by Lucy | Jan 11, 2016 | Motivational Mondays
What we learn with pleasure we never forget. -Alfred Mercier
How confident and competent you feel in doing a task will determine how easy or hard that task is for you.
Maybe you’re thinking, “Okay… What does that mean?!”
For our health, it’s less important that we require ourselves to learn all new techniques to eat well and lose weight. Instead let’s focus on becoming more confident in what we already know.
We know fruits and vegetables are good for us. We know eating out too often will probably not help us achieve our weight-loss and fitness goals. We know the recommendations include at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days.
The more confident you feel in any task depends on how easy it is for you to engage in said activity. Whether it is exercise, cooking, making healthy food choices or playing a sport – it’s likely we are less apprehensive if it feels “normal”.
A few tips to make it easy:
1. Put together a plan. Each week I plot out a few simple breakfast ideas and prepare at least 1-2 dishes for quick dinner-fixes.
2. Put it on the calendar. You’ve likely heard it before, but scheduling your exercise will greatly increase the chance you will get it done.
3. Keep healthy food handy. There are always apples, oranges and salad greens in my refrigerator. This means I have healthy snacks to take on my next adventure and the base of a colorful meal (because any leftovers on top of salad greens = delicious!).
Food for thought:
How confident do you feel in your health and wellness choices?
What is one thing you can do this week to make it easy?
by Lucy | Jan 4, 2016 | Motivational Mondays
While listening to a mindful eating podcast I heard a fantastic message and I wanted to share it with you today.
After eating we should not feel tired and lethargic because our food is fuel.
If you find yourself sleepy or low on energy after a meal it’s important to remember that the purpose of eating is to energize us.
From personal experience I find after a full meal I need to relax for about half an hour. This is is reasonable, after all, we are not supposed to swim for at least 30 minutes after eating, right? Hehe ;-).
Here’s another perspective on approaching mindful eating from the
podcast mentioned above – briefly written out and a link to the podcast in case you’d like to listen to the whole experience shared by
Chel Hamilton.
Picture yourself in a banquet hall looking at a table full of food. This food piled up on the table is everything you’ve eaten for the past year… Somethings you feel proud of because there are healthy choices on the table! Others maybe you wish you hadn’t eaten.
Now is your chance, start to take off those foods that didn’t fuel your body and put them in the trashcan. When you come across those delicious brownies or Philly cheesesteak I don’t want you to feel obligated to throw the whole thing away, but instead keep a small serving of that delectable food. There’s always room for our favorites even if they’re not “healthy.” Once you’ve cleared off the table take a survey of what is left. Notice if there’s anything missing, maybe you don’t see any fruit or it’s lacking lean protein sources? Fill in the empty spots with whole food choices (things that appear as close to their natural state as possible).
There’s more to this exercise in
the podcast and I hope you’ll check it out!
Food for thought:
What is on your table? Does it look as colorful and delicious as you would like?
Are there less healthy options crowding out space for more nutritious choices? We all have the chance to set a new table this year. How would you like yours to look?
by Lucy | Dec 28, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
“Good resolutions are like babies crying in church. They should be carried out immediately.” ― Charles M. Sheldon
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| I’m not going to ask you what your New Year’s resolution is. If you do one, that is fabulous!
Last week I got to thinking we might be better off making a daily or weekly resolution instead. After a particularly gluttonous Christmas celebration (part 1 of 3), I woke up not sure exactly how to get myself back on the wagon.
It occurred to me, as a dietitian, this must be even harder for everyone who did not study nutrition. |
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| To me, a daily or weekly resolution makes more sense because it gives you the chance to be flexible and realistic with your goals. A few examples or ideas include (but are not limited to):
1. Today I will get rid of all the trigger foods in my home. Whether that is the dinner rolls, leftover chips and snack foods or something sugary there is bound to be a neighbor, coworker or friend who can take care of those foods you find yourself mindlessly munching on.
2. This week I will only have one dessert. The other days, try a sweet replacement such as a small bowl of fruit, light yogurt or handful of nuts.
3. This week I will go to the gym for a group fitness class, weight training or aerobic exercise at least three times.
4. Today I will eat five servings of fruits and vegetables.
5. This week I will cook at home for 80% of my meals. Limiting restaurant or fast food to 4 meals (including a quick stop at the coffee shop for a latte and muffin!).
Food for thought:
It’s easy to get wrapped up and overwhelmed by our big goals such as losing the 20 pounds, getting wash-board abs, spending more quality time with our family or finishing the last few requirements for an undergraduate program.
