinking, we will beat this in every way. Physically, economically and spiritually.  

There is strength and power in numbers and this is by far the largest number of people effected by the same enemy. Let's defeat the enemy together!  Together we must say, CORONA VIRUS YOU ARE DONE! GONE! POWERLESS! DEFEATED! 

It makes no difference to whom or what you recite this. I speak to Jesus Christ. You can speak to the air as long as it's positive! 

It's easier sometimes to fight for a child or loved one than it is to fight for ourselves. So let's think of one another as each others' children. All taking care of each other because we all have the same story. 

That's how we will beat this. And sooner than we are made to think!  

Tomorrow we will talk about maintaining health and fitness but today, I felt compelled to get that message out.  Please leave your comments and questions and let's chat.  

Much hope, love and many blessings!

The 4 C's  AND... .7 Steps to help your success in 2019!

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You’ve decided to lose weight. Congratulations! Changing your lifestyle may take commitment and time, but taking off those excess pounds can really improve your health and happiness. Think of it as the 4 C's (Control. Commitment, Consistency and Confidence). Not necessarily in that order. They just all need to be practiced. In this early phase, you may have checked out some online weight-loss programs, explored quick fix gimmicks of the crap-load of "diets",  talked to your friends about the programs they've had success with, or even joined a gym for motivation.  After what seems like an endless amount of deliberation, you’ve chosen the plan that seems most suited to you. You’re excited and ready to start. This time you just know you'll be successful! Before you dive in head first, take a step back. Statistically speaking, your chances of taking those pounds off and keeping them off are pretty dismal. WAIT! Stay with me here.  One of the largest studies on weight loss conducted at UCLA showed that although most individuals who follow any number of different diet plans will lose 5-10% of their body weight, most will gain it all back--and more--within a year, (Hmmm...if the latest "diet" craze really worked why would this be?) Other long-term studies show that only 10-20% of individuals who follow a structured weight loss plan were able to maintain at least 5% of the pounds lost after five years. Structured weight loss plan?? If chances of permanent success are slim (pardon the pun), why bother trying? Wouldn’t you hate to work that hard, and then find yourself right back where you started a few months down the road? What if you didn't have to work at it at all?  There is a way you can succeed at permanent weight loss. The key is to spend time in a preparation phase before you jump into action. Let’s build a foundation for permanent weight loss now, and you’ll never need to go on another diet again! Prepare to Succeed at Weight Loss- (CONFIDENCE) There are lots of great tools to help you get ready to make a big change. In my experience as a 30 year certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, here are seven things that can help set you up for success before you start your weight loss plan. While you may be motivated to jump right in to the diet plan of your choice, taking the time to prepare with these steps will increase your likelihood of success. 1. Create your personal wellness vision.  (CONSISTENCY). What does success look like for you? Imagine what your life will look like and feel like when you have accomplished your weight loss goal. Don’t let it depend on a number on the scale!   What will be different and better? What will you be doing on a daily basis? What new habits concerning food and exercise will you be practicing daily? All behavioral change leads to a shift in who we are. Who will you be in your new strong, trim body? What will you be capable of that you might not be now? 2. Solidify your (COMMITMENT).  You pay your bills every month, right? You walk your dog, right? The commitment to health should be no different and in fact, top priority so that you can stay committed to your dog! Fido needs you! Writing a statement of what you are committing to will help strengthen your resolve. Putting it on paper, taking the ideas out of your head and into a written agreement with yourself will help concretize your plan. Reading it out loud to others, or even just to yourself, is a powerful exercise. 3. Increase your confidence.  (There it is again!) No matter how committed and motivated you are, you might find a tiny voice in the back of your head whispering that you'll probably fail, especially if you’ve tried to lose weight before. So what do you tend to do? Fall off the wagon. Giving in to temptation on occasion does not forfeit your overall efforts and should be no excuse. Give yourself a break and get back on the wagon!  Don’t focus on the big picture or on that number you're trying to reach. Identify small steps you can take that are realistic and actionable. For example, if you’ve been skipping breakfast only to end up overeating at lunch, work on adding a healthy breakfast into your day.  It doesn't have to be big or complicated. An egg and a slice of toast with your favorite nut butter are fine!. Start with three days a week (doesn't have to be every day). Not exercising on a regular basis? Begin with one 10 minute workout such as a walk, a day. Pick up a hula hoop or mini trampoline and jump while you're watching T.V.  Get up often from your desk and walk around or stretch. Take the stairs.  By creating a plan of small, manageable changes that you’ll work on one step at a time, and acknowledging each success, your confidence will grow. 4. Anticipate obstacles and create strategies to overcome them.  (CONTROL) What barriers to weight loss have you experienced in the past, or do you fear will trip you up in the future? Anticipate problems before they occur and create strategies to avoid them. Think of healthier snacks that you can bring with you and create an arsenal. If you have trouble with portion control, portion them out in tiny ziplock snack bags and enjoy healthy and satisfying nuts, hard-boiled eggs, nut crackers with almond butter or avacado.  Do your friends meet for happy hour every Friday after work? Liquid calories are extremely damaging because of their lack of nutrition (empty calories) and sugar content. Yes, even your glass of wine. 5. Build a support team.   You must recognize that the job of weight loss is your responsibility and no one else’s. But that doesn’t mean you have to go at it alone. Who will support your journey along the way? Sharing your vision with family and friends can be very useful- and be firm when it comes to saying NO.  It's your body, your journey, YOUR decision! Having the camaraderie of others who are working on weight loss, too, can give you a place to swap ideas, help keep you motivated and make the journey more fun. You can also build a team of professionals to help you with different aspects of your weight loss journey: your doctor, to monitor your health along the way; a personal trainer and fitness coach (me), to help you learn new exercises; or a psychologist, to help you overcome emotional eating issues, which is a real thing. 6. Set up your environment for success.   It’s time to start thinking about what needs to be in place so that once you jump into action, the obstacles have been removed. Are your fridge and cabinets filled with junk food and unhealthy choices? Give it away or throw it out!  Stock your shelves with lots of healthy choices so that when hunger strikes or it’s time to prepare meals, you’ve got what you need on hand. It would be nice of your significant other who cohabitates with you was on the same page as stated above but if not, don't use his/her eating habits as an excuse for you to be inconsistent. Recognize that inner voice trying to make excuses for you.  Same goes for your office.  Clear out the candy and chips from your desk drawers. Keep good choices on hand.  If you’re thinking of joining a gym make sure it’s convenient to your home or office. And make sure it's with ATTITUDE!  Ask for a trial membership and make sure you feel comfortable with the atmosphere (you'll feel comfortable at Attitude-just sayin). 7. Create your plan of action.  (CONSISTENCY) Now that you’ve done the cognitive work, it’s time to build your plan. Here’s where you get to decide what steps feel like the right ones for you to take. Will you follow a structured food plan, or just slowly work healthier foods into your daily intake? Will you begin a new workout routine?  Will you decide to start bringing healthy lunches to work rather than eating out every day? The beauty in the system is you choose what will fit your unique life. Don’t attempt to follow rules that feel uncomfortable for you. You have choices.  This is how consistency is created.  There is no perfect diet plan that works for everyone. When it comes to losing weight, one size (or diet) definitely does not fit all. Let's make this confident, consistent, controlled commitment together in 2019 and carry it into 2020 and beyond!  You CAN do it!  And I'm here to help.

