Keeping your brain in the game

When I notice challenge participants falling off on entering their numbers I always feel a little sad. I know it’s hard—there is so much of living a healthy life that requires keeping your head in the game. I don’t think any of us DECIDE to go back to making unhealthy choices so that we can feel crumby. Life just gets in the way and we lose our focus. So I would like to invite ALL of us  to get our head back in the game. No matter how you have done thus far in this round of competition you still have an opportunity to spend the next 2 weeks making healthy choices that will bless your life. 

Here are some ideas of how to get or keep your head in the game and maintain healthy habits 

1. Distract yourself for a few minutes

When a craving crops up (must have that cheese pizza now), you don’t have to pick up your phone and place an order for delivery. Instead, quash it by doing something else. In a recent study published in the journal Appetite, participants viewed a menu of yummy-sounding foods in order to pique temptation. Those who moved onto a distracting activity—playing Tetris for three minutes or solving a puzzle—experienced fewer cravings and were more likely to choose fruit as a snack or a non-food reward over chocolate or candy compared to a control group. Distraction interrupts images in your head of these crave-worthy foods, so, well…you forget about them. You know the sure way to distract yourself: singing along with a favorite song, doing a quick chore that makes you feel accomplished, calling a friend, putting on some make up. Heck it would be fun to buy a fun puzzle JUST to use when you needed a distraction from unhealthy choices. Choose something you enjoy that will interrupt your thoughts of poor food choices.

2. Forget the “D” word

That’s “diet.” People who are naturally slim don’t diet, say researchers at the Cornell Food and Brand Lab who have created the Global Health Weight Registry. In their study of nearly 150 participants, 74 percent said they never or rarely dieted. That doesn’t mean that they woke up to doughnuts and ended the day with a double scoop of mint fudge, because most of them said they paid attention to their eating habits. But rather that making daily healthy choices became a way of life instead of something they endured for a certain length of time. 

3. Call out your emotions

You reward yourself with a slice of pie for a job well done. Likewise, when you’re stressed to the max, mindless snacking takes over, and soon the sleeve of cookies is gone. In a survey by Orlando Health in late 2015, 31 percent of Americans said that diet and exercise was “the biggest barrier to weight loss” but only 10 percent said psychological factors played a role. But the truth is, we eat for many emotional reasons, and to lose weight you have to understand the why behind what you’re eating and begin to find solutions other than food to meet these emotional needs. My daughter (the dietician) suggests that parents begin when their children are young to use rewards other than food to celebrate or meet emotional needs. You did well on your test- family bike ride. You are sad your friend let you down- snuggle with a favorite blanket and book. You feel overwhelmed with responsibilities- go for a walk with a friend. You might want to make a list of soothing, uplifting, enjoyable NON-food things to turn to when you need to. 

4. Imagine your success

Does snacking get in the way of your weight loss goals because the bag of chips is just too hard to resist? Try Functional Imagery Training (FIT), developed by researchers at Plymouth University in the UK, a new strategy where you imagine your health and weight loss goals in a vivid way (e.g. focusing on the immediate benefits of feeling good and recalling past triumphs where you said ‘no’ to that cupcake at work, imagine being proud of a weigh in at the doctor's office or happy about how your new jeans fit), which ultimately kicks the craving out of your brain and keeps you motivated. In a 2016 study, people who attended a session of FIT ate fewer junky snacks over the next two weeks compared to another group who started the trial later. By the end of the trial, both groups had cleaned up their snacking habits. Score!

5. Get health amnesia

Before you sit down to the table (please tell us you’re sitting down when eating!), ignore all thoughts of “that quinoa is good for me” or “that avocado has healthy fats!” Rather, eat to relish in the taste. In a study published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, researchers discovered that people who think of a food as healthy also judge it as less filling—and then they scarf a bigger portion while still feeling hungry after. The fix? Think about how your meal is going to provide nourishment for your body and that satisfied feeling will return.

6. Instagram the deliciousness

Posting a pic on social media can help you enjoy your food more, per 2016 research in the Journal of Consumer Marketing. It’s the momentary delay between snapping a pic and digging in that tells your brain, “hey, you’re about to eat something special.” And yep, it works with more than just the burger and fries. Filling your social media accounts with like-minded healthy folks and sharing those snapshots of your salmon fillet and roasted Brussels sprouts can make them seem all the more tasty. These social media habits can help with your weight loss. 