Instead, let’s focus on what we can do this week or just today. Then when you have succeeded, take a moment to celebrate. |
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by Lucy | Dec 21, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. Wishing you happiness.” – Helen Keller
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It’s joyful! It’s merry! It’s full of excitement!
Sometimes the holidays can also feel overwhelming and stressful.
This crazy time of year often leads to less healthy actions – including my third trip to the Christmas cookie collection in the freezer last weekend. Or else we are too busy to take care of ourselves.
I believe the best way to navigate smoothly and successfully through the holidays (and the rest of life!) is to have plenty of tools in your “tool-box” to work through times of frustration and emotionally charged situations.
Relaxation Technique:
Think about a stressful situation that you are facing right now. It might be a major life event or something small that affecting you in this moment. Close your eyes, scan your body and identify where you’re feeling the tension while thinking about this tough situation. Especially be sure to check the neck, shoulders, abdomen, jaw, eyes and chest.
[Take a moment here to pause, close your eyes and see what and where you are feeling the tension]
Relaxation Technique cont’d: Rest your hand on that place of tension. Take a deep breath in and out – imagine your breath flowing in and around the spot. Exhale naturally, all the way out. Repeat for a few more breaths, letting the breath take you right into the center of your tension; your hand will help remind you to direct the breath.
[Pause again, let the breath offer a gentle release of your stress or tension]
This technique is available to you anytime, anywhere, with your eyes open or closed.
Food for thought:
How are you handling the holiday festivities?
Even if (like me), you have found yourself caught up in dwelling on an uncomfortable situation, the exercise above can help pinpoint the emotions.
by Lucy | Dec 14, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
In case you’re feeling like this holiday season is slipping by too fast or not going “according to plan,” I found the poem below to helped me press the reset button.
I hope it speaks to you too.
“Today is an opportunity to do something positive. Today’s your chance to add new value to your life and to your world.
Make the commitment to fill this day with meaningful richness and purposeful effort. This is your day to live, so do so with vigor and enthusiasm. Live today in such a way that tomorrow you will have no regrets.
Work with discipline and focus to transform the possibilities into real, lasting value. Rise above the petty complaints, frustrations and inconveniences. This is your day to give your best to what truly matters.
Today, you have good fortune to play a positive and active role in your own life. Fulfill that role with joy, gratitude, compassion, persistence and love.
The opportunity of this day has already been delivered to you. Graciously except and embrace it, and make it into something magnificent.” -Ralph Marston
Food for thought:
Remember, all we have is today.
What if we lived every day as this poem offers? Joyful, grateful and compassionate. How simple and beautiful that would be…
by Lucy | Dec 7, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
It’s almost the New Year which means many of us are thinking about stepping up or restarting our workout routines. Before you hit the gym or running trails, I’d like to share a story and a few tips to keep you moving all year long – preventing those pesky injuries that knock us off our game.
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Al at the YMCA. I call him Bendy Al because he can do the splits and lay his body flat on the floor… At 62 years old!
In our first conversation, Al told me a story about his last trip to New Orleans; while in a crowd watching the parade he found himself suddenly on the ground. At first, Al thought the overweight man behind him fell on him. To his surprise, Al looked back to see it was a mid-size SUV. Thanks, in part, to his flexibility Al did not sustain any major injuries and just a few bumps and bruises.
A few tips to keep you bendy and injury free:
Workouts include a warm-up and cool-down. Simple movements such as marching in place, arm circles or light jogging can get you get your muscles ready for more intense exercise. Stretching! I tend to recommend warming up your muscles before stretching. Be sure to allot at least 5 minutes of your exercise time to stretch the upper and lower body, holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds. Know your body and be nice to it. If the exercise hurts, listen to your body and modify or stop that movement. Some discomfort is expected. It takes time (and maybe a couple ibuprofen!) to learn how to distinguish. Ease into the program. If you’ve completed p90x or Insanity you are amazing! Those are intense workout programs and not something I would recommend to people just starting or restarting an exercise routine.
Food for thought: Whether you’re thinking about getting active or amping up your workout routine I highly encourage including the tips from above.
Here’s your chance to write down your action plan! How will you be moving this week?
by Lucy | Nov 30, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
A wise man once told me:
“If you want to make someone happy, do something nice for them; if you want to make yourself happy, do something nice for someone else.” -Andrew Sessions
Now that we are on the other side of Thanksgiving, the holiday season has officially begun!
Starting with Black Friday shopping, followed by small business Saturday and cyber Monday there are many ways to get into the holiday spirit. I am personally most excited for the newest addition in the holiday season: Giving Tuesday.
