Avoid Complacency: Time to Get Back on Track

During this time of crisis and loss by so many in my state of New Jersey, I send my thoughts and prayers to those during these tough times at the hands of Superstorm Sandy.  There are many in my immediate area that also lost power and were thrown out of a normal routine with offices and schools being closed unexpectedly.  These types of  conditions can easily lead to a state of uncertainty which could lead to complacency.  If you lost power, were you sitting around and eating more than you probably would in a normal week?  Did you get off of a regular exercise schedule because classes were cancelled or your fitness center was closed? Believe me, I empathize and know how you feel because I lost power for more than 5 days during Hurricane Irene in August of 2011.  The one thing that I did was continue with as close to a normal schedule as possible even without power.  At that time, most people around me had power, but I felt it was necessary to not get caught in the vortex of complacency.   Complacency is defined as self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.

Why am I discussing this?  I found that in speaking with people and observing behavior that it is so easy to get thrown off track with various areas of your life.  Which area of your life do I want to highlight?  You guessed it! Health and Fitness.  So many people got sidelined and lost energy or drive in that area of their life.  When you are complacent, you feel your best has been done or perhaps you just don't care to do better, even when you are out of a normal routine.  Your internal struggle is to convince yourself that putting forth the effort to exercise will be worth your time.  When you get to this place, be cautious because this can lead to a total derailment.

My suggestion when crisis strikes and there are things out of your control (such as power loss or your office being closed) is that you stick as close to your fitness regimen as possible and think positive and healthy thoughts rather than dwell on the negative.  Here are the benefits: 

• Stress relief
• Less food consumption
• Excess calories burned
• Feel good hormones released (and needed in crisis)

Get back on track as soon as possible to continue with your health and fitness regimen for life!  Be Well!

Possible? A Day or Two Without Poultry, Red Meat or Pork.

Sometimes I go into these modes of not wanting to eat poultry or fish and relying completely on beans, greens, whole grains and dairy for my protein.  I do not eat pork and on a rare occasion, I will consume beef, but it has to be grass fed and it never is ground.

Here are some benefits of not eating poultry, red meat, or pork and increasing vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and whole grains consumption.

• Diminished consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol.
• Increased consumption of complex carbohydrates that are nutrient dense or provides more health benefits.
• Adequate intake of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber fights a host of disease conditions, ranging from constipation to cancer.
• Fruits and vegetable supply loads of potassium, as against animal based diet.. Potassium rich diet cut down the risk of developing heart diseases.
• A liberal dose of antioxidants. Anti-oxidants are free radical scavengers and destroyers.
• Significant decrease in the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Saturated fats ad trans fats, present in large quantities in meat, increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, angina, raised blood pressure and atherosclerosis.
• Reduced risk of developing diabetes.
• A vegetarian diet wards off various cancer such as, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.
• Macular degeneration can be prevented. Green leafy greens, pumpkin, carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, etc., prevent cataract, macular degeneration and vision loss.
• Preventing infection by E. coli. Contaminated red meat is the primary cause of E. coli infection. A vegetarian diet totally rules out this risk.
• Salmonella poisoning. Eating contaminated meat / chicken causes salmonella infection.  (Granted, salmonella has been found in spinach and fruit, however, the overall benefits of consuming more fruits and vegetables outweighs eating animal flesh)

This week was one of those weeks of taking out the animal flesh and feeling a bit of natural cleansing with more vegetables and fruit.  Here is a typical 5 meal menu that I will consume:

Meal 1: Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Granola with Kefir or soy milk and a nectarine.  

Meal 2: Sandwich thin with peanut butter, banana and a drizzle of honey.

Meal 3: Sautéed vegetables (broccoli, red pepper, onion, carrots) with side of cottage cheese and a whole grain such as brown rice or roasted root vegetables (butternut squash, carrots, red onion, sweet potatoes) with a side salad.

Meal 4: Granny Smith apple with plain yogurt, walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Meal 5: Homemade bean soup with side of sautéed greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard or collard greens) and a plum or grapes.

It is possible to go without eating meats.  See how your body responds, you might be surprised.  Be Well!

A Weight Loss Story: Total Transformation of Mind and Body

"Slow and steady wins the race.  Consistency is important.  There are no shortcuts.  There are no excuses.  You owe it to yourself." These five statements were the self-motivators for one of my newly acquired clients who recently lost over 100 pounds in the past two years.  She constantly kept these mantras in her head to stay on path during her journey.  We had an open and detailed discussion in which she shared factors (common to many women) about what triggered her weight gain and then what she did to overcome those factors to find success.

