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Consider the Habit Loop – the 4 Elements of a Behavior
Creating a New Habit
Celebrate your Small Wins Here’s an example of a substitution for a Craving
Make it Small
Drama Sells
All or Nothing Mindset
True Change Evolves It Doesn’t Happen Overnight Create a New Cue
Don’t Beat Yourself up if:
Good luck on your road to making the changes that will enhance your life today. |
Archive for Self motivation
Discover How to Change your Bad Habits
Do you suffer from any of these 10 most popular bad habits?
1) Missing meals
2) Snacking
3) Getting hooked on sugar
4) Eating too late at night
5) Drinking enough water
6) Not taking or forgetting to take your supplements
7) Not getting enough sleep and going to bed too late
8) No time to fit on exercise
9) Can’t find the time to distress with meditation or yoga or something else that helps
10) Saying yes to too many things or the “Putting Too Much on Your Plate Syndrome”
How to Change Bad Habits – 5 Steps
1) Acknowledge the bad habit in the first place. Admit it’s a bad habit instead of believing it’s just the way it is. Don’t let it remain an unconscious behavior.
2) Deciding to take action once you’ve admitted your habit of omission or inclusion i.e.: Plunking yourself in front of your computer for hours and realizing that you haven’t eaten dinner. Time can be a black hole – set a timer.
3) Get an accountability partner. It’s tough to change habits on your own. Having a partner will help. A buddy system is extremely effective – keeps you on track and you get the support you need. Even just texting each other with the word DONE helps.
4) Stick to it. Don’t give up too soon. Before a habit gets integrated you make get too comfortable and start taking your new found habit for granted. Soon it may slip away before you’re aware of that happening. Then you might be ridden with guilt. It’s difficult psychologically to muster up the resolve to start again. The solution is – just don’t quit. Get back in the saddle as soon as you can.
5) Be open to suggestions. Don’t be stuck with only one way of doing things – try a new way. Try making it a game to see how doing things differently might be better. For example – (a) tough getting to bed at a good time? Try making your bedroom more luxurious and relaxing by buying a few new throw pillows – it’s simple and effective or (b) Want to drink more water? Buy a colorful water bottle. This is an easy and inexpensive habit-altering step you can take.
Here are some tips on how to ground yourself at this very challenging time:
1) Journaling. I get to anchor my thoughts and anxieties when I journal. So as to not have my thoughts all over the place, causing further wear and exhaustion, I write it all down. This helps me focus on what’s important even only for an hour or a day. Now it doesn’t need to be an actual journal, it could also simply be a scratch pad – somewhere you could write things down. It has been proven that the act of physically writing things with your hand can have a deeper and more therapeutic effect than simply composing on your computer, iPhone, etc. There appears to be “a brain/hand connection’ if you will, that connects you physically to what you write. In fact, I first wrote the draft of this article in my journal and then transferred it onto my computer. I use my journal for everything – I call it “My Book of Life”. I get to figure out problems, be creative, rant, and even write poetry in it. Yup, it’s all in there. But that’s my way – find your own way of getting things out of your head and onto, preferably, paper.
2) Talking/Chatting. Talk to those who really know you. If you have good relationships with your family, and certainly with your friends too, talking with them in times of need is very nurturing. I’m fortunate to have a close knit family – we can easily talk, connect, laugh and even worry together. Even though they all live in Canada – the phone has always been a bridge for us. And, of course, talking with really good friends provides a great deal of comfort and relief no matter what is going on in my life.
3) Pets. Not sure how I would have survived the past five years caring for my husband if it wasn’t for the daily comfort of my little Mitzy, who I often call my “Comfort Cat”. Brian, our other cat, sadly passed away in 2016 – he was so loving as well. They are sweet and loving little companions for sure – keep them near.
4) Sleep. Perhaps not necessarily grounding in and of itself, however, I find it if I don’t get the best sleep possible – the next day I am unfocused and unproductive. I call this the magic and necessity of sleep or “Vitamin S”. Not only is sleep so important for overall health but also for your immune health – which we need to strengthen now more than ever. Turn off your computers and TVs by 10 or 11 PM and get some sleep.
