Back to the Business of Losing

Post Holiday "Back to Business" Strategy

We know that the average Thanksgiving meal alone (reported at approx 4,000cal+) can do some serious damage. The holiday, combined with a long weekend can throw even the most committed and dedicated of us off track. Here are some no-nonsense tips to get back to business NOW:   Think short-term. Commit to one week of cleaner eating to rebound from the holiday splurge. Start TODAY. Be sure to maintain your food log for one week to reset healthy habits.  Increase your water intake. MOVE MORE - be sure to get your Strength Training in 3x this week. NO EXCUSES. Plus, increase your cardio by at least an hour over the course of the week. Clean out your kitchen cabinets and fridge! Give away or throw out all of the unhealthy leftovers in the house. No one in your family needs them and if they're not there you won't be tempted by them.  Eat more fruits and veggies.  You will feel better and feel better about yourself. Follow these tips and you'll be back to feeling like your healthy, motivated self in no time! Even Santa is PRE-Burning a few Holiday Calories.  he knows that cookies are coming.

Thanksgiving Eating Tips

Thanksgiving Eating Tips

A1+ - Remembering what your Goals are and Why you are trying to accomplish these Goals will help to keep you on track throughout the holiday season.  Temptation is everywhere and "slipping up" only takes a few seconds to consume a few hundred extra calories.

Why are you eating what you are eating?

1. Decide what you are going to eat each day before you start. Have a plan for your food. No one says you can’t have a snack, then dinner a while later and then dessert a while after that. Often we have "soup to nuts" meals multiple times per day.  

2. Get some exercise right after you get out of bed. This will help you focus on your fitness and make you aware of how your body feels. Make mini bouts (5 mins) of exercise a priority for the day.  Play with the dog, chase your kids, do squats and jumping jacks every 30 -45 minutes.

3. Drink lots of water throughout Thanksgiving day. We all know how important it is to drink water and to stay hydrated. Water will fill you and keep you from feeling hungry throughout the day. Begin by setting a Water Goal for the day.  Track your intake and drink BEFORE you eat.

4. Eat a small breakfast to set up a slow eating day. Do not make the mistake of "making room" or starving yourself in preparation for the feast.  You will consume substantially more food and calories that way AND feel awful.

5. Load up on the Veggie Tray. Carrots, Celery, Peppers, Broccoli, Cauliflower.  If you are not hosting the festivities, find out from who is if they will have a Veggie Tray.  If not, bring your own.  I guarantee you that if you load on on low-calories veggies first, you will not eat as much throughout the day.  Make this choice even better by bringing a low-calorie ranch dip.

6. "Cheat Well".  There are foods that you are really looking forward to and there are foods that you do not really care for.  Eat the ones that you really want.  Ignore the ones that you don't.  Often, in holiday/social situations we eat impulsively and re actively. Be sure to Stop, Think, ChOose then Proceed with your eating by making a choice that you really want.

7. Go for another walk if the weather is good. The worst thing to me is that after having a great Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner there is no energy outlet so you end up just sitting and almost falling asleep. Why not take a little walk around the neighborhood?

8. Kinect with the Wii.  Have an interactive game to play. What you want to do after dinner and dessert is keep away from the regular habit of snacking even though you are full. Set up a tournament with your family to get moving!  Have fun and bond together!

AVOID Holiday Self-Sabotage

Prepare for a Healthy Thanksgiving

Before you go shopping for your Thanksgiving meal, plan ahead with these substitutions: 1. Instead of sugar, use cinnamon and vanilla. 2. Skip canned cranberries and prepare fresh with orange juice. 3. Use low fat broth instead of cream in soups. 4. For casseroles use skim milk and low fat cheese instead of cream and  high fat cheese. 5. Make a stuffing using whole grain bread and turkey sausage. 6. Serve fresh vegetables or fruit as appetizers and skip the fatty chips and dip spread. 7. Use as many fresh vegetables and fresh fruit as possible. 8. Bake sweet potatoes instead of sweet potato pie. 9. Be sure to complete 30-minutes of Movement/Exercise in the morning so you feel good about yourself and sticking to your Exercise Regimen. 10. If you are going to cheat - CHEAT WELL.  Don't just grab based on temptation and impulse. Decide if you really want what you are about to eat. You can be stronger than the holiday "bingefest" that usually occurs.  You control your choices.  Have fun, make great choices, enjoy your food and feel great about yourself! Yours in health, Robert

Create a new Attitude for Success

An Attitude for Success! Part I

Do you alternate between being “good” at sticking to a sensible eating plan and being “bad” when you slip? It’s a frustrating but common cycle for most of us, especially when we consider the self-defeating attitudes that labeling and acknowledging our “badness” create when it comes to food.  Many psychologists know that behavior modification strategies--rather than diets--can help us break this self-defeating cycle and make lasting lifestyle changes.

What is behavior modification? It begins with a change in self-talk and thought, which helps us change our attitudes about our eating, our bodies, and our weight, which helps us change our behavior. In terms of weight loss, our behavior will be reflected by how we feel inside, which will be reflected in how we appear on the outside. When we feel good about ourselves, we can’t help but be attractive to others. THIS is the ultimate goal—to feel better about ourselves inside, so that our bodies and personae will reflect confidence and light to others.

Be Supportive, Not Critical.
People lose weight at different rates. Weight may drop off quickly at first and then plateau, or vice versa. Your body composition may change, although your weight may stay the same.  The important thing is that long-term healthy behavior gets results.
Reassure yourself that you are working hard and remember that hard work pays off. Don’t judge your progress by your weight; instead, acknowledge that during the day or week you engaged in behaviors that will be rewarded down the road.

Set a Game Plan
You may know exactly what you want to achieve but not have a set plan to achieve it.
This is where I see many people fail.  They have great intentions but lack the action steps and action for success.

1. Set your Goals
2. Make you Plan
3. Take Action

This is an emotionally healthy start.  Have a great day.

Stay Motivated to Exercise

How Do I Stay Motivated To Exercise?

The reasons for exercising vary person to person. Studies have indicated that individuals motivation is either driven from within (internal), or driven from outside influence (external). This must be identified to create strategies for oneself to stay motivated to exercise. Individual's can become demotivated from exercise for various reasons:

• Boredom
• Lack of Results
• No support system
• Program not appropriate for the user
• Pain

Possible Strategies:

Variety is the spice of life!
Suggestions for either internal or externally driven individuals is variety. Your program should be built to create modifications in your program either daily, weekly, or monthly. Both types of individuals could benefit from incorporating environmental changes (outdoor, indoor, at home, at health club or PT studio are examples.)

Go for a check-up!
For the externally driven individual, hearing your doctor give you positive or negative feedback can motivate you.  Most people have higher regards for their doctor. If the doctor tells you to move more or eat less that will most likely get you moving. The same can be said if the doctor says great job, keep it going.

Seek A Pro!
Hire a professional coach to help guide and design a program that is just for you. There is no one program that fits all, a coach can match you, your goals, and tasks to the appropriate program.  For the externally driven individual, another voice is in your ear.

Jay Morgan, FAFS

Dynamic Health and Fitness/

My Dynamic Life