I came across this profile yesterday called Are You Ready to Clean Up your Life. It has a well being assessment and also money, environment, etc. It’s interesting to see how you rate. Many times we think we are healthy, but when when you consider all of the things that are combined to keep us safe and healthy, we could all afford to do a little better. I know I have my list to work on! Check out the assessment here to see how you score and to get tips to “Clean Up Your Life”.http://www.betterme.org/cleansweep.html
Today’s Re-powering Information:
Tom Venuto, a respected trainer did a great job in this Q&A on fat burners. I’ll let him get right into it . . .Then scroll down for a recipe on Pumpkin cookies – Yum!
The following is a very interesting article/ blog question about fat burners that I thought you may be interested in. As some of you know, I really admire and respect Tom Venuto for his honesty when it comes to nutrition and fitness.
Q: Dear Tom, I am not currently using any fat burners. However, in many magazines where I see advertisements for fat burners, they always have a model with a six-pack and the headline is something like, "It takes more than training and nutrition to get a six-pack." Once a person hits a plateau, do we really need fat burners to achieve that "ripped" or "six-pack" look? I am having a really hard time getting my stomach to look the way I want it, and I really respect your opinion, so I appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks Tom!
A: The short and sweet answer is NO, you do not ever "need" fat burners. While I won't dismiss the fact that there are some ingredients in some "fat burner" products that might help a little bit, I take great displeasure in seeing those kinds of misleading headlines as well as the misleading use of models who are often paid to endorse the product even though they may never have even used it (they're just models!)
Many "fat burner" companies have been sued by the Federal Trade Commission for false advertising, false claims and falsifying before and after photos.
The best you get is a slight thermogenic effect and possibly some slight appetite suppression. A few products might work through other mechanisms like improving thyroid, but if you forgive me the generalization, I consider the effects of all these "fat burner" products to be minutia. In a previous newsletter, I wrote that in my opinion, 97% of your results come from nutrition and training and maybe you get an extra 3% advantage from supplements.
Just so you know those numbers arent something I just pulled out of thin air, lets take an example:
I have reviewed scientific data that EGCG, the active ingredient in green tea extract, if consumed in enough quantity, could increase thermogenesis / metabolic rate by an average of about 75 calories in 24 hours. Since ephedrine was taken off the market, green tea extract appears in many ephedra-free formulas these days. What is a typical calorie expenditure for an active male in 24 hours? lets say 2700 calories per day. 75/2700 = 2.7%. That slight little extra doesnt hurt, especially when its delivered in a healthful package such as green tea, rather than central nervous system stimulants, but its minutia in the bigger picture. Another way to put this into perspective is to make a list of what other things would burn 75 calories (for 150 lb person:)
walk your dog for 15 minutes three times a day, walk for 5 minutes at normal casual pace 30 minutes of ironing bagging leaves and grass clippings for 14 minutes re arrange your furniture for 10 minutes wash your car, 15 minutes vacuuming for 15 minutes 7.2 minutes of walking up stairs (could be spread throughout the day) Ah yes, but why move your body when you can take the pill and metabolism increases while you sit and watch TV? How about for your health? A body that is not moved, rots away. Unlike a car which only has so many miles on it and wears out from over-use, people are the only "machines" on earth that fall apart from under-use.
Here's what any good personal trainer will always tell you: No amount of calorie restriction or pill-popping will ever give you FITNESS. It willl never give you STRENGTH. it will never get you MUSCULARITY. It will never give you FUNCTIONALITY. At best it will help you reduce body mass slightly.
On one hand, I'm tempted to say that everything counts and that yes, 75 calories here, and 75 calories there, it ALL adds up, because it does. After you're exercising regularly and all your fundamentals are in place, details and little things do matter.
I'm simply asking you to put the benefits of any fat burners in proper perspective and realize that (1) there is no "need" for taking them and (2) the claims made in the ads are often erroneous or exagerrated.
My advice on fat burners:
1. NEVER buy a fat burner unless you get independent verification of the claims made for the product.
How do you KNOW they really work? Are you SERIOUSLY going to take the advertisers word for it? Are you SERIOUSLY going to take someone else's testimonial as fact? Get verification for yourself by going to the pub med data base and looking for research (try www.ReleMed.com too, as their search results are very thorough and relevant and they provide links to the pub med citations).
2. Put it in perspective
With those products that work, such as those providing a small thermogenic effect, put that in perspective as compared to how easily you could burn that many calories with even light exercise like walking or housework. Keep in mind the additional fitness and strength benefits you will obtain from exercise as opposed to doing nothing and popping a pill.
3. See if there are any side effects or health warnings.
With all supplements and especially with prohormones or stronger thermogenics like the ephedrine and caffeine stack, (if you still have access to them), understand the risk to benefit ratio, and be certain you know the dangers and contraindications.
4. Read the label and see if the product contains enough active ingredient to even work.
A classic scam is when a "fat burner"product quotes research that a certain inredient boosts metabolism, which might be true. What they may not tell you is that all the research with positive results used a large dosage of the ingredient, which might not be cheap. So the supplement company includes a "pinch" or "light dusting" of that ingredient just so they can say it's in the bottle, even though its nothing more than "label decoration." Then they have the audacity to invoke the research studies in their advertisements when the amount of the ingredient in their product is no where near what was used in the research!
5. Proprietary blend scam.
Some companies, DONT LET YOU SEE how much ingredient is in the product formula, because it contains multiple ingredients and they say their formula is a "trade secret" aka "proprietary", so they list WHAT is in the product but not HOW MUCH. If you don't know how much is in there then how are we (the consumers) supposed to get independent confirmation of the facts and analyze whether this product is any good? 6. Make sure there is human research, not just rodent research.
In many cases, advertisements cite studies on rats and mice as "proof" under the assumption that the product will produce the same results in humans. Animal research is an important part of the scientific method, as it is often used to help find areas of research where human study should be pursued, or in the other direction, to trace back the mechanism that makes something work. However, for obesity research in particular, a positive finding in rats does not mean the same thing will happen in humans.
7. Look for more than one human study.
Consider trying a supplement after it has human research that has been replicated by different research groups which are not industry-sponsored. My policy is that I will usually only give a "buy" rating to a supplement when a product has an intitial well-designed human controlled trial published and then similar research has been replicated by another research group that is not supplement-industry funded.
Actually, I think it's a good thing that nutrition and supplement companies fund and sponsor some of the research. They should. They should not only back up their claims with published clinical trials, they should share some of the cost of this expensive research.
However, a basic principle of the scientific method is replication. Other researchers should be able to duplicate the findings. Therefore, while the funding source does not necessarily prove bias, if there is only one study available on a supplement and it is company or industry sponsored, I usually take it with a grain of salt and put an asterisk next to it while I wait for confirmation from another study. (You might be surprised at how IN-frequently this type of confirmation occurs). Do you REALLY need "more" than nutrition and exercise???
Now, when you weigh the fact that even the products with research backing them only help a little, with the fact that many of the ads lie to you about research, exagerrate claims and hide vital information about ingredients, and with the fact that you can do a few more minutes of exercise per day and get the same results for free, how enthusiastic are you about fat burners? Yeah, that's why I'm not real excited about them either and based on the fact that I use no drugs and no "fat burner" supplements and I compete in bodybuilding - very successfully - I'd say that the assertion, "it takes more than nutrition and exercise to get six pack abs" is patently false.
Train hard and expect success,
Your friend and coach,
Tom Venuto
This recipe is from Dr. Galland's book on children's nutrition titled Superimmunity for Kids. This book is a favorite of parents who are looking for ways to get good nutrition for their families. The whole idea of Superimmunity for Kids is to provide recipes that contain superfoods that children of all ages need. And these pumpkin cookies are kid-tested: they won rave reviews at my brother's Halloween party.
Pumpkin Cookies
2 eggs
3 ounces apple juice concentrate
3 ounces orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons yogurt
1 1/2 cups pumpkin, either cooked fresh or canned, with no additives
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup raisins
1 cup seeds or nuts, such as pumpkin or sunflower, or chopped nuts, such as walnuts
½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, to coat the pan
Preheat the oven to 375 F., and lightly coat two cookie sheets with oil. Put the eggs, juice concentrates, yogurt and pumpkin in a blender and puree well. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients, and then add the wet ingredients from the blender. Stir just until combined, but don't over mix.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt
Enjoy this beautiful afternoon!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Metabolic Syndrome is Preventable
Today’s Re-Powering Information - Yesterday Jamie shared information about metabolic syndrome with her ladies and I wanted to pass it on to you. I have mentioned it before and you may have heard of it. It’s sweeping out nation and while it may not effect you, it may be silently jeopardizing someone you love. Even having one of the symptoms is a risk factor for disease and combined it’s life shortening and quality of life is low.
Yesterday I was running some errands and as I was parking and running in and out of stores I couldn’t help but notice how many more handicap spaces there are in the new malls being built. I remember one or two and now it seems like ½ of the Highland Village Town Center is handicap. I say this not b/c I want the close spot, but when I observe the people who are using the handicap spaces, they are almost always overweight. Which came first being over weight and then unable to walk or unable to walk and then overweight. I am taking an educated guess that many people become over weight, stress their bodies, loose function and become handicapped b/c their muscles and joints are not strong enough to lift them in and out of a car or to walk more than a few steps to the front door of a store. I would guess that with weight loss and conditioning, a lot (certainly not all) of those who are unable to ambulate (or not for any distance) could function fully again.
If we are our bodies own worst enemies and then begin accepting our weaknesses, all of which are lifestyle related, we have surrendered. Metabolic Syndrome is a lifestyle syndrome. Every one of the 5 factors that are killing Americans are COMPLETELY preventable with a healthy lifestyle. Instead of making better choices, we are choosing medicine, a reduced quality of life and handicapped parking spots. I know it’s not anyone in camp, but maybe it’s someone you love who you have influence over. And what kind of a message are we sending to our children. Okay I’ll stop ranting. Here’s Jamie’s e-mail from yesterday and I am going to cover Fat Burners tomorrow.
