Wellness Wednesday: Four Steps to Finding Motivation

Here at Hilton Head Health weight loss resort and wellness retreat, it's our passion to help you achieve your long term weight loss and wellness goals through nutrition and fitness education and training which are taught in our weight loss program and wellness program. However, we also believe that achieving your dreams and goals ultimately comes from within yourself and your own motivation. That's why we take a strong focus on helping you grow your self-awareness and understanding your mind body connection.  What we've come to find in our nearly 40 years of experience, is that you cannot start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one. Take the initiative today. Get intrinsic with yourself and ask, how will changing your fitness and nutrition habits benefit your life? Are you ready? Why now? What are the advantages and disadvantages these choices? Are you willing to make sacrifices for this decision?

Now, are you still in?

If not, revisit those questions above and create your vision. Going through with a plan that has purpose and personal meaning to you establishes the initial motivation.



If you are still in, check out these tips to keep yourself motivated and help you achieve your weight loss and wellness goals.

1. Leave yourself quotes around your house. Sometimes we need to be reminded that good habits don’t happen after just one day of practicing. Place little post-it notes wherever you need a quick pep talk: in the bathroom, on your ceiling above your bed, on your kitchen counter, refrigerator, microwave or night stand. Wherever you need the most motivation. Try some of these H3 favorites: “Don’t give up.” “Think about why you started.” “You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.” “Eat well, move daily, hydrate often, sleep lots and love your body.” “Stay strong, you're worth it.” or “Don’t give up what you want most for what you want at the moment.” 

2. Keep a picture of yourself on your fridge or the mirror in your room or bathroom. This can work in two different ways:

• Find a picture in which you desire to look like again. When looking at it, do you sometimes think "Wow, I don't know how that happened? If only I actually looked like that again!" Take that photo and post it somewhere you will see it often. Having that visual can be motivating and keep you on track towards your goal.


• Or find a picture which you do not desire to look like again.  Sometimes individuals are more motivated by seeing pictures. “I never want to look like that again,” or “I never want to take another picture looking like this.” Take this photo and put it up, reminding you of the image you want to change and the direction you are moving away from.

3. Keep track of your progress. Accountability is one of the best ways to find motivation and stay motivated. Stay on track by recording the workouts you are doing, writing down or inputting what you're eating and even adding pictures to recall your emotions and progress. One way I find helpful is by creating a blog to record what I did, what I ate, how I felt. then sharing the blog with others. You are 50% more likely to adhere to exercising when you have a buddy (doing it alongside you or meeting you to workout). When you are held accountable, you become more aware and responsible for what you do, eat, and feel like. This keeps you on target.

4. Tell your family/roommates/friends about your plans.  When they know, they can help. Sharing your goals, progress, the reasons behind your motivation (whether they be wellness or weight loss related) or even your blog to keep your friends and families, engaged in your work. By understanding your goals, your friends and family can become better supporters and motivators.

Try one of these tips or even a combination. Find what keeps you motivated and stick with it. Ultimately it is your goal, your body, your decision to get healthy, achieve weight loss, wellness, and live a healthy lifestyle.

What keeps you motivated?

H3 Meditation Giveaway

At Hilton Head Health, we help our guests make a mind-body connection in order to help them achieve long term wellness and weight loss, and live a healthier lifestyle. Achieving this self awareness not only helps reduce stress, but it helps one further understand any obstacles standing in the way of their goals and how to overcome them. One of the best ways to achieve this mind-body connection is through the practice of meditation. Regular meditation can also produce various health benefits such as decreasing muscle tension and enhancing your immune system.

Finish this sentence, "I want to practice meditation because ____.", for the chance to win an MP3 download of the new H3 "Meditations" CD, H3 yoga mat and bag! Post your response in the discussion box to the right. We will accept entries until Monday, July 7. The winner will be announced here on the blog on Tuesday, July 8th. Good luck!

Nutrition: HOW TO KICK START YOUR MEAL PLANNING ROUTINE

It’s no secret that eating healthy can be a challenge. We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve failed to plan our meals ahead of time and find ourselves consuming a not so healthy option. However, this doesn’t have to be our reality. We can avoid these situations by practicing meal planning. Meal planning gives you the ability to ensure that all of your breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks are healthy by planning and writing them all down ahead of time. I’ve composed eight tips to help you get started and form a routine:

1. Gain a firm grasp on what a suitable meal looks like. For inspiration, check out the Hilton Head Health Wellness and Weight loss Menu. We’ve included both recipes and sample menu’s that will help you lose weight, get more energy, maintain a health lifestyle and achieve your goals.


2. Use a template. This will help keep you organized. You can either find a template online, or create your own. I suggesting saving a blank copy so you can reuse this for multiple weeks.


