We can be inspired by anyone, from loved ones to new acquaintances to our own innermost thoughts and dreams. The important thing is to keep that inspiration alive – to keep moving forward on our journey to achieving and maintaining our health. Today I had a conversation with one of my sisters and we discussedContinue reading “Looking Backward to Move Forward”
Tag Archives: Health
Dealing with Disappointment
What happens when your third race is your slowest race? My first 5K was 45 minutes, and my second one was 44 minutes. My third 5K was 46 minutes. Do I know what happened? I have suspicions. I had slacked off on my training because one of my knees had been bothering me. I gotContinue reading “Dealing with Disappointment”
In the News: Stress & Weight
Many of us like to indulge in comfort foods when we feel stressed. But the relationship between stress and weight gain includes many other factors beyond consuming a few extra calories. “Researchers have long known that rises in the stress hormone cortisol lead to weight gain. Every time you’re stressed, your adrenal glands release adrenalineContinue reading “In the News: Stress & Weight”
Keys to Success: Self-Regulation
Practice makes (mostly) perfect… I recently read a Facebook post asking how to develop self-discipline, or the ability to put off short-term pleasures in pursuit of long-term goals. Many people responded in different ways. But they all added up to one thing: you just have to do it. Practice self-discipline to improve, just like anyContinue reading “Keys to Success: Self-Regulation”
Keys to Success: Self-Efficacy
Believe in yourself and commit to your goals – you truly are capable of achieving them! As we learned two weeks ago, “Those who have high self-efficacy (belief in your capacity to execute certain behaviors) for exercise in particular are more successful at sustaining weight loss” (1). At age 61, I decided to become anContinue reading “Keys to Success: Self-Efficacy”
Keys to Success: Flexible Dieting
Once you’ve been dieting for an extended period and have met your goals, how do you transition into maintenance without gaining weight? I guess this really is the important question we ask at this stage. How can we remain flexible in our eating habits so we don’t quit, yet disciplined enough so we don’t backslide?Continue reading “Keys to Success: Flexible Dieting”
Food Prep: Diabetes Meals for Good Health Cookbook
Today I prepared these delicious muffins from the 3rd edition of Diabetes Meals for Good Health Cookbook (1). Written by Karen Graham, RD and Mansur Shomali, MD this book is a great guide for anyone wanting to adopt a healthy diet. Both authors are diabetes experts. It includes nine types of meal plans that rangeContinue reading “Food Prep: Diabetes Meals for Good Health Cookbook”
In the News: BMI Is Not the Measurement We Need!
Not really a new idea for many of us, but the American Medical Association (AMA) has finally acknowledged that the Body Mass Index (BMI) in itself is an insufficient and inaccurate screening tool to assess health. While it’s useful for large scale studies of various populations, it has serious limitations when used to evaluate andContinue reading “In the News: BMI Is Not the Measurement We Need!”
Self-Care: Support Groups
Perhaps the most important tools that have helped me maintain my healthy weight are my support groups. Sure, I have family and friends who care for and encourage me. But there’s something special about sharing your journey with others who are on a similar path. There are many types of groups you can join. OneContinue reading “Self-Care: Support Groups”
High-Fructose Corn Syrup & Other Sugars
Most of us are quite aware that sugar – other than what occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables – is not healthy for us. And this is true whether or not you have an issue with your weight. Let’s dig into the reasons for this, looking especially deep into that sweet culprit, high fructose cornContinue reading “High-Fructose Corn Syrup & Other Sugars”
In the News: Low Fat vs. Low Carb Diets’ Effects on Mortality
In a (very) long term study of nearly 400,000 participants aged 50-71, it was found that those eating low fat diets had significantly reduced overall mortality “by 18%, cardiovascular mortality by 16%, and cancer mortality by 18%” (1). The study differentiated between healthy and unhealthy diets for both low carb and low fat versions. ForContinue reading “In the News: Low Fat vs. Low Carb Diets’ Effects on Mortality”
What Do You Do When the Refrigerator Calls? Solutions for Cravings
Lately I’ve been reading a lot of Facebook posts about cravings and snacking. It’s very easy to succumb to the siren call of the refrigerator. Sure, you can avoid keeping treats in the house, but if you have a car or public transportation, you can easily get the snack or delicious drink you’re craving. WhatContinue reading “What Do You Do When the Refrigerator Calls? Solutions for Cravings”
Exercise: Creating a Home Gym
My home gym, pictured above, took shape as a matter of happenstance. Our last child permanently moved out and our neighbor decided to trash her functional treadmill at right about the same time. Physical therapy for my knee was actually making it worse but I realized that my knee felt better after cycling. And thatContinue reading “Exercise: Creating a Home Gym”
Non-Scale Victories
We need to keep our motivation up throughout our journey to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Often it seems like the scale just isn’t cooperating, especially during the holiday season. Even healthy changes, like increasing our strength training, can result in a plateau. At times like these, we should celebrate the non-scale victories inContinue reading “Non-Scale Victories”
Food Prep: Cook Smart, Eat Well
Cook Smart, Eat Well by Jennifer Welper is a new cookbook published by the Mayo Clinic Press. It does not strictly adhere to the Mayo Clinic Diet, but is based upon the principles of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid. According to the Mayo Clinic, the foundation of our diet should consist mainly of fruitsContinue reading “Food Prep: Cook Smart, Eat Well”
Self-Care & Exercise: Deep Breathing
Deep breathing exercises have been associated with reduced stress, anxiety, and depression in numerous studies (1). By reducing cortisol levels, deep breathing exercises can normalize our hormone levels, leading to fewer cravings and reduced appetite. Deep breathing can also improve focus which is a valuable skill for weight maintenance (2). Diaphragmatic breathing (explained below) canContinue reading “Self-Care & Exercise: Deep Breathing”
Women’s Clothing Sizes: The Marketing of Vanity
If you have ever used a commercial sewing pattern, you were probably shocked to discover that your ready made clothing size was not your pattern size. For example, currently I’d take size 20 shirt in Butterick patterns, as compared to a size 14 in Target’s Knox Rose brand (1, 2). This is because most women’sContinue reading “Women’s Clothing Sizes: The Marketing of Vanity”
Exercise: Joining a Gym or Health Club
Joining a health club can provide a much needed boost to your current fitness routine, but only if you actually show up and participate. Is a gym membership right for you, or is it a waste of money and time that might be better spent on home equipment and/or a fitness app subscription? I haveContinue reading “Exercise: Joining a Gym or Health Club”
Dealing With Cravings
A craving is a strong eating motivation for a specific type of food. At times we can feel a compulsion to eat these particular foods even when we are not hungry (1). Let’s look at why we have cravings, and what we can do to help decrease their influence over our eating choices. Cravings “actuallyContinue reading “Dealing With Cravings”
TOPS: Take Off Pounds Sensibly
75 years ago, Esther Manz invited friends into her Milwaukee, Wisconsin home for a weight loss, mutual support meeting. Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) is still helping dieters with weekly meetings throughout the United States and Canada, as well as Zoom meetings for those unable to attend in person. Other tools and videos available onContinue reading “TOPS: Take Off Pounds Sensibly”
Maintain Weight Loss 