Also read below for a fantastic pancake with egg white recipe.
I briefly mentioned in one of last camp's emails a very serious condition called the "Metabolic Syndrome" or "Syndrome X." It is a cluster of metabolic disorders that include obesity, dislipidemia, high blood pressure, and more (see details below). Medical professionals, are not sure what the root cause is of this dangerous conglomeration of diseases, but the most common factors is Insulin Resistance, and obesity.
I would like to add that High Cholesterol has gotten a lot of press as being the most dangerous risk of heart disease. I would suggest to you that it is High Blood Pressure! Why? High Blood Pressure causes
(obviously) pressure in the arteries of the heart, that cause little breaks, fractures or tears in the artery. It is then that the High Cholesterol comes a "plugs up" those little tears in the artery with plaque. When enough plaques build up in the arteries, that is what causes the "narrowing" of the artery, and so on. The result is not enough blood getting to the heart...and HEART ATTACK. So, take note of the blood pressure recommendations and make sure that you know your blood pressure. I have a blood pressure cuff that I will be more than happy to take yours before camp starts (resting). I don't keep it in my car, so you would have to let me know ahead of time.
Why do I inform you of this? Because, so many, if not all, of these conditions can be prevented/improved with life-style intervention.
That would consist of a healthy diet and regular, structured exercise!!!
See the article from the American Heart Association re: the Metabolic Syndrome and go to their website for more information.
See yall tomorrow! jamie
Metabolic Syndrome
What is the metabolic syndrome?
The metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of metabolic risk factors in one person. They include:
* Abdominal obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen)
* Atherogenic dyslipidemia (blood fat disorders — high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol — that foster plaque buildups in artery walls)
* Elevated blood pressure
* Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance (the body can't properly use insulin or blood sugar)
* Prothrombotic state (e.g., high fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor–1 in the blood)
* Proinflammatory state (e.g., elevated C-reactive protein in the blood)
People with the metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque buildups in artery walls (e.g., stroke and peripheral vascular disease) and type 2 diabetes. The metabolic syndrome has become increasingly common in the United States. It's estimated that over 50 million Americans have it.
The dominant underlying risk factors for this syndrome appear to be abdominal obesity and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a generalized metabolic disorder, in which the body can't use insulin efficiently. This is why the metabolic syndrome is also called the insulin resistance syndrome.
Other conditions associated with the syndrome include physical inactivity, aging, hormonal imbalance and genetic predisposition.
Some people are genetically predisposed to insulin resistance.
Acquired factors, such as excess body fat and physical inactivity, can elicit insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome in these people.
Most people with insulin resistance have abdominal obesity. The biologic mechanisms at the molecular level between insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors aren't fully understood and appear to be complex.
How is the metabolic syndrome diagnosed?
There are no well-accepted criteria for diagnosing the metabolic syndrome. The criteria proposed by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III), with minor modifications, are currently recommended and widely used.
The American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommend that the metabolic syndrome be identified as the presence of three or more of these components:
* Elevated waist circumference:
Men — Equal to or greater than 40 inches (102 cm)
Women — Equal to or greater than 35 inches (88 cm)
*
Elevated triglycerides:
Equal to or greater than 150 mg/dL
* Reduced HDL ("good") cholesterol:
Men — Less than 40 mg/dL
Women — Less than 50 mg/dL
* Elevated blood pressure:
Equal to or greater than 130/85 mm Hg
* Elevated fasting glucose:
Equal to or greater than 100 mg/dL
AHA Recommendation for Managing the Metabolic Syndrome:
The primary goal of clinical management of the metabolic syndrome is to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Then, the first-line therapy is to reduce the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease: stop smoking and reduce LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels to the recommended levels.
For managing both long- and short-term risk, lifestyle therapies are the first-line interventions to reduce the metabolic risk factors.
These lifestyle interventions include:
* Weight loss to achieve a desirable weight (BMI less than 25 kg/m2)
* Increased physical activity, with a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week
* Healthy eating habits that include reduced intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol
Tomm Voss's Oatmeal Egg-White Pancakes
6 egg whites
2 whole eggs
1 cup quick oats
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped fresh or dried fruit (strawberries, blueberries or raisins work well)
3 packets Splenda or other sweetener
Nonstick cooking spray
Directions
Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a blender. Spray a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. When the pan is hot, pour in half the batter. Cook on one side until the edges look done and batter bubbles in the middle, approximately three minutes. Then flip pancake and cook until no longer runny inside. Cook remaining batter the same way. Eat hot or at room temperature. Store in refrigerator in large resealable plastic bags or plastic wrap.
End
Have an athletic day!
Yesterday I was running some errands and as I was parking and running in and out of stores I couldn’t help but notice how many more handicap spaces there are in the new malls being built. I remember one or two and now it seems like ½ of the Highland Village Town Center is handicap. I say this not b/c I want the close spot, but when I observe the people who are using the handicap spaces, they are almost always overweight. Which came first being over weight and then unable to walk or unable to walk and then overweight. I am taking an educated guess that many people become over weight, stress their bodies, loose function and become handicapped b/c their muscles and joints are not strong enough to lift them in and out of a car or to walk more than a few steps to the front door of a store. I would guess that with weight loss and conditioning, a lot (certainly not all) of those who are unable to ambulate (or not for any distance) could function fully again.
If we are our bodies own worst enemies and then begin accepting our weaknesses, all of which are lifestyle related, we have surrendered. Metabolic Syndrome is a lifestyle syndrome. Every one of the 5 factors that are killing Americans are COMPLETELY preventable with a healthy lifestyle. Instead of making better choices, we are choosing medicine, a reduced quality of life and handicapped parking spots. I know it’s not anyone in camp, but maybe it’s someone you love who you have influence over. And what kind of a message are we sending to our children. Okay I’ll stop ranting. Here’s Jamie’s e-mail from yesterday and I am going to cover Fat Burners tomorrow.
Also read below for a fantastic pancake with egg white recipe.
I briefly mentioned in one of last camp's emails a very serious condition called the "Metabolic Syndrome" or "Syndrome X." It is a cluster of metabolic disorders that include obesity, dislipidemia, high blood pressure, and more (see details below). Medical professionals, are not sure what the root cause is of this dangerous conglomeration of diseases, but the most common factors is Insulin Resistance, and obesity.
I would like to add that High Cholesterol has gotten a lot of press as being the most dangerous risk of heart disease. I would suggest to you that it is High Blood Pressure! Why? High Blood Pressure causes
(obviously) pressure in the arteries of the heart, that cause little breaks, fractures or tears in the artery. It is then that the High Cholesterol comes a "plugs up" those little tears in the artery with plaque. When enough plaques build up in the arteries, that is what causes the "narrowing" of the artery, and so on. The result is not enough blood getting to the heart...and HEART ATTACK. So, take note of the blood pressure recommendations and make sure that you know your blood pressure. I have a blood pressure cuff that I will be more than happy to take yours before camp starts (resting). I don't keep it in my car, so you would have to let me know ahead of time.
Why do I inform you of this? Because, so many, if not all, of these conditions can be prevented/improved with life-style intervention.
That would consist of a healthy diet and regular, structured exercise!!!
See the article from the American Heart Association re: the Metabolic Syndrome and go to their website for more information.
See yall tomorrow! jamie
Metabolic Syndrome
What is the metabolic syndrome?
The metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of metabolic risk factors in one person. They include:
* Abdominal obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen)
* Atherogenic dyslipidemia (blood fat disorders — high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol — that foster plaque buildups in artery walls)
* Elevated blood pressure
* Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance (the body can't properly use insulin or blood sugar)
* Prothrombotic state (e.g., high fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor–1 in the blood)
* Proinflammatory state (e.g., elevated C-reactive protein in the blood)
People with the metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque buildups in artery walls (e.g., stroke and peripheral vascular disease) and type 2 diabetes. The metabolic syndrome has become increasingly common in the United States. It's estimated that over 50 million Americans have it.
The dominant underlying risk factors for this syndrome appear to be abdominal obesity and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a generalized metabolic disorder, in which the body can't use insulin efficiently. This is why the metabolic syndrome is also called the insulin resistance syndrome.
Other conditions associated with the syndrome include physical inactivity, aging, hormonal imbalance and genetic predisposition.
Some people are genetically predisposed to insulin resistance.
Acquired factors, such as excess body fat and physical inactivity, can elicit insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome in these people.
Most people with insulin resistance have abdominal obesity. The biologic mechanisms at the molecular level between insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors aren't fully understood and appear to be complex.
How is the metabolic syndrome diagnosed?
There are no well-accepted criteria for diagnosing the metabolic syndrome. The criteria proposed by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III), with minor modifications, are currently recommended and widely used.
The American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommend that the metabolic syndrome be identified as the presence of three or more of these components:
* Elevated waist circumference:
Men — Equal to or greater than 40 inches (102 cm)
Women — Equal to or greater than 35 inches (88 cm)
*
Elevated triglycerides:
Equal to or greater than 150 mg/dL
* Reduced HDL ("good") cholesterol:
Men — Less than 40 mg/dL
Women — Less than 50 mg/dL
* Elevated blood pressure:
Equal to or greater than 130/85 mm Hg
* Elevated fasting glucose:
Equal to or greater than 100 mg/dL
AHA Recommendation for Managing the Metabolic Syndrome:
The primary goal of clinical management of the metabolic syndrome is to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Then, the first-line therapy is to reduce the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease: stop smoking and reduce LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels to the recommended levels.
For managing both long- and short-term risk, lifestyle therapies are the first-line interventions to reduce the metabolic risk factors.
