Emotional Eating

It's very natural to be an emotional eater.  You probably grew up being rewarded with food, comforted with food, entertained with food, punished with food, and so on.  It's no wonder that as soon as feelings arise, you turn to food!  (If this doesn't apply to you, awesome!!!  You're very lucky!!!)

This can get in the way of any sort of "healthy weight" plans, because you are probably eating when you're not biologically hungry.  This can also keep you from really solving life's problems--because you are solving them with food, which is not really solving them.  

Here are 8 steps to help you with your emotional eating.  Test it out, and see what works for you.  Take it slowly.  No need to rush.  You're doing this for you--for your long-term benefit.  Be patient with yourself.  You'll need to try things over and over before they become easy.  And you will probably learn some things about yourself in the process.  

1.  Before you eat, assess your hunger level.  On a scale of one to ten, how hungry are you--one being ravenous, and ten being stuffed to the gills.    You may be thinking:  "But what if I find out I'm not really hungry, but I still want to eat?"  Don't worry.  Assessing your hunger level is not a commitment to not eat.  It's just an observation tool.

2.  If you are not hungry, identify what you are feeling.  Are you sad?  Depressed?  Bored?  Nervous?  Stressed?  Happy?  Why are you feeling what you are feeling?  Did you have a bad day at work?  Are you stressed because of an issue in a relationship?  Do you feel nobody is paying attention to you?  Sit with those feelings.  This may be miserable.  Allow yourself to feel miserable.  Throw a fit, if you'd like.  Cry about it.  Acknowledge what you're feeling, and that it is okay to feel that way.

3.  If you'd like to eat, go ahead and eat.  But acknowledge that you are eating to fulfill emotional needs, and pay attention to whether you feel those needs are being met.

4.  If you are indeed hungry and emotional, find something that will fulfill both your biological and emotional hunger.  But keep in mind that you may still have emotional hunger after your biological hunger is gone, and you'll need to address that if you haven't already.

5.  You identified your feelings, now ask yourself, "What do I really need?"  What do you need to feel loved?  What do you need to de-stress?  What do you need to calm down?  You may not be able to fix your problem right away.  Try and identify it though, and get on the road to fixing it.  Your problem may have not happened in one day--expect long-standing problems to require long-standing solutions.
 
6.  Find a temporary distraction if your feelings are too much to bear.  You may be taking steps to solve your problems, but still feel miserable.  Make a list of things you can do to distract yourself from your feelings, temporarily.  Then do one of those things.  Maybe going for a walk or run, taking a nap, reading a book, listening to music, or painting your nails would do the trick... just doing something that takes your mind off your problem.

7.  Remember the reverse golden rule:  "Do unto yourself as you would do unto others!"  I feel like people are very critical toward themselves these days.  Would you be as critical toward your grandmother as you are to yourself?  Or your best friend?  So why is it that you are so darn mean to yourself?!  Cut yourself some slack!  Maybe you are eating emotionally despite your efforts to do otherwise.  It's okay.  This is what you're used to.  You've been doing this for years.  Just go back to step one and notice your hunger.  If all you do is notice your hunger, you're still on the right path.

8.  Again, be kind to yourself.  I can't stress this enough.  If you are to busy hating yourself, you'll miss opportunities to learn from your actions.  The above steps can work (for the most part) in retrospect.

• Say, for example, you were depressed because of a break-up, and proceeded to eat a couple of bowls of ice cream for some comfort.  At this point, you not only feel depressed, but also feel guilty for eating all that ice cream.  You may think, "No wonder he broke up with me--I can't even control how much ice cream I eat!  I'm a huge pig!  Obviously nobody would want to be with me."  
• Try to stop yourself before that guilt is added to the feelings of depression.  Go back and recognize your feelings.  Acknowledge the fact that you ate because you were depressed.  Acknowledge that you felt like ice cream was all you could turn to.  Instead of harping on yourself, go back to steps 5, 6, and 7.  Ask yourself what you really need.  Find a temporary distraction.  And go easy on yourself.   

I hope this gives you some ideas to work with.  These steps definitely take a lot of awareness, and thus will take effort.  You may find yourself overly-conscious of your feelings for a while.  That's good though--it means you're not shoving your feelings back down with food.  It means you are solving some of your life's problems.  Respect yourself, be patient, and good luck!!

