How to stay the course while enjoying the holidays

Cooking, shopping, gathering, celebrating, programs and  parties -- all can be wonderful, but holidays can also be stressful and take us out of our regular routine and habits.  My desire with today’s blog is to help us all enjoy this joyous season and continue to benefit from healthy decisions.  It can be done! Here are a few ideas...

Stay the course.  In a cross country race, the runner encounters all kinds of terrain; straight-a-ways, hills, valleys, wide trails and narrow pathways.  In our life, we will encounter emotional hills and valleys,the course will be varied and diverse. Throughout our journey we will  need to set personal parameters to our own course. We will find peace, joy and actually freedom as we adhere to those parameters.
             
 First step to staying the course is to establish one! Make a plan. To remain accountable. You may want to discuss your plan with a  a spouse, friend, health coach, someone you trust.  Then apply what you have established for your personal course.  Once established, your course parameters should be considered    non-negotiable                                 

·         Once you have decided what those parameters are, you are freed from having to wrangle and struggle with every social gathering or each plate of goody that is dropped by. You have already made the decision.

·         Review triggers of emotional eating, circumstances, feelings, or people that pose a challenge. Think this through rather than winging it, thinking “oh, it will all work out”.  Give it some thought, even role play a situation. Plan ahead, and hold to it.

·        Create your “YES” list. Only two criteria for this list. One, It's healthy. Two, it really floats your boat! I mean you really enjoy eating it! I’d be happy to share ideas and recipes.  My daughter also has a website at:  www.thewholefoodsdiner.com where you will find several fun and delicious recipes. Creating your own personal " YES" list is fun and opens a new world of possibilities. Make your list and be ready and armed to use it.

·        When taking a plate for a gathering, bring a treat from your “YES” list. Be wise with your food choices-there is generally a ‘good- better- best’ in any given occasion. Try to choose from “the best” category. If there is truly nothing at the party you feel is a healthier choice then at least you know you have your plate to choose from!  

·        A lot of the foods we eat over the holidays have traditions attached. If you have determined that you are going to allow yourself certain treats or desserts decide before hand what those are. Then eat it! Enjoy it, and experience it without guilt.  But remember to be true to the boundaries you have established. Moderation in all things!

·        Little plates of goodies…large problems?… A favorite tradition of many is to take plates of Christmas treats to friends and neighbors.  Upon grateful acceptance we place the festive display of goodies on our kitchen counter.  Following a number of strolls past the kitchen, mindlessly snatching one little piece of fudge, popping in one chocolate covered cherry, or a harmless eency-beency snowball cookie. Before we know it… the plate is empty and our stomachs are full. Put them away, give them away, take them to the office. Just get rid of them! If you choose to indulge pick a few and set them aside to eat with mindful awareness…. remove the rest.

·         Exercise, move your body. One of the best stress relievers of all time! Raise serotonin levels, reduces stress and depression, and clear away the December fog. Keep up a regular exercise routine -- very important!

·        Quiet essentials:  These essentials will keep balance in your life.  Christmas time is wonderful, but it also has its many stressors. Provide yourself with pockets of peace. These may include meditation, prayer, journaling, reading, yoga. Find a spot to bask in the sun…feed your spirit.  Find ways each day to fill your bucket; if we don’t fill our bucket with these quiet essentials, there is always a dump truck of non-essentials just waiting in the wings to fill it for us.

Okay, we are at the holiday starting line, the course is ahead of us. We know there will be exhilarating straight-a-ways and gorgeous vistas. We also know there will be some tough hills to climb and tense moments, but we can do it! Because we are prepared for them.  Remember to enjoy the journey….. and I’ll see you at the finish line…

A call to Action

Let’s take a little field trip back in time....In the  1970’s there was a  low fat craze that flooded the nation and its grocery shelves promising a healthier & slimmer society.  

The government deemed fat a villain and culprit of most all ills, from obesity to heart disease.

This message propelled over 15,000 low fat products.  Everywhere you looked it touted a “low fat” label. We all bought into it, oh its low fat! … it must be good for you, right?.... Let take a look at some numbers.