3. Write down when you plan on eating your meals.  Too many people back-load their calories/energy intake.  This is eating most of our food late afternoon and throughout the evening.  Avoid going more than five hours without eating something—your food choices may not be as healthy if you are extremely hungry.


4. Prioritize breakfast.  Plan on eating breakfast as soon after you wake up.  We need energy to wake our bodies up versus waiting until 10:00 am to eat something. I suggest a source of protein (e.g., eggs, Greek yogurt, yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, nuts/seeds, etc.), fruit and/or vegetable and a healthy source of carbohydrates coming from either a whole grain (e.g., oats), fruit or starchy vegetable (e.g., breakfast sweet potatoes).


5. Devote a day to prep.  This step is crucial.  I find preparing a few things on a Sunday helps takes some pressure off for the rest of the week.  For example, I make a vegetable based soup, roasted vegetables, a quinoa pilaf, and grilled chicken. These four basic components can be used through out the week, and can either be kept in the fridge or frozen if necessary.


6. Cross-utilize ingredients. If salmon is the dinner protein of choice, prepare an extra filet for lunch the next day—throw it on top of a nice spinach strawberry salad.  Use spinach in another way. Make a spinach, onion and cheese scramble the next day for breakfast.


7. When going out to eat, write in your intended meal and stick to it.  Most people are going out to eat at least two or three times per week.  Check the restaurant menu before hand, and write the healthiest choice on your meal plan.  Commit to this, and don’t look back.


8. Trial and learn. Always keep an open mind and continue to make changes. Take the time to document any meals that didn’t satisfy you and make changes accordingly. Once you get more comfortable with meal planning, the more diversified your diet becomes and you will continue to enjoy new recipes, new foods and gain a new outlook on healthy eating.

By practicing these eight easy steps, you’ll be that much closer to achieving your goals! What are some of you favorite meal planning tips and tricks?

Coaching Corner: 5 Ways to Stay Happy During an Emotionally Difficult Time

For those of you who know me, you might think of me as a “happy go lucky” kind of guy. However on February 12, 2014, I certainly did not feel very “happy go lucky”. As some of you know, that was the day I suffered from a severe neck injury (failed backflip attempt at a gymnastics gym) resulting in 3 fractures in my C1-C2 vertebrae. These are the two vertebrae that allow you to shake your head yes and no. These are also the two vertebrae that brake when someone is hung from a noose. For that reason, this injury is better known as the “Hangman’s Fracture”. Normally this injury results in instant death because the location of the fracture surrounds the part of the spinal cord that controls breathing and heartbeat. Thankfully in my case, my spinal cord was left untouched, resulting only in bone damage… (Phew… I really dodged a bullet there!). For the next 3.5 months, I was to wear a neck brace and acquire a sedentary lifestyle. For the first two months I wore a Halo brace, which significantly limited my upper body range of motion. The final 6 weeks, I wore a C-Collar neck brace which allowed for a little more freedom.

A short 3.5 months after the injury (I say short but it was actually the longest 3.5 months of my life) and I am sitting here without a brace of any kind answering “Yes and No” questions like it’s my job. My recovery is by no means complete; however, the toughest part is certainly behind me.

As I sit here and reflect on the journey I’ve embarked on, I realize that I’ve been able to maintain a happy disposition throughout most of it. And I can’t help but ask myself… why?

What allowed for me to be happy during such a dark time? And when I really think about it, there are 5 things that stand out when I try to answer this question.

1)    Be a Caregiver to your Caregivers: When in the position of needing a caregiver, it's easy to feel a sense of weekness. Something you didn’t need or did on your own, someone else is now doing for you. You might not want them helping you. Maybe you feel guilty or that the caretaker is doing too much for you. But more often than not, when you are suffering, your caregiver is also suffering for you. That's why it's important to make caregiving a two way street. One of the greatest rewards a caregiver can receive is honest, positive, grateful feedback from you.

First, give yourself permission to accept their help. Then relax. Be grateful for the help and then show them your gratitude. Being grateful not only improves your mood but the caretaker’s mood, which ultimately leads to a happier situation for everyone.

My story: As you might imagine, my parents were not thrilled to get this call. Living in San Antonio, TX, my parents immediately started looking for flights to Hilton Head. There were no guaranteed flights for several days. As quickly as they could, they packed bags, jumped in the car and started driving. After 18 hours of non-stop driving, they finally arrived and I could not have felt happier to see them. My mom ended up moving in with me and staying with me for 3 months (which I was not thrilled about at first).

It was incredibly frustrating as a young bachelor to lose my independence and have my mom move into my apartment to live my life for me. But once I gave myself permission