Patty stated there were many stressors in her life that attributed to the weight gain.  For you, think of what may be making you unhappy and could contribute to your weight gain (if it is not medical); whether it is your relationships or your job and finances or lack of spirituality and self-worth or just the lack of physical activity.  For Patty it was her relationship, which lead to unhealthy snacking and unhealthy portion sizes.  Usually when something is not making you happy, this can lead to unhealthy habits.  Once discovered, realized and acknowledged, you have to find a way to resolve the issue.  Patty got out of the unhealthy relationship.  She then needed to change her behaviors and this was prompted by a visit to her doctor.  He sat her down and directly informed her that she was killing herself and that she had to do something to change.  Another factor that pushed her to change was that her 3 children were gaining weight with her and she knew she had to do something to turn their lives around.  

She discovered over time with therapeutic chats that issues of self-esteem played a major role of holding herself back from thriving and being who she really wanted to be.  With the lack of self-esteem, she always put others ahead of herself which created a safety zone by herself.  That safety zone was comforting when she snacked and ate her larger portions.  In addition, she was afraid of change.  She noticed that when she started to lose weight the compliments she received were perceived differently than when she was at her highest weight.  She did not believe them because she did not believe in herself, consequently, she had a hard time receiving those compliments.  

Then a light bulb clicked on because she was tired, tired of not living her life.  She found her inner strength, her confidence started to soar and issues with lack of self-esteem started to dissipate.  This was not only a body transformation, it was a mind transformation.  She started putting herself first and told herself there are no excuses or shortcuts to this transformation.  She was more aware of her food choices, started to increase her exercise, was more consistent with it and found that she was ready to accept her new body (with the compliments) as it was successfully changing before her eyes.  She felt awesome and an added bonus was that she was released from all hypertension medications!

Patty's story is not unique.  There are so many people that are trying to lose weight and wind up giving up because it is not coming off quick enough or they are not ready for the change or they have not acknowledged what is really the source of the weight gain in the first place.  Patty lost 100 pounds in 2 years which is about a pound a week.  When you do it slowly and naturally, it comes off and is more likely to stay off. "Slow and steady wins the race."

You are so much stronger than you think physically and mentally.  So whether you have 10, 20, 50 or 100 pounds to lose, you have to give yourself a chance and know that "you owe it to yourself."

Kindling Your Fire!

You probably don't need scientists to tell you that your metabolism slows with age. But they're studying it anyway--and coming up with exciting new research to help rev it up again. The average woman gains 1 1/2 pounds a year during her adult life--enough to pack on 40-plus pounds by her 50s, if she doesn't combat the roller coaster of hormones, muscle loss, and stress that conspires to slow her fat-burning engine. But midlife weight gain isn't inevitable. I equate your metabolism to a fat-burning campfire. To keep the pounds off and your energy up, you have to keep that metabolism going by "kindling" your fire. How? There are several ways. 1.Let's start with,You don't eat enough. I find when new clients provide a list of a their daily meals for my review, they are not eating enough because they think cutting calories will help, but it actually is counterproductive. I explain that your body needs fuel to consistently function throughout the day. Let me give the analogy of a campfire. A great campfire burns evenly and consistently when given the right amount of kindling. If it does not have enough, it starts to smolder. Think how you feel when you have not had enough to eat and you feel like your are functioning on fumes. So then you consume something quick, easy and full of processed sugar like a candy bar to give you a quick fix and now your smoldering campfire has gained momentum because you have thrown the equivalent of kerosene on it. This is your blood sugar spiking to give you a quick "pick me up", but then after an hour, you feel tired again and you are back to a smoldering campfire. Why? Because you have not provided your body with the right amount of calories it needs evenly throughout the day to keep the campfire at a consistent level. You need to cut calories to lose weight, but it's important not to overdo it. Going too low delivers a double whammy to your metabolism. When you eat less than you need for basic biological function (about 1,200 calories for most women), your body throws the brakes on your metabolism. It also begins to break down precious, calorie-burning muscle tissue for energy. Finally, you should always consume something for breakfast and eat a snack or meal every 3-4 hours to keep from overeating later in the day. 2. You eat too many white carbohydrates. Boost your fiber intake by switching to whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal and eating more fruits and vegetables. Research shows that some fiber can rev your fat burn by as much as 30%. Studies find that women who eat the most fiber gain the least weight over time. Aim for about 25 g a day--the amount in about three servings each of fruits and vegetables. 3. You are not eating enough protein. Make sure protein is a component in every meal. Your body needs it to maintain lean muscle. Add a serving, like 3 ounces of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of nuts, or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, to every meal and snack. Research shows protein can up postmeal calorie burn by as much as 35%. 4. Consider more iron in your diet. Iron-rich foods are essential for carrying the oxygen your muscles need to burn fat. Until menopause, women lose iron each month through menstruation. Unless you restock your stores, you run the risk of low energy and a sagging metabolism. Shellfish, lean meats, beans, fortified cereals, and spinach are excellent sources or iron. 5. Are you getting enough dairy? There's some evidence that calcium deficiency, which is common in many women, may slow metabolism. Research shows that consuming calcium through dairy foods such as fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt may also reduce fat absorption from other foods. 6. Are you strength training? It is a known fact that when your body has more lean muscle tissue, it helps to burn calories even at rest. If you are not strengthening your muscles, they will not help to keep your metabolism revved up. Find a strength training regimen to help build and maintain muscle for the rest of your life.

