by Lucy | Feb 15, 2020 | Well Balanced Wisdom
“I love you Binky, but I don’t have to like you right now.” -How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days
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How can I love and respect my body when I want it to be different?
Some days we feel fabulous in our body. Strong, vibrant, attractive and healthy. While the other days, we feel weak, bloated, unattractive and overall dissatisfied in our skin. It’s normal to go through these phases.
On the days that we feel the latter, which may be most days, we can work on improving our relationship with our body – even when we wish it would be different – by choosing love and respect.
Here are 5 ways to love and respect your body:
- Gratitude – being grateful for our bodies may sound hard to do when you aren’t feeling good about yourself, but it’s a powerful mindset shift. When you choose to focus on the good things your body can do for you it can pull you out of the dumps. Try saying or writing this… “I choose to be grateful for my legs that allow me to walk or run.” “I choose to be thankful that my body was able to bring babies into the world.” “I choose to be grateful that my body allows me to lift my kids up, play basketball, do yoga, walk and play with my dog, etc.”
- Stop comparing – “Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they’ll never be you.” Instead of comparing yourself to friends or what you see on social media, compare yourself to the person you were 1 year ago or 5 years ago. Have you become wiser, stronger, healthier or happier? Celebrate that progress! Take pride in any areas that you have grown. If you can’t find something to celebrate, explore what seems to be throwing you off course and be sure to pay close attention to #5.
- Be respectful with your words and actions – When your friend is having a bad body image day – would you tear her down further or lift her up and try to show her that she is beautiful? If your son was feeling less than his peers, would you bully him about it or remind him of his strengths? We would never treat our loved ones the way we can treat ourselves sometimes. Take a step back and ask yourself, would I say or do this to someone else? Learn to be your own friend.
- Shift the momentum – Sometimes, one feeling or event can trigger us into a downward spiral of shame, blame, and defeat. When you catch yourself in that downward motion, stop the momentum and take a single small step in the opposite direction. Say something nice to yourself, choose a balanced meal, or mindfully indulge a craving, move your body, get out and socialize, journal or call a friend. It usually just takes one step to shift your momentum. That one step will make it easier to take the next step up and so on.
- Know the difference between perfectionism and healthy striving – Brene Brown taught me this life-altering lesson that is so profound for me. I think this concept sums up how we can love and respect our bodies, even when we might want to change something about them. It’s about avoiding perfectionism, and embracing our flaws while striving for improvement. You see, perfectionism is always wanting to avoid all flaws and imperfections. It’s wanting and expecting the unattainable. It’s the thought: “I won’t love myself until I lose 50lbs, have a booty like Beyonce, abs like a bodybuilder and be able to swing around on a pole like JLo at a halftime show. 🤪” Unless you have the money and time to spend uprooting your life to spend hours in the gym and on plastic surgery, for most of us that’s not likely to happen. On the contrary, healthy striving is setting stretch goals that might be challenging but can realistically be met with some effort. When you are striving for a healthier self, it looks and sounds more like this: “I love myself, flaws and all. Nobody is perfect. I want to feel good and be strong. I know that today I can challenge myself to be a bit better than I was yesterday. I know that mistakes are normal (they don’t indicate that I’m unworthy) and growth is possible.”
I hope these suggestions help you love and respect your body even on the days it’s hard. I also hope it helps you understand the concept of radical acceptance of every step along your journey AND a realistic desire for growth and improvement.
by Lucy | Sep 9, 2019 | Well Balanced Wisdom
If you’ve been thinking lately “I could be healthier if only I wasn’t so lazy,” we’ve got just the guide for you. Below you will find a relatable story and the 3 steps to transform you from a lazy person to someone with momentum and healthier habits.
Recently, while talking with a busy small business owner, Kat Reher of Synergy Fitness for Her in Durham, Kat explained she would like to cook at home more consistently and states “but I’m just too lazy.”
To put things in perspective, this fun-loving, independent, and strong woman is not only running a fabulous fitness gym for women, but also is regularly adopting young kittens and helping find good homes for (or keeping) her furry friends. She may be up as early as 5 AM to help open the gym or cover a group fitness class then go to bed at 11 PM after wrapping up emails or other work tasks.