5) Meditate. Meditate if you can. I’ve had the fortune of learning transcendental meditation some 35 years ago and I’ve been practicing it daily since then. Don’t get me wrong; some days I do miss out but I would say I’m able practice my mediation consistently at least 95% of the time. It’s a must for me. If meditation is difficult for you just slowing down your mind for 10 minutes once or twice a day can do wonders. By slowing down the raciness and even fears in your head it can actually improve your stress response, improve brain function and balance your blood pressure. You can also try deep breathing – close your eyes and slowly count to 6 as you inhale then another 6 as you exhale – slowly. Do this for about 5-10 minutes. Miraculously you’ll feel calmer. Of course, listening to relaxing music will also do the trick. If the phone rings or you hear a text coming in ignore it – you can attend to it when you’re done. Even during this crisis you need to give yourself a break.
6) Sunshine. Let the sunshine warm your body. If you are able to go outside – away from others – and just sit in the sun for 5 to 10 minutes that would certainly be good medicine for you. Getting vitamin D, which sunshine provides, onto your skin will increase your immune system considerably. Try and do this practice early in the morning. I know it’s still winter for many so if you can try and do this. Exercise is OK but hanging out outside for no reason is not OK.
I hope these tips will calm and center you a bit more. This is a time to slow down, for sure, we really don’t have any choice in the matter. Perhaps this is one of the best gifts coming out of this pandemic. We do need to slow down and really assess our lives and discover what’s important and what’s not.
Getting to the essentials of what matters IS What Matters.
Thinking of you and sending many, many blessings,
Monika
P.S. Social Distancing doesn’t mean not connecting online, by phone, facetime, skype etc. Stay tuned in.
I know, I know it’s absolutely something you do not want to be an expert in – right? But unfortunately, you may feel like you are. Whatever you do – you try this you try that – lose some weight gain it back and on and on… Sound familiar?
Here are my 3 tips to help make you more of a health expert and not a weight gain one – sound good? OK – here it goes.
Your 3 Tips to Help Make You Your Own Health & Vitality Expert:
1. Go Inside & Ask. Do I want to be light or full? Do I want my clothes to fit or do I want that bowl of ice cream after dinner? Do I want a relaxing evening at home or choose to prove to my spouse that I’m right about something and end up arguing? Do I really need to watch YouTube videos until midnight or would listening to a meditation audio while I drift off to sleep at 11:00 p.m. be better for me?
You see, you are making choices constantly and making one that helps you attain a state of overall wellbeing is, of course, the best. However, the best choice may not always be the favorite choice. So try to go inside and take the time to process your thoughts and feelings first before making a possible impulsive or unhealthy choice.
2. How Much Is Enough: You may wonder why controlling your portion size is so important. Well, it’s not just about the amount you’re consuming but also it’s about creating some discipline. You see, when you begin to take good care of yourself, you start making eating the right food and the right amount a priority. Having discipline is a good thing and it can be synonymous with doing a loving thing for yourself. Discipline DOES NOT always mean limitation.
When you overeat you are usually compensating for an unusual or uncomfortable emotional state you are experiencing. Whether happy or sad on some level it can be difficult to accept how you are actually feeling in the present moment. Giving yourself a plan of action in the beginning of your day is helpful in keeping you in line and in-tune with how much food your body really needs. In my Skinny Jeans Weight Loss Program ™ I recommend weighing your food initially to help you discover the ideal amount of food for best weight loss results. Over the years I have heard many of clients admitting how surprised they were to find just how much in excess they were actually consuming. Their portion sizes were larger than their bodies actually needed to function optimally. Everyone has a portion size that’s best for them. These can vary depending on your exercise/activity level but generally women require approximately 1500-2000 calories/day and men approximately 1800-2400 calories/day.
3. Dieting Shouldn’t Be Your Job: I’ve mentioned this several times in past blogs where I have warned you not only to avoid becoming obsessed with dieting but also to learn to reframe the entire concept of dieting. A Diet actually means what you consume on a daily basis. If you are constantly dieting you are not learning how to eat for long term wellness. Taking your excess weight off in a healthy yet efficient way requires a system that supports fat burning and muscle maintenance and results in that sought after reduction on your bathroom scale.
Once you get to that “magic number” you must focus on doing everything you can to maintain that number or at least within a 3 lb. range.
For example, if you’ve lost 30 lbs. and your weight is now 150 – try keeping your weight between 150-153. Once it starts going higher than the 3 lbs. you will need to go back to your original weight system/plan to get the extra weight off. The longer you wait to take this important step the more likely it is that you’ll gain even more weight and perhaps – wait for it -gain ALL the weight back – and I know you don’t want that to happen. You’ve worked hard to lose the weight so find the best way to maintain it. Pay attention to your weight fluctuations over time. Stop the uphill climb before it gets out of hand. The more you follow this advice the less you will need to constantly be on a diet and the more freedom you’ll feel in this area of your life.