Metabolism Survival Guide

Have you ever been dieting and dieting and dieting, and get to a point where you can't seem to lose any weight; in fact, you may get to a point where you're eating the least you've ever eaten, yet the scale doesn't budge an ounce?  Or maybe you're eating very little, and actually *gaining* weight?

Let me introduce you to one of your body's survival mechanisms.

Imagine you're a caveman (or woman).  You hunt for your food, you eat when you can, but sometimes have to go without food because you just can't find any.  Fortunately, your body is designed to survive these times.  How?  By slowing down your metabolism so as not to use as much energy--a conservation mechanism.  You might feel yourself getting cold.  You may feel fatigued, unmotivated to make extra movements.  And when you finally find a rabbit to catch and eat, you're body is going to really hold on to the calories the rabbit provides, because who knows when the next meal is going to be?

Fast forward to present you.  You hunt for weight loss, you eat according to a restricted plan, and sometimes you skip meals in hopes of progressing your weight loss.  Unfortunately, your body doesn't know that there's a Taco Bell around the corner.  So it slows down your metabolism as a conservation mechanism.   And then you wonder why you don't have enough "will power" to go to the gym, when actually you just literally don't have the energy--the energy is being stored because who knows when your next meal is going to be?

Long story short, you need to eat!  You need to reassure your body that it will not starve.  It's like your body is a camp fire, and in order for the fire to continue, you need to throw logs in there on a regular basis.  If you fail to do so, the fire will slow down, and eventually die.

Don't let your fire slow down.  Keep it nice and full and warm, and it will support you and your metabolism.

National Cheesecake Day Detox

First, go to this link.

Here are a few things I have noticed or experienced recently.  Try to figure out what they have in common.  

• I went to a restaurant and looked at the menu.  I noticed that there is a "guilt-free" section of the menu that has lower-calorie options.  All the menu items listed had little halos over them.
• I was in the gym locker room and overheard two ladies talking about dieting.  One said she had given up cookies and hadn't eaten them in a few days.  The other praised her for being a "good girl."
• I googled "diets" and found the top ad to be "Foods you must not eat."
• A website with "Diet-Friendly Baking Tips:  Sneaky baking tricks that will have you seeing desserts in a whole new 'light.'"
• A magazine article that implies you're a "pig" for eating after your workout.

All these things give food a moralistic feature.  

When you clicked on the link above, what did you feel?  Did you feel hungry?  Guilty for wanting cheesecake?  Out of control for drooling over the decadent desserts?  Or was it no big deal?  It's just cheesecake.  I can have it whenever I want.  And when I eat it, I enjoy it.  And usually it's so rich and enjoyable that I can only eat a few bites before I'm satisfied.  

We live in a toxic food environment.  

Everywhere we go, there are messages telling us we should be dieting.  We should be thin.  We should eat healthy. 

Morals are tied to food--if you eat healthily you're a good person.  If you eat "bad" you must be a bad person.  Think about what you've heard or seen lately that has tied morals to food or eating.  

Strange, isn't it, that an aspect of our life we are supposed to enjoy has become so guilt-ridden that we can barely eat a slice of cheesecake without either receiving judging glares, or just judging ourselves for our transgression, as if we are not worthy of enjoying food.  

So, in honor of National Cheesecake Day, I challenge you to participate in a detox.  Detoxify guilt from your eating.  Instead of feeling guilty, enjoy every bite of your delicious food.  Chances are, some of the following will happen as a result:

• You won't even need to eat the entire thing.  
• You won't feel anxious around certain "forbidden" foods, or out of control for eating them.
• You'll be able to discover your true food preferences.
• You'll be more in tune with what your body wants and needs.  

Try it!  You may like it!  :)

Haters. Gonna. Hate.

Let's face it:  some people are haters.  They itch for fights.  They crave troubled relationships, so they figure, "why not have a terrible relationship with food?!"  Well, if you're one of those people, I'm not going to try and change you.  In fact, I am happy to assist you!  