In 1962 Obesity was at 13% - In 2013 we are now looking at an overwhelming 37%

Type II diabetes is up a whopping 45% since 1962.

The American Heart Association predicted in the next 20 years 40% of our nation’s population will have some type of cardiovascular disease.

It appears that the low fat craze of 30 plus years has had some serious flaws. Diets high in empty refined carbohydrates and processed low fat foods are essentially killing us!

So let’s back up the bun wagon.  Humans are not made of aspartame, hydrogenated oils, diet sodas, or fat free potato chips. We tend to think our bodies will simply process anything we put into them. 

The hard truth is that if it is not a food that can be used to build our bodies system, then our bodies perceive it as a dangerous substance and these foods will damage cells and organs. They create a roller coaster effect  with our energy levels and moods. And  accelerate our metabolic aging a process that leads to disease and premature death.

An Invitation to Better Health

I’d like to extend a challenge. Take a look at what you eat on a daily basis. Begin to eliminate processed food. If your meal comes from a smiling face in a drive through window, or you're tearing open a box that produces a "meal" in 3 minutes. Take a deep  breath, step back... and reconsider.

There is another option, a choice that offers increased energy, reversal of many diseases and ailments. Weight loss, better mental health, freedom from obesity,diabetes and food cravings...all this with the simple choice of eating REAL FOOD in balance and abundance.

Need any more convincing?!  I promise you, as you make this change in your life. The foods you thought you couldn’t live without, will no longer plague you, cravings dissipate, and you find foods that bring just as much or greater pleasure to eat. But you will no longer be a slave to food.  

I am here to help walk with you and work with you. What you will learn, will be yours, you will own it. One step at a time,you will see and feel changes.... body, heart and soul! 

   

Got Stress?!!

I know, I know, silly question....let me ask you this,when you are feeling stressed what do you reach for? Is your body screaming for a grilled chicken breast with a nice side of steamed veggies? Or are you on a rampage  to tear into the first bag of potato chips you can get your hands on, or perhaps you're diving head first into a quart of tin roof sundae? you know it, we both know it. The last thing we are after is something that would actually be GOOD for your body.

But why? is it your fault, are you just weak, do you you feel like a negative zero on the willpower scale? May I just share with you here and now before you go and start beating yourself up again. Food cravings come from two different sources Physiological and Psychological. This post we are going to address what happens to our bodies physiologically when we experience stress.

We have all heard of the fight or flight response to danger, we have all experienced it. Here's the scenario; your hiking out in the woods when, out of no where a bear appears on his haunches growling at you, with his huge paws exposing his ginormous claws! the next thing you know, you are five feet up a tree and you are not sure how you got there! congratulations, you have just experienced the fight or flight response!!

Our bodies are amazing machines. We have a conditioned protective response built in. When we are placed in a dangerous situation our Hypothalamus ( part of our limbic system) signals the sympathetic system and the adrenals ( two little half moon shaped glands that sit on top of your kidneys) that release adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones go to work very quickly flooding the nervous system and the blood stream.  Cortisol raises your blood pressure and increases the flow of glucose to provide quick energy and lightning response.


So here's the rub. When your body is stressed either physically or emotionally, it secretes cortisol as part of the fight or flight response. The problem is that our bodies cannot differentiate between immanent physical danger and mental duress. Whether your stress was emotional or physical, the stress response is identical, causing a spike in your appetite. This can cause a craving for comfort foods-foods high in fat and sugar.  So there you have it, our bodies are just doing what they are suppose to, they are responding to present danger and that is a very powerful hormonal response, a response  that leaves us with our hands caught in the cookie jar.

In our fast paced society, many of us experience a steady stream of stress, which means we are also undergoing a constant flow of cortisol racing through our bodies. Over time we are not only dealing with an uncontrolled appetite, but will be facing  more serious damage that comes with prolonged overloads such as: high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, type II diabetes, sleep disorders and depression just to name a few. 

Before you throw in the towel, let me tell you. . there is hope and much that can be done to mend, heal and control stress in our lives. lets just look at a few.

*First we must look at our " plate" so to speak. Is everything there necessary?  When you look at the risk of impending health problems, please seriously evaluate what is necessary and what can be set a side for a time or delegated. REDUCTION is your first task.