You are now becoming your own health expert – Congratulations!
So many have asked me to address the whole issue of healthy dining so this week I am. Whether you’re in the midst of an effort to lose or maintain a healthy weight, eating well at your favorite restaurant can be a daunting experience. But don’t worry it can be done.
Over the last few months I’ve had a lot of opportunities to dine out – more so than normal. Having firsthand experience of the challenges you face I am going to provide you some valuable tips to help maneuver through your next dining adventure.
Here are your Dining Tips:
1. Just Say No: Don’t even let the waiter consider bringing the bread basket to your table. Trust me you won’t even miss it. In fact, yesterday my husband and I went to Sunset in Malibu, the restaurant where we had our wedding. It was lovely, although 93 degrees at the end of April even at the beach was somewhat disconcerting. So we had completed our wonderful meal when I noticed every other table either had a bread basket on it or was graciously having it served. Had the waiter done the same for us I could have been tempted to have some bread since I was quite hungry and not enjoy my meal as much. So just say no as much as you can – Save your palate for the main meal instead.
2. Hold the Dressing: Most dressings are loaded with sugar, unhealthy fat and salt. Oftentimes when I review the “Eat This Don’t Eat That” blog I am shocked by the caloric content of most commercial salad dressings. If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time you know I’m not big on calorie counting, but if you know how many calories most dressings contain you’ll think twice. Choose Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar and you’ll be good to go.
3. Some Protein: Whether you’re a meat eater, pescatarian or vegetarian it’s important to have some source of protein in your meal. Your choices could consist of a ½ handful of shrimp, buckwheat noodles with goat cheese or nut meatloaf. Your plate should consist of ¼ of protein no more. Ok so most restaurants might not offer the buckwheat noodles but a lot are now offering quinoa and certainly rice as well. Beans are also an adequate source and an option for you.
4. Make Mine Veggie: I am advising more and more on the importance of focusing on having a primarily plant based diet. It is vital for good health, good for animals and for the planet in general. Put a small amount of protein on your plate and make the rest veggies. I have been tuned into the Food Revolution Summit all week and I suggest you also take part, too. You can go to http://foodrevolution.org/summit/ and listen to powerful leading experts interviewed daily until tomorrow. The Summit is hosted by John and Ocean Robbins. Remember John Robbins, son of one of the founders of Baskin and Robbins, in his landmark film and book entitled “A Diet for a New America” circa 1987 he exposed the tragedy of the American industrialized food industry including the mistreatment of animals. Think of reducing your consumption and demand for more humane treatment of animals. We all want that – right?
5. Dessert Not Necessary: You should not need to have dessert if you had a balanced meal. Eliminating this cultural tradition does require some conscious effort and it can be done. If you need to tell yourself you’ll have something sweet later – by the time later comes you’ve most likely either forgotten about or lost the desire.
Enjoy your meal out!
I just noticed Dr. Oz had a special article in this month’s O Magazine about this very topic. I wanted to create my own version of what a healthy fridge should consist of using my own fridge as an example. In this article I’ll help you determine what to keep, clean up or clear out of your fridge. What are the best and then the not-so-good ingredients lurking in your Frigidaire?
So here’s how to keep your fridge COOL and not scary. Let’s review what you should keep. Consider the following as your healthy refrigerator basics:
1) Nuts & Seeds: They are a must in every healthy fridge and diet. Store them in the cool fridge to maintain optimum freshness and preserve the delicate natural fats inherent in these nutritious morsels. This list includes almonds, chia seeds, hemp seeds and pine nuts.
2) Vegetables: Load you fridge with the freshest veggies available. Keep the crisper brimming with crunchy delights from the garden. In my fridge I have a pull out drawer filled with Romaine lettuce (the 3 bunch bag), lemons, limes, onions (1/2 portion), green onions and cucumbers. In my larger pullout I have all the rest – kale, chard, eggplant, carrots, cauliflower, red cabbage, turnips, etc.
3) Fruit: As I’ve shared before I have another fridge in my garage where the overflow goes – it’s filled with grapefruit, oranges and apples and extra cauliflower, or sometimes I purchase a huge bag of baby spinach and put it right in there as well.
