As a fitness professional, I regularly encounter individuals that have carried unhealthy thinking, patterns and problems from childhood straight into adulthood. Such problems might include distorted body image, emotional eating, or hyperfocus on scale weight. Often, such individuals have been told by family members that they would look great if they could just lose 5 more lbs., or how good they would look if they hadn’t inherited the family thighs, rear end, etc. Others have weighed themselves multiple times a day for years and with every fluctuation of the scale, beaten themselves up over it. These behaviors are self-punishing and unproductive, yet very common. I strongly believe that there is much more surrounding weight loss and wellness that requires redirection of thought and elimination of negative self-talk.
I work hard to help my clients reframe how they look at their efforts in weight loss and exercise adherence. This is a challenge for me every day as old habits die hard and especially those that are deeply rooted. Sometimes I witness break-throughs, where I see new thought processes emerging, only to see old ones re-emerge a week later. The bottom line is that it takes six months to establish new behaviors. It takes real commitment to graduate into healthier, more balanced thinking. Old habits are not created overnight, and they shall not be undone overnight either.
In an effort to help my clients reframe how they view themselves and their efforts, I encourage them to do the following:
- Reward yourself to doing something right. Most people excel at beating themselves up when they experience failure, but no one rewards himself or herself for a job well done (especially women). If you eat better for a month, or exercise regularly for two weeks, then reward yourself for doing so…just don’t make it a food related reward.
- Look back (often) at where you started from to measure your success. Are you less fatigued walking up stairs or across a parking lot? Fitting better in your clothes? Sleeping better at night? Eliminated any small, nagging pains? Review your progress and celebrate victories along the way.
- Confront the people in your life that sabotage your fitness efforts and ask them for their help. Make them an ally instead of an enemy. Tell them that you are a "work in progress" and that you are doing the best you can and how they can help you do better.
- Embrace a healthy lifestyle and a new thought process that focuses on the long term. Do not decide to drop a few pounds or start exercising in order to fit into a bathing suit, look good for a high school reunion, etc. Events come and go, and then what? Do it because it is the right thing to do for your health today, tomorrow and beyond.
- Honor your emotions and try to process them versus "stuff" them down with food. Food is supposed to nourish and provide fullness, not to fill emotional voids. Try to sit with your feelings and process them to seek better understanding before running to food as an answer or consolation.
- Surround yourself with other people on a similar journey and share with each other what works and what doesn’t. Find someone as motivated as you, or more motivated and rally around each other. This helps build accountability and support.
In summary, there is a definite mental process that occurs with the physical and should be embraced every bit as much. A healthy lifestyle will include feeling good about one’s self, honoring one’s body, and being the best possible at any given age. These aspects far outweigh "scale weight" and add much more to the overall package of happiness and self-satisfaction. Also, remember that the act of "trying" is an important one, and that often we learn from failures when we experience them. So, embrace any failures along the way in your fitness journey as learning experiences and move on.
The truth is that eating out does not automatically translate to unhealthy eating. Consistently eating out, however, may require a little more thought and strategy. Some solid suggestions below are provided from mypyramid.gov
- As a beverage choice, ask for water or order fat-free or low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, or other drinks without added sugars.
- Ask for whole-wheat bread for sandwiches.
- Start meal with a salad packed with veggies, to help control hunger and feel satisfied sooner.
- Ask for salad dressing to be served on the side. Then use only as much as you want.
- Choose main dishes that include vegetables, such as stir-fries, kebobs, or pasta with marina sauce.
- Order steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of those fried, or sautéed.
- Choose a "small" or "medium" portion. This includes main dishes, side dishes and beverages.
- Order an item from the menu instead of heading for the "all you can eat" buffet.
- If main portions at a restaurant are larger than you want, try one of these strategies to keep from overeating:
- Order an appetizer or side dish instead of entrée.
- Share a main dish with a friend.
- If you can chill the extra food right away, take leftovers home in a doggy bag.
- When your food is delivered, set aside or pack half of it to go immediately.
- Resign from the "clean your plate club" when you’ve eaten enough, leave the rest.
- To keep your meal moderate in calories, fat, and sugars:
- Ask for salad dressing to be served on the side so you can add only as much as you want.
- Order foods that do not have creamy sauces or gravies.
- Add little or no butter to your food.
- Choose fruits for dessert most often.
- On long commutes or shopping trips, pack some fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables, low-fat string cheese sticks, or a handful of unsalted nuts to help you avoid stopping for sweet or fatty snacks.
