Weight-loss Resolutions Makeover

In my line of work, this time of year can be a tricky one.

Why?  Because I’m just not a fan of  New Year’s Resolutions, especially those that involve weight-loss.  And statistics show that more often than not, these Resolutions just don’t work.

Heck, even Oprah didn’t keep her 2009 Resolutions!

In the January 2010 issue of “O Magazine” Oprah says:

“All the things I vowed to do this time last year, I didn’t. I didn’t give myself more balance or more time. I didn’t work out daily. I failed. So 2010 is a start-over, for sure.”

Remember in January of 2009 Oprah had this BIG kick-off  week with her Best Life Series?  I mean, this is a woman who has TEAMS (with an “S”) of people to help her.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Oprah, but it just goes to show that we’re all human and even the best of intentions don’t always go as planned.  And as a general rule, New Years Resolutions just don’t work — at least in the long run.

Now before you get angry at me — think about it.  Can you even remember what your Resolution was last year? (Okay, I’m guessing for a lot of you it was weight-loss).  But how about the year before that?  Even if you can remember what it was, were you able to reach your goal AND make it a part of your daily life — and still incorporate it today?  If you did, than hats off to  you!

But if you’re in the majority, chances are your New Year’s Resolution just didn’t stick.  Sure you had very good intentions, and probably even did quite well for a few weeks.  You were excited, revved up, and ready to make THIS year your year.  But usually by Valentine’s Day, you had thrown in the towel and ended up sitting eating a box of chocolates (okay, maybe the chocolates part is ME).

Though I’m not big on Resolutions, I realize this is a time of year when many people resolve to start (or maintain) a healthy lifestyle.  And that’s what should be the goal — having a healthy lifestyle.  Not seeing a certain number on a scale.  Or losing X number of pounds.  Or going on a “diet.”

Make this year the year you life a healthy lifestyle.  And a healthy lifestyle is a journey, not a destination.

So if you are one of the millions of people who want to lose weight in the New Year — before you jump right in with a food plan and a list of what to eat and what NOT to eat, I ask you to stop for a moment and forget about the food.  That’s right.  Forget about the food.  Just bear with me.

Instead, first I’d like to you ask yourself:  “What is the LIFE I want to live?”

Because if you’re not fulfilled with your life, then no diet plan or weight loss is going to make things better. You can eat all the salmon, broccoli and brown rice you want but it won’t bring you fulfillment.   Sure, it might get you into a smaller size jeans and yes those foods are healthy.  But if you’re not fulfilled with your life, then losing weight won’t change that.

Now ask yourself: “What am I looking for that I believe losing weight will bring me?”

I can tell you from personal experience, that losing weight will NOT make you happy, bring you riches (okay, unless you write a best-selling book about it!) nor bring you the man of your dreams, or any other false promises we’ve been sold.

But if you think that once you lose weight everything in your life will be better (things like your job, your relationships, your marriage, and your self-esteem) then you’re in for a big surprise.

Losing weight is not about the food.  Its about living the life you want to live.  And being healthy should be a PART of that, and not controlling it.

Weight-loss is simply a step in the process — of  becoming more of who you are, who you want to be, getting what you want out of life, and being healthy on the outside AND on the inside.

So before you go around thinking you can change what you eat and add in hours of exercise once the calendar says January 1, think about what is the LIFE you want to live?  Once you know that, then you can start taking small positive steps to create and live that life.  And if it includes eating healthier foods & getting more exercise that’s great!

But that should not be the goal.  The goal is living the healthy life YOU want — and deserve.

9 Ways to Overcome the Stress of the Holiday Season

December and the Holidays are supposed to be a time filled with good times, cheer, and happiness.  But for many people they are filled with fighting traffic, dealing with crowds in stores (okay, unless you do all your shopping online), eating (and oftentimes drinking) too much, and entertaining family and friends.

It’s the season when you’re expected to cram in shopping, baking, office parties, and family gatherings into your already busy life.  In short, the holidays can mean S-T-R-E-S-S.  And stress can often lead to overeating, which in turn leads to feeling bad about oneself and one’s body, which can then lead to more stress.  See the vicious circle?

But don’t despair.  It’s not too late to put some sanity into the crazy days of December.  Here are some tips to help you deal with – or even avoid – holiday stress.

1)  Lower expectations. Don’t hold yourself up to an unrealistic standard and feel you have to do it all.  Take a look at your holiday activities.  Are there things you do each year that you don’t really enjoy?  Go to the events you really want to attend.  Don’t drag yourself from event to event.  Think quality, not quantity.