4) Probiotics: Although not a food item most probiotics require refrigeration to preserve their potency. More companies are starting to manufacture non-refrigerated versions giving you more flexibility for traveling.
5) Dairy: Best to keep butter and cheese in special sections in your fridge especially your cheeses. Butter like eggs has a much longer shelf life than cheese. When you need a quick protein food choose low fat cheeses. Don’t be afraid to use butter – just use it sparingly.
6) Eggs: It’s a must to keep eggs cool in order to maintain quality. Eggs have an excellent shelf life and are always good to have handy for a quick protein meal or for a special recipe.
7) Coconut Milk and Coconut Butter: Here also you want to keep coconut products cool in order to maintain freshness. Coconut has gained a well-deserved reputation as being a healthy dairy alternative.
Here’s what to dump:
1) Leftovers: If they are more than 3 days old, best to discard. The longer you save prepared/cooked foods the more degradation and loss of nutrient value. So avoid cooking too much at one time. This does take practice but it’s best to eat your food as fresh as possible.
2) Salad Dressing: Most dressings in the marketplace are heavily sweetened or have less than pure ingredients in them. Best to stick to olive oil and either apple cider vinegar or balsamic as a suitable and healthier salad dressing option. There are also several vinegar and oil gourmet shops starting to crop up everywhere. They offer some great varieties like Blackberry or Persian Lime Vinegars. Or how about Hazelnut Oil anyone?
3) Mayo: Unless its non-hydrogenated best to avoid. Hydrogenation is a processing method that damages fragile oils deeming them toxic when consumed. Best to either make your own version of mayonnaise or try using plain yogurt instead. It may taste a little more sour but it’s better for you.
4) Sauces: Avoid most prepared sauces. They are usually loaded with artificial ingredients and add unnecessary calories to your meals. Think of using fresh herbs like dill, mint, basil or rosemary instead. Or use warming spices like curry, cumin or cayenne. Or cooling spices like oregano or Herbs du Provence, for example.
5) Ketchup: This condiment is nothing more than sugar and artificial ingredients. You can’t really even claim any redeeming vegetable/fruit contribution of the tomato because it’s just tomato flavoring nothing more. Try instead using chili powder or sriracha sauce instead but beware these two have more punch than ketchup.
Chill out and keep your Fridge Healthy.
Is there something you’ve been wanting to do but you’re still sitting on the fence? Are you feeling it’s either not the right time or impossible to accomplish? There are so many excuses..I mean reasons for procrastination. A big one I’ve been hearing lately is “I need to talk it over with my husband”. Ladies – if you really wanted to do something you believe is in your best interest like changing your diet, getting healthy and losing weight – you shouldn’t need to run it by your spouse. You should know that it’s important enough for you to do. And what is more important than your health and peace of mind? Don’t fall prey to this avoidance type thinking and take a stand for yourself.
When clients work with me they are often surprised how much I care for their overall success. I take a stand for them – even if they are unable to do so for themselves. That’s my job to help you believe even when you find it hard to. I’ve worked in my practice for over 20 years helping individuals say yes to their dreams and yes to themselves. I work on this very thing in my own life and often hire coaches of many types, usually business or professional coaches in particular, to help me be the best I can be in my work and then offer you the best I can on a daily basis. Always consider your goals and dreams worthwhile by making them and yourself a priority.
Here are Five Ways to Say YES to yourself NOW:
1. Give up your “Someday Thinking”. If you think too far into the future and think your magic day will arrive someday know that you are most likely fooling yourself. Most people, including you, often think they have more time than we actually do. You and most of us are so conditioned to put things off for another day. Life is too short. Have you ever heard this saying: “Procrastination causes sorrow – so I’ll stop tomorrow”. I just heard it today and it’s what in fact inspired to write on this topic. You see when it comes to creating a healthy body and life know that someday may never come.
The clothes in the back of your closet – the ones you want to fit into someday, or the stability ball that also sits in your closet collecting dust or the recumbent bike which becomes a clothes hanger – these are all representations of the “Someday Syndrome“ (as I call it) winning out. You can change your future by taking one small step today – by not only thinking about it but actually doing something about it. For example: I put on my new gym clothes today – a gift my husband gave me last week for my Birthday. Just having them on inspired me to pull out my yoga mat and do a few poses for 20 minutes. It just takes a little to get started.