These lifestyle interventions include:
* Weight loss to achieve a desirable weight (BMI less than 25 kg/m2)
* Increased physical activity, with a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week
* Healthy eating habits that include reduced intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol
Tomm Voss's Oatmeal Egg-White Pancakes
6 egg whites
2 whole eggs
1 cup quick oats
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped fresh or dried fruit (strawberries, blueberries or raisins work well)
3 packets Splenda or other sweetener
Nonstick cooking spray
Directions
Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a blender. Spray a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. When the pan is hot, pour in half the batter. Cook on one side until the edges look done and batter bubbles in the middle, approximately three minutes. Then flip pancake and cook until no longer runny inside. Cook remaining batter the same way. Eat hot or at room temperature. Store in refrigerator in large resealable plastic bags or plastic wrap.
End
Have an athletic day!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Vision Board, Law of Attraction
Today’s Re-Powering information:
Today at the end of camp I mentioned vision boards. Some of you did now know what they were. They came into vogue about 3 years ago from the movie the Secret when John Asseraff used a vision board and ultimately purchased the house, watch, car, etc that he had placed on his board years earlier. I have been doing this for years. As a kid I would use a journal and cut out the haircut I wanted, car I wanted, vacation I wanted to take and so on. Now vision boards have gotten more fancy and you can even use software to create yours. I’ll bring my vision board in tomorrow morning for you to see one. Mine always changes. Sometimes it’s very specific with things I want to accomplish, places I want to go and so one. This last one is more philosophical including how I want to act and the state I want to be in. It still has things like “Pay off mortgage” and “Trip to Italy”, but there are more pictures of family, playing, spiritual presence, etc.
I start out with a blank board and have somethings in mind that I want on my board. I may find images by searching the Internet, I may cut pictures from a magazine or use real photo’s I have taken of people I want to pray for or connect with. There is no right or wrong vision board. Its something you want to keep in the front of your mind that you want to bring into your world. It’s for attracting things into your life that you want rather than randomly letting things come into your world and becoming cluttered and distracted.
Below is one website I found that gives you details on how to create a vision board. It’s a fun exercise for the entire family. In fact I”ll bring my kids vision boards. They are a work in progress. Of course Anthony had one thing on his vision board – a new Harley Davidson Screaming Eagle V-Rod. He went out and bought it the next day. That is NOT how a vision board is meant to work! It’s not only about things we can buy. I encourage you to try it. You’ll be surprised at what’s possible.
http://www.christinekane.com/blog/how-to-make-a-vision-board/
How to Make a Vision Board
February 1st, 2007 by Christine Kane
One of my most popular past blog posts is Vision Boards: A Quick Story. I wrote it months before the DVD The Secret was released. Then John Assaraf’s story of manifesting his giant mansion by using vision boards (in The Secret) popularized the concept. Many of us, however, have been doing them for years. (I’ve been using them at my women’s retreats for about 5 years now.) And the value of a vision board goes way beyond just mansions and gold watches!
What is a Vision Board?
A vision board (also called a Treasure Map or a Visual Explorer or Creativity Collage) is typically a poster board on which you paste or collage images that you’ve torn out from various magazines. It’s simple.
The idea behind this is that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, or where you want to vacation, your life changes to match those images and those desires.
For instance, before I ever started performing music and I had no idea how I’d ever get a gig, write enough songs, or assemble a press kit, I drew a picture of myself in a bar with people watching me perform (I’m a terrible visual artist, so I actually had to label the people “people!”). And though it wasn’t the only factor in making it happen, I had a calendar full of bar and coffeehouse gigs by the next year.
My drawing was a kind of a vision board. Vision boards do the same thing as my drawing did. They add clarity to your desires, and feeling to your visions. For instance, at the time I did my drawing, I knew I wanted to play in bars and coffeehouses. (I have since left the that circuit, and I’m performing in theatres and at conferences. But in my early twenties, I wanted to play in bars and coffeehouses. I was pretty clear about that!) Taking the time to draw it out, even poorly, made it indelible in my mind.
There are several methods you can use for creating your vision board. I’ve written about each one below. You can choose which one works best for you, depending on where you find yourself on this path of creating your life.
Supplies you’ll need for creating a Vision Board:
- Poster board. (Target sells a really nice matte finish board. I highly recommend it.)
- A big stack of different magazines. (You can get them at libraries, hair salons, dentist offices, the YMCA.) Make sure you find lots of different types. If you limit your options, you’ll lose interest after a while. When I facilitate my women’s retreats, I always make sure we have plenty of Oprah, Real Simple, Natural Home, Yoga Journal, Dwell, Ode, Parenting, Money, Utne, and an assortment of nature magazines.
- Glue. Not Elmers. (It makes the pages ripple.) I like using Yes! Glue or Rubber cement. Glue sticks are my second choice because they don’t last.
Before you begin your vision board:
No matter which method you’re choosing, have a little ritual before you begin your vision board. Sit quietly and set the intent. With lots of kindness and openness, ask yourself what it is you want. Maybe one word will be the answer. Maybe images will come into your head. Just take a moment to be with that. This process makes it a deeper experience. It gives a chance for your ego to step aside just a little, so that you can more clearly create your vision.
Put on soft music. My favorite music for activities like this is Anugama Shamanic Dream I and Shamanic Dream II . I love these CD’s for massage or any activity where you want to keep your mind quiet.
The Five Steps of Creating a Vision Board:
Step 1: Go through your magazines and tear the images from them. No gluing yet! Just let yourself have lots of fun looking through magazines and pulling out pictures or words or headlines that strike your fancy. Have fun with it. Make a big pile of images and phrases and words.
Step 2: Go through the images and begin to lay your favorites on the board. Eliminate any images that no longer feel right. This step is where your intuition comes in. As you lay the pictures on the board, you’ll get a sense how the board should be laid out. For instance, you might assign a theme to each corner of the board. Health, Job, Spirituality, Relationships, for instance. Or it may just be that the images want to go all over the place. Or you might want to fold the board into a book that tells a story. At my retreats, I’ve seen women come up with wildly creative ways to present a vision board.
Step 3: Glue everything onto the board. Add writing if you want. You can paint on it, or write words with markers.
Step 4: (optional, but powerful) Leave space in the very center of the vision board for a fantastic photo of yourself where you look radiant and happy. Paste yourself in the center of your board.
Step 5: Hang your vision board in a place where you will see it often.
Three Types of Vision Boards:
1 - The “I Know Exactly What I Want” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- You’re very clear about your desires.
- You want to change your environment or surroundings.
- There is a specific thing you want to manifest in your life. (i.e. a new home, or starting a business.)
How to create this vision board:
With your clear desire in mind, set out looking for the exact pictures which portray your vision. If you want a house by the water, then get out the Dwell magazine and start there. If you want to start your own business, find images that capture that idea for you. If you want to learn guitar, then find that picture. I remember at the last retreat, one woman yelled out, “If anyone finds a picture of a little girl with red hair who looks happy, give it to me!” And someone else yelled out, “I’m looking for a Cadillac!” Pretty soon, a lively trading session began. Following the five steps above, create your vision board out of these images.
2 - The “Opening and Allowing” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- You’re not sure what exactly you want
- You’ve been in a period of depression or grief
- You have a vision of what you want, but are uncertain about it in some way.
- You know you want change but don’t know how it’s possible.
How to create this vision board:
Go through each magazine. Tear out images that delight you. Don’t ask why. Just keep going through the magazines. If it’s a picture of a teddy bear that makes you smile, then pull it out. If it’s a cottage in a misty countryside, then rip it out. Just have fun and be open to whatever calls to you. Then, as you go through Step 2 above, hold that same openness, but ask yourself what this picture might mean. What is it telling you about you? Does it mean you need to take more naps? Does it mean you want to get a dog, or stop hanging out with a particular person who drains you? Most likely you’ll know the answer. If you don’t, but you still love the image, then put it on your vision board anyway. It will have an answer for you soon enough. Some women at my retreats had NO idea what their board was about, and it wasn’t until two months later that they understood. The Opening and Allowing Vision Board can be a powerful guide for you. I like it better than the first model because sometimes our egos think they know what we want, and lots of times those desires aren’t in alignment with who we really are. This goes deeper than just getting what you want. It can speak to you and teach you a little bit about yourself and your passion.
3 - The “Theme” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- It’s your birthday or New Years Eve or some significant event that starts a new cycle.
- If you are working with one particular area of your life. For instance, Work & Career.
How to create this vision board:
The only difference between this vision board and the others is that this one has clear parameters and intent. Before you begin the vision board, take a moment to hold the intent and the theme in mind. When you choose pictures, they will be in alignment with the theme. You can do the Theme Vision Board on smaller pages, like a page in your journal.
Some things to remember about vision boards:
- You can use a combination of all three types of vision boards as you create. Sometimes you might start out doing one kind, and then your intuition takes over and shifts into a whole different mode. That’s called creativity. Just roll with it.
- Your vision board might change as you are making it. I was just talking with a friend of mine who said that she had been making a vision board for the new year. The theme was all about what she wanted in this year. Then, as she pulled pictures and began to lay them out, the theme changed into a simpler one about her everyday life and the moments in each day. It surprised and delighted her to experience that evolution. You might find that you have little epiphanies from making a vision board.
Make a Vision Journal
Another option is to use these same principles in a big sketch book. Get a large sketch book and keep an on-going vision journal. This is especially effective if you’re going through many transitions in your life.
I welcome anyone who has created a vision board to write your own experience in the comments…
Have a fantastic day and make it a great adventure!
