by Dan | Dec 17, 2017 | Etc.
There is nothing like reaching your goals you set for yourself! But, nobody gets there on their own. We all have help, whether working out beside us, or if our family members, they may be taking over more responsibilities at home to allow you the time to do this. Be sure to thank those people for what they do for you. I have said numerous times that Sarah has been my main training partner. Yesterday was another example. We are planning on running at Disney in the next few weeks. We will be running the half marathon with our twin daughters, one running with each of us. Then, I am also doing the marathon the next day. I had my last long run in yesterday getting ready for this—20 miles. The weather was great. I did the first 5 miles, and the last 5 miles on my own, and then Sarah ran the other 10 miles with me. Overall, it is the difference of being able to accomplish this or not. Whether we are running 20 miles, or 2 blocks, it does not matter. If we have someone out there helping to push us, or motivate us, it is so much easier to accomplish. And, not to mention, that much more enjoyable. That is the benefit of our run club as well. We all run 4 miles together every Sunday morning. We run to see how everyone is doing, not to just run. It can be the highlight of the week!
We are there for each other, supporting each, motivating each other! Running friends who are like family. We may run together as a group, but there are always some individuals who do even more for you.
I refer to this picture as the three stooges! Steve and Tom always make for a good conversation on the run. Speed is not the objective. It is about friends working out, together, and having a lot of “fish stories”, even the ones that got away, or the tall tales!
Sarah and my daughter Molly ran with a bunch of the other “girls” from our run club for a “Tree Skirt Run” in SF last month. They all got to deck out in their Christmas garb, and have fun running a 5k run. They had a ball!
So what are you waiting for? Most of the time it tends to just be another excuse for not doing exercise. It won’t ever change it you don’t make an attempt. But, when you have others to support you, it is so much easier, not to mention so much more fun! Rely on those people. They need your support as much as you need theirs! Help each other. That is what it is all about! Life can be challenging enough, don’t make it harder than it has to be. When you are offered help, take it! It makes those individuals giving the help feel better too! Here are some pictures or our run club getting ready to take off…to take off and have fun!
Cheer for each other…be there for each other. There are days when we all need some help. Everybody! Our lives can depend on it! Nobody said doing exercise was easy…but you can make it easier. We all need some help in achieving our goals. Cheer each other!
What are you waiting for? Don’t make another excuse. The next year is coming upon us soon. You still have a few more weeks to plan on how you are going to go at this. There is no time like now…we don’t know everything about our future, so don’t keep putting it off. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3735
by kelsey | Dec 13, 2017 | Diet, Etc., Motivation, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Everyone’s eating habits are a little different from each other’s. The differences are usually dependent on our daily schedules, routines, choices, preferences, culture, etc. Many factors play into our eating habits. Alot of us use food for other purposes than nourishing our body–could be a stress reliever, emotional purpose, enjoyment, etc. Typically these other reasons play into what and how much we are eating. Emotional eating can lead to obesity and disease so finding that balance and making healthy choices is especially important for success long term with wellness. Mindful or intuitive eating is a concept dietitian Ellyn Satter has explored greatly. She has some basics tips about this type of eating below and I wanted to share this with you as it really gives some food for thought as we examine our eating habits.
What is Normal Eating?
•Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied.
•Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.
•It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.
•Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.
•Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life
For more information visit Ellyn’s site at : http://www.ellynsatter.com
As you work to improve your diet and choices think about these concepts and work at incorporating them into your eating habits and thought process! Mindful eating is an excellent concept and promotes life long healthy eating habits.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Dec 12, 2017 | Etc.
The holidays are a fun and enjoyable time, but they can also be stressful and emotional. We also have the least amount of sunlight right now so that plays a role with our mood as well. It seems like a lot of people I have visited with lately are suffering from the holiday/winter blues. When you’re feeling the blues, it can really get you down in the dumps which can result in overeating, less activity, and depression. I personally feel I suffer from a little bit of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)but I have found there are a few things that spark my spirit so I hope they can help you as well!
Tips for Overcoming the Holiday/Winter Blues
•Get active! Activity produces natural endorphins that boost mood. I was exercising already, but to help ward off the winter blues, I have increased the amount of exercise and added some strength training to my routine. Try getting at least 30 minutes of activity in a day…if you can do more, the better.