2. What’s Making YOU Afraid? If you aren’t taking action you must ask yourself what’s making you afraid to take action. Do you think you’ll fail, or you’ll be laughed at, or that you’ll overspend time, energy and money and not get the results you want? When you think of losing weight do you think mostly of all the lbs you want to lose or do you also think about the possibility of learning how to manage your emotions so you don’t give in to your emotional eating habit? Do you even consider getting to the root of your automatic habits? This takes time and gives you an opportunity to become more grounded and compassionate towards yourself. Changing unhealthy habits isn’t an overnight fix but a process. For some it’s 6 months for others it takes 6 years for even others it’s a lifetime. I encourage you to embrace this concept and give yourself the love and time you need.
3. Be Practical. I’m a big fan of making dreams come true but I’m also a big proponent of taking realistic and practical steps to get you where you want to go. I’m all about getting results and I pretty sure that’s what you want, too. Staying in a dream state unable to achieve your weight and wellness goals is not the best place to be. Sometimes I need to reinforce “the one day at a time” principle and sometimes it even converts to “one meal at a time”. Don’t over plan, under achieve and end up falling off the wagon. Appreciate each victory. If you didn’t have desert and everyone else at your table did – acknowledge yourself for that. If you brought your lunch to work 3x/week last week – give yourself a pat on the back. You ARE making significant inroads towards achieving a healthier life.
4. Go with Your Gut. You know eating right, de-stressing and taking your supplements is the right thing to do and yet you just don’t do it. You might want to ask yourself – do you have a history of not committing? If so consider when was the last time you actually committed to something. Did you commit to saving money for a trip you wanted to take? Did you commit to looking for a place to live that was just right for you? Did you commit to a relationship? Whatever it was – you did commit. Sometimes it’s not commitment at all but rather a matter of timing – are you in place in your life where you can focus on healthy eating and really taking good care of yourself? Sure I want you to be doing this all the time but yet it may not be realistic for you right now. Maybe you have kids at home still needing a lot of your time and energy, maybe it’s elderly parents or a project you’ve just started. Whatever it is be honest with yourself – is it or is it not the best time for you? I believe that even when other things in your life are taking precedence it may very well be the best time to consider a weight loss or nutrition program.
So evaluate –do a Pro and Con list if it helps you get clear. But remember – if not now then when?
5. Make a Decision. Make it and then stick with it. Making a decision is the best and often the only way to move forward in your life. Stop putting the brakes on in your life and start taking action. Know that you will always learn a lot more by doing something than by doing nothing. Watch escape route tactics that distract you rather than propel you. Are you watching too much TV, comparing yourself to others, picking arguments, going to the mall too often – these are all ways to avoid taking the time to decide what’s important to you. Instead of watching your favorite sitcom this evening decide to give yourself some quiet time to get centered and think of what health goals you want to accomplish in the next 3 months. Do you want to get the sugar and starchy carbs out of your diet? Do you want to let go of the last 10 or 30 lbs from your life? Do you want to change your sleep habits and go to bed earlier? Ask yourself these questions? By saying Yes to these questions you are saying a resounding YES to YOU!
Would you like to feel lighter, freer and happier?
Then say YES to yourself.
Ok – it’s time right? Well isn’t it? It’s March and I’m sure you are still thinking that you want to be healthy and lean this year. It’s not too late – in fact it’s never too late. So do you want that for yourself?
Let me give you a few tips on how to make that possible – how does that sound?
1. Give up being perfect. I know it’s a hard one to do. We’ve been so conditioned to always do it right. But you know doing it right isn’t always the best way to learn. Especially when it comes to weight loss and weight maintenance. I really don’t know anyone who has not had a period in their lives when their eating was a source of trouble for them. Hard to believe really – but most people struggle either with their weight, eating the right things, eating enough of the right things, eating at the right time, eating enough and not too little, or not too much. As you can see the very nature of our food terrain is uneven and again to attempt to be perfect at healthy eating could set you up for failure where you stop trying altogether. Do the best you can one meal at a time. This leads me to my next tip…
2. 
The 80/20 Rule. If you can follow a healthy eating plan 80% of the time you will have 80% results and that’s pretty good – wouldn’t you say? Let’s face it 80% or even 50% is better than 0%. Setting yourself up for “being good” 100% of the time can only be sustained for a short period. So give yourself a break and aim for 80%. This way you will feel virtuous and strong in your commitment most of the time and you’ll begin to lay the foundation for a healthier life – now and in the future.