Kelli
www.KelliCalabres.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
Today at the end of camp I mentioned vision boards. Some of you did now know what they were. They came into vogue about 3 years ago from the movie the Secret when John Asseraff used a vision board and ultimately purchased the house, watch, car, etc that he had placed on his board years earlier. I have been doing this for years. As a kid I would use a journal and cut out the haircut I wanted, car I wanted, vacation I wanted to take and so on. Now vision boards have gotten more fancy and you can even use software to create yours. I’ll bring my vision board in tomorrow morning for you to see one. Mine always changes. Sometimes it’s very specific with things I want to accomplish, places I want to go and so one. This last one is more philosophical including how I want to act and the state I want to be in. It still has things like “Pay off mortgage” and “Trip to Italy”, but there are more pictures of family, playing, spiritual presence, etc.
I start out with a blank board and have somethings in mind that I want on my board. I may find images by searching the Internet, I may cut pictures from a magazine or use real photo’s I have taken of people I want to pray for or connect with. There is no right or wrong vision board. Its something you want to keep in the front of your mind that you want to bring into your world. It’s for attracting things into your life that you want rather than randomly letting things come into your world and becoming cluttered and distracted.
Below is one website I found that gives you details on how to create a vision board. It’s a fun exercise for the entire family. In fact I”ll bring my kids vision boards. They are a work in progress. Of course Anthony had one thing on his vision board – a new Harley Davidson Screaming Eagle V-Rod. He went out and bought it the next day. That is NOT how a vision board is meant to work! It’s not only about things we can buy. I encourage you to try it. You’ll be surprised at what’s possible.
http://www.christinekane.com/blog/how-to-make-a-vision-board/
How to Make a Vision Board
February 1st, 2007 by Christine Kane
One of my most popular past blog posts is Vision Boards: A Quick Story. I wrote it months before the DVD The Secret was released. Then John Assaraf’s story of manifesting his giant mansion by using vision boards (in The Secret) popularized the concept. Many of us, however, have been doing them for years. (I’ve been using them at my women’s retreats for about 5 years now.) And the value of a vision board goes way beyond just mansions and gold watches!
What is a Vision Board?
A vision board (also called a Treasure Map or a Visual Explorer or Creativity Collage) is typically a poster board on which you paste or collage images that you’ve torn out from various magazines. It’s simple.
The idea behind this is that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, or where you want to vacation, your life changes to match those images and those desires.
For instance, before I ever started performing music and I had no idea how I’d ever get a gig, write enough songs, or assemble a press kit, I drew a picture of myself in a bar with people watching me perform (I’m a terrible visual artist, so I actually had to label the people “people!”). And though it wasn’t the only factor in making it happen, I had a calendar full of bar and coffeehouse gigs by the next year.
My drawing was a kind of a vision board. Vision boards do the same thing as my drawing did. They add clarity to your desires, and feeling to your visions. For instance, at the time I did my drawing, I knew I wanted to play in bars and coffeehouses. (I have since left the that circuit, and I’m performing in theatres and at conferences. But in my early twenties, I wanted to play in bars and coffeehouses. I was pretty clear about that!) Taking the time to draw it out, even poorly, made it indelible in my mind.
There are several methods you can use for creating your vision board. I’ve written about each one below. You can choose which one works best for you, depending on where you find yourself on this path of creating your life.
Supplies you’ll need for creating a Vision Board:
- Poster board. (Target sells a really nice matte finish board. I highly recommend it.)
- A big stack of different magazines. (You can get them at libraries, hair salons, dentist offices, the YMCA.) Make sure you find lots of different types. If you limit your options, you’ll lose interest after a while. When I facilitate my women’s retreats, I always make sure we have plenty of Oprah, Real Simple, Natural Home, Yoga Journal, Dwell, Ode, Parenting, Money, Utne, and an assortment of nature magazines.
- Glue. Not Elmers. (It makes the pages ripple.) I like using Yes! Glue or Rubber cement. Glue sticks are my second choice because they don’t last.
Before you begin your vision board:
No matter which method you’re choosing, have a little ritual before you begin your vision board. Sit quietly and set the intent. With lots of kindness and openness, ask yourself what it is you want. Maybe one word will be the answer. Maybe images will come into your head. Just take a moment to be with that. This process makes it a deeper experience. It gives a chance for your ego to step aside just a little, so that you can more clearly create your vision.
Put on soft music. My favorite music for activities like this is Anugama Shamanic Dream I and Shamanic Dream II . I love these CD’s for massage or any activity where you want to keep your mind quiet.
The Five Steps of Creating a Vision Board:
Step 1: Go through your magazines and tear the images from them. No gluing yet! Just let yourself have lots of fun looking through magazines and pulling out pictures or words or headlines that strike your fancy. Have fun with it. Make a big pile of images and phrases and words.
Step 2: Go through the images and begin to lay your favorites on the board. Eliminate any images that no longer feel right. This step is where your intuition comes in. As you lay the pictures on the board, you’ll get a sense how the board should be laid out. For instance, you might assign a theme to each corner of the board. Health, Job, Spirituality, Relationships, for instance. Or it may just be that the images want to go all over the place. Or you might want to fold the board into a book that tells a story. At my retreats, I’ve seen women come up with wildly creative ways to present a vision board.
Step 3: Glue everything onto the board. Add writing if you want. You can paint on it, or write words with markers.
Step 4: (optional, but powerful) Leave space in the very center of the vision board for a fantastic photo of yourself where you look radiant and happy. Paste yourself in the center of your board.
Step 5: Hang your vision board in a place where you will see it often.
Three Types of Vision Boards:
1 - The “I Know Exactly What I Want” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- You’re very clear about your desires.
- You want to change your environment or surroundings.
- There is a specific thing you want to manifest in your life. (i.e. a new home, or starting a business.)
How to create this vision board:
With your clear desire in mind, set out looking for the exact pictures which portray your vision. If you want a house by the water, then get out the Dwell magazine and start there. If you want to start your own business, find images that capture that idea for you. If you want to learn guitar, then find that picture. I remember at the last retreat, one woman yelled out, “If anyone finds a picture of a little girl with red hair who looks happy, give it to me!” And someone else yelled out, “I’m looking for a Cadillac!” Pretty soon, a lively trading session began. Following the five steps above, create your vision board out of these images.
2 - The “Opening and Allowing” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- You’re not sure what exactly you want
- You’ve been in a period of depression or grief
- You have a vision of what you want, but are uncertain about it in some way.
- You know you want change but don’t know how it’s possible.
How to create this vision board:
Go through each magazine. Tear out images that delight you. Don’t ask why. Just keep going through the magazines. If it’s a picture of a teddy bear that makes you smile, then pull it out. If it’s a cottage in a misty countryside, then rip it out. Just have fun and be open to whatever calls to you. Then, as you go through Step 2 above, hold that same openness, but ask yourself what this picture might mean. What is it telling you about you? Does it mean you need to take more naps? Does it mean you want to get a dog, or stop hanging out with a particular person who drains you? Most likely you’ll know the answer. If you don’t, but you still love the image, then put it on your vision board anyway. It will have an answer for you soon enough. Some women at my retreats had NO idea what their board was about, and it wasn’t until two months later that they understood. The Opening and Allowing Vision Board can be a powerful guide for you. I like it better than the first model because sometimes our egos think they know what we want, and lots of times those desires aren’t in alignment with who we really are. This goes deeper than just getting what you want. It can speak to you and teach you a little bit about yourself and your passion.
3 - The “Theme” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- It’s your birthday or New Years Eve or some significant event that starts a new cycle.
- If you are working with one particular area of your life. For instance, Work & Career.
How to create this vision board:
The only difference between this vision board and the others is that this one has clear parameters and intent. Before you begin the vision board, take a moment to hold the intent and the theme in mind. When you choose pictures, they will be in alignment with the theme. You can do the Theme Vision Board on smaller pages, like a page in your journal.
Some things to remember about vision boards:
- You can use a combination of all three types of vision boards as you create. Sometimes you might start out doing one kind, and then your intuition takes over and shifts into a whole different mode. That’s called creativity. Just roll with it.
- Your vision board might change as you are making it. I was just talking with a friend of mine who said that she had been making a vision board for the new year. The theme was all about what she wanted in this year. Then, as she pulled pictures and began to lay them out, the theme changed into a simpler one about her everyday life and the moments in each day. It surprised and delighted her to experience that evolution. You might find that you have little epiphanies from making a vision board.
Make a Vision Journal
Another option is to use these same principles in a big sketch book. Get a large sketch book and keep an on-going vision journal. This is especially effective if you’re going through many transitions in your life.
I welcome anyone who has created a vision board to write your own experience in the comments…
Have a fantastic day and make it a great adventure!
Kelli
www.KelliCalabres.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Food Guidelines for Kids, New Kids Food Pyramid, Recipe and Quote
Today’s Re-Powering Information – Children spend the first year of their life on a liquid diet. Then we introduce them to puréed veggies then mashed fruit, then some type of carb (bisket, cheerio’s) and ultimately solid food. By the time a child is two they are on their way to developing eating habits that will last a lifetime. As parents we formulate their feelings about food. If we are insecure or always on a “diet” they pick up on that. If we use food for bribery (pick up your toys and you can have a brownie) or rewards (you got an A on your report, lets get some ice cream) or socialization (every time they walk into the movies they expect popcorn and soda) or for punishment (if you don’t finish your homework you are not getting dessert) and so on. By the time they are 3 children absolutely know how to control, manipulate and sell parents on the food they want to eat (and don’t’ want to eat).
We certainly can’t blame the children for wanting sweeter and sweeter foods. The non-foods they are consuming (sports drinks, lunchables, fruit rollups, etc) are highly addicting – more addicting than cocaine and the more they have, the more they want. The US Department of agrigculture came up with a new food guide pyramid to help parents with creating healthy eating goals for children. It’s a start, but remember to grab hold of yoru common sense when it comes to food and that children are naturally curious and are also looking for boundaries. Their bodies like yours are amazing and will respond to what ever you put in it (good or bad).