Source: www.mypyramid.gov
Osteoporosis can be defined as low bone mass and poor bone structure that can lead to an increased risk of fractures. Although osteoporosis can occur at any age, it is most common amongst people over 50 years of age. After the age of 30, our bones begin to gradually lose minerals at a small rate every year (under 1%). This small amount does add up over time and explains why people experience low bone density in their fifties.
Risk factors surrounding the disease fall into two basic categories, those that can be controlled and those that cannot. The following information comes from Winters-Stone,Kerri. Action Plan for Osteoporosis. USA: Human Kinetics, 2005.
Risk factors you cannot control:
-Being female
-Being thin or having a small frame
-Advanced age
-A family history of osteoporosis
-Being postmenopausal, either early or surgically induced
-Low testosterone levels in men
-Being Caucasian or Asian, although African Americans and Hispanic Americans may be at risk as well
Risk factors you can control:
-A diet low in calcium
-An inactive lifestyle
-Cigarette smoking
-Excessive use of alcohol
Risk factors you may be able to control:
-Abnormal absence of menstrual periods (amenorrhea)
-Anorexia nervosa
-Use of certain medications, such as corticosteroids and anticonvulsants
The best mode of diagnosing osteoporosis is done via DXA, or dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. In short, this shows how much mineralization exists in certain bones. This mineral density testing is an accurate gauge of actual bone strength. Stronger bones are less likely to fracture. The best way to avoid fractures is to avoid falls. Exercise that includes resistance training works both to assist in retaining bone density and improving balance. This reduces the risk of falls and subsequent fractures.
Scores associated with bone density testing are age group comparisons (Z-scores) and also (T-scores) which is a comparison made against a healthy 25 – 30 year old person of similar ethnicity, gender and race. There is more you can research to better understand actual scoring criteria and accuracy of other testing.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a bone density test for the following:
-All postmenopausal women under age 65 who have one or more additional risk factors for osteoporosis (in addition to being postmenopausal and female)
-All women age 65 and older regardless of additional risk factors
-Postmenopausal women with one or more fractures (to confirm diagnosis and determine disease severity)
-Women who are considering therapy for osteoporosis if bone density testing would facilitate the decision
-Men or women with one or more of the following: prolonged exposure to certain medications, such as steroids used to treat asthma or arthritis, anticonvulsants, and certain cancer treatments; chronic disease that affects the kidneys, lungs, stomach, and intestines and alters hormone levels; or low levels of the sex hormone testosterone
In summary, understanding your family history, risk factors and early evaluation will offer the best approach to preventing or postponing the onset of osteoporosis. As always, discuss your family medical history and any concerns you have with your physician.
I am not the proud creator of any of these fitness expressions, but use them regularly as a fitness instructor and have given some serious contemplation as to what they mean. These are some of my favorites, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
Yes, it really is. This can be interpreted literally as you push through physical challenges and endure pain in order to become a physically stronger person. This can also be interpreted more figuratively, in a mental regard. Every physical challenge met with success creates a positive mental sense of well being. Perceptions of being weak or incapable of pushing through adversity begin to fade away through repeating the process.
"Can't means I won't."
Very true, like it or not! If you find yourself repeatedly saying "I can't", then you have made a conscious decision NOT to TRY. Explore the number of times you say "I can't" in any situation, and look beyond those words every time you use them. Is it really true that you can't, or is it more honest to say you don't feel like trying, it will be work, time consuming, etc.? Stop putting self-limitations on yourself with the "I can'ts", and I guarantee you will be more productive and feel much better about yourself and your many accomplishments.
"You are stronger than you think."
Everyone really is stronger than they realize. We can only push ourselves so far, yet for instance, a fitness instructor seems to always be able to push us just a little bit further. Typically, the brain wants to quit on us long before the body has to. The minute we "feel the burn" or weakness, mentally we just want to stop. Perhaps this is self-protection & ego. The truth is, however, that the brain will want one to quit long before true muscle failure. So, you really are stronger than you think! Believe that you are stronger than you can even recognize and push yourself to 1 more rep, 10 more seconds, and so forth.
"Fake it 'til you make it."
Try this. Perhaps you aren't the most coordinated person on the planet. Embrace whatever it is being asked of you in the fitness world and give it a try. Maybe you won't start off at perfect, but BELIEVE that you will eventually be successful. Ultimately, whatever you struggle with will improve. It could be balance, coordination, or body control or another element. Act "as if" and a progession of improvement will eventually occur. It is surprising how far you can take yourself with this simple approach. FYI, other people will notice improvement in you long before you do. Be patient with yourself and don't quit.
"Hard work = results. Results = motivation."