3. Forget about the grains. I know, I know – how can you live without grains? Well give up most of the grains –keep quinoa, millet and maybe some rice once in a while but that’s about it. It takes practice to steer clear of the bread basket, the cookies and even the foods that are marketed as healthy like protein bars or granola. But you will do much better without most grains. What about fiber – you ask? How will my bowels function and isn’t fiber also important for lowering cholesterol? Yes, fiber is critical and know there’s plenty of fiber in fresh fruits and vegetables. Even protein contains some amount of fiber as well.
4. Say Goodbye to Fruit Juice. What a dietary standard – how can you give this up, too? Well remember I mentioned fiber? You don’t get much of or any of that in fruit juice. Besides that – it is very high in fructose (or fruit sugar) which is challenging for your liver to process and utilize. Think of it this way you wouldn’t sit down and eat 8 oranges in one sitting – would you? Well that’s exactly what you’re having when you swig down a glass of orange juice in the morning. And don’t be fooled by having that “heart healthy” bowl of fruit entrée as your entire breakfast – that will just set you up for blood sugar issues later in the morning. My rule of thumb is always have protein in every meal – including your breakfast –Always!
5. Eat by the Clock. Make your meals not only a healthy habit but also a regular one. Plan to eat your meals pretty much at the same time every day. This sets up your body to get used to a regular blood sugar, digestion and energy cycle. Your body as well as your mind likes consistency and the structure a regular meal time brings. If you’re in the habit of missing meals, having long periods between meals or snacking regularly because you ran out of fuel – you’re on a slippery slope to having blood sugars as well as stress hormones issues down the road. Once these hormonal swings begin they will start effecting everything else in your body in no time. Give yourself the comfort of knowing you will be fed and nurtured on a regular basis. Your body will thank you.
Wanting to overhaul the not-so-healthy habits for healthy ones is always a smart idea not only at the start of a new year but, of course, always.
Simple Tips to get you started…
Welcome to Your Skinny Jeans World!
I’m always amazed at the crazy things I hear about or witness seeing people eating. Like tonight my husband and I watched the TV show “Man vs. Food”. Have you ever watched that show? It’s quite something. Sure it might be entertaining, for some, but I find it disturbing to see food depicted as a sporting event.
Whether it’s the Super Bowl or Super-size-me – there should be nothing super about our meals except that they are healthy and taste exceptional. I hope you agree?
So if you’ve been “super” at avoiding a healthy diet and feel like you’re still on a roller-coaster from the holidays (ie. craving carbs) – don’t worry on this Chinese New Year – the Year of the Horse – it’s a good time to get the new year started right.
Here are 5 tips to help you get back on track this Year of the Horse:
1. Clean up Your Gut. In order to have the qualities the Horse embodies such as strength, grace and power you need to have a digestive system that works well. The best way I know how to accomplis this is by taking a good probiotic daily. It will help you get your digestive micro-flora (bacteria) back into balance. Sugar and excess starches usually cause an imbalance in our finely tuned digestive tract. Symptoms like gas, bloating, and indigestion are a good sign that something is awry. Getting onto a good probiotic will be the first place to start in clearing these annoying symptoms.
2. Become an Authority. The Year of the Horse is about leadership. I encourage you to become an authority of yourself. Learn who you are – what makes you tick. It’s also a year of meditation so go inside and ask yourself what you need – what you truly need. This type of understanding takes time – so be patient with yourself. Also, it’s hard to get to know yourself in isolation – so no need to go to a mountain top. Make sure you engage in life – in your life. Balance your quiet time with your social time. Learn to create the life you truly feel comfortable with – inside and out.
3. Put yourself out & take a risk. No I don’t mean gambling – I mean trying something new. Expanding your food list, expanding what you deem as exercise or even taking on a new project could constitute something new.
Don’t limit yourself this year – as Captain Kirk said: “go where no man or woman has gone before”. It can be as simple as trying new ethnic dishes, eliminating gluten, dairy or sugar for a month – and then see how you feel. I bet you will feel much, much better than you did before you started your “experiment”. Try it. Don’t tell yourself you’re going on a diet or that you’ll never eat bread again. Rather commit to 30 days – that’s it – just 30 days. Then report back to me – I really do want to know how you fared.