7. Tell the world

When I was training for the one and only marathon I ran, one of the strategies I heard was to "Claim it and proclaim it". In other words I wasn't to think or say "I'm thinking about maybe preparing for a marathon" but instead was to make it real by sharing loud and wide "I am running in a marathon on June 27 in Minnesota. I'm training for it now and my daughter and I are running it together." Something about saying it out loud to those you care about makes it all more real and all the more difficult to let it slip by the wayside as a dream that never happened. And yes this one worked for me. When you share your healthy living goals with those you care about and show a real passion and intensity about accomplishing things you will find not only do they admire your resolve they will lean in to help you make it happen. 

So what is our healthy living challenge for this week?

Choose a "Keep your brain in the game" strategy listed here or any of your own - one for each day this week to strengthen your resolve to make healthy choices. 

Get some ZZZZZ's

 

I feel bad that the challenges seem to be revolving around my slow recovery from major surgery but alas it is all consuming to me right now. One of my big challenges right now is getting good sleep.Sleep not only helps in healing it plays a big part in maintaining a healthy weight. A U.S. study looking at sleep, metabolism and eating habits of men and women-Researchers at the University of Colorado found that when subjects came up short on sleep, they experienced almost immediate weight gain. As reported by the The New York Times reports, the study, published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found fast weight gain among the sleep-deprived regardless of gender.

       In the abstract, researchers note, "Our findings suggest that increased food intake during insufficient sleep is a physiological adaptation to provide energy needed to sustain additional wakefulness; yet when food is easily accessible, intake surpasses that needed." Wright suggested part of those extra pounds was a product of behavioral changes. “We found that when people weren’t getting enough sleep they overate carbohydrates,”. He added that  part of the change was behavioral. Staying up late and skimping on sleep led to not only more eating, but a shift in the type of foods a person consumed.

       Night owls managed to consume 6 per cent more calories. But once they started sleeping more, they began eating more healthfully, consuming fewer carbohydrates and fats.

       I think a lot of it can be caused when we are confused by our body signals. We are sleepy or cranky or worn out so we reach for a comfort food for a quick dose of energy. Later (feeling low energy from lack of sleep and nutritionless carbohydrates) we skip the gym and pick up takeout for dinner-- no time to cook.

       Additional problems are explained by Michael Breus, PhD, author of Beauty Sleep and the clinical director of the sleep division for Arrowhead Health in Glendale, Arizona, “It’s not so much that if you sleep, you will lose weight, but if you are sleep-deprived, meaning that you are not getting enough minutes of sleep or good quality sleep, your metabolism will not function properly.” 

       The two hormones that are key in this process are ghrelin and leptin. “Ghrelin is the ‘go’ hormone that tells you when to eat, and when you are sleep-deprived, you have more ghrelin,” Breus says. “Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating, and when you are sleep deprived, you have less leptin.” More ghrelin plus less leptin equals weight gain. “You are eating more, plus your metabolism is slower when you are sleep-deprived,” Breus says.

Ackk so what does all of this news have to do with our challenge for this week?

For every day you do at least 3 things to contribute to getting a good night’s sleep you can claim your 5 points from the Weekly Challenge. (They can be the same 3 things each day- find what works for you) Ideas would include:

1. Clean your bedroom. Fresh linens, a beautifully made bed, a tidy end table, a cleared off dresser top, adorned with a favorite photo or fresh flowers- All of these help your bedroom to be a lovely and peaceful place that invites relaxation that contributes to sleep. Your bedroom should be a relaxing sanctuary. Every day that you take some steps toward this goal you can claim the bonus points. 

2. Cut out the Caffeine- Caffeine (found in tea, coffee, sodas and some over the counter medications) can stay in your system as long as 14 hours, increases the number of times you awaken at night and decreases the total amount of sleep time. This may subsequently affect daytime anxiety and performance. Cut out the caffeine for bonus points. 

3. Avoid working, eating, and discussing emotional issues in bed (I have a rule for my hubby that nothing stressful can be spoken of after 9:00 pm) The bed should be used for sleep and sex only. If not, we can associate the bed with other activities and it often becomes difficult to fall asleep.

4. Minimize noise, light, and temperature extremes during sleep with ear plugs, window blinds, or an electric blanket or air conditioner. Even the slightest nighttime noises or luminescent lights can disrupt the quality of your sleep. I can’t tell you how getting blackout curtains and shutters have increased the time I am able to stay asleep. I even have electrical tape over the small lights on my bedside modem.

5. Try not to drink fluids after 8 p.m. This may reduce awakenings due to a need to urinate. 

6. Avoid naps, but if you do nap, make it no more than about 25 minutes. If you have problems falling asleep, then no naps for you.

7. Do not expose yourself to bright light if you do need to get up at night. Use a small night-light instead. I bought a motion activated night-light (on amazon) that turns on if I do need to walk in the bathroom at night and it is much calmer and more subtle than switching on the full overhead lights.