Here are the top 10 ways to maintain a terrible relationship with food:

1. Set insane goals!  An great example is:  I want to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks so I can ROCK this bikini at Barbie's pool party!
2. Go big or go home.  Your mentality should be all-or-nothing.  Keep phrases in mind like: "one brownie = total failure," or "must run 5 miles every day, rain or shine, pneumonia or renal stones."
3. Be hard core!  Moderation is seriously for wimps.  When you chose your "diet," the best ones are the extreme ones.  Anything less probably won't work.  Examples:  only-water-lemon-cayenne pepper-honey, or all-bacon-beef-boiled eggs.  
4. Monitor! Monitor! Monitor.  Weigh yourself ALL the time.  If you want to meet your goals you must be conscious of your stats.  How much do you weigh this morning?  How about this afternoon?  Count those Calories.  Track your energy expenditure--carefully!
5. Talk the talk:  Diets to look for are ones with words like:  ancient, hormone balancing, fat banishing, breakthrough, cure, easy/effortless, exotic, fast, guaranteed, magical, miraculous, mysterious, new discovery, quick, secret.  (So if you combine this guideline with number three, you should be doing the "breakthrough water/lemon/cayenne pepper/honey only fat-banishing diet.")
6. Start *everything* tomorrow.  Remember to enjoy your favorite foods before you "start your diet."  And when you start, start everything at once.  
7. Use guilt for good!  Why does guilt even exist if you can't benefit from it?  Think things like:  this lasagna is bad and if I eat it I'll end up looking like [insert person's name].
8. Glass half empty.  Half empty sounds more conducive to weight loss, does it not?  Motivate yourself with negativity.  You're a hater, after all.  Stick to it!  Call yourself mean names when you fall off your insane diet.  You probably fell off it because you're pathetic.  But tomorrow, you can start the blueberry-only diet and not act like such an idiot this time.  
9. Every party has a pooper.  Avoid social gatherings.  They'll mess up your incredibly designed diet.  
10. Every pooper has a party.  There are actually only nine ways to have a terrible relationship with food.  :-P

Bottom line:  You too can have a terrible relationship with food.  You can spend your life worried about dieting, restrictions, losing weight, image, getting fat, etc.  You just have to set your mind to it.  

Disclaimer:  Sorry about the extreme sarcasm, but if any of this actually sounds vaguely like you, you may have a few things to think about with regard to your relationship with food.

Trick or Treat! (?)

What was the last dessert you ate?  How did you feel before you ate it?  What was the occasion?  Birthday? Mother's Day?  Was it delicious?  With whom did you eat dessert?  How did you feel after you ate the dessert?

For you, are desserts tricks?  Or are they treats?  They are the exact same foods, but can be viewed two different ways.  Here are some of the differences:

Tricks

Treats

Eaten in response to emotion Eaten impulsively Eaten out of habit Guilt is evoked at some point You at times feel you should go completely without them You find yourself wondering what it will take to “work it off,” as if the moment it is eaten it clings to your thighs. You refer to them as “temptations,” that usually “win you over” which implies you have little control over the matter You classify/judge them negatively:  “fatty!” “sugary” “a cardiac arrest waiting to happen”

Eaten for special occasions You enjoy the taste, smell, and mouthfeel without guilt They create good memories, and usually involve friends and/or family You consider them part of a good relationship with food You don’t feel the need to eat them all the time You feel you have the capacity to either accept or decline a dessert--both accepting and declining is within your control You classify them more positively:  rich, creamy, flaky, flavorful, crispy, mmmmm

Don't be tricked into believing you should feel bad for eating something that is:

1. Functional (provides energy)
2. Contributes to emotional well-being by providing a pleasant sensory experience
3. Can also contribute positively to social well-being by assisting to create memories.

Bottom line:  Aim to let treats be treats! Your relationship with food will improve if you accept desserts as part of a healthy eating pattern.  If you save them for special occasions you will enjoy and appreciate them more.  

get up offa that thang.

I like to take the stairs and try to beat the fools on the elevator.  Then at the top I look back and say, "you like that, suckas??!!"

The USDA recommends 90 minutes of physical activity per day for adults who want to gradually lose weight.  So, you may be watching what you eat but not expending enough energy to lose weight, especially if your job is on the sedentary side.  Physical activity is not just for losing weight; other benefits include:

• improved mood
• prevent injury down the road by building strength and agility
• psychosocial benefits of being part of something
• emotional benefits of accomplishment

To lose weight, you don't have to do 90 minutes all at once, and don't expect to start tomorrow with 90 minutes and never again miss a day.  Make a goal to do a little more than what you are currently doing.  If you are currently going walking once a week, aim for twice a week until it becomes a habit.  Then gradually continue to increase the frequency and duration.  Here are seven tips for becoming more physically active:

1. 'L' is for the way you look at me...or it's for doing something you LIKE.  Whether it's walking, swimming, dancing, or playing hopscotch, if you like it, it will be easier to get started.  I like running because it gets me high.  By the end of a run I have this huge smile on my face and I feel like I own the world.  Find something that gets you high.
2. Routine care:  sign up for a class, make plans with a friend, or get involved with a group that requires some degree of routine and accountability.  Maybe every Tuesday and Thursday you can plan to go walking at lunch with a coworker.  The more you make physical activity part of your routine, the more natural it will become.
3. Something old? Something new?  Is there something you have always wanted to try?  Try it out!  Did you used to love rollerblading but haven't been in years?  Dust off those rollerblades and take them for a spin.  Don't be afraid to explore new options or bring back memories from the past.
4. Break up!  If you don't have 90 minutes at once, go for nine 10-minute walks, or five 10 minute walks, a 20-minute jog, and 20 minutes of abdominal work.  I'm just sayin, if you want to get in 90 minutes, it may seem more approachable if achieved in pieces.  
5. All or nothing at all?  If you miss one day of tooth-brushing, do you just give up on brushing your teeth all together?  Hope not.... If you miss a day of physical activity, it's cool, just get it tomorrow.  An "all-or-nothing" mentality will probably end up being "nothing."
6. I like to move it-move it!  Don't be lazy!  It's alright to relax, but are you just plain lazy?  Do you ask people to get stuff for you that you are perfectly capable of retrieving?  Are your legs painted on?  Do you text someone in the next room over?  Technology is nice but it makes some people so LAZY!  If your body gets used to moving, it won't be so painful to stand up and go communicate with someone instead of texting or yelling to them.  Plus, there's something to be said about face-to-face human interaction.  
7. No Buts.  Eliminate excuses.  Make a list of things that prevent you from being more physically active, and then find ways around those excuses.  For example, maybe your excuse for not going for a walk after work is that you are too hungry, and then you eat dinner and are too lazy to go after dinner.  Perhaps a way around that is to bring a small snack for the end of work, then you can have enough energy to go for that walk, and have a nice dinner after your walk.

The bottom line is:  gradual changes are the ones that are most likely to stick.  Rapid and big changes will just burn you out.  Make small steps.  If you already run once, run twice and for 10 minutes longer each time.  If you're sitting down right now, get up offa that thang, touch your toes, lift your knees, shuffle back and forth, look around to see if anyone saw that, and then sit back down.  Bet you feel better already ;-) 

no eggxaggerations

Eggs are an interesting concept.  When you think about what they are, they seem like a strange thing to consume.  The nutrient content is also intriguing.  Let's take a look at the breakdown of nutrients in one large egg, white, and yolk:  

	Large Egg	Egg White	Egg Yolk
Calories (kcals)	70	16	54
Protein (g)	6.3	3.6	2.7
Carbohydrate (g)	0.85	0.24	0.61
Fat (g)	4.8	0.3	4.5
Cholesterol (mg)	185	0	185
Vitamin A (IU)	245	0	245
Vitamin D (IU)	37	0	37
Vitamin B12 (mcg)	0.36	0.03	0.33
Folate (mcg)	24	1	23
Sodium (mg)	63	55	8
Potassium (mg)	73	54	19
(info from USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference)

As you can see, most of the fat, and ALL of the cholesterol is in the yolk.  But so are all of the fat-soluble vitamins (makes sense for fat-soluble vitamins to be found in fat).  The USDA recommends that you limit your cholesterol intake to 300 mg daily, so if eggs were your only source of cholesterol, it would be totally fine if you ate one whole egg each day (and as many egg whites as you want!)  But if you are also eating butter, steak, bacon, etc etc then you're probably exceeding your cholesterol limit without the eggs.  -But- eggs are more nutrient-dense than butter, bacon, etc, so they should be chosen more often.

Eggs do have some eggcellent qualities:

• The are versatile:  can be fried, scrambled, boiled, poached, made into omelets, the list eggxtends on and on..
• Ineggxpensive! (I can see you rolling your eyes, so I'll stop the egg jokes)
• They are a good source of protein, which is important in building and maintaining muscle mass, and repairing tissue (and lots of other stuff...details on another post)
• Long-lasting:  they can be stored and maintain good quality for several weeks (when refrigerated)
• They contain choline, which is an important component of the cell membranes in your brain.
• They contain lutein, which has been linked with the prevention of macular degeneration.  

Bottom line: eggs are/can be part of a nutrient-dense, balanced eating pattern, just don't over-do it on the yolks, folks.