New food pyramid designed to help parents
A sneak peek at the food pyramid designed for preschoolers
By Janet Helm | Special to the Chicago Tribune
October 22, 2008
Get ready preschoolers, you're getting your own food pyramid.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will officially unveil MyPyramid for Preschoolers at the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Chicago this weekend, but we're getting an early look.
Brian Wansink, executive director of USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, will introduce this new nutrition tool as part of an ongoing campaign called "Project M.O.M." that he has spearheaded since joining USDA last year.
"We have refocused our general advice to everyone and are now honing in on the nutritional gatekeepers who purchase and prepare most of the family food," Wansink said. He believes educating these nutritional gatekeepers—moms, dads or other caregivers—is the most efficient way to transform the way Americans eat.
The new MyPyramid for Preschoolers is intended to help parents make better food choices for preschool children, aged 2 to 5 years—a critical time when food habits and taste preferences are established. Keeping tabs on calories is a bigger reality today than ever before, considering that nearly 15 percent of preschoolers in this country are overweight.
What you'll find by visiting the new preschool section on MyPyramid.gov is not simply a new cartoon-like version of the iconic pyramid for adults. Instead, you'll discover a comprehensive how-to guide on children's nutrition that may have you rethinking your current approach.
"We have not just provided the 'what,' we've really taken it to the next level," Wansink said, referring to the educational style of the materials. "We're showing parents exactly how you do this."
Indeed, the information on the Web site is about as concrete as you can get. If you're concerned that your child is eating too little or too much, or if you're simply not sure what counts as a serving, you can customize a pyramid to get detailed information about what and how much to feed your child based on age, gender and activity level. You'll even find kid-friendly meal and snack ideas.
Several real-life strategies are provided to help parents introduce new foods to preschoolers—a notoriously picky bunch who often stick to a beige, chicken nuggets-dominated diet. You'll find lots of tips for encouraging your child to eat a variety of vegetables, including seeing you eating and enjoying them too.
Perhaps most compelling is a section that focuses on how to talk to your preschooler about food. Unknowingly, many parents may be doing more harm than good when they coerce their kids into eating certain foods or use food as a reward, Wansink said.
In this clever section titled "phrases that help and hinder," you can learn to reframe your food discussions to be more positive. For example, instead of enforcing a clean plate rule, sample words are provided to help your child recognize when he or she is full, such as "Is your stomach still making its hungry growling noise?" Instead of using phrases that teach your child to eat for your approval or love, such as "If you do not eat one more bite, I will be mad," alternative phrases are offered to help your child try something new by pointing out the sensory qualities of food, such as "These radishes are very crunchy!"
The benefits of eating together as a family is a major focus of the initiative and ideas are offered to make family mealtime more enjoyable and less stressful, including recipes for quick, nutritious and economical meals. Sample substitutions are provided to help your preschooler eat less fat and added sugars. These "extras" can add more calories than your child needs.
After the unveiling this weekend, you can access MyPyramid for Preschoolers and related links at mypyramid.gov.
Recipe of the Day
Breakfast Pizza
This one might be fun to make with kids this weekend!
2 whole-wheat English muffins
2 free-range eggs
2 slices turkey bacon, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
4 tbsp. pizza sauce from the jar
2 tbsp. onion, minced
2 tbsp. green pepper, minced
2 tsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and turkey bacon pieces and fry for a few minutes. Add eggs and lightly scramble.
Split and toast the English Muffins. Spread 1 tbsp. of pizza sauce on each muffin half. Spoon the scrambled egg mixture evenly on each half. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until cheese is melted.
Quote of the Day
Without enthusiasm you are doomed to a life of mediocrity but with it you can accomplish miracles."
Og Mandino
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
We certainly can’t blame the children for wanting sweeter and sweeter foods. The non-foods they are consuming (sports drinks, lunchables, fruit rollups, etc) are highly addicting – more addicting than cocaine and the more they have, the more they want. The US Department of agrigculture came up with a new food guide pyramid to help parents with creating healthy eating goals for children. It’s a start, but remember to grab hold of yoru common sense when it comes to food and that children are naturally curious and are also looking for boundaries. Their bodies like yours are amazing and will respond to what ever you put in it (good or bad).
New food pyramid designed to help parents
A sneak peek at the food pyramid designed for preschoolers
By Janet Helm | Special to the Chicago Tribune
October 22, 2008
Get ready preschoolers, you're getting your own food pyramid.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will officially unveil MyPyramid for Preschoolers at the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Chicago this weekend, but we're getting an early look.
Brian Wansink, executive director of USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, will introduce this new nutrition tool as part of an ongoing campaign called "Project M.O.M." that he has spearheaded since joining USDA last year.
"We have refocused our general advice to everyone and are now honing in on the nutritional gatekeepers who purchase and prepare most of the family food," Wansink said. He believes educating these nutritional gatekeepers—moms, dads or other caregivers—is the most efficient way to transform the way Americans eat.
The new MyPyramid for Preschoolers is intended to help parents make better food choices for preschool children, aged 2 to 5 years—a critical time when food habits and taste preferences are established. Keeping tabs on calories is a bigger reality today than ever before, considering that nearly 15 percent of preschoolers in this country are overweight.
What you'll find by visiting the new preschool section on MyPyramid.gov is not simply a new cartoon-like version of the iconic pyramid for adults. Instead, you'll discover a comprehensive how-to guide on children's nutrition that may have you rethinking your current approach.
"We have not just provided the 'what,' we've really taken it to the next level," Wansink said, referring to the educational style of the materials. "We're showing parents exactly how you do this."
Indeed, the information on the Web site is about as concrete as you can get. If you're concerned that your child is eating too little or too much, or if you're simply not sure what counts as a serving, you can customize a pyramid to get detailed information about what and how much to feed your child based on age, gender and activity level. You'll even find kid-friendly meal and snack ideas.
Several real-life strategies are provided to help parents introduce new foods to preschoolers—a notoriously picky bunch who often stick to a beige, chicken nuggets-dominated diet. You'll find lots of tips for encouraging your child to eat a variety of vegetables, including seeing you eating and enjoying them too.
Perhaps most compelling is a section that focuses on how to talk to your preschooler about food. Unknowingly, many parents may be doing more harm than good when they coerce their kids into eating certain foods or use food as a reward, Wansink said.
In this clever section titled "phrases that help and hinder," you can learn to reframe your food discussions to be more positive. For example, instead of enforcing a clean plate rule, sample words are provided to help your child recognize when he or she is full, such as "Is your stomach still making its hungry growling noise?" Instead of using phrases that teach your child to eat for your approval or love, such as "If you do not eat one more bite, I will be mad," alternative phrases are offered to help your child try something new by pointing out the sensory qualities of food, such as "These radishes are very crunchy!"
The benefits of eating together as a family is a major focus of the initiative and ideas are offered to make family mealtime more enjoyable and less stressful, including recipes for quick, nutritious and economical meals. Sample substitutions are provided to help your preschooler eat less fat and added sugars. These "extras" can add more calories than your child needs.
After the unveiling this weekend, you can access MyPyramid for Preschoolers and related links at mypyramid.gov.
Recipe of the Day
Breakfast Pizza
This one might be fun to make with kids this weekend!
2 whole-wheat English muffins
2 free-range eggs
2 slices turkey bacon, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
4 tbsp. pizza sauce from the jar
2 tbsp. onion, minced
2 tbsp. green pepper, minced
2 tsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and turkey bacon pieces and fry for a few minutes. Add eggs and lightly scramble.
Split and toast the English Muffins. Spread 1 tbsp. of pizza sauce on each muffin half. Spoon the scrambled egg mixture evenly on each half. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until cheese is melted.
Quote of the Day
Without enthusiasm you are doomed to a life of mediocrity but with it you can accomplish miracles."
Og Mandino
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Foods that Fight Fat & Eating Quickly Leads to Obesity
Today’s Re-Powering information – Today is a double hit with an article Jamie shared from Prevention Magazine on Foods that Fight Fat and a second excerpt on how eating fast is 3 times more likely to contribute to being over fat compared to eating slow. There’s also a great apple muffin recipe from my friend Nicole in NJ (who runs an Adventure Boot Camp in my former home town) and quote of the day.
As always you can see the day’s re-powering information on the boot camp blog page with this link or by going to www.ArgyleBootCamp.com and selecting the Blog button on the left nav bar. There is a second blog for campers to communicate, share idea’s, ask questions, unite, exchange recipes, etc. Use it to your liking. http://bootcampersblog.blogspot.com/
Prevention Magazine - Foods that help fight fat, while providing your body with wonderful nourishment!
Foods That Fight Fat Over 40
Ready to get slimmer and feel younger? Add these foods to your diet and you'll gain nutrients as well as lose pounds.
By the Editors of Prevention
Boost the benefits of your workout and burn more fat, faster, with these seven smart food choices. Add them to your daily diet and you can shed about 10 pounds over the course of a year.
Water with lemon
A California study of 240 women found that dieters who replaced their sweetened drinks with water lost an average of 3 pounds more a year than those who didn't. Subjects who sipped more than 4 cups of water a day lost 2 additional pounds, compared with those who drank less.
Plus, the phosphoric acid in soda may contribute to bone loss—and osteoporosis—by changing the acid balance in your blood.
High-fiber granola bars
A small British study found that women who eat a fiber-rich, high-carb breakfast burn twice as much fat during workouts later in the day as those who eat more refined (lower-fiber) foods. Try a granola bar with at least 4 g of fiber, like Kashi, instead of the typical bar that contains just a single gram. Refined carbs spike your insulin levels, which limits your body's ability to use fat as fuel, explains Lisa Dorfman, R.D., adjunct professor at the University of Miami.