4. Avoid Over-doing. The Year of the Horse is noted for impulsiveness so make sure you think ahead before you jump in. When it comes to over-eating – take a break, count to 30 or go for a walk before you devour more than your tummy can bear. Okay, so occasional over-eating can be forgiven but chronic over-eating is a very slippery slope. Pace yourself, plan your meals and choose foods that give you the most bang for your buck. Sure a big bowl of pasta or 4 slices from the bread basket may “feel” like it fills you up – but you and I know that’s all that it does because it’s a filler food, nothing more. Choose quality proteins like fish, chicken or eggs and vegetables like broccoli, asparagus or eggplant and you’re sure to be not just filled up but nutritionally satisfied as well.
5. Don’t Deny something’s wrong. The horse year also brings with it denial – thinking there’s nothing wrong when deep down inside you feel something’s off. You don’t think your weight or eating is really that bad so you continue with the daily waffles for breakfast, the cheese and cracker snacks at 2 pm and finishing off the day with your evening popcorn nosh.
Day in and day out, you put on your “larger but still flattering” clothes until finally you must – you just must step on the scale. It requires courage to do so and will definitely help you get out of denial. Use your scale and your jeans as guides for a reality check – they usually don’t lie.
And always remember Healthy is the New Skinny.
It’s the New Year and it’s time to clean up your act –right? Well there are some habits you may not have thought were unhealthy or needed to be ditched. I reveal some of those shortly.
Back to the new year, It’s invigorating to think we have a whole year to create what we want. It’s our very own canvas waiting to be revealed to ourselves and maybe even the world. If you’re wondering what your year will look like heed the words of Abraham Lincoln: “The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
I’m sure by now you’ve reviewed 2013 and devised a plan for 2014. Despite all the usual things like lose weight (my favorite cause I help so many with this one!), make more money, save more money, have better relationships, find your soul mate, etc.
Wanting to overhaul the not-so-healthy habits for healthy ones is always a smart idea not only at the start of a new year but, of course, always.
Here are 5 Healthy Habits to Incorporate This Year:
1. Marathons. If you are running more than 30 miles a week you are creating more of a problem than a health benefit. Researchers have found that the tissue damage that repetitive endurance training causes raises the risk of heart damage and large artery stiffening let alone wear and tear on joints. Better to do a casual run or walk around the block than running a marathon this year. Doesn’t that sound more pleasurable and do-able?
2. Snooze Button Essentials. Opting for more rest rather than getting up earlier to catch the worm is the best. A Japanese study found that those who wake up before dawn have a higher risk of having medical problems. As you know I’ve been saying this for years – getting enough Vitamin S (Sleep) is so vital for weight loss, hormone balance and happier moods. If you can swing it try waking up naturally rather than with the disrupted, and sometimes startling sounds of an alarm. If that sounds impossible perhaps getting to bed earlier would help you get the best natural sleep cycle.
3. Forget Having Dessert For Breakfast. Let’s face it most “breakfast” foods in the marketplace are just desserts – cereal, muffins, pancakes, yogurt parfaits, and even many smoothies.
You must get your day started with protein and some non-starchy carbohydrates like 2 eggs with tomatoes, or a combination of cottage cheese, plain yogurt and almonds. These types of choices have sufficient protein to balance blood sugar and reduce further cravings for refined carbohydrates throughout the day. Stop thinking sugar or refined grains will give you what you need to get your brain and body in gear in the morning – it will in fact have the opposite effect – brain fog, low energy anyone?
4. Stop the Pour. Although an occasional glass of your favorite wine may be just the thing you’re looking for at the end of a long day – don’t plan to make it a nightly ritual. Studies show frequent indulgence of alcohol will have an effect on your brain function, hormonal balance and sleep patterns. Sound familiar? Sort of like what I just mentioned regarding sleep. Know that everything affects everything. Best to drink a nice soothing cup of tea to calm you down at the end of those challenging and full days.
5. Become a Fat Head. I’m not referring to a big ego but rather the need to consume healthy dietary fat. Don’t be afraid of having it in your diet. Good fat is essential for brain function – your brain is primarily water and fat. So being called a “Fat Head” is actually a compliment. Have the avocado, coconut oil or butter, regular butter, nuts and seeds. Fats are pre-cursors to the production of all your hormones. Fats line every cell in your body. Avoid the bad fats – the ones that are combined with refined carbohydrates and sugars – these are the bad guys. Plan to have good fat in every meal.
