“Scream a loud ‘No’ to thoughts in your head that declare you’re ‘good’ for eating under 1,000 calories or ‘bad’ because you ate a piece of chocolate cake.  The Food Police monitor the unreasonable rules that dieting has created.  The police station is housed deep in your psyche and its loudspeaker shouts negative barbs, hopeless phrases, and guilt-provoking indictments.  Chasing the Food Police away is a critical step in returning to Intuitive Eating.”  (pg. 92, Intuitive Eating)

From my day-to-day interactions with clients, I know that people are riddled with guilt about how they eat, but according to Tribole and Resch, “In a random survey of 2,075 adults, 45% said they feel guilty after eating foods they like!”  (pg. 92)  How is it that food has been equated with “badness” or “goodness”?  Is it the Puritan values that our country drew from and was built upon?  Other countries don’t seem to have this same “guilt” issue about food.  In fact, when Americans are asked to think of the first word that comes to mind when they hear the words, “chocolate cake” they say, “guilt.”  The French think, “celebration.”  We keep trying to figure out the “French paradox.”  I suspect a huge part of it is simply perception and being “allowed” to enjoy food and celebrate it.  We’ve heard of people being punished by having supper withheld and we think of a meal of “bread and water” as being punishment for bad behavior.  Whatever the reasons that our culture tends to equate food, or enjoying food, or delicious food with guilt, it’s time to fight back and take a different approach to food and eating.

How can you start to take a different approach to food and eating?  First, become aware of your instant self-talk when it comes to food.  I am going to list some common misperceptions, THESE ARE NOT ACCURATE, but they’re common and I want you to see if you say some of this to yourself.

–Fat is bad

–Carbohydrates are bad

–It’s bad to eat after 6:00 pm

–Eggs are bad

–Ice cream is bad

–All of the things that I like to eat are bad

What other self-talk do you have about food?  It may feel real, you may believe it with all your heart and soul, but remember, simply because you think something is true doesn’t make it so.  The book explains it clearly, “The thoughts themselves can be very damaging and can affect subsequent behavior.  These thoughts are called cognitive distortions, and we call the voices that speak these distortions the Food Police.”  (pg. 95)

Let’s talk about the Food Police.  I can’t say it better than the authors so I’ll quote, “[The Food Police] is your inner judge and jury that determines if you are doing ‘good’ or ‘bad.’  The Food Police is the sum of all your dieting and food rules, and gets stronger with each diet.  It also gets strengthened through new food rules that you may read about in magazines or messages you hear from friends and family.”  (pg. 96)  The Food Police doesn’t help you, it merely makes you feel bad.  It tells you that “you can’t possibly be hungry, you just ate breakfast,” or, “I can’t believe you just ate two pieces of bread/a piece of chocolate/guacamole/peanut butter, you’re going to get so fat from that!”

To get the Food Police to SHUT UP, you must challenge that voice inside your head.  You must say, “I know what hungry feels like, and even though I just ate breakfast, I am hungry now,” or, “Avocados are good for me, taste delicious and make me feel satisfied,” or, “Chocolate isn’t going to make me fat; one food doesn’t have the power to make or break my health.”

Who else works with the Food Police?  The Nutrition Informant, or as I like to refer to the voice, the Tattletale.  It says it’s looking out for your health, but it’s just tallying all of your “sins.”  It’s the voice that says, “If you want a snack, it should only be fruits or vegetables.”  The Nutrition Informant is tricky because most of us DO want to eat a healthy diet so it seems silly that we’d want to fight against that good advice.  But is it good advice?  When it comes to having an apple as a snack, that’s OK, right?  Sure, but know that a 75 calorie snack is going to put a little something in your belly, but you’ll probably be hungry again soon.  The Nutrition Informant insists that “you can’t possibly be hungry after eating that apple for a snack.”  The Nutrition Informant doesn’t tell you that a peanut butter sandwich or cheese and crackers or some bean dip with crackers are all healthy foods too, and they’ll actually satisfy you.

What can you do to fight the Nutrition Informant?  Turn it into the Nutrition Ally.  This voice has no hidden agenda and says, “I like low fat sour cream just as much as regular fat sour cream.  I think I’ll pick the one with less saturated fat.”  When the Nutrition Ally speaks, you don’t feel bad or guilty, you feel like you’re in charge.

What other voices are floating around in there?  There’s the Diet Rebel.  You know that voice, it’s the two year old in your dieting head screaming, “You can’t make me!”  It’s the voice that says, “I’m not going to eat ‘healthy’ fish, I’m going to eat deep fried pork chops covered in gravy!” without even checking with your gut to see what sounds good.  If you want deep fried pork chops covered in gravy, that’s fine, but when you’re rebelling against your self-imposed (or spouse-imposed or parent-imposed or Dr. Diet-imposed) rules, you’re not listening to what your body really wants to eat.  The Diet Rebel makes your food choices based on what you CAN’T have rather than on what you truly want to have.