Ground flaxseed
Flaxseed is rich in fiber and healthy fats, which help stabilize blood sugar, so you're less likely to binge. Some research suggests flax can also help soothe symptoms of hormone swings because it's high in plant estrogens. Ground seeds are easier to digest. Sprinkle them over cereals, soups, or salads; add them to smoothies; or substitute 1 cup of ground flaxseed for 1/3 cup canola, corn, or other oil or shortening in muffins and cookies. Note: Lower oven temperature slightly, since baked goods brown faster with flax.
Walnuts
Instead of snacking on some chips, open up a bag of nuts: Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may keep you feeling fuller longer.
In a one-year study of people with diabetes who were following a low-fat diet, Australian researchers discovered that those who included 8 to 10 walnuts a day lost more weight and body fat. The subjects also reduced their insulin levels, which helps keep fat storage in check.
Hot sauce
Forget bland condiments. If you want to burn fat, spice things up. In a study of 36 men and women, Australian researchers found that following a spicy meal, levels of insulin—the hormone that triggers body fat storage—were lowered by as much as 32 percent. One theory:
Capsaicin, the chemical that gives chiles their fire, may improve the body's ability to clear insulin from the bloodstream after you eat, so you're more likely to burn fat following a meal spiked with chile peppers than after one that isn't packing heat.
Cinnamon
Sweeten your oatmeal or frothy coffee drinks with this sweet spice instead of sugar (which has 16 calories per teaspoon) and you can save a couple hundred calories a week, enough to shed 2 to 3 pounds in a year without doing anything else. You'll also be doing your heart a favor as protective estrogen levels decline: Pakistani researchers found that 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day could lower heart-damaging cholesterol by 18 percent and triglycerides by 30 percent.
Salmon
Just 3 ounces of canned salmon delivers 530 IU (more than the daily
value) for vitamin D and 181 mg of calcium, a power-packed nutritional combination that may be just what your waistline needs as you get older. In a 7-year study of more than 36,000 women ages 50 to 79, researchers at Kaiser Permanente found that those who took both calcium and vitamin D supplements gained less weight after menopause than those who took a placebo. Other research shows that without enough vitamin D, our appetite-regulating hormone leptin can't do its job. Other fatty fish choices include tuna, sardines and mackerel.
Provided by Prevention
End
Remember to choose the most wholesome real foods and eliminate the rest.
Article # 2. The moral of this article is eat slowly, don’t over feed and of course the same theme rings true to choose the most nourishing whole foods.
Speedy eaters seen likelier to get fat
LONDON (Reuters) - People who eat quickly until full are three times more likely to be overweight, a problem exacerbated by the availability of fast food and the decline of orderly dining habits, Japanese researchers said on Wednesday.
The findings, published in the British Medical Journal, highlight how eating styles, and not just what or how much is eaten, can contribute to an obesity epidemic fueled by the spread of Western-style affluence in many parts of the world.
The World Health Organization classifies around 400 million people as obese, 20 million of them under the age of five. The condition raises the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart problems.
For their study, Hiroyasu Iso and colleagues at Osaka University asked more 3,000 Japanese volunteers aged 30 to 69 about their eating. About half of the men and a little more than half of the women said they ate until full. About 45 percent of the men and 36 percent of the women said they ate quickly.
Those who said they ate until full and ate quickly were three times more likely to be fat than people in the "not eating until full and not eating quickly" group, the researchers found.
They cited as causes both the availability of cheap food in big portions and habits like watching television while eating.
To counteract the "supra-additive effect" of speedy or glut eating among children prone to obesity, parents should encourage them to eat slowly and in calm surroundings, the study found.
(Reporting by Michael Kahn; Editing by Dan Williams)
End
Recipe of the Day
Another seasonal delicious healthy food. Yummy!
Spiced Apple Butter Bran Muffins
These muffins are dense, grainy, fruity and delicious. A double dose of apple-diced fresh and dark, spiced apple butter makes them extra moist and flavorful.
Makes 1 dozen muffins
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unprocessed wheat bran or oat bran
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup spiced apple butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar or 1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons molasses
1 cup finely diced peeled apple
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 12 standard 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in bran.
3. Whisk egg, milk, apple butter, brown sugar (or Splenda), oil and molasses in a large bowl until blended. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Drain the raisins; add them and the diced apple to the bowl. Stir until just combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan (the cups will be very full).
4. Bake the muffins until the tops spring back when touched lightly, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per muffin: 197 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 144 mg sodium; 221 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Fiber (16% daily value).
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat
Per muffin with Splenda: 2 Carbohydrate Servings; 187 calories, 31 g carbohydrate
TIP: Wrap leftover muffins individually in plastic wrap, place in a plastic storage container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To thaw, remove plastic wrap, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on Defrost for about 2 minutes.
Quote of the Day:
"Most fears cannot withstand the test of careful scrutiny and analysis. When we expose our fears to the light of thoughtful examination they usually just evaporate."
Jack Canfield
As always you can see the day’s re-powering information on the boot camp blog page with this link or by going to www.ArgyleBootCamp.com and selecting the Blog button on the left nav bar. There is a second blog for campers to communicate, share idea’s, ask questions, unite, exchange recipes, etc. Use it to your liking. http://bootcampersblog.blogspot.com/
Prevention Magazine - Foods that help fight fat, while providing your body with wonderful nourishment!
Foods That Fight Fat Over 40
Ready to get slimmer and feel younger? Add these foods to your diet and you'll gain nutrients as well as lose pounds.
By the Editors of Prevention
Boost the benefits of your workout and burn more fat, faster, with these seven smart food choices. Add them to your daily diet and you can shed about 10 pounds over the course of a year.
Water with lemon
A California study of 240 women found that dieters who replaced their sweetened drinks with water lost an average of 3 pounds more a year than those who didn't. Subjects who sipped more than 4 cups of water a day lost 2 additional pounds, compared with those who drank less.
Plus, the phosphoric acid in soda may contribute to bone loss—and osteoporosis—by changing the acid balance in your blood.
High-fiber granola bars
A small British study found that women who eat a fiber-rich, high-carb breakfast burn twice as much fat during workouts later in the day as those who eat more refined (lower-fiber) foods. Try a granola bar with at least 4 g of fiber, like Kashi, instead of the typical bar that contains just a single gram. Refined carbs spike your insulin levels, which limits your body's ability to use fat as fuel, explains Lisa Dorfman, R.D., adjunct professor at the University of Miami.
Ground flaxseed
Flaxseed is rich in fiber and healthy fats, which help stabilize blood sugar, so you're less likely to binge. Some research suggests flax can also help soothe symptoms of hormone swings because it's high in plant estrogens. Ground seeds are easier to digest. Sprinkle them over cereals, soups, or salads; add them to smoothies; or substitute 1 cup of ground flaxseed for 1/3 cup canola, corn, or other oil or shortening in muffins and cookies. Note: Lower oven temperature slightly, since baked goods brown faster with flax.
Walnuts
Instead of snacking on some chips, open up a bag of nuts: Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may keep you feeling fuller longer.
In a one-year study of people with diabetes who were following a low-fat diet, Australian researchers discovered that those who included 8 to 10 walnuts a day lost more weight and body fat. The subjects also reduced their insulin levels, which helps keep fat storage in check.
Hot sauce
Forget bland condiments. If you want to burn fat, spice things up. In a study of 36 men and women, Australian researchers found that following a spicy meal, levels of insulin—the hormone that triggers body fat storage—were lowered by as much as 32 percent. One theory:
Capsaicin, the chemical that gives chiles their fire, may improve the body's ability to clear insulin from the bloodstream after you eat, so you're more likely to burn fat following a meal spiked with chile peppers than after one that isn't packing heat.
Cinnamon
Sweeten your oatmeal or frothy coffee drinks with this sweet spice instead of sugar (which has 16 calories per teaspoon) and you can save a couple hundred calories a week, enough to shed 2 to 3 pounds in a year without doing anything else. You'll also be doing your heart a favor as protective estrogen levels decline: Pakistani researchers found that 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day could lower heart-damaging cholesterol by 18 percent and triglycerides by 30 percent.
Salmon
Just 3 ounces of canned salmon delivers 530 IU (more than the daily
value) for vitamin D and 181 mg of calcium, a power-packed nutritional combination that may be just what your waistline needs as you get older. In a 7-year study of more than 36,000 women ages 50 to 79, researchers at Kaiser Permanente found that those who took both calcium and vitamin D supplements gained less weight after menopause than those who took a placebo. Other research shows that without enough vitamin D, our appetite-regulating hormone leptin can't do its job. Other fatty fish choices include tuna, sardines and mackerel.
Provided by Prevention
End
Remember to choose the most wholesome real foods and eliminate the rest.
Article # 2. The moral of this article is eat slowly, don’t over feed and of course the same theme rings true to choose the most nourishing whole foods.
Speedy eaters seen likelier to get fat
LONDON (Reuters) - People who eat quickly until full are three times more likely to be overweight, a problem exacerbated by the availability of fast food and the decline of orderly dining habits, Japanese researchers said on Wednesday.
The findings, published in the British Medical Journal, highlight how eating styles, and not just what or how much is eaten, can contribute to an obesity epidemic fueled by the spread of Western-style affluence in many parts of the world.
The World Health Organization classifies around 400 million people as obese, 20 million of them under the age of five. The condition raises the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart problems.
For their study, Hiroyasu Iso and colleagues at Osaka University asked more 3,000 Japanese volunteers aged 30 to 69 about their eating. About half of the men and a little more than half of the women said they ate until full. About 45 percent of the men and 36 percent of the women said they ate quickly.
Those who said they ate until full and ate quickly were three times more likely to be fat than people in the "not eating until full and not eating quickly" group, the researchers found.
They cited as causes both the availability of cheap food in big portions and habits like watching television while eating.
To counteract the "supra-additive effect" of speedy or glut eating among children prone to obesity, parents should encourage them to eat slowly and in calm surroundings, the study found.