2)  Make a shopping list and check it twice. Organize what gifts you need to buy and stick to it.   Being organized will help you avoid any oversights and you’ll be less likely to make any impulse purchases.  However, I also keep some extra small gifts around the house to avoid panic for any last-minute parties or events.

3)  Keep moving. Exercise is a great stress reliever.  Though you may have less time to exercise this time of year, be sure to fit some in.  Instead of watching the holiday special for the hundredth time, take a brisk walk outside.  The light from outside will also help diminish blue feelings.

4)  Eat well and be merry. Don’t let the holidays be an excuse to abandon your healthy habits.  Have some healthy foods throughout the day, especially if you’ll be attending a party later in the evening.  But DON’T skip meals hoping to “save up” for later.  Be sure to eat regularly and keep some healthy foods on hand for a quick snack.  Also, indulgence is okay but no need to go overboard.  That fourth or fifth cookie really won’t make a difference, except on your waist!

5)  Go easy on the alcohol. Not only will drinking too much tempt you to overeat, you’ll also feel lousy the next day.  Have a glass of eggnog, but know your limits.

6)  Make some time for yourself. Take some time each day to be alone without any distractions. With all of the hustle and bustle of the season it’s especially important to wind down a bit and rejuvenate.

7)  Plan easy meals. Make doubles of your favorite soups or dishes.  Keep some in the fridge or even freeze them for a quick meal on a busy day.

 Lighten up and set differences aside. The holidays can bring up family issues and stresses.  Let go of the idea of the perfect family holiday and realize all may not go smoothly.  Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don’t live up to all your expectations.

9)  Remember the reason for the season. Appreciate what you have and the small things in life.  Don’t forget to take time to have fun with family and friends.  Bake together, go looking at holiday lights or just sit and talk over a warm cup of cocoa.  Also, don’t forget those who are less fortunate.  Go help someone in need.  There are plenty of people who don’t have friends and family to share the holidays with and just a little bit of your time will make their holiday season that much brighter.

So take it all in, relax, and remember that the holiday season should be fun, not stressful.

My Elimination Diet

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love pasta.  I LOVE it.  And bread.  And crackers.  And cereal.  And cookies.  And muffins.  And couscous.  And pizza.  Did I mention bread?  And pasta?

Basically, anything made from wheat.  In a sense, you could say wheat is my ‘crack.’  I love it, love it, love it and can’t imagine my life without it. That is, until last week…

For the past year and a half I’ve had eczema on my face. I’m not new to eczema.  I’ve had it at different times during my life since I was a child, and each time I get it in different areas:  my feet, my hands, my legs, my butt (yup!), and most recently my face.  I would get it, visit the dermatologist, get a cream to put on it, and within a couple of months or weeks it would be gone.

But it would always eventually come back.  Either in the same area or a new one.

So why am I talking about eczema on my blog about food and weight-loss?

Because I’m beginning to believe this lifetime of eczema is related to FOOD.

I saw my dermatologist this past summer, and what I thought was just dry skin on my face turned out to be eczema.  And she gave me a cream to get rid of it.  But it didn’t.  Then she put me on another cream which just irritated my face even more.

I got so fed up that I decided to do my own research.  My gut instinct originally told me it was somehow related to food.  But when I asked my dermatologist, she quickly dismissed it.  Though I like my dermatologist, one thing I’ve noticed is that doctors in this country are way too quick to giving you a you pill or prescription.  They’re all about treating the symptoms, instead of finding or treating the cause (same for weight-loss, by the way, but that’s a whole ‘nother post).

So — after doing some research I’ve found that my instinct was right:  my eczema could be related to a food allergy or food sensitivity.  In nutrition school I learned that often when people DO have a food allergy or sensitivity — they crave the exact foods they’re allergic to.  Interesting, huh?  What we crave is often what’s not good for us.  And for me it’s WHEAT.  I love wheat.

In order to find out if I DO have a sensitivity to wheat (gluten), last Monday I decided to do an elimination diet: where you completely eliminate the potential food allergens from your diet, see how you look and feel, and then re-introduce the food back into your diet (to see if your original symptoms come back).

I’ve been thinking about doing it for weeks (okay, months) but just couldn’t imagine my life without wheat. Though I do eat mostly whole wheat, I’ve known to watch my carbs as I can easily eat too much of them.  So I took the big plunge and completely (yes, completely) eliminated wheat from my diet.

