by kelsey | Jul 25, 2018 | Diet, Goals, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
There are no doubts about it….weight loss is tough….but even tougher is maintaining that weight loss. Many people who lose weight slip back into their old ways and gain weight back. This yo-yo dieting or weight cycling results in a variety of issues including poor self esteem, lack of motivation, binge eating, etc. I like to compare this cycle to being stuck in a revolving door like you’d find at a hotel…you just keep going around and around and can’t seem to get out! To help you put a stop to weight cycling, follow these tips:
•Change your mindset: No one ever wants to go on a “diet” and being a diet is never any fun, so ditch the word. Diet usually has a time period to it, so instead think of this has a lifestyle improvement. Think of healthy eating as a lifelong commitment, not a short period of time. Fad diets never work as you can’t live that way forever, so instead focus on a well-balanced nutrition plan that incorporates whole foods and portion control.
•Get adequate sleep: sleep is often overlooked in the equation to success as we tend to put a large amount of focus on food and activity….but in reality, getting adequate sleep is just as important as your exercise and nutrition. You need to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep/night to allow your body to reset and repair itself. Lack of sleep or poor sleep habits typically result in poor eating habits, increasing cravings for junk foods, and a higher BMI.
•Destress: stress can cause an increase in the hormone cortisol and when this hormone is increased, you may experience a greater desire for junk foods or unhealthy foods. Examine your stress levels and think critically about ways you could improve the stress in your life. You may consider journaling, yoga, or meditation to help you. Engaging in regular activity also helps reduce stress as it gives your body natural endorphins that aid in mood boosting.
•Practice mindful eating: Slow the eating process down and think critically about your hunger and fullness factors. Think of food as fuel and you want to choose healthy foods to provide your body with the appropriate nutrients and energy. When we think of food as “good” or “bad” it tends to make us want those bad foods even more, so instead change your mindset about food and work on portion control and feeling confident about your decisions.
I don’t expect these tips to happen overnight, but I do encourage you to examine your life and look at each part of the equation to help you stop the weight cycling and get on a path of healthy living for the long run! If you want help getting on track with a plan that fits you and your lifestyle that you can stick with long-term, please contact me and/or consider signing up for our STRIVE 2 Survive wellness program this fall!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jul 24, 2018 | Diet, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
In today’s society we are often consumed by the next best diet. There are many kinds of shakes, supplements, the next best diet gimmick to help you lose that 20lbs in 2 weeks. The predicted weight loss is usually what intrigues us to learn more and want to try it…especially when it says “no exercise recommended.” Note–this is a red flag that this diet is not a good one! More often than not, the representatives promoting the products and plans for these fad diets do not have credible and substantial education in health and nutrition. In addition, the supplement and diet industry is huge and everyone in it is trying to make the big bucks, thus they are going to tell you exactly what you want to hear! These plans are very tempting to try, but it’s very important to be aware of the consequences some of these diet plans and supplements can have on our bodies and take the proper precautions.
A few years ago an article was published in the British Journal of Medicine that showed a high protein, low carbohydrate diet (typical of diets like the Atkins Diet, True Weigh/Ideal Protein Diet, and the Paleo Diet) increased risk for heart disease in women. In addition, this high protein, low carb diet can result in damage to our liver and kidneys (Yes, this can really happen and I have seen it happen here–most lately with the keto diet). In regards to the supplements, it’s important to be mindful of the ingredients and the nutrient content as many contain ingredients that can act as stimulants and cause elevated blood pressure, heart palpitations, and overall stress to the heart. Most of these fad diets will result in weight loss as you are often cutting your calories very low and as a result you lose that superficial weight also known as water weight. The odds of you keeping this weight off when following a fad diet are minimal, which is why we come back to the good old fashioned diet and exercise as our best plan for weight loss and weight management.