8. Avoid the light of televisions and computers late at night. Many devices have a nighttime mode that can be set for the evening hours.

9. Consider some natural help aids. Certain herbal teas can help you relax and fall asleep. Chamomile is a popular tea that slows the nervous system and promotes relaxation. A new tea I’ve discovered is Yogi Soothing Caramel Bedtime - yum.  Other liquids, such as a small glass of warm milk, may also help. Melatonin (my favorite is Source Naturals Melatonin 1 mg. peppermint flavored sublingual also available from amazon helps many people sleep (though it can cause vivid and sometimes scary dreams). Essential oils can also have great power to aid your sleep. I love Lavender on my pillowcase, Doterra’s Serenity rubbed on the back of my neck and a drop of Clary Sage (Also Doterra) on my tongue. ZZZZZZZZZZ!! As always check with your health professional before trying natural remedies.

10. Take control of your worries. Most of us lead very stressful lives. Stress, surprises, and changes can take a toll on our sleep habits. I often find myself going over, over and over the same worries somehow thinking if I think about it long enough, an easy solution is going to somehow pop up. One way to decrease this endless cycle of worry before bed is to write down your concerns in a journal and close the book on the day. You might even want to note a specific time the following day that you will worry about those things you have listed.

10. If you must get up make it as quick and stress free as possible- I know some of you are young mothers with children that you still may need to get up with during the night. If you are getting up to change a diaper or give hugs and reassurance make sure the diaper and wipes and anything else needed are set out and ready the night before. If you are getting up to nurse or give a bottle likewise have things as ready as possible. Set your favorite cozy blanket in your favorite cozy chair. Have diapering items set out. If you want a cup of tea while nursing have the tea bag and cup set out and the tea pot full of water ready to switch on. Plan ahead to minimize any chores you must do during the night so that things are as quick, easy and relaxing as possible.

11. Create a bedtime ritual. It is calming to do the same things each night to signal your body it's time to wind down. This might include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music — preferably with the lights dimmed. Relaxing activities can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness. I have found great calming by listening to meditation CD’s and particularly like those guided by Stin Hansen. She shares several free ones at http://www.mythoughtcoach.com

12. Get comfortable. Sleeping clothes should be loose and comfortable and sheets should be fresh and clean. Your mattress and pillows should be those you find the coziest and most comfortable. Do you need any upgrades to sleeping clothes or bedding?

13. Avoid the snooze alarm. You might be surprised that I have NEVER hit snooze in my entire life. The reason? I set my alarm for the last possible moment I can rise and meet my daily obligations. Why would I want to get up any earlier than that? I surprised a friend recently when I shared that on the mornings I work at the temple I get up just 10 minutes before I walk out the door. The trick to being able to do that is my before bed preparation. Before I retire for the night my temple bag is packed and on the kitchen table with my purse, my breakfast bar and my water bottle. In my bathroom my dress, underclothing and shoes are selected and set out. I shower and wash and dry my hair right before bed. I get up, use the bathroom, quickly flat iron my hair and put on a couple of swipes of make up. Pull dress over my head, step into my shoes, grab my items from the table and I’m out the door. Now why would I set my alarm for 30 minutes before I leave and disturb my sleep in the morning by hitting snooze, then hitting snooze then hitting snooze until I REALLY need to get up. I set the alarm for when I REALLY need to get up.

So ladies if you choose at least one method to try to improve your sleep each day this week you can  claim the daily bonus points! 

Protein

As you can imagine life at my house post-total left knee replacement is all about healing. Stretching, icing, elevating, and eating those things that will best help the body heal. 

Whether it is after surgery or injury or just in our every day lives protein is the backbone of healing and healthy tissue 

Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the human body, making up about 16 percent of our total body weight. Muscle, hair, skin, and connective tissue are mainly made up of protein. 

Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids. Our bodies can manufacture most of the needed amino acids, but nine of them must be gotten from our diets. Animal proteins such as meat, eggs, and dairy products have all the amino acids, and many plants have some of them.

It is important to remember when you are cutting calories in order to lose weight that you should NOT cut back on protein foods. Instead, start by cutting out empty calories such as sweets and sweetened beverages. Next, cut way back on fried foods. If you're still looking for calories to cut, scale down your portions of bread, pasta, cereals, and other grain-based foods.  

One reason that we want to make sure we are taking in adequate protein when we try to lose weight is that we want to lose extra fat rather than muscle tissue.  In a recent study researchers wanted to see if increasing the amount of protein in the diet might protect against muscle loss during weight loss. And it turns out, it does!