Goodbye and Good Riddance 2018.

A NEW YEAR and a NEW YOU BEGINS!

Each passing year brings with it a time of reflection. As I reflect back on 2018 sadly, I'm not sorry to see it go. It's been a year of tremendous personal loss of dear friends and family. The very beginning of the year brought a devastating blow, mid-year the same and the end managed to deliver a double whammy. 

I realize there are so many like me suffering from all kinds of loss, heart-ache, disappointment in everyday life occurrences. Some feeling helpless and alone.

With that being said, there is a true benefit to exercise other than burning calories, gaining muscle and increasing cardiovascular health.  Regular exercise helps fight depression and uplifts your spirit. Hormones such as oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine are released during exercise and this could be as simple as going for a brisk walk around the block. With each downward event, these hormones can become depleted thus causing depression to set in. Feeling depressed for a short time is normal but please seek help if these feelings remain for more than a week or 2. 

Some people may need medical advice or help to get that serotonin and other responsible chemicals leveled off but exercise can be the answer too- without having to take medications if in fact your condition is mild. And if you do have a need for medical intervention, exercise can be a boost to it and help you ease off the medications when the time is right.  

Let's make a commitment to feeling better, seeking a healthier lifestyle (certain foods can contribute to feelings of happiness too but too much can have the opposite effect).  Make a commitment to exercise more and just know that no matter what your circumstances, you are not alone. Don't look at all the happy comments on Facebook and compare to your situation because most of it is a crock of shit. 

So get out those walking shoes, put them on and get outside and move!  And come see me too. I'll help you get on the right track.  

Let's get this party started. Welcome, 2019!!

WEIGHT GAIN and INFLAMMATION revisited.

As the holidays sneak up on us so do our stress levels adding to the already predominant problem most of us suffer from. Once we begin to feel this overwhelming stress of trying to keep up with work, shopping, cooking and whatever else comes along, we tend to turn to comfort foods. Ironically, most of these foods result in anything BUT comfort. In fact, they can lead to not only weight gain but chronic pain. 

INFLAMMATION is the root cause of pain, weight gain and many diseases and conditions including heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis. And something no one wants to hear. CANCER! But how does it all start? Usually, by the foods we eat.      Can I make that any clearer?  What you put in your mouth CAN KILL YOU!

As I may have (gently) mentioned, lol SUGAR IS DEADLY! This cannot be emphasized enough. Processed sugars and starches promote inflammation throughout the body. When your body is in a state of chronic inflammation, it gives way to wreak havoc throughout your system. It is now being proven through hundreds of studies that chronic inflammation causes food allergies, neuropathy, celiac, and other autoimmune diseases.

Weight gain and arthritis do not have to be a rite of passage for us as we age. There undoubtedly will be changes in our bodies that we do have to accept but we CAN fight back and age healthfully by making a few adjustments to our daily habits. 

Not everyone is committed as you are Robyn! I hear this a lot. Here's what I say to that. GROW UP! There are many genes we inherit but I've never heard of a commitment gene. It's all about lifestyle and adopting new habits. Habits as we've discussed previously take awhile to adhere. 

Phillippa Lally, a health psychology researcher over a 12-week study of 96 people found that it takes around 2 months with variation among personalities to form new consistent habits. On average, anywhere from 18-254 days.  Can you see why CONSISTENCY is so important? 

Studies have also supported the fact that after a habit is formed and solidified, messing up on occasion does not negate all efforts. Therefore offering the encouragement that you do not have to be perfect! And you can enjoy that occasional treat WITHOUT guilt.  But I'm here to let you know (sorry) that it does have to be earned.

Listen, I'm not trying to be someone in their 50's hoping to look like someone in their 20's. For me, it's all about overall health. Having spent the better part of my life without my mother whose beautiful life cancer claimed.  I want to be here as healthy and as long as possible for my kids. To share all their important events in their lives that my mother, unfortunately, missed out on. In addition, I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant which is a condition that disappears once you give birth but also comes with a greater risk of developing it later on in life. If I can reduce my risk factors by cutting out sugar and living a healthy lifestyle, why wouldn't I? 

4 years ago I began to cut down on sugar and wheat. About a year and a half ago I cut them out altogether. Was it easy? Nope. But I stuck with it and it took quite a few months to realize the results. But trust me, once you begin and give yourself enough time to make it a habit, it gets easier and easier.  And the best part of all is I really can look forward now to a treat every once in a while and not have an ounce of guilt or worry about going running 5 miles to work it off!  I'm totally serious!

I've been working out faithfully since around the age of 17 but most of my life until I became educated on the subject, was spent cycling. I don't mean the bike kind. The kind where I'd eat anything including as many sweets as I wanted and just go burn it off later. Then I might go for a few weeks without eating any sweets or foods considered unhealthy.  That method may address weight issues, but definitely not overall health! So...I've been there people and if I could do it so could you! 

You CAN take control of your health. You CAN be the force within to prevent and in many cases even reverse illness and disease. Not to mention lose weight which in and of itself is a huge benefit to your health. 

If you need help getting on the right track before the New Year, please give me a call. I promise it won't hurt! Well...maybe just a little but it will be temporary.