(Reporting by Michael Kahn; Editing by Dan Williams)
End
Recipe of the Day
Another seasonal delicious healthy food. Yummy!
Spiced Apple Butter Bran Muffins
These muffins are dense, grainy, fruity and delicious. A double dose of apple-diced fresh and dark, spiced apple butter makes them extra moist and flavorful.
Makes 1 dozen muffins
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unprocessed wheat bran or oat bran
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup spiced apple butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar or 1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons molasses
1 cup finely diced peeled apple
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 12 standard 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in bran.
3. Whisk egg, milk, apple butter, brown sugar (or Splenda), oil and molasses in a large bowl until blended. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Drain the raisins; add them and the diced apple to the bowl. Stir until just combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan (the cups will be very full).
4. Bake the muffins until the tops spring back when touched lightly, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per muffin: 197 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 144 mg sodium; 221 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Fiber (16% daily value).
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat
Per muffin with Splenda: 2 Carbohydrate Servings; 187 calories, 31 g carbohydrate
TIP: Wrap leftover muffins individually in plastic wrap, place in a plastic storage container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To thaw, remove plastic wrap, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on Defrost for about 2 minutes.
Quote of the Day:
"Most fears cannot withstand the test of careful scrutiny and analysis. When we expose our fears to the light of thoughtful examination they usually just evaporate."
Jack Canfield
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Go Organic and Locally Grown
Today’s Re-Powering Information: I don’t’ think I stressed enough in this past nutrition seminar the importance of going organic. There truly is a difference in the quality and despite popular thoughts, it’s NOT more expensive to eat organic. There is a comparison at www.NaturallySavvy.com that shows the costs of eating the typical American diet compared to organic. Organic can be less. One thing I encourage is to support local farmers. There are farmers markets all around and it’s likely you drive right by them. Read the article below to find out why local is a great choice.
From the site of Dr. Mercola. . .
Locally Grown Option Best
There are several reasons why opting for locally grown produce is one of the best choices you can make. These include:
• Freshness and taste
• Wanting to keep farmland and open spaces in the community
• A desire to be close to the food source and know where it comes from
• Support of local farmers and keeping money in the community
• Increased food safety
And according to one grocery chain poll, a full 82 percent of customers said locally grown produce simply tastes better.
Not only is locally grown food tastier and healthier, but there is something about shopping for fresh foods in an open-air, social environment that just feels right. The mere act of shopping for your food in this kind of environment even tends to inspire more healthful living, as research by the Economic and Social Research Council has confirmed.
They found that people who participated in alternative food networks (which supply primarily locally grown foods), typically:
• Increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Improved their cooking skills
• Improved their knowledge about food
• Changed their behaviors in relation to other goods, such as household products and clothes
If you want to experience some of these benefits first-hand, check out this list of some great resources to obtain locally grown, wholesome food that supports not only you but also the environment.
END – I have bought produce in Bartonville town square on a Saturday and they have delicious tomatoes and green beans.
I love pumpkin and this is a great time of the year to get it. I had pumpkin soup in Chicago on Tuesday night and it’s filled with nutrients and anti-oxidants –and tastes great. This may or may not be appealing to you, but I think it’s delicious and it’s healthy!
Recipe of the Day
Pumpkin Bean Burger
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 cup BUSH'S® Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Sauce:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 hamburger buns
Directions
In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender; set aside. Mash the beans in a large bowl. Stir in the pumpkin, oats, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix in the cooked onion and garlic. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Shape the bean mixture into four patties. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Or cook in a nonstick skillet for 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown. For sauce, combine mayonnaise and ginger. Spread sauce on the buns and fill each one with a bean burger patty.
End
Have an outrageous adventurous day!
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
From the site of Dr. Mercola. . .
Locally Grown Option Best
There are several reasons why opting for locally grown produce is one of the best choices you can make. These include:
• Freshness and taste
• Wanting to keep farmland and open spaces in the community
• A desire to be close to the food source and know where it comes from
• Support of local farmers and keeping money in the community
• Increased food safety
And according to one grocery chain poll, a full 82 percent of customers said locally grown produce simply tastes better.
Not only is locally grown food tastier and healthier, but there is something about shopping for fresh foods in an open-air, social environment that just feels right. The mere act of shopping for your food in this kind of environment even tends to inspire more healthful living, as research by the Economic and Social Research Council has confirmed.
They found that people who participated in alternative food networks (which supply primarily locally grown foods), typically:
• Increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Improved their cooking skills
• Improved their knowledge about food
• Changed their behaviors in relation to other goods, such as household products and clothes
If you want to experience some of these benefits first-hand, check out this list of some great resources to obtain locally grown, wholesome food that supports not only you but also the environment.
END – I have bought produce in Bartonville town square on a Saturday and they have delicious tomatoes and green beans.
I love pumpkin and this is a great time of the year to get it. I had pumpkin soup in Chicago on Tuesday night and it’s filled with nutrients and anti-oxidants –and tastes great. This may or may not be appealing to you, but I think it’s delicious and it’s healthy!
Recipe of the Day
Pumpkin Bean Burger
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 cup BUSH'S® Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Sauce:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 hamburger buns
Directions
In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender; set aside. Mash the beans in a large bowl. Stir in the pumpkin, oats, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix in the cooked onion and garlic. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Shape the bean mixture into four patties. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Or cook in a nonstick skillet for 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown. For sauce, combine mayonnaise and ginger. Spread sauce on the buns and fill each one with a bean burger patty.
End
Have an outrageous adventurous day!
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Fighting Urges, Curbing your Appetite, Positive Change
Today’s Re-Powering Information: - Today I am sharing an article from one of my friends Dr. Kara Mohr who is the countries leading authority on the behaviors of weight loss. Prevention Magazine has appointed her the countries # 1 Weight Loss Councelor and she runs an Adventure Boot Camp with her husband (and a former employee of mine from NJ) Dr. Chris Mohr who is one of the countries leading nutritionists and Under Armor sponsored advisor. In this article Kara speaks about resisting urges and getting past patterns we have established which lead to poor outcomes. The great news is that we are in control of our thoughts and actions and at any time we can create new habits and bring about amazing change. Kara helps you to identify your triggers for over eating and making destructive choices and gives you practical tips to bring about positive change.
Curb That Urge!
Kara I. Gallagher, Ph.D., FACSM
www.MohrResults.com
During the course of a day do you find yourself battling to make healthy choices? Urges are common things we all face..the urge to skip a workout, the urge to stop for fast food instead of preparing a healthy meal, the urge to snack when you are not hungry, etc. However, you do not have to be at the mercy of these urges. In fact, you can overcome these urges and gain control of your eating and exercise behaviors. There is no better time to learn how to do this then summertime. Why? Because the key to overcoming urges is to learn how to URGE SURF.
The first lesson in learning how to effectively surf is to understand how urges work. Urges can be compared to ocean waves: they start small, build in intensity and height, but once they peak, they decrease in intensity and force until they dissipate completely. In Figure 1 we see 5 different urges all with differing lengths and degrees of intensity. Let's first examine Urge 2 which is shown in red.
The urge starts out gradually and may begin as merely a passing thought. For example, you may become bored and remember you purchased a package of cookies at the store. As time continues the urge becomes stronger. At this point, you may continue to think about the cookies even though you are not hungry. The urge worsens when you imagine where the cookies are located in the kitchen, whether you should drink a class of milk with the cookies, etc. You may tell yourself, "I am really craving these cookies, I'll just have one." Whether or not you have one or more cookies will depend on a number of factors. However, the point is that what started as a mere thought, leads to a scenario where you crave (and eventually eat) cookies when you are not hungry; a behavior sure to sabotage any weight management program. So how do you handle this?
Urges will go away one of two ways: you either give in to the urge (an easy choice), or you ride the urge out (a little more difficult to do). Keep in mind that urges will go away even if you do nothing at all. However, the choices you make when you experience an urge will dictate the intensity of future urges. If you elect to give in, the urge will most likely come back, and when it does, the urge may be even stronger than it was the first time you experienced it. If you refer back to Figure 1, Urge 1 is an example of what might happen the next time a person experiences an urge to eat something when he or she isn't hungry. Notice that the intensity of the urge is greater and it lasts longer. This pattern continues making it more difficult to resist each time.
An easy way to picture this is to think of a child who is crying for candy in the grocery store. If you give in, and give the child the candy he will stop crying and you can save yourself the embarrassment of creating a scene in the store. However, the next time you are at the grocery store the child will most likely cry again, because he realizes if he cries long and hard enough you will eventually succumb to his demands. While initially giving in to the child seems like a fast and painless solution, it ultimately creates a bigger problem long-term. If you continually give in you begin to reward and shape an unwanted behavior.
The alternative is to not give in to the child who is crying, despite the temper tantrum being thrown in the check-out aisle and the judging stares by the other shoppers. By saying no, the child will learn that he can't expect candy every time he is in the grocery store, and over time, not only will he NOT create a scene, but he may even no longer ask. Notice Urges 3-5 on Figure 1. Over time, (if you do not give in) urges become weaker and occur less frequently, making it easier and easier to say 'no' to the unwanted behavior. The goal then is to ride out the urge wave using behavioral strategies (i.e. your surfing technique).
First, identify your triggers (situations, places or foods that make you want to eat when you are not hungry). These can include the following:
• Watching TV
• Keeping tempting food at home
• Having a stressful day at home or work
• Having food in your desk
• Hanging out in the kitchen
• Sitting at the dining room table after you have finished eating
• Meeting friends or coworkers for drinks
• Unpacking groceries
• Making the kids' lunches at night
Triggers are different for every person, and depending on the specific trigger the urge may be fairly weak or extremely strong. Take some time and list your personal triggers, noting specifically how strong of an urge you experience with each trigger. Then make a plan.