*There are of course some situations that cannot be changed. There are some things that are out of our control, focusing our energy on things that we can do something about, and re framing situations to find positives. Try taking a long view on whats going to matter a week, month or year from now. And letting go of anger, learning to forgive and love our selves. 

*Make time for yourself; an empty bucket has nothing to give. Find what you love to do, perhaps its a early morning walk, painting, pottery, or poetry. Whatever fills you up. make time for it, this will bring you joy that settles your soul. 

*Find time to meditate & pray, to expand your thoughts away from the present and see things in a more eternal perspective. 

* These  last three we will devote more time to discussing them in future posts. They include; getting enough sleep, regular exercise and eating nutrient dense foods in balance.

  As we implement these stress reducing techniques we can climb down out of that tree, remove the bear ( or at least De-claw him). One step at a time, be gentle with yourself.

Emotional eating becomes a conditioned response

Hi everyone!

Our last post we discussed habits--how these long standing behaviors come to be and how gingerly we need to address and adjust them.

Today lets look at how emotional eating and habits are connected.

What happened in your day today...did you feel stressed? Perhaps you were at a softball game, a dance recital and changing a diaper all at the same time!.... or did you have a long difficult day at work and couldn't wait to get home, crash on the couch and rip open a bag of chips. Deadlines, paperwork, bosses and bills... what did you use as a coping tool?.... was it food?

Perhaps something amazing happened in your life today! --  you got a raise, you passed a test, your baby didn't spit up on your second set of clothes... you have reason to celebrate!....did you turn to food?
You may have felt sad, depressed, alone, or just bored....was food the antidote?

Each day we all experience a myriad of emotions, and over time we condition ourselves to respond in certain ways, and turn to certain foods that medicate. These responses have become so ingrained in our behavior that we don't even have to think it through. We feel an emotion... our mouths open and we insert food!
A HABIT IS BORN.

Remember, it has become a habit because we have conditioned ourselves over the years. We have used this pattern to cope, or stuff away feelings, or perhaps to " feel good" for a moment. We've all been there, but when the supernal moment has passed we plummet to a new low, and so the ride continues.

The first step to living a life without being a slave to food is being aware that we are! Awareness and acceptance is the key to freeing the pattern of emotional eating. Whether we use food as a pain killer, punishment, or escape, recognizing these patterns of mindless eating is the first step in coaxing a bad habit down the stairs and out the front door.

So your first assignment this week is merely to be aware. Instead of mindlessly cramming those doughnuts down, think first....why am wanting to inhale this food? What emotion am I feeling? Once you have an answer, (here is your second assignment)....write it down. Take a moment this week to keep a feeling journal. It doesn't need to be a long and arduous task (but don't be surprised if you  find it therapeutic and want to write more), just write what you are feeling at that moment. This act alone will help you to slow down the process and be aware of your actions. This process may open up some emotions, emotions that can be worked through and dealt with in an a new and healthy way.

For the next several posts we will learn about the many facets of emotional eating and how to work through them. Stress is of course one of the big ones. Next week we are going to discuss stress, how it effects our cravings and overall health, and what we can do to calm the storm. I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to comment on your experiences with this exercise. We can journey together, to a new way of life.

New Beginnings

Welcome, feel free to browse around ! Each post,we will add insightful tidbits of helpful learning, as we journey together...

Eating behaviors are learned habits, habits that are deeply entrenched and strongly influenced by our culture. Habits that have become familiar,even friendly and safe to us.

So for my first post, I will lean on a quote by Mark Twain. " A habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time". A true lifestyle change is a work in progress, be patient with yourself, love yourself.

We will learn the process of choosing positive options and also, why so often our emotions take control of the wheel. We will learn to be the driver again! With coping skills and real tools that will bring a peace and calm with out that bowl of rocky road!  We will explore incredibly delicious alternatives, that will taste even better to you as we feed these amazing machines. We will find that when we feed our bodies foods that nourish it, our bodies are more satisfied, and you will find food cravings begin to subside.

So I hope you join me,we'll travel together, and discover a new way of life now!