The point is, she is anything but lazy! We suspect the same is true for you.
Unless you’re living a life where you can lay on the sofa all day, not working, not making food for yourself or your family, and not cleaning up around the house you are probably quite busy and productive.
3 Steps To Overcome Lazy Vibes and Build Momentum
Stop calling yourself lazy.
It’s not helping you. As explained by Dr. Rick Hanson the author of Resilient, we all have an inner critic and an inner nurturer (or helper). Your inner critic is often louder than the nurturing voice. This critic is kind of mean and may sometimes call you fat, ugly, or lazy. It would be nice if we could just turn that voice off, but often the critic is stubborn and insists that if she was not there you’d be even worse. The key is to turn the volume down on this critical inner dialogue. Some find it helpful to say “cancel, cancel, cancel,” when the voice creeps in. Others, have a saying or mantra that turns the internal conversation around.
Find out why you’re *really* not doing what you say you want to do.
For instance, with our example above, Kat wants to prepare her own meals at home; however, she hates grocery shopping. The crowds and the abundance of choices are overwhelming and causes her to retreat to old habits like mac and cheese and chocolate ice cream. What is the biggest speed-bump or hurdle standing in the way of you making this change?
Identify how you prioritize.
If cooking dinner at home is important to you; however, you keep winding up in the fast food lane on the way home, convenience is driving your decision. Perhaps you haven’t yet mastered making quick and easy dinners at home and you don’t know where to start. It may also mean you are letting other things become a higher priority without stopping to think about it. We tend to do what we must do first, such as going to work, paying bills, feeding the kids, etc. The calendar then gets filled up with several other things squeezed in between. This often zaps our bandwidth or energy leaving us too drained to do the healthy habits we know are good for us.
Is it time to make a shift in your priorities or schedule? Are the things on your calendar truly what you want to prioritze? Are there new habits you could put on the calendar by first taking something off or breaking it down into baby steps?
Sometimes, we are in a season that doesn’t allow for all the healthy habits that we want to have. If that is the case for you right now, become OK with good enough. Before your inner critic chimes in to say good enough is not enough, what if you were to cook dinner at least two times a week instead of once a month? Wouldn’t that be better? Focus on progress, not perfection.
How to stop being lazy and gain some momentum toward healthy habits
To sumarize, first, stop calling yourself lazy! Every time you catch yourself saying that, make an intentional shift to listen to your nurturing voice instead. Thinking of what you would say to your best friend if she came to you with the same issue that you’re having. What would you say to her?
Then, get to the bottom of what is really preventing you from the habit you want to create and brainstorm how to overcome that barrier. Lastly, take a look at what you prioritize in your life. Is it time to take ownership and control of how you spend your days? What if even a small shift in your priorities could make a big impact in your health?
by Lucy | Mar 13, 2019 | Well Balanced Wisdom
Have you ever bought fresh herbs at the grocery, used a few sprigs, then found them rotting away weeks later in your produce drawer? Herbs add flavor and nutrition to any meal, but paying $5 for two stems of rosemary is an expensive and wasteful proposition. Meanwhile herbs can be some of the easiest and most rewarding plants to grow in your garden.
Getting started
If you don’t have a kitchen garden, herbs can be grown in a pot on a sunny windowsill in the kitchen. I prefer to tuck them in the ground or in a pot in a sunny spot outdoors, keeping in mind that different herbs have different needs. Mint and parsley, for instance, can take a bit of shade in the south and prefer more water. Other woody herbs like rosemary, sage and lavender will suffer from too much water and prefer a well-draining, sandier soil. In general, potted plants need more watering than those growing in the ground.
Many woody herbs are perennial, which means they can last for years. Some only last a season or two. Annuals like cilantro prefer cool spring weather, while basil needs the heat of summer. Parsley is a biennial in the carrot family and will flower and die in its second year. Don’t be surprised, though, if it reseeds itself!