What can you do to fight the Diet Rebel?  Turn it into the Rebel Ally.  Use that loud, strong voice to protect your boundaries.  The Rebel Ally will let you say to your sister, “Yes, I can have dessert if I want it,” or, “That meatloaf was delicious, Mom, but I really don’t want a second helping right now,” or, “Sarah, the size of my jeans is none of your business,” or, “Joey, you have no right to comment about my weight.”  (pg. 101)

There’s another voice that the authors call the Food Anthropologist.  This voice just pays attention and gathers information–WITHOUT JUDGMENT.  It’s the voice that says, “I am really hungry today, but I just ate food that would normally fill me up.  Oh, that’s right, yesterday I had lighter meals and went for a long hike.”  The Food Anthropologist can use a food journal, but you must be careful not to use it as a way to judge or convict yourself of your food transgressions.  The Anthropologist’s food journal is merely a collection of facts that can help you sort through your skewed thinking.

When my clients first come to see me, I tell them, “In here it’s a safe place where I expect you to be as kind to yourself as you would be to a friend, a stranger or a lost puppy.”  In other words, I expect and hope my clients can use what Intuitive Eating calls the Nurturer.  This voice is calm, gentle and kind.  It may be new to you.  The Nurturer says, “It’s OK to have nachos.  Eating nachos is normal.”  This voice will say things like, “If I have a cookie it doesn’t mean I’m bad, it also doesn’t mean I can’t lose the weight I want.  Cookies are one of my favorite things so I will never cut them out of my diet completely.”  The Nurturer is reasonable and patient.

Finally, there is the Intuitive Eater inside of each of us.  ”The Intuitive Eater speaks your gut reactions.  You were born as an Intuitive Eater, but this persona has probably been suppressed for most of your life by the voices of the Food Police (prevailing in your family and in society), the Diet Rebel, and the Nutrition Informant…it knows how to challenge the distorted messages of the Food Police and how to get the Rebel Ally to speak out loud to fend off the boundary invaders.” (pg. 104)  The Intuitive Eater wants to know what you’re hungry for, it tells you it’s OK to leave food on your plate, it makes you understand that it’s normal to eat and enjoy chocolate.

The book suggests some self-talk strategies for challenging the Food Police.  In my next post I will discuss some of their ideas and recommendations.

May you be happy, healthy and listen to your gut,

Regan

Guilty:  having committed an offense, crime, violation, or wrong.

Guilt:  a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some real or imagined offense, crime, wrong, etc.

Too many people I talk to about weight loss, food, body issues, disordered eating feel “guilt” after eating.  Perhaps some foods don’t induce guilt (broccoli and cabbage tend to be “guiltless” as do other cruciferous vegetables.)  But so many people I talk to  have guilt after eating ice cream or carrot cake, some people have guilt after eating fast food, others after eating meat (and not for humanitarian reasons, for “diet” reasons.)  Then there are the feelings of guilt from eating healthy foods that should be a big part of a healthy diet:  bread, pasta, dairy, fruit, nuts, avocados, carrots, corn, peas.  You name it, it makes someone feel guilty.

I’m not a priest or a therapist, but people still talk to me about their [perceived] transgressions.  I can’t change their feelings, but I can try to help them recognize what they are when it comes to food.

I understand the regret after having overeaten to the point of discomfort.  I understand the frustration at having eaten something that didn’t taste very good.   But food is amoral.  To truly heal from feeling bad about food and to get  to a healthy relationship with food, it’s necessary to find a way to untangle the thorny vines of emotions that surround food, eating and our bodies.  I’ve heard one dietitian who works with clients with eating disorders say that the feelings associated with food are already there before you start eating.  People don’t eat then feel guilty, they feel guilt (shameful, offensive, unworthy) before they eat; the food just allows those emotions to surface.  Maybe you know someone who feels guilty after spending money even if they need the item and can afford it.  Same thing, the emotion is just related to something else.

I was reading May, 2010 issue of “O” the Oprah Magazine.  Love, love, love the magazine, sometimes Oprah makes me want to staple my ears shut, but that’s beside the point.  What I came across was a column (pg. 80) by Marianne Williamson about ten ways to stay spiritually connected.  She says this,

“Forgive anyone you have not forgiven.  Whenever you withhold forgiveness, you keep yourself bound to your own feelings of guilt.”