For right now, I’m staying away from wheat and all wheat-related products (bye bye bread…) to see how I feel and if this eczema gets better.

Wheat (gluten) intolerance is becoming more and more prevalent.  According to the Center for Celiac Disease at the University of Maryland, one in every 132 people in America has celiac disease (gluten allergy), and nearly 15 times that number—up to 15 percent of the world’s population, or one in seven people—have a non-celiac gluten intolerance.

So how is it going being off wheat (gluten)?

I’ve gotta tell you the first day or two were hard.  Very hard.  Really hard.  And I was at a loss of what to eat (yeah, me, the food expert)!  Though I do watch my carbs, and I am a pretty healthy eater, I had no idea just how much wheat I was eating.

But after the first few days it got easier.  And easier.

And already — after only 7 days — I feel better.  Much better.  It’s amazing!  I must say, even I’ve been shocked.  I’m less bloated, I have more energy, I’m sleeping better, and my skin seems to be getting better.  But the jury isn’t out just yet on the eczema….I’m going to give it a couple more weeks to really see what’s going on.

Oh, and for as long as I can remember, I often have a runny nose — especially when I eat — and even throughout the day.   And that has now diminished a lot.

Do you have any food allergies, sensitivities or intolerances?

How to Eat Right and Still Enjoy the Holidays

There are so many temptations during the holiday season it’s no wonder many of us get stressed over how to get through it all while still being able to fit into our jeans come January 1st.

As someone who loves food, giving up great food during the holidays for me isn’t an option.  And it shouldn’t be for you either.

So here are a few ways to bring pleasure — not the pounds — to the holiday festivities:

1)  Aim to maintain. I recently heard about someone who skipped her friends holiday party because she was dieting and thought there would be too many tempting foods.   To me that’s unfortunate and not so healthy.  Instead of trying to completely overhaul your diet and lose weight during the holidays, try to maintain your current weight.

And if you really do want to lose weight, be realistic about just how much you can lose and don’t beat yourself for having a few treats.

2)  Don’t completely deny yourself of holiday foods. This time of year is all about celebration and festivity, and food is an integral part of that.  When you tell yourself you can’t have certain foods, you want them even more (studies even prove this).  That’s when overeating, bingeing and feeling out of control becomes part of your holiday experience.  So eat the holiday foods you enjoy, just don’t over-do it.

3)  Eat three square meals a day, just like you should do all-year-round.  It might make sense on paper to cut calories by skipping meals during the day when you know you’re going to a holiday party or dinner later.  But this strategy almost always backfires and leads to overeating, low energy, guilt, and generally feeling bad.

So take the time to have a decent breakfast that will help you feel full and keep your energy up.

4)  Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. No matter what you eat, enjoy it.  I’d rather see someone take a piece of cake and truly savor and enjoy it, than someone eating a salad and hating every minute of it, or wishing they were eating the cake instead.

5)  Keep liquid calories in check. Oftentimes holiday drinks like eggnog are loaded with calories, sugar and fat. So beware.  Also, best to limit all alcohol to one or two drinks.  It not only adds extra calories, but after a few drinks its way to easy to reach for more food — even if you’re full. Often I’ll alternate between water and alcohol.  This not only helps me cut down on alcoholic beverages, but keeps me hydrated so I don’t get a headache the next day!

6)  Just say know to the junk food. Don’t blow your calories on things like chips or a candy bar.  Instead, save your snack allowance for a decadent dish or your favorite dessert that will make you feel more satisfied.  There are so many good treats around this time of year, best to have a small piece of something really good than the normal crappy, junk food!

7)  Add exercise whenever and wherever you can. I try to maintain my exercise routine, but realize it can get hard when things get busy.  But even if you can fit it one or two short sessions a week, that’s good.  It will not only help you handle the stress of the busy season better, but it will keep you feeling fit and less likely to over-indulge later on at the party.

8)   Share the joy of the food. Often I’ll take a piece of cake, have a few bites, and then give the rest to my husband.  And if he doesn’t want it I’ll just push it aside.  And if you love to bake (like I do!) give some away to friends and neighbors.  I enjoy baking cookies, but I can only eat so many without putting on the pounds.  So I’ll often share it with others, and they’re really happy!

So make this holiday season one of pleasure and one you remember for the good times with family and friends.  Relax, enjoy yourself, and eat in moderation so you don’t have to forgo all the delicious holiday treats.

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