•Eat Right: healthy eating will make you feel healthier inside and out. Aim to get at least 5 fruits and veggies a day, include whole grains, lean meats, and healthy fats. Vitamin D has been proven to aid in SAD so be sure to get your 3 servings of low fat milk or dairy products. If you aren’t a milk drinker you may consider taking a daily multivitamin with calcium and vitamin D or a vitamin D supplement. Please ask your dietitian, pharmacist, or doctor for the correct dosage.
•Spice up your life: Sometimes getting a new shirt, going to the movies, reading a new and exciting book, or getting new tunes on your ipod will help spice up your life and add some more excitement to your life.
•Get out! Plan a family/friend trip to somewhere close or even tropical, bum around downtown Watertown, or plain just get out of the house! It’s easy to dwell in our sorrows by becoming a hermit and staying inside. We need to get out and get some socialization!
•Think Positive! Dwelling on the negatives can sure take a person down. Instead think about the positives in your life and the upcoming holidays. Tell yourself one positive thing about yourself and your selfworth daily. Focus on the blessings in your life!
•If you feel you are suffering from the blues very seriously then I encourage you to contact your physician for further assistance as we can help you with this!
Stay positive, eat right, exercise, and get out…those holiday/winter blues will be gone before you know it!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Nov 14, 2017 | Etc.
Public Service Announcement:
A support group for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) will hold a meeting on Monday, November 20th at 6:30pm at Prairie Lakes Hospital’s West Conference Room. Attendees should use the west entrance. There is no advanced registration and no cost to attend. Everyone is welcome! To learn more contact Bruce Ford at 880-5213.
I spoke with this group a few months ago and it is a great group and support to those with IBS. If you are dealing with IBS, I encourage you to join them!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Nov 9, 2017 | Etc.
Our Pharmacist Deidra VanGilder talked at our recent STRIVE 2 Survive lecture. She always does a great job addressing the hot topic of vitamins and minerals. Thus I thought we’d share some of her information on the blog for those of you interested in this topic! If you have any individual questions, please email us at strive2survive@brownclinic.org.
There are many different kinds of multivitamins and it’s hard to know which one is best for you. We always prefer you to get the vitamins and minerals from real food over supplements, so striving for a well balanced diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, and lean proteins is the first step. If you are cutting calories to lose weight, you have a health condition that needs additional vitamins or minerals, or you just want to stay healthy and aid in disease prevention, a MVI may be for you. There are two types of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K and can be stored in our bodies. Water soluble vitamins such as the B vitamins and vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, which means we can only store so much and when excess is consumed, they are excreted out. This concept is very important to understand as often times, you may be wasting your money on a supplement if you are already getting adequate amounts through your diet.
Below is Deidra’s take on the various kinds of supplements:
- Basic: contains essential vitamins from vitamin A to Zinc
- Women’s- more Calcium and Vitamin D to help support breast and bone health
- Men’s- more Lycopene for prostate health
- Silver (50+)- Supports eye health, bone health, and B vitamins for energy…Deidra recommends the Centrum Silver as an excellent one for this population.
- Prenatal- More folic acid, iron, and DHA (omega-3) to help support child growth
- Performance/Energy/Metabolism- Contain some herbals thought to help increase energy as well as extra B vitamins…be sure to ask your health care team about these before taking them as they may interact with your meds or contain extra caffeine.
- Cholesterol/Cardio- Contain phytosterols to help lower cholesterol
** Vitamins vary in the levels of vitamins/minerals they contain
** Look at the amount of calcium and vitamin D in each vitamin
** Some multivitamins don’t contain iron
** Grocery store generic vitamins are ok to buy
As you can see there are many different types of vitamins. Overall, we recommend just a basic multivitamin such as One a Day or Centrum Silver to help fill the gaps that your diet is not fulfilling (a multivitamin should NEVER replace real food included in a well balanced diet!). If you have a specific health need such as a woman being pregnant or you are over the age of 50, then you can take that specific vitamin to fit your needs. The supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA like prescription drugs are…thus it is essential to consult your health care provider before taking supplements to ensure it is appropriate for you.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Nov 7, 2017 | Etc.
Dr.Dan and I enjoy blogging and posting about topics that are of interest to you all! I want to invite you to submit your questions and topic requests to us! This is a great way to get your questions answered by professionals in the field…and free of charge! Please email us at strive2survive@brownclinic.org. Questions should be health, nutrition, and fitness related. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!
-Kelsey