You have several options for overcoming urges. When creating your plan, the easiest approach is to avoid your triggers altogether. For example, if the trigger is having tempting food in the house, get rid of it or store it in a less accessible location such as the freezer. Keep food in a coworker's desk or another location. Have someone else unpack the groceries or make the kids' lunches, etc. However, sometimes you may find avoiding the trigger is impossible. All of us would probably prefer to avoid a stressful day, but that is not always within our control. In these situations then, the goal is ride the urge out, knowing it will ultimately go away.
SUBSTITUTE another activity
If you normally respond to your trigger by eating, find a substitute activity instead:
• Stressful day? Rather than grab the first thing from the vending machine, take a 5 minute break to unwind. Close your eyes, take several deep breaths, and refocus. Eating is not something that will take the stressor away, so be careful of using food in an attempt to forget the tension. Instead, use this opportunity to identify practical solutions to dealing with the stress.
• Instead of eating while watching TV, do some calisthenics or stretching exercises. If you have exercise equipment, use it.
• Catch up on your correspondence. Instead of eating when you are not hungry, email, call or write a letter to a friend.
• Drink unsweetened green tea, or chew sugarless gum while you work instead of snacking.
• Ladies, pamper yourself with a mini-manicure. If you normally snack in the evening, paint your fingernails. It makes it more difficult to snack with wet nails, and by the time your nails have dried, the urge most likely will have passed.
• Do you have photographs to organize, closets to rearrange, old clothes to pack up for charity? Use activities like these to distract you when the urge hits. The bonus is that little chores you may have been putting off finally get accomplished, and you maintain your healthful eating habits!
• Take a bath, listen to music you enjoy or leave the house and go for a walk if the urge to eat is strongest in the evening. Try to determine substitute activities that are incompatible with eating, to have the strongest chance at success.
Find an ALTERNATIVE solution
You may find that your biggest trigger is the habit of snacking when you are not hungry. For example, you snack in the evening just because, or you snack at work because you are bored, etc. Finding alternative routines can help to overcome urges you experience. To do this, you need to identify the normal routine and then disrupt it slightly.
• If you become bored or tired in the afternoon at work or home, make a list of future projects you would like to accomplish and develop 1-2 strategies for completing these. These can be personal or professional goals, but either way, goal-setting allows you to focus on the direction you are headed rather than the habits you are currently 'stuck' in.
• Instead of walking straight into the kitchen after work, go to another room. Organize your things from the day, sort through the mail, go to the computer and check e-mail, etc. Create a different routine that does not lead to snacking.
When in Doubt, DELAY!
If all else fails, delay. Tell yourself you will not act on the urge for at least 15 minutes. However, you must find some other activity to distract you. The worst way to tame an urge is to have a watch in one hand, fork in the other, staring down the chocolate cake for 15 minutes! This is a sure fire way to give right in to temptation! If in 15 minutes, you still feel like giving in, wait another 10 minutes. By waiting, not only are you riding the urge out, you also have the opportunity to reflect on whether this is really an urge you wish to give in to. You may find that you decide your commitment to healthier eating and exercise behaviors is more important than any piece of chocolate cake!
Enjoy today!
Curb That Urge!
Kara I. Gallagher, Ph.D., FACSM
www.MohrResults.com
During the course of a day do you find yourself battling to make healthy choices? Urges are common things we all face..the urge to skip a workout, the urge to stop for fast food instead of preparing a healthy meal, the urge to snack when you are not hungry, etc. However, you do not have to be at the mercy of these urges. In fact, you can overcome these urges and gain control of your eating and exercise behaviors. There is no better time to learn how to do this then summertime. Why? Because the key to overcoming urges is to learn how to URGE SURF.
The first lesson in learning how to effectively surf is to understand how urges work. Urges can be compared to ocean waves: they start small, build in intensity and height, but once they peak, they decrease in intensity and force until they dissipate completely. In Figure 1 we see 5 different urges all with differing lengths and degrees of intensity. Let's first examine Urge 2 which is shown in red.
The urge starts out gradually and may begin as merely a passing thought. For example, you may become bored and remember you purchased a package of cookies at the store. As time continues the urge becomes stronger. At this point, you may continue to think about the cookies even though you are not hungry. The urge worsens when you imagine where the cookies are located in the kitchen, whether you should drink a class of milk with the cookies, etc. You may tell yourself, "I am really craving these cookies, I'll just have one." Whether or not you have one or more cookies will depend on a number of factors. However, the point is that what started as a mere thought, leads to a scenario where you crave (and eventually eat) cookies when you are not hungry; a behavior sure to sabotage any weight management program. So how do you handle this?
Urges will go away one of two ways: you either give in to the urge (an easy choice), or you ride the urge out (a little more difficult to do). Keep in mind that urges will go away even if you do nothing at all. However, the choices you make when you experience an urge will dictate the intensity of future urges. If you elect to give in, the urge will most likely come back, and when it does, the urge may be even stronger than it was the first time you experienced it. If you refer back to Figure 1, Urge 1 is an example of what might happen the next time a person experiences an urge to eat something when he or she isn't hungry. Notice that the intensity of the urge is greater and it lasts longer. This pattern continues making it more difficult to resist each time.
An easy way to picture this is to think of a child who is crying for candy in the grocery store. If you give in, and give the child the candy he will stop crying and you can save yourself the embarrassment of creating a scene in the store. However, the next time you are at the grocery store the child will most likely cry again, because he realizes if he cries long and hard enough you will eventually succumb to his demands. While initially giving in to the child seems like a fast and painless solution, it ultimately creates a bigger problem long-term. If you continually give in you begin to reward and shape an unwanted behavior.
The alternative is to not give in to the child who is crying, despite the temper tantrum being thrown in the check-out aisle and the judging stares by the other shoppers. By saying no, the child will learn that he can't expect candy every time he is in the grocery store, and over time, not only will he NOT create a scene, but he may even no longer ask. Notice Urges 3-5 on Figure 1. Over time, (if you do not give in) urges become weaker and occur less frequently, making it easier and easier to say 'no' to the unwanted behavior. The goal then is to ride out the urge wave using behavioral strategies (i.e. your surfing technique).
First, identify your triggers (situations, places or foods that make you want to eat when you are not hungry). These can include the following:
• Watching TV
• Keeping tempting food at home
• Having a stressful day at home or work
• Having food in your desk
• Hanging out in the kitchen
• Sitting at the dining room table after you have finished eating
• Meeting friends or coworkers for drinks
• Unpacking groceries
• Making the kids' lunches at night
Triggers are different for every person, and depending on the specific trigger the urge may be fairly weak or extremely strong. Take some time and list your personal triggers, noting specifically how strong of an urge you experience with each trigger. Then make a plan.
You have several options for overcoming urges. When creating your plan, the easiest approach is to avoid your triggers altogether. For example, if the trigger is having tempting food in the house, get rid of it or store it in a less accessible location such as the freezer. Keep food in a coworker's desk or another location. Have someone else unpack the groceries or make the kids' lunches, etc. However, sometimes you may find avoiding the trigger is impossible. All of us would probably prefer to avoid a stressful day, but that is not always within our control. In these situations then, the goal is ride the urge out, knowing it will ultimately go away.
SUBSTITUTE another activity
If you normally respond to your trigger by eating, find a substitute activity instead:
• Stressful day? Rather than grab the first thing from the vending machine, take a 5 minute break to unwind. Close your eyes, take several deep breaths, and refocus. Eating is not something that will take the stressor away, so be careful of using food in an attempt to forget the tension. Instead, use this opportunity to identify practical solutions to dealing with the stress.
• Instead of eating while watching TV, do some calisthenics or stretching exercises. If you have exercise equipment, use it.
• Catch up on your correspondence. Instead of eating when you are not hungry, email, call or write a letter to a friend.
• Drink unsweetened green tea, or chew sugarless gum while you work instead of snacking.
• Ladies, pamper yourself with a mini-manicure. If you normally snack in the evening, paint your fingernails. It makes it more difficult to snack with wet nails, and by the time your nails have dried, the urge most likely will have passed.
• Do you have photographs to organize, closets to rearrange, old clothes to pack up for charity? Use activities like these to distract you when the urge hits. The bonus is that little chores you may have been putting off finally get accomplished, and you maintain your healthful eating habits!
• Take a bath, listen to music you enjoy or leave the house and go for a walk if the urge to eat is strongest in the evening. Try to determine substitute activities that are incompatible with eating, to have the strongest chance at success.
Find an ALTERNATIVE solution
You may find that your biggest trigger is the habit of snacking when you are not hungry. For example, you snack in the evening just because, or you snack at work because you are bored, etc. Finding alternative routines can help to overcome urges you experience. To do this, you need to identify the normal routine and then disrupt it slightly.
• If you become bored or tired in the afternoon at work or home, make a list of future projects you would like to accomplish and develop 1-2 strategies for completing these. These can be personal or professional goals, but either way, goal-setting allows you to focus on the direction you are headed rather than the habits you are currently 'stuck' in.
• Instead of walking straight into the kitchen after work, go to another room. Organize your things from the day, sort through the mail, go to the computer and check e-mail, etc. Create a different routine that does not lead to snacking.
When in Doubt, DELAY!
If all else fails, delay. Tell yourself you will not act on the urge for at least 15 minutes. However, you must find some other activity to distract you. The worst way to tame an urge is to have a watch in one hand, fork in the other, staring down the chocolate cake for 15 minutes! This is a sure fire way to give right in to temptation! If in 15 minutes, you still feel like giving in, wait another 10 minutes. By waiting, not only are you riding the urge out, you also have the opportunity to reflect on whether this is really an urge you wish to give in to. You may find that you decide your commitment to healthier eating and exercise behaviors is more important than any piece of chocolate cake!
Enjoy today!
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