Tomorrow Tuesday, December 1st is Giving Tuesday, which encourages people to refocus on what the season is really about. They call it the gift of giving because it feels good to give something to someone who wants or needs that gift. Nothing like watching a young child open the long-awaited (enter toy-of-the-year) gift to see the look of sheer delight on their face. Or the words of appreciation by the hungry families at the local food bank. So many ways to give.
Here’s a few ways to give back this Giving Tuesday:
Sharing time –We have so much pulling us in different directions taking our time and energy. When you choose to give some of that to someone that might benefit from a friendly smile or a pleasant conversation you are sharing a generous gift.
Sharing talent – I believe each of us is blessed with a special talent. I was blessed with an enthusiasm for health and fitness, which I try to share with as many people as I can. You have special powers too. How are you sharing them?
Sharing treasure – One way is to donate money to a foundation or nonprofit that you want to support. Or give clothing, shoes and gently used household goods to a donation center or family in need.
Food for thought:
When you go out for holiday gift shopping this season remember the gift you are receiving with each person you celebrate with.
In 5, 10 or 20 years it is unlikely your sister, mom, dad or hard to shop for brother-in-law (not you Jamie!) will remember what you bought them. Instead, it is the memories of the time together and special moments shared.
What is a unique holiday-of-giving tradition you’d like to start with your friends and family this year?
by Lucy | Nov 23, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
Tis the season to put everything else above your own health. As humans and especially women, we have a tendency to take care of other people’s needs first.
The caretaker mentality does not always translate into taking care of our own needs. While walking in the woods I think how wonderful it is that everybody else on the trail is using this time to take a walk and and do something good for themselves. Ultimately this benefits not just their own health but that of everyone they encounter.
How?
The adage goes, we need to put on our own oxygen mask first in the event of an emergency…
This holiday season I’m going to offer the thought to make time to address your own physical or mental health – not for yourself – but for all your loved ones that need you.
A few strategies to stay well this holiday season:
- Put the workouts on your calendar – Then no matter what parties come up, potlucks at work, church events, etc; you will have this appointment already in the calendar to be able to graciously say ‘thanks for the invite but I’m busy’ OR ‘yes, would love to but I will be an hour late.’
- Practice saying no – One holiday party per weekend is probably enough! Prioritize and be okay with not making it to every event.
- Don’t be a statistic – The average American gains 1-2 pounds over the holiday season.Ask yourself, “is that calorie really worth it?” You can skim off the extra calories by mindfully deciding to eat more before grabbing seconds (or thirds!).
Here’s a link for more ways to be a healthy holiday eater: Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain.
Food for thought:
As we enter the holiday season it is easy to let ourselves get swept up in the hustle and bustle this time of year.
You may already see the calendar filling up and making less time for a workout or preparing healthy food to take to work.
This week, I challenge you to take 30 minutes and decide how you are going to take care of you over the next 6-weeks.
by Lucy | Nov 17, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
Every day we wake up with the opportunity to change our lives. Stepping out of the box or going against the grain takes us from the expected to the unexpected.
As Darren Hardy summed up in Darren Daily;
Remember that doing what scares us is not only good, it is essential. If you want to step away from average and mediocrity, you have to do what you are afraid of.
Professionally, that might mean talking to your boss about a raise. On a personal note, it might mean trying a new food or restaurant you are unsure if you will like. (more…)
by Lucy | Nov 9, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
In a spin class I found myself in the “not wanting” mentality. The music was not upbeat fitness tunes. The instructor did not believe in doing anything “wild and crazy” such as coming out of the saddle to climb a hill (all of which only makes since if you have taken a cycling class). The minutes seemed to drag on longer than 60 seconds.
You get the picture.
As I sat there peddling and pouting, it occurred to me I thought I was going into class without expectations; however, that’s clearly not the case.
I have taken spin classes before and therefore I expected this one to be like the others. Then I realized having expectations also sets us up for having disappointments. For example, a client of mine made the effort to eat well for the whole weekend and did more than normal physical activity only to hop on the scale Monday morning and find that she had gained 3 pounds – how frustrating!
When I noticed my bad attitude I decided that was bad energy and may be negatively affecting my fellow classmates.
I changed my attention on the things I am grateful for; such as having the time to go to class as well as having my health and physical ability to do spin and other exercises. This led to me taking time to be grateful for the things that I’ve taken for granted lately. Before I knew it we were cooling down and stretching.
Food for thought:
What isn’t meeting your expectations? Better yet, who isn’t meeting your expectations?
If you’re feeling disappointed in your body or yourself, I suggest you take a moment and think of five things about your body you are grateful for. Do you have 2 working legs? How about those gorgeous eyes?
This simple act can get us out of the negative feedback loop or the “I just don’t care anymore” attitude.
You do care. So do I. And for the record, I’m really proud of you.