How to use herbs
Once you have herbs readily available, you’ll find yourself reaching for a few sprigs for most any meal. Herbs are delicious in soups, salads, eggs, mashed potatoes and grains, breads, and meats…the list goes on. Besides making food more flavorful, various herbs can be packed with vitamins A, B, C and K. Many are rich in polyphenols, those anti-inflammatory compounds that can help protect against cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, joint pain and other conditions.
Another good reason to grow herbs
Herbs also feed the bees and butterflies in your garden when they bloom. The caterpillars of the black swallowtail butterfly will feed on parsley and fennel, so I recommend putting in extra plants to share the bounty. If you’re not sure about your green thumb, start with one potted plant and grow from there. Even if it doesn’t survive as long as you hoped, you are sure to get plenty of enjoyment and use out of growing your own kitchen herbs.
About the Author:
Brandee Gruener
When she’s not blogging for Greener Gardens, Brandee Gruener is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in gardening, food and sustainable living. Brandee also offers consulting services to homeowners who would like to grow a greener garden.
Read more of my tips about sustainable gardening at www.growgreenergardens.com.
by Lucy | Feb 27, 2019 | Nutrition Questions Answered, Well Balanced Wisdom
Have you ever wondered… how do I lose weight fast?
You aren’t alone. Many people are searching for the magic pill or a secret sauce that can help them get the body they want – like by tomorrow. Unfortunately, drastic weight loss that is kept off is seldom attainable. In fact, if we look at research studies on weight loss (from various diets and methods) we find that roughly 80% of people who shed a substantial portion of their body fat will not maintain that degree of weight loss for 12 months.
What is a safe rate of weight loss?
The general recommendation is 1-2 lbs per week.* Slow and steady wins the race. Even at a slower rate, it is important to be wise about your approach and make changes that are more likely to last. Unfortunately, many people will regain some or all of weight loss regardless of how quick or slow it came off.*
What amount of weight loss is realistic and appropriate for health outcomes?
Research indicates that for people who are in the overweight or obese BMI category, a weight loss of 10% of their body weight over a 6 month period is appropriate.* This amount is likely to bring about improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugars. It’s debatable whether it is the weight loss or the healthy habits that one adopts to lose weight that really impacts health.
The best approach is wellness-focused not weight loss focused.
At Well Balanced Nutrition, we don’t recommend any trendy diets that promise to help you drop weight fast, but we do have a solution to help you feel better about your body. Our solution, the Well Balanced approach, is not just about the food you eat or the number on the scale. We want to see you healthy and happy, and we know you don’t have to drop 4 pant sizes to achieve that. By accepting yourself, improving your habits from a place of self-compassion, working on attainable action steps, embracing the journey and having some fun along the way, you’ll no longer need to strive for unrealistic ideals or fall for another fad diet attempt. Are you looking for solutions? Take the first step today.
*References:
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/fast-weight-loss/faq-20058289
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213858714702001
- https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/guidelines/ob_gdlns.pdf
by Lucy | Feb 12, 2019 | Nutrition Questions Answered, Well Balanced Wisdom
You know that little internal conversation you have when staring at the buffet table, open bar or other indulgent food (or beverage) choice? There’s often opposing voices or thoughts going through our minds such as “it’s not that bad, “or “you know, you really don’t need that…”
You are normal
The good news, you are not crazy if you are hearing voices too! In fact, most of us have an inner helping and sabotaging voice. I think of it as friends versus an accomplice. Our friends help us when we feel down by saying comforting words that are uplifting and encouraging like this exchange with my best friend, Gretchen:
Me: I have a craving to quit my job, eat icing out of a plastic tub, and drink a margarita. Apparently, I’m feeling stressed…
G: Is it weird that we have all the same stress things? LoL
Me: Hahaha no, makes me feel less strange. And probably just confirms the soulmate best friend thing 😛
G: What’s got you so stressed?
Me: It’s the story I’m making up around people canceling or rescheduling last minute (clearly appointments with me don’t matter… Yada yada yada)
G: I’m sorry babe. I know that gets to you. You are amazing and important. Everyone overbooks and overdoes this time of year. That’s all it is.