I’m not sure this statement is sometimes true or always true, but it rang true to me.  It also reinforces the commonly held idea that forgiveness is not for the person who wronged you, forgiveness is for you and allows you to be free.  I don’t see forgiveness as a religious pursuit; it’s necessary for anyone who wants to feel sane!  Forgiveness is a process of letting go, of releasing, of unburdening one’s self.  You may do it on your own, with a religious leader or with a therapist.  (I’m telling you, if you’re constantly overeating, losing weight and gaining it back, feeling guilty, shameful or not knowing what you’re feeling, it’s time to get a therapist to help you get through, get over, get past, get around, get unstuck.  And your mother/husband/friend/sister doesn’t count as a therapist!)

You deserve to feel good.  Perhaps that’s the starting point, the “A-ha” moment when real healing can begin.  And maybe at this point in your life you have to take that on faith because you’ve felt bad for so long or you’ve been convinced that misery, shame and discomfort are what you “deserve.”  Not true.  It is absolutely possible to get past the feelings of unworthiness, guilt, shame and loathing associated with what you eat and how you look.

May you be happy, healthy and free from your chains,

Regan

The problem comes when a person always or almost always eats in response to emotional hunger and/or when a person consistently eats beyond her satisfied or comfortably full level.  Having food as the only way to soothe emotions during difficult times is a recipe for an unhealthy and unnatural relationship with food and a battle with being overweight.

WHAT TO DO?

First, recognize that the food is the coping mechanism, not necessarily the problem. You don’t have a “food addiction” (uh, we all have a “food addiction.”  Wanting food is one thing that allows our species to exist) you have emotional stressors that you’re not dealing with/not recognizing are there/afraid to face/not able to face yet.  The emotions are there, you’re just doing a really bad job of covering them up.

Second, recognize that you don’t have a “fat” or “overweight” problem either.  If you’re an emotional eater, you’re not going to solve those emotional problems by losing weight.  It sounds so obvious when you read it, but anyone selling the latest diet product is trying to convince you that weight loss is going to fix those problems.  If you hate your job or are in an unhappy marriage, being thin isn’t going to fix it.  Remember, being overweight is a symptom that you’re eating in response to cues other than biological hunger.  It is not an indication that you are a bad/lazy/worthless person.

Third, recognize the emotions.  Factually, objectively look at what you’re feeling when you eat in response to emotions. Are you scared of a presentation you have to do at work?  Are you “bored” at work but actually dissatisfied with your career?  Do you need more affection from your spouse?  Are you angry at your children?  Are you lonely? Scared?  And remember this, “anxiety” is not an emotion.  Fear is an emotion. Happiness is an emotion.  Sadness is an emotion. Anger is an emotion.

How do you work through it?

You can sit with the emotion and just let it pass.  Don’t go for the potato chips or extra helping of meatloaf just yet, take a break and just feel what’s happening to you.  You can eat in a few minutes if you want to, but it’s pretty important to start recognizing what the uncomfortable feelings are that you’re eating in response to.  Just BE for a few minutes.

You can write down what you’re feeling/thinking/imagining.  When we talk about journaling, many people think they have to sit down, date the top of the page and then write really deep, inspiring, rambling entries.  Don’t try to do that, just jot down thoughts, words, sentences.  I keep a little notebook in my purse so when I’m overwhelmed by an emotion or thought, I can scratch it out.  Lots of times I end up scrawling a page or two, but just putting pen to paper provides a release and a way to identify my emotions.

You can exercise.  Really?  That sounds like such a “diet mentality” sort of thing to do. But you’re not going for a walk to burn calories or to strengthen your heart, you’re going to breathe and to get some of the anxiety and crabbiness worked out.  You know the old adage, “What a difference a day makes.”  Well, I’m convinced that there’s truth to, “What a difference a walk makes.”  Remember, physical activity doesn’t GET RID of the stressors, but it does lower the stress hormones that make us feel the need to fight or flight and it also knocks the stress down to size.

You can talk to someone whose job it is to listen to you.  For some people talking to a friend can work.  I find that I need a totally objective person whose job it is to just sit there and encourage me to spill my guts.  When I talk to friends about stuff I tend to just get myself even more worked up.  I know many people are leery about talking to a counselor or therapist, but for people who have chronic stress, are emotionally “jammed up” or are often the caretakers of other people, sometimes the only way through the emotional maze is by talking to a professional.  And the thing about a good therapist is that they don’t allow, much less encourage you to dwell on “crapola.”  It really isn’t the old Freudian, “Tell me about your mother” bit.

And finally, if you’re dealing with big scary issues like physical or sexual abuse or post-traumatic stress disorder, a therapist can be a lifesaver.  Sometimes you have to take a big leap of faith to start talking about the skeletons in the closets, but know you’ll be a healthier, happier person for it.