Most folks starting a fitness program quit before they find what I call "the hook". I define "the hook" as results. If you are willing to put in hard work for 6 to 8 weeks, then you are going to be rewarded with results. It is so much easier to be motivated when you get good results. Unfortunately, those that quit early, or do not put in the hard work, do not reach the point in time where results appear and motivation really kicks in.
"Save the drama for your mama."
Whining, negativity & mental resistance never avail good outcomes. Try putting energy normally spent on those things into being positive and embracing a can-do attitude instead. Consciously decide to burn more calories on being positive instead of negative. Don't rain on anyone else's parade with drama, sob stories and excuses. Decide to try, and decide to be the best that you can be.
I hope you can draw strength and insight from at least one of these. If you don't, pass them along to someone else!
Here comes a rather long blog entry, but I hope you will take the time to read it. I think you may find this entry interesting.
The term "self-efficacy" is not thrown around much in health & fitness circles. It is typically reserved for the world of mental health/psychology. Once I discovered this component of psychology, however, I realized in hindsight that I achieved most of the self-efficacy I have today as a direct result of my experience with fitness. I also thought about the infinite possibilities of repeating that process with children that suffer from low self-esteem.
For background on this subject matter I am including an excerpt that nicely summarizes the topic. Note that this is just a summary. More complete definition and related information can be obtained from the source website.
Summary
Perceived self-efficacy is concerned with people's beliefs in their capabilities to exercise control over their own functioning and over events that affect their lives. Beliefs in personal efficacy affect life choices, level of motivation, quality of functioning, resilience to adversity and vulnerability to stress and depression. People's beliefs in their efficacy are developed by four main sources of influence. They include mastery experiences, seeing people similar to oneself manage task demands successfully, social persuasion that one has the capabilities to succeed in given activities, and inferences from somatic and emotional states indicative of personal strengths and vulnerabilities. Ordinary realities are strewn with impediments, adversities, setbacks, frustrations and inequities. People must, therefore, have a robust sense of efficacy to sustain the perseverant effort needed to succeed. Succeeding periods of life present new types of competency demands requiring further development of personal efficacy for successful functioning. The nature and scope of perceived self-efficacy undergo changes throughout the course of the lifespan.
Source:
Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed.], Encyclopedia of mental health. San Diego: Academic Press, 1998). www.des.emory.edu/mfp/BanEncy
Growing up, I wasn’t part of a "rah-rah" family being raised by "super parents" that seem to be so prevalent in the world today. This is not to criticize my upbringing; it simply was a different time. A time when self-help, self-improvement, coping skills and mental health did not have important emphasis put on them. I can honestly say that I grew up not thinking that the world was my oyster, or that I really could achieve anything I wanted with effort. "Girl power" did not exist… yet.
Stumbling into fitness many years ago, I quickly discovered the challenges associated with it, the graduation from small accomplishments to bigger ones, and ultimately how to parlay that very same process into other areas of my life. What started off as a few reps with the lightest weights, became many more reps with heavier weights. I quickly felt physically and mentally empowered. Next thing I knew, I was teaching the classes. This empowerment manifested itself into a certain mental tenacity and realization that if I just tried hard enough, I really could do anything I put my mind to.
Where am I going with this? Well, without the self-efficacy I have today, for instance, I would have never taken the risk of starting my own business. I owe the very belief that I can take on new challenges with successful outcomes directly to fitness, its repetitive processes, and the many mastery experiences I’ve had with it.
The point I would like to make in this is what an incredible gift this is to give a child or anyone else suffering from low self-esteem. I have worked with many kids professionally, and have cried real tears of joy watching them grow and exceed their own expectations. The incredible thing about doing one-on-one fitness consulting & training with children is that they ONLY compete with themselves. There is no peer pressure, no leering eyes upon them, and no impossible standards to achieve to. They are in the driver seat and decide just how far they want to go. I ask them often to look back and reflect upon where they started and how they’ve grown. So often, they blow the doors off of what I even think is possible for them. The beauty of this is that these kids achieve FOR THEMSELVES. This is key.
As parents, we always tell our children how wonderful they are, but that doesn’t mean they internalize this message and believe it. After all…we are their parents! With self-efficacy attained through exercise, however, they are solely responsible for creating the magic. They earn and internalize the reward. They enjoy and want to repeat the process. It is done by them, for them.
Should you know a person suffering from low self-esteem or depression, please consider encouraging them to start a fitness program. An incredible journey of self-discovery and growth awaits them if they are willing to put forth the effort. Any personal achievements earned are theirs, and can never be taken away from them. The positive belief system they create for themselves makes for happier people and better tomorrows. It changes lives.