Sometimes we need that reassurance that dieting the old fashioned way is still recommended because there are so many other temptations out there…but what you need to know is YES, this is best for you and your body long term! Following a lower calorie, balanced diet plan that includes all food groups in moderation (and even some treats here and there) will not only help you lose weight and keep it off in the long run, but it will also keep your body healthy inside and out. A healthy and balanced diet paired up with an activity routine is your ticket to success and has been heavily researched to prove this. US News and World Report ranked the best diets recently and the top ones are consistent with our recommendations: the heart healthy and mediterranean diets are the best for us! [http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets?int=9c2508]. Sometimes doing it the old fashioned way takes a little longer than we’d like, but be patient!! We really like to see a slower, steadier weight loss than a quick one so stay strong and true and eventually you will reach your goal!
If you need help with improving your weight and wellness or have questions don’t hesitate to contact us! We’re excited to start our fall session of STRIVE 2 Survive September 11th! Enrollment is beginning now so contact us today to get signed up for a great session of learning and working on improving your health and wellness!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Jul 22, 2018 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
Don’t you wish everything in life was great, exciting, and worth jumping up and down about? Unfortunately, that may not always be the case. It doesn’t mean you sit and dwell on some of those bad circumstances. What are you going to do about them? They are part of your life. Are you just going to try and ignore them, or will you learn from them? The choice is yours. You can either be crabby and angry, and figure out how you can improve from them. We all have days when nothing seems to go right. But, we also have those days when nothing can go wrong! What was the reason for this? I would venture to say our attitude had a lot to do with our interpretation of that day. We decide how we are going to cope with it.
Last week, many of us here in Watertown did the Kampeska Mini Triathlon. Here we all are getting our instructions before the event was to start. Wouldn’t it be great if we had instructions on what was all going to happen in our lives that day? On one hand, our lives would be a lot more structured, planned, and maybe even boring. But life does not come with an instruction manual. Most of the time we are flying by the seat of our pants. There may be things that come up during the day we were not planning on, and we have to adapt to it, and figure out how we are going to handle it. Life is an adventure. This is also what makes life exciting. We don’t know what the future holds. It is a continuous adventure.
Granted, there are times when the days can be stormy. We don’t know what is going to blow our way. Thankfully, many of those times “go past us quickly”. Who knows, that same storm may look terrible one minute, and then next minute, have a totally different outlook.
The stormy looking clouds, and this picture were both while I was on the same walk. One minute I am thinking I better be turning around, and the next minute, they drift apart, and have a whole different look. This cluster of black clouds developed after those other “marshmallow” ones disappeared. To me, it looks like a group of birds with their wings spread out taking flight…taking flight on a new adventure. That is what can happen for us. Ride the storm out, and see what comes behind it, giving us a brighter outlook.
We all have those moments when we wonder why we do certain things. Why do we try to take care of ourselves, and try to work on doing more exercise? It is work! Are the rewards what we want them to be? I say yes! But, sometimes that realization may take a little longer to come to some days!
All of a sudden, things start clicking! We are in a groove, feeling good, doing things we enjoy to do. We are enjoying life! We start to see things differently. We appreciate things, and people, more!
Here is this same area of the lake the following morning after the above storm. Things are clearing up, we may even see reflections of where our life is going. We see things in a totally different way! These are the times that life rewards us. This is why we want to be around longer. This is why we need to take care of ourselves. This is why we need to strive to survive!
We need to be ready for anything. The Kampeska Half Marathon was yesterday. The finish line was at City Park, and the start was at Lunkers. We had to get that 3/4 mile to the start. People were piling into a few cars to get there. Keven drove us, but the car was packed. Sarah sat on my lap, and Amanda was crammed into the far back. We needed to adjust to the situation, and get to the point where the race was going to begin. Where today was going to begin for us. We laughed and joked on the way over. Now we will have another moment to laugh about later. Memories! Life! I can’t wait for the next moment! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3938
by kelsey | Jul 19, 2018 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Have you ever wondered how you can enjoy a sweet treat without all of the added calories?! Here are a few ideas for you:
•Mix flavored yogurt or plain yogurt honey and your favorite fruit.
•Drizzle a bit of honey over mixed melon balls.
•Blend bananas and strawberries, freeze into cubes, and eat like ice cream.
•Sauté or bake 1/2 banana and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped nuts.