Remember, emotions are normal, don’t try to get rid of them or hide them in a bucket of ice cream.  Being frightened or nervous doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means you’re human.  Feeling angry doesn’t make you a bad person.  You have the ability to work through them without using food.

May you be happy, angry, sad, scared and live through it all,

Regan

Credit: idemidem

After World War II, a group of scientists wanted to figure out the best way to feed concentration camp survivors.  They took a group of American men and decreased their food intake to what they guessed was daily intake for camp survivors.  The men’s typical diet was about 3,500 calories and was reduced to 1,570 (We now know that’s a high estimate of what concentration camp survivors ate per day, but it is also a typical number of calories for a man on a diet today.)

Guess what happened to these men on a restricted diet?  Among other results, the men became obsessed with food, their metabolic rates decreased by 40 percent, their personalities changed and they became irritable, depressed and moody.  Sounds like being on a diet, huh?  These men went on weekend eating binges of 8,000 to 10,000 calories and after the restricted eating period, it took the majority of men “an average of five months to normalize their eating.”  (pg. 60)

Why talk about that study?  Because it’s typical of what our bodies and minds do when we restrict food by being on a diet.  Eating is primal.  We need food to survive and it is frightening to have food taken away or withheld.

After a lifetime of dieting and forcing our bodies to adhere to a restricted calorie/carbohydrate/fat diet, many people find that they don’t know what their bodies need or want.  I talk to some people who say that they “crave” carbohydrates and just can’t get enough at the end of the day.  What these people don’t know is that our bodies need carbohydrate to function.  Their bodies aren’t lying to them, their bodies are screaming for fuel!

Not only do our bodies want and need carbohydrates for fuel, but cravings for them will increase when they’re denied.  Our brains produce a chemical called Neuropeptide Y (NPY).  When we don’t get enough carbohydrate, this chemical will do what it can to make sure your body is craving carbs so that its need will be satisfied.

Let me get a little “science-y.”  Our bodies’ primary fuel source is carbohydrate (bread, pasta, starchy vegetables, fruit, milk, yogurt, sugar).  If our bodies are not getting carbohydrate from food, it will get it from our muscles.  WHAT?  Yes. We can use a little bit of our fat stores as fuel (and this is how real weight loss occurs), but our bodies are really good at turning muscle into the fuel our brains and bodies need to function.  (In total starvation, our brains can function on ketosis, but right now I’m talking about a restricted diet, not a starvation diet.)  When we use our muscles as fuel, the scale shows a really fast weight loss because as muscle is destroyed, water is released and that shows a huge change on the scale. And, no, eating a high protein diet won’t stop that muscle dismantling from occurring. The authors describe it like this, “…protein is used as an expensive source of fuel, rather than for its intended use in the body.  It’s like having a building supplier provide lots of wood to rebuild your house.  If you are constantly using that wood pile to make bonfires instead of to repair your home, you are still left with a weak structure.”  (pg. 65)

When you’re hungry, starving, ravenous and craving carbohydrates at the end of the day (or at the beginning of the day), there’s a good chance it’s because you’re biologically hungry and your body needs carbohydrates.  If you’ve been “dieting” or restricting food all day long, your body is going to do everything it can to get the fuel it needs to function.  It’s common that people who think they’re emotional eaters because they’re bingeing at the end of the day are actually biologically hungry at the end of the day.

What do you do?  HONOR YOUR HUNGER.  Eat when your body says it needs food and don’t disregard its need for carbohydrates.  I chuckle when people say they’re “addicted to carbs.”  Yes, I too am addicted to carbs because it’s what allows me to do laundry, go for a walk, lift weights and live my life.  I often suggest to people that when they’re having a craving for cookies or candy to take note and see if they’re just hungry for food.  Sugar (as found in cookies, ice cream and candy) is an immediate fuel source for our bodies.  A bowl of whole grain cereal will provide those carbs that your body is screaming for.  See if that will take care of what you feel is a craving but may actually be biological hunger and need for carbohydrates.

Make an effort to learn your body’s natural hunger signals.  Ideally you’ll notice your gentle hunger and be able to start looking for food so that it’s in front of you when you’re ready to eat.  If you start looking for food when you’re really, really hungry, you’ll end up eating anything and everything.

Learning your body’s signals for hunger may be difficult, especially if you’ve been turning those signals off by drinking caffeine, smoking cigarettes, fasting or chewing gum.  Also, if you are never gently hungry because you keep yourself in a constant “fed” state, learning to feel your body’s signals may be new too.

Be kind and patient with yourself.  Make sure you have access to food and trust yourself. Don’t second guess by saying, “But I had such a big breakfast/lunch/dinner.”  Your body knows what it’s doing, trust it.