Calorie Dense Vs. Nutrient Dense

Which plate are you?

The plate on the left with two pieces of fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, a roll with butter and a serving of vegetables compared to the one on the right with half of the plate being vegetables, a quarter of the plate is a healthy protein and another quarter is a healthy starch such as brown rice.

It is important in these times when there is so much confusion of what to eat and how to eat to understand that your choices and your serving portion makes a world of difference if you are trying to lose weight. The plate on the left contains foods that are very calorie dense. The chicken, which is your protein is fried and the starch, which are mashed potatoes (with probably added butter and milk) are topped with gravy. There is also a roll with butter and very little vegetables. For someone trying to lose weight, this is a disaster plate because of the way the food is prepared and the portions are distorted.

The plate on the right is the optimal way to portion a plate. You want your plate to be half vegetables, one quarter protein and another quarter of a starch. This plate is nutrient dense because the protein is grilled, the starch is a fibrous grain and with half of the plate being vegetables (preferably steamed or fresh salad greens), you are able to comparatively eat more and not put on extra pounds.

When you start eating nutrient dense foods rather than calorie dense, you will be on a track for weight loss and overall healthier eating. How do you cut calorie density? By reducing fat, sugar and refined grains and adding vegetables and fruit whenever possible. So a pizza with less cheese, more vegetables and a thin crust is better than the deep dish meat lovers option. Another example is if you are making a casserole or lasagna, remove the meat and add vegetables with whole grain or whole wheat pasta. Be Well!

Why Fiber?

Fiber is one of those nutrients that many of us know is important but that remains a bit of a mystery. Exactly what is it? What are the best sources of fiber? And what are its health benefits? Here are the answers to these and other questions.

Basically, the term fiber refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested. Fiber is present in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. However, not all fiber is the same, and there are a number of ways to categorize it. One is by its source or origin. For example, fiber from grains is referred to as cereal fiber. Another way of categorizing fiber is by how easily it dissolves in water. Soluble fiber partially dissolves in water. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. These differences are important when it comes to fiber's effect on your risk of developing certain diseases.

Current recommendations suggest that children and adults consume at least 20 grams of dietary fiber per day from food, not supplements. The more calories you eat each day, the more fiber you need; teens and men may require upwards of 30 to 35 grams per day or more. Yet the average American eats only 15 grams of dietary fiber a day.

Long heralded as part of a healthy diet, fiber appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and constipation.

Some tips for increasing fiber intake:

-Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices.
-Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products.
-Choose whole grain cereals for breakfast.
-Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars.
-Substitute legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups.
-Experiment with international dishes (such as Indian or Middle Eastern) that use whole grains and legumes as part of the main meal (as in Indian dahls) or in salads (for example, tabbouleh).

Carbs are Not the Enemy!

Carbs short for Carbohydrates always seem to get a bad rap. The reason is because there is a misunderstanding that there are good carbs and bad carbs. Carbohydrates still need to be consumed because the body NEEDS them for fuel. In fact, they are the primary source of energy for the body. Carbs are found in a wide array of foods - bread, beans, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti, quinoa and sweet potato pie. They also come in a variety of forms. This most common and abundant are sugars, fibers and starches. Some examples of your good carbs from these forms are your natural fruits(sugar), vegetables(fiber) and whole grains such as oatmeal(starch).

Where the confusion seems to lie is that when people say,"I have to cut carbs!" and they forget there are a lot of health carbs. One should consume at least 50-60% of their daily intake to be carbohydrates. What should be cut is the processed carbohydrates. Anything with white sugar and white flour such as breads, muffins, donuts, candy, crackers, cakes, waffles, cookies, and pastries. You should also cut the white pasta and opt for whole wheat or brown rice pasta.

Outside of the whole wheat or brown rice pasta and oatmeal, try some brown rice, quinoa, amaranth or millet. Also, load up on your fresh vegetables and fresh whole fruits. When fresh vegetables are not an option, frozen are the next best option.

Carbs are not the enemy. It is a matter of knowing which ones pose a health hazard and could potentially put on the pounds.