I will try to simplify some of the complexity surrounding weight loss. Here goes:
There are 3500kcal in 1lb. This is the magical number we are working with when we are targeting appropriate weight loss of approximately 1lb/wk. In order to lose 1 lb/wk, you must create a caloric deficit of 3500kcal. Ideally, this is done by a) reducing caloric intake, and b) increasing caloric expenditure via exercise. Please also note one’s caloric burn rate is weight specific and therefore, requires adjustment as one loses weight. In other words, the less you weigh, the slower you burn calories. This is why dieters often plateau with sustained weight loss efforts.
Sounds simple, where do I start?
I suggest keeping a food diary for at least three days to establish a baseline of how many calories you are consuming. Write down everything you consume within a 24-hour period for (2) weekdays and at least (1) Saturday or Sunday. Eating habits can change drastically from weekday to weekend, so this is important. Then, upload your food diary on either The Daily Plate feature on the Livestrong website, or use mypyramid.gov. Both sites are user friendly and will allow you to enter precise or estimated portions consumed. Do not worry about calorie counting in your food diary, the above mentioned websites will do this for you.
Simply write down what you consumed and approximately how much in your food diary. If you are a patterned sort of eater (most of us are), you can use your 3 day intake average to determine approximately how many calories you are consuming in one week. Once you have established a baseline with how much you are consuming, you can start determining ways to reduce calories over the course of a week.
I recommend that the 3500kcal deficit you create be split fairly evenly between diet & exercise. I also strongly recommend that the full 3500kcal/week deficit is not implemented right away. A gradual reduction in caloric intake and gradual increase in exercise is key. A gradual reduction in caloric intake will prevent a "starved" feeling and keep cravings and possible binges at bay. The exercise component ibecomes key because it will prevent loss of lean muscle, and opportunity to build more lean muscle, which will ultimately speed up metabolism further.
Do I have to scrutinize food labels?
The short answer is no, not for basic weight loss. Basic weight loss boils down to input vs. output. When output is more than input, you lose weight. Eating for health is a more refined process where one should scrutinize food labels/nutritional content and ingredients. Where weight loss is concerned initially focus on the calories per serving of what it is you are consuming and your serving sizes. Start making healthier food substitutions and eliminating some of the "no-brainer" items you consume like regular soda or that bedtime snack. Make sure you are hydrated and are not confusing thirst for hunger.
With any weight loss effort keep things simple and start off with small changes. If you create a highly complex plan or create a ridiculous workout schedule that includes two hour workouts, seven days/wk, you are setting yourself up to fail. Make changes small & meaningful and see yourself through to long term success.
Halloween is rapidly approaching, which means the holidays are drawing near. Between now and the end of the year, one may gain as much as ten pounds. Fortunately, a little pre-planning now can prevent this from becoming a reality. Enter into this holiday season with eyes wide open and do the following:
Increase your awareness:
Be aware of your choices, portions & irregular eating habits due to holidays, parties, etc. If you know you have an elaborate dinner or party to attend that you will indulge at, then you need to plan around it as it pertains to your breakfast & lunch selections, alcohol consumption and overall activity level. Think ahead and plan for the worst.
Spring into action:
Action follows intention. So, intend to...remove Halloween candy from your home asap and buy the kind that isn't your personal favorite.
Plan and consume (pre-load) healthy snacks and meals prior to parties where you know temptation will be high.
Bump up your workout and overall daily activity level. Where possible, stand, don't sit. Walk, don't ride.
Establish Plan B now for an alternate workout schedule, as there will be times when you know you cannot workout per your usual schedule. Stay away from the slippery slope of not exercising altogether, or telling yourself that you will resume after the holidays.
Address "Fitness Saboteurs". Is there a family member, friend or co-worker who sabotages your regimen because it simply means nothing to them? Address them directly and ask for their support. Tell them it is important to you and why. Most people are happy to be helpful once they have been recruited to be. Keep in mind that a happier you results in a positive, happiness trickle down effect, of which they will ultimately benefit from. It is a proven fact that individuals achieve better outcomes when they make healthy living a "family" effort.
Get Honest:
Yes, it is hard to be disciplined with diet and exercise over the holidays. You can, however, prevent major peril by being honest about your weaknesses and by following through on a different plan this year. Acknowledge last year’s struggles and sidestep those pitfalls by handling them differently. Do not behave the same way again this year and expect different results.
With some effort, you will avoid unnecessary weight gain and be well positioned to springboard into further success in the New Year.