May you be happy, healthy and well fed,

Regan

First, eat more fruits and vegetables of all different colors.  I like to start with this because it’s easier to add something than to take something away.  It feels less restrictive, and it’s great advice. How do you do this?  Slice up a banana and put it on your cereal.  One half of a regular sized banana is one serving of fruit.  Add frozen berries to your plain or vanilla yogurt.  A half cup is one serving.  Use fruit instead of jelly on your PB&J sandwich.  Add zucchini, mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes or any other kind of vegetables to your eggs.  A half cup of vegetables is one serving.  Have a cup of romaine, spinach or iceberg lettuce with your meal.  One cup of leafy vegetables is a serving.

How can this benefit you if you’re trying to lose weight?  First, fruits and vegetables take up space without providing a lot of calories; we can eat a lot without eating a lot of calories.  Second, they take time to eat.  How fast can you stuff a sausage McMuffin with egg in your mouth and how long does it take to eat an apple?  By slowing down we can feel that we’ve had enough to eat before we’re stuffed.

My second recommendation is to eat low fat dairy products.  By picking skim or one percent milk, you still get all of the nutrients (calcium, vitamin D) without getting the unhealthy saturated fat.

Third, pick food that is less processed.  Again, this isn’t about being perfect, it’s about making conscious choices to eat “wholer” foods.  Think of the satisfaction you get from a chunk of whole wheat bread compared to the soft, airy nothingness of a hamburger bun. Food that is less refined generally has more nutrients (some processed foods are fortified or have nutrients added back).  It also takes some time and some work to eat so we feel more satisfied with the same amount of food.

Fourth, do what you can to eliminate trans fat from your diet.  Evidence keeps piling up about how bad it is for us.  Just because a package says, “zero trans fat per serving” doesn’t mean there’s no trans fat.  Look for the words “hydrogenated oil” on the packaging.  If it’s there there’s hydrogenated oil in that food, don’t eat it.  (What is it anyway?  It’s basically man-made saturated fat.  It keeps food shelf stable and “fresh” longer.  It’s created by changing chemical bonds in regular oil.)

The fifth recommendation I have is simply to switch the size of your portions.  What do I mean?  Make vegetables a bigger part of the meal than the meat.  Imagine a twelve inch plate, fill half of it with vegetables, fill a quarter of it with protein (meat, fish, chicken, beans, eggs) and fill the last quarter with a starch such as rice, pasta or bread.  Even if your family won’t stand for it, it’s one way you can lower your overall calories per meal while still having the same meal as your spouse, your children or your friends.

Sixth, eat food you like and don’t eat food you don’t!  Sometimes you just need to put something in your belly, but usually you get to choose what you’ll eat.  If the food isn’t as good as you hoped, don’t eat it.  Did you pick up a cookie that tastes like cardboard? Toss it.  Many people are afraid of the “cost” or “morality” of wasting food.  Ultimately the cost will be your health.

My last recommendation isn’t about what you’re eating as much as how you’re eating. Eat without distraction.  Turn off the TV, get away from your computer screen, put down the telephone.  Enjoy other people’s company while you eat.  Use a knife, fork and napkin. Give thanks, pray or in some way acknowledge that you are about to eat a meal. It helps us to be conscious and aware.  Food is about love, community, pleasure and being connected to each other.  By eating mindfully, with purpose and with awareness, we tend to eat a little bit less.  Enjoying, savoring and choosing food that appeals to you can make you satisfied with less.

May you be happy and healthy,

Regan

Plan your workout

Don’t show up and “wing it” until you feel confident to do that.  Make a plan for the week. When I’m not very motivated to go to the gym, I still do this.  Right now my gym exercise is Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  (I also do “non-gym” exercise.)  I do 30 minutes on the elliptical and then I do about 30 minutes of weights. Monday I did biceps and triceps, Wednesday I did chest and back and today I did shoulders and legs.  I also do abdominal exercises each of those days.   Yes, I should have had one more day of legs, but I didn’t.

As you’re starting out, you may want to make a list of the exercises you are planning to do so you feel more confident and like you’ve accomplished something when you’ve finished.

Understand, believe, KNOW that no one gives a crap what you’re doing at the gym

I get that it can be a little intimidating and you can feel self conscious.  Don’t.  I don’t have a magic solution to this, but it’s like anything else in life, the more you do it, the more confident you become and the less uncomfortable the whole situation is.  The discomfort and self consciousness will wane.  For now, live through it.

Don’t waste your time

If you have a half hour to go to the gym, use it wisely.  Don’t stand around waiting for a certain machine to be free, go use a different one.  Don’t give yourself a minute break in between exercises, go do a different exercise that works a different muscle.  I’ll give my shoulders a rest by doing crunches or leg extensions (or vice versa.) You can see why planning (my first recommendation) is a good idea.