•Take three of your favorite kinds of berries; cook half of them with just enough water to prevent burning. Cool and stir in remaining berries. Portion 1/2 cup of the berry compote with 1 tablespoon of your favorite vanilla ice cream.
•Try making your favorite flavor of sugar free pudding with low-fat milk.
•If it’s ice cream that you really want- skip the scoop-yourself containers and buy single-serving novelty treats such as fudgesicles, creamsicles, even chocolate-covered ice cream bars. You’re more likely to limit your portions if they already come in a single serving
Enjoy!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jul 18, 2018 | Diet, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
July and August are typically known to be our hottest months out of the year, which is why I thought it was perfect timing to discuss proper hydration procedures to ensure you do not suffer from any heat related illnesses such as heat stroke or dehydration. With the high temps and humidity, it’s extra important to make sure you get enough fluids! It is important to stay hydrated throughout the day, as it is too late, if you wait to get a drink when you feel thirsty. Especially for those older adults, it takes longer for them to feel thirsty even though they may be severely dehydrated.
Tips for getting adequate fluids:
•Keep a glass or bottle of water with you during the day so you can sip on it. Drink when you are thirsty and even when you are not thirsty.
•Drink more water instead of sugary beverages, milk and juice to avoid those extra hidden calories. Alcohol will increase your water loss. Plain water always works the best.
•Increase your fluid intakes if your diet is high in fiber, protein or salt.
•On days where you may be sweating alot or burning extra calories such as an all day softball tournament in 80-90 degree weather, or doing yardwork/landscaping in the heat all day…you may need to add electrolytes such as Gatorade or Powerade. I prefer G2 Gatorade as it’s lower in sugar, yet still has plenty of electrolytes. **Please note, these drinks are not necessary when you’re doing less than an hour of light activity or more sedentary activities as they just add extra calories and sugar.
•Consult with your doctor or dietitian if you are on a fluid restricted diet and would like further help with your hydration needs.
Use the above chart to determine your hydration level by the color of your urine.
-Kelsey
Graphic Reference:http://www.brownsburgathletics.com/images/urine.gif
by Dan | Jul 15, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
The 34th Annual Hyvee mini Triathlon (“Tri”) at Lake Kampeska took place yesterday. It starts off as a 1/4 mile swim along the shore, then biking 14 miles around the lake, and finishing with a 5k run. It is a fun time, and a lot of people, friends, from the run club were there. Many other friends were also there. You are all there for the same reason: to challenge yourself, see what you can do, and then also to support and cheer each other on! You truly never know what you are capable of doing in life until you give it a “Tri”!
Here Sarah is getting her station ready prior to the race. There is a central station where you have to enter and get ready to take off for the next portion of the race. You have to plan this as well as the clock is still going the whole time during these transitions stations as well.
The girls, and guys, were showing off prior to the race. A lot of us do our training together, and our competing together. But it really is not about the competition. It is about the time you spend together getting ready, encouraging each other, laughing with each other…just spending time together!
Steve and Sally were coming out of the water at the same time. This was the first time for Sally doing this event. They basically did the triathlon together. No worries about time, just about the challenge of being involved, and doing it, and getting in some exercise. Everybody thinks that they cannot do this, until they give it a “tri”. What are you waiting for? You have no idea what you are capable of until you “tri”. Our biggest obstacle with exercise, and with things in life in general, tends to be affected more by what is between our ears than any physical limitation we may have. That is why the support from your friends is so important!
Exactly! Support your friends, and they will support you! The same goes for your spouse. Always be there for them as well!
In the process, you can also show off what you got, flex that power, pride! You spent time training, and getting ready. More important though, a lot of discussions and laughing has occurred during this process as well. Keep this going the day of the event also! If you are too serious with it, you will do worse because you are missing the whole point of being involved in the first place! Work on becoming great!
Set your sights high and reach for the sky! Don’t let your own doubts get in the way. Rely on your friends, and give it a “tri”! The finish line for that particular day will be in your sights. But, it is only the finish for that day. It truly can become the start for many more adventures and events in the future. Enjoy the ride! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3931