For the study they divided a bunch of overweight people into three groups. One group ate the recommended Daily Allowance for protein, which amounts to about 10% of calories, or 50g per day. The second group ate twice that much and a third group ate 3 times that much.  All of these diets, by the way, fell within the Institute of Medicine's acceptable range of 10-35% of calories from protein.

Then, the researchers put all three groups on a calorie-restricted diet (where each group ate different percentages of protein but ate an equal low total amounts of calories) The results showed that all 3 groups lost about the same amount of weight--approximately 2 pounds a week. But there was one big difference....

The group that ate 20% of their calories from protein(which translates to about 100 grams or approximately 3/4 of a gram per pound of body weight) lost less muscle and more fat than the group eating half that much. 

This means that more of that hard won weight loss was actually due to fat loss. Also more muscle tissue is left behind to burn up calories, making that weight loss easier to maintain. But there is no need to go over board! The group that was eating the most protein (30% of calories) didn't do any better than the folks in the middle group.

So the question is are we eating sufficient amounts of protein daily?

Calculate Protein Needs

To determine your daily protein needs, you must first know your weight in kg. To convert your body weight into kg, simply divide your weight in lb by 2.2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight for healthy individuals. If you are under stress or moderately to vigorously active, use a number between 1.1 and 1.8 per day. To calculate your protein needs, multiply your weight in kg by the number of g of protein you require each day. For example, if you are a healthy individual and weigh 70 kg, your protein needs would be 56 g of protein per day. If you are moderately active and weight 85 kg, you need 99 g of protein daily.

And did you know you can customize your myfitnesspal? 

To change what nutrients are tracked: Go to settings/ click on diary settings/ click on change and you can track the nutrients you are concerned about 

To change what number you are attempting to reach in any nutrient category: go to Home/ click on Goals/ Click on Change Goals

So you have probably guessed that our challenge for this week is:

1. Calculate how many grams of protein you should be eating per day.

2. Adjust myfitnesspal if needed to track you toward that number

3. For every day that you eat adequate protein you earn the daily 5 challenge points

You might want to look over our previous weeks and see if you generally eat enough protein. I eat very little meat so I fall short most days. I guess that’s why I chose this challenge. If you always get enough and will automatically earn the points this week you might want to unofficially challenge yourself to get the adequate amounts in another nutrient category.

Put the lime in the coconut and drink it all up

I was shocked when my husband casually mentioned the other day that he needed to have some spots from a lung x-ray checked. WHAT? He had a bad accident skiing last year (hit by an out of control skier) and when they viewed his x-rays at the hospital they mentioned these spots on the x-rays and that he should have the checked in the future. Of course I forced him to immediately get them checked out and fortunately the results was "they are probably nothing- follow up in a year."

We are blessed to live in a time with more advanced medical procedures, diagnosis tools and treatments than ever before in history but they only bless your lives if you use them. 

Our first line of defense is usually regular check-ups (Family doctor, OB-GYN, Optometrist etc ) These regularly scheduled exams can help find potential health issues before they become a serious problem. When you see your doctor regularly, they are able to detect health conditions or diseases early. Early detection gives you the best chance for getting the right treatment quickly, avoiding any complications. By getting the correct health services, screenings, and treatment you are taking important steps toward living a longer, healthier life.

The benefits of regular check-ups include:

• Reduce your risk of getting sick
• Detect potentially life-threatening health conditions or diseases early
• Increase chances for treatment and cure
• Limit risk of complications by closely monitoring existing conditions
• Increase lifespan and improve health
• Reduce healthcare costs over time by avoiding costly medical services
• Form a good partnership with the doctor so treatment can be more efficient and so you can obtain appointments in a timely manner when needed
• Get updated on new medical information or technologies that are available

Preventive health screening checklist for adults

• Annual well-visit (annually)
  • Family history
  • Blood pressure
  • Body mass index (BMI)
  • Physical exam
  • Preventive screening
  • Counseling
• Cancer screenings (as recommended)
  • Colorectal
  • Skin
  • Breast (women)
  • Cervical (women)
  • Testicular and Prostate (men)
• Sensory screenings
  • Eyesight
  • Hearing (only if symptoms arise)
• Immunizations
• Tetanus, Diptheria (Tdap)
• Influenza
• Pneumococcal
• MMR
• Meningococcal
• Varicella
• Shingles
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Haemophilus Influenza Type B

Our challenge for this week is to do something that needs to be done. Either schedule a doctor's appointment or screening that you have been putting off scheduling, or follow through on advice you received in a previous appointment that you have not taken action on. (Note you don't have to actually attend the doctor's appointment this week. Just schedule it. Most doctors are backed up for several weeks or you may need to save funds for the appointment  You don't have to go this week- just get it on the books.) When you do either of these things you qualify for the weekly 35 bonus points,