Don’t waste your time

I’ll say it again!  If you’re able to chit chat on your cell phone, you’re not working hard enough.  Don’t waste your time by not giving yourself a good work out. Some of you (hey, ladies!) are still worried that you’re going to bulk up.  You won’t, can’t, will not.  BE SURE TO LIFT HEAVY WEIGHTS.  Here’s a question, “How much does your toddler weigh?”  I can see that you’re all bulked up from carrying him around.  Oh, you’re not?  If you’re there to lift weights, be sure you’re lifting enough to make it worth your while.

Be prepared

Have a water bottle, have a towel, bring your iPod, pack your weight lifting gloves.  You can keep a pre-packed gym bag in your trunk or by your front door.

Try something new

Hire a personal trainer, get on the rowing machine, go to a yoga class, try out spinning (that’s a cycling class in case you didn’t know.)  Be daring!  Get in the pool.  For people who are quite overweight or who have joint pain, the swimming pool is a great place to start.  It’s kind to your joints and once you’re in the water, no one can see you!

May you be happy and healthy,

Regan

Credit: RRRussian

There are a few times over the course of our lives that we tend to gain weight.  Most kids get a little chubby before hitting puberty.  Some people get the “freshman ten” (or fifteen or twenty) when they leave home for the first time.  Many people gain weight when they get married.  Women naturally gain weight when they have babies (and getting that weight off isn’t always so easy!)  But it seems everyone gains weight in mid-life.  Why? And what can you do about it?

Number one:  Increased calorie intake and decreased calorie expenditure.  Do you remember when I explained that 3,500 calories is about equal to a pound?  Well I multiplied 5 pounds by 3,500 to see how many calories that is.  (It’s 17,500.)  Then I divided that by 365 (as in, days in the year) to see how many extra calories a person would have to eat to gain 5 pounds over the course of one year.  And the answer? Forty-eight. Yup, an extra 48 calories per day will add up to 5 pounds over the course of one year. That’s half an egg, two ounces of wine, half an ounce of cheese, seven almonds.  You get the picture, it’s not very much food.

And activity?  Hmmm, what happens as we age?  Kids move out so there’s a little less laundry and housework to do.  We get a little bit more money so we can afford to pay other people to wash our cars, paint our walls and move our furniture.  We get a car that has automatic windows and an automatic transmission.  Heck, we even get promoted from being a laborer to being a foreman!  Remember 48 calories?  It’s easy to move 48 calories less per day.

What do you do?  Eat a little less and move a little more.  Start using smaller plates or bowls.  Share an entree.  Put a little less food on your plate.  Don’t eat seconds.  Order off the seniors’ menu (they’re more reasonable sized portions anyway.)  Park farther away from the door at the mall/work/grocery store.  Carry your own bags at the grocery store. Take your grandkids to the park.  You get the idea.

Number 2: Sarcopenia.  Say what?  Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass that occurs with aging. So what’s the big deal?  The big deal is that muscle is “metabolically active” and requires fuel to exist.  Fat just sits around waiting for a famine so it doesn’t require much energy.  If you weigh 140 pounds and you have 25% body fat, you are going to use more calories than someone who weighs 140 pounds and has 35% body fat.  By having more muscle, your body uses more calories just watching NCIS (that is what old people watch, right?)

What do you do?  You find some way to incorporate resistance exercises into your day. Build muscles lifting weights, using resistance bands, doing yoga or doing Pilates. The Centers for Disease Control has clear recommendations for making muscle building resistance exercises part of your activity.  Aerobic activity (brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling) will make your heart stronger and burn calories while you’re doing it. Muscle building activity will burn calories while you’re doing it and long after you’ve finished.  Having strong muscles will also keep you from falling and will help you look nice at your class reunion.

Number three: Hormones.  Just the word conjures thoughts of acne riddled teens, pregnant women with ice cream and pickle cravings…and middle age weight gain. Huh?Perhaps that’s not the thought that comes to mind when you think of hormones. We all know that testosterone is what gives men “virility” and facial hair right?  It’s also what allows men (and the 1968 East German women’s weight lifting team) to build up lots of muscle.   But around the age of 40, men’s testosterone levels start to drop about 1% per year.  There’s a little blue pill that can help with the “virility” issue, but dealing with the sarcopenia (remember from the last paragraph, muscle loss) requires action.

What do you do?  Be sure to get a medical exam to check hormone levels.  A doctor may prescribe hormone replacement if your testosterone is too low.  The lost muscle of your youth is not going to rebuild itself so you’re going to have to do some muscle building exercise.  Remember, you’ll be stronger, look better, be healthier and get to eat dessert without worrying about gaining a bunch of weight.