See how Gretchen affirmed my feelings and gave me a chance to process through my negative thoughts? On the flip side, my thoughtful office mate, Richard, is more of an accomplice. When I told him that I was stressed out and craving sugar and/or booze he offered me animal crackers with icing and a beer or wine from the mini fridge. Not that he was purposely trying to sabotage me! On the surface, it sounds like those external stimulants or numbing agents are the cure to our problems, but we typically feel worse about ourselves after using comfort foods to “feel better.”
The answer is in you
I can tell you in moments of stress nothing outside of us can make what’s going on inside feel better. Sure, the chocolate may light up some happy hormones in your brain which could temporarily take away the sadness. However, often when we turn to food or a drink to deal with negative feelings those choices cause guilt or shame, which leads to the downward spiral of making more unhealthy choices.
Recently, while speaking with the client, she mentioned when she eats ice cream with her son in the evening or on weekends her sabotaging voice will say “it’s OK, you’ll do better tomorrow.” I asked, “what does your helping voice say in opposition?” She responded, “I tell myself ‘you know you’re already gaining weight and you don’t really want to gain more weight’.”
Did you notice her helping voice sounds super judgmental?
Is that helpful?
Instead, I asked, if her friend called and explained she was feeling upset and was about to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream “what would you say to a friend you know is trying to lose weight?” She had much more supportive words for her friend that did not include justifying or shaming her choice to eat ice cream.
Food for thought
What kind of stories is you’re sabotaging voice telling you? When do you notice yourself reaching for food or a drink to soothe your negative emotions?
How can you respond to these cravings as a friend instead of an accomplice?
Looking for a friendly dietitian to help you sort out your food cravings? We can help 🙂
by Lucy | Dec 15, 2018 | Well Balanced Wisdom
If you’re wondering, “how can I be healthy through the holidays?” You came to the right place! Today we are bringing you three steps to staying healthy this holiday season.
Step 1: Decide how you want to feel now and on January 1st.
The holidays are full of opportunities to savor food, friends, and fun. Be in the moment and enjoy what matters to you. But don’t forget about your future self. Do you want to wake up the next day feeling bloated and tired? Do you want to wake up in the New Year feeling like you have to start a diet or detox program?
Instead, grab a journal or scrap piece of paper and decide how you want to feel through the holidays and on January 1st. Maybe you want to feel energized, healthy, joyful, confident, or empowered. By writing it down, you direct your inner compass to make intentional choices all season long. Think about what matters most to you this holiday season, savor and enjoy that and let the rest go. Sharing time with loved ones baking cookies may be a cherished activity, but the store-bought cookies at a work party with a lot less meaning may be easy to pass up if you think about it.
Step 2: Know your triggers!
These are the foods, situations, or a time of day that we tend to make our least healthy choices. Have you noticed you crave a sweet treat around 3 PM or 9 PM? That could be a trigger time of day. Or every time you walk by the break room, there seems to be another holiday goodie sitting out, and your brain says, “just one bite won’t hurt!“ These situations may be a trigger for you.
After you’ve determined what triggers your not-so-healthy choices, you can start to set yourself up for success by finding better afternoon or bedtime treats, such as these yummy gingerbread bites or a piece of fruit with nut butter. Also, consider the occasional permission slip. That’s the permission to enjoy that special treat as long as you do so mindfully and sitting at a table (versus hiding in the pantry eating cookies – yea, we’ve been there too!).
This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get out of a healthy routine during the holiday season. That means continuing to eat regular meals and snacks if snacks are a part of your routine. Skipping meals increases our stress hormone levels, causes us to make poor food choices, and sometimes leads to overeating at the next meal.
Well-Balanced Day:
Breakfast: 1 small baked sweet potato + 2 scrambled eggs + 1/4 to 1/2 avocado
Lunch: 1 cup vegetable soup + 4-6 oz roasted chicken + 1 whole grain roll
Snack: a handful of cashews
Dinner: Spaghetti squash + sautéed onion and peppers + turkey sausage
Snack: 2 dates + 1 Tbsp. your favorite nutbutter
Food for thought:
Which step do you need to focus on to feel GREAT in the new year?
Need help getting started? We’re happy to chat and help you reach your health and wellness goals. Click here to talk to your friendly dietitians!