AND LADIES? “Menopause and the loss of estrogen trigger a deleterious cascade of metabolic and cardiovascular events.” Basically, the hormonal triggers of menopause cause an increase in the likelihood of heart problems as well as a loss of muscle mass which causes metabolisms to slow, but they don’t know why.  Also, many women have spent a lot of their lives yo-yo dieting which has stripped away much of their lean muscle mass.

What do you do?  Build muscle, build muscle, build muscle.  Do heavy enough lifting/resistance bands/yoga that you feel it the next day.  Remember, muscle building requires itty-bitty little tears in the muscle.  It should be slightly painful the next day or two.  You shouldn’t be sore to the touch, but your body should KNOW it did something different yesterday.

Don’t focus too much on what the scale says, focus on how your pants fit.  Muscle weighs more than fat so as you start building it up, your weight may not change significantly but your fat will start to decrease and your lean will start to increase.

May you be happy and healthy,

Regan

So why do so many people assume they can get their best nutrition and weight loss information from someone whose job it is to do something else?

1.  Personal Trainers. A personal trainer’s job is to teach you how to exercise and to motivate you to get stronger muscles and a more efficient heart.  Yes, increasing your exercise will also help you lose weight, but they don’t specialize in weight loss or nutrition.  I’ve taken and passed one of the most difficult personal trainer tests out there and it made sure I knew how many calories are in a pound and it made sure I knew that clients should eat a meal or a snack after they workout, but that’s about all the information it required me to know about weight loss and nutrition.

If a personal trainer is going to motivate you to show up to exercise, that’s great.  If she is going to show you new exercises and better, more efficient ways to get in shape, then she’s your gal.  If you think a personal trainer is your best source for weight loss information, you’re paying the wrong person.

2.  Your physician. I know, I know, they’re saints and geniuses (and many of them are), but their job is to heal people who are ill or broken not to teach you how to lose weight. I get it, it’s easy, you’re seeing him anyway about your bunions so you may as well have him tell you what you need to do to lose weight.  Besides, your insurance will PAY for you to see the doctor and may not pay for your visits to the dietitian.  When it comes to weight loss, your doctor knows all of the ways that being overweight is bad for your health, she may be able to prescribe a medicine that might help you lose weight and she most certainly knows how many calories it takes to lose one pound.  But she won’t be able to help you the way a dietitian can.

A doctor doesn’t have the time (and often doesn’t have the interest, otherwise he’d have become a dietitian!) to learn about your typical diet, educate you on how weight loss happens, set goals for making changes in your diet and help motivate you to lose weight. Know this, if your doctor says, “You’ve gotta get this weight off or you’re going to die young.  Cut back your diet to 1200 calories per day,” he may be speaking the plain truth, but it doesn’t provide the framework or support for real, sustained weight loss. Doctors provide medical care, dietitians provide nutrition care.

3.  A Life Coach. If you need a mentor and someone to help you brainstorm, then a life coach with a solid background may be able to help you, but if you need someone to provide sound nutritional advice, he’s probably not your go-to guy.

4.  The Weight Watchers Meeting Leader. As far as weight loss programs go, Weight Watchers is reasonable and sensible, but their leaders are trained to know about Weight Watchers products, the points system, how the scale works and what worked for them when THEY lost weight.  I heard a Weight Watchers leader give the advice, “Every time I eat a bite of anything I shouldn’t eat, I count it as one point regardless of how many points it really had.”  REALLY?  So that turns a 6 point candybar into a 20 point candybar because I took 20 bites of it.  They have good intentions, but their training is in Weight Watchers, not in weight loss or nutrition.  (Same goes for Jenny Craig, NutriSystem, etc.)

And what if you need a tool that isn’t in the garage?  You can borrow it from my husband or you can rent it from Home Depot.  But seriously, what if you need more help than a dietitian?

I do nutritional “counseling” but my area of expertise ends when you stop talking about food and start talking about your marital stress, your childhood trauma, your son’s school problems or your history with depression.  As long as we’re talking about food, I am the one for you, but when the issues get bigger (and often times for people with emotional eating issues or people who consistently eat more than they want the issues are more substantial), it’s time to send in another player.  You can still talk to me and we can unravel those food problems, but when those food problems start to get figured out and we start to see that the food problem has to do with an emotional problem, you can chat with your therapist about it.

If you’re looking to lose weight, get in touch with a dietitian who specializes in it.  It’s what we love to do, it’s what we’re good at doing and it’s what we’re trained to do. Physicians, personal trainers and weight loss meeting leaders all have their skills, but teaching you and motivating you about weight loss aren’t necessarily on their tool belt.

Know this:  if you’ve got a long row to hoe, don’t use a snow shovel.

May you be happy and healthy,

Regan

1.  Women’s magazines.  When I’m in a “good” place, women’s magazines may have new exercise and healthy meal ideas, but when I’m not feeling my best or when I’m a little down on myself, they’re not a motivator.  If I’m PMS-ing or having a stressful day/week/month, sometimes seeing a 17 year old model lifting 5 pound weights does not inspire me to health.  Sometimes the airbrushed, unattainable “beauty” is a major downer and I need to put it aside until or if I want to read it.

2.  ”Skinny”  or “goal” clothes.  These are almost always a bad idea to keep trying to squeeze into as a way to measure your progress.  I’ve found that retaining water, being sick or not getting as much activity as I’d like will change clothing size by one or two sizes so I have blue jeans in a couple of sizes.  When I’ve gained a little weight those smaller size pants can be depressing if they’re my goal.  I don’t keep them at the top of the drawer as an “inspiration.”  I have to remind myself that they’re just clothes and I look to other motivators (how I feel, if I’ve been achieving other goals) so that not fitting into a certain pair of jeans doesn’t derail me.

3.  ”Goal” photos.  Maybe it’s an old picture of you when you were at your ideal weight or maybe it’s a clipping from a magazine of a celebrity whose body you admire, either way it might not be inspiring, it might just be depressing.  I’ve read magazines that suggest putting up a photo on your bathroom mirror or on your refrigerator to motivate you.  If it does light a fire under you, go for it.  For me, though, it tends to remind me of what I’m not and what I may never be, and even more important, what may not be realistic or healthy.

4.  Unrealistic goals.  So you have an aerobics instructor whose got six pack abs and 15% body fat.  Yippee for her.  It doesn’t need to be your goal, and probably shouldn’t be.  Aim for a healthy BMI and healthy body fat percentage (8-24% for men and 21-35% for women).  Unattainable goals are, well, the definition of setting you up for failure!  Set realistic, healthy goals for yourself so that you’re not starting out already defeated.

5.  A cupboard full of “diet” food. Making healthy choices and permanent changes is the goal of all this, right?  Skipping the Froot Loops in favor of whole grain cereal with skim milk is a healthy change you can probably stick with.  But having ONLY Lean Cuisines, Weight Watchers cupcakes and South Beach snacks doesn’t sound appealing and is no way to live the rest of your life.  Remember, when you’re trying to lose weight you CAN eat regular food.  Have smaller portions, add more fruits and vegetables (they take up lots of space in your belly but aren’t very calorie dense).  Lean Cuisine can be a handy lunch option when you’re short on time, but if that’s all you eat, you’re going to feel deprived (and bloated from all that salt!)

May you be happy and healthy,

Regan

First, is it just a common cold?  If you don’t have a fever or body aches and it’s “neck up,” it’s probably just a cold.  When you’ve got the common cold, it’s a good idea and it’s safe for you to get out and do some moderate activity.  I know, you really don’t feel like it today, but revving up your body’s furnace may help fight off the infection and getting moving will make you feel better.  Some people with a cold will still do some vigorous exercise, but it’s not my thing.  If your body is accustomed to a 7 minute mile for an hour, an10 minute mile for 40 minutes is still reining it in, so it’s probably fine.

What about food?  Eat what feels good, eat enough and try to get plenty of fruits, vegetables and water.  Much of what our bodies need to heal themselves comes from the food we eat.  What about chicken noodle soup?  Warm liquid feels good, it’s easy to eat and can help us feel better.

What if you’ve got something nastier than the cold?  Influenza, bronchitis or even pneumonia?  Stay in bed, drink plenty of fluids and eat enough food.  (And think about getting a flu shot next season.)  As your fever goes away and you’re finally feeling strong enough to walk a bit, you can take a leisurely ten minute stroll, but be kind and patient with your body as it heals.

Sometimes the hardest part is restarting your exercise and weight loss routine that isn’t yet a habit.  What inspires you to want to lose weight?  Is there a friend who is supporting you?  Does reading one certain blog (hint, hint) help you get motivated?  Do reading fitness magazines get you thinking about exercise and believing you can do it?  Maybe having accountability to a personal trainer or dietitian will help you focus after you’re well enough to resume your weight loss plan.

At this point you know that for weight loss to be permanent, it has to be part of your lifestyle.  Unfortunately illness will be part of your life and you’ll have to see it as the little bump in the road that it is, not a giant wall stopping your progress.  Find a way over that bump, FIGURE IT OUT.  It’s worth it, it’s important to you and it’s what you need to do to take care of yourself.

May you be happy…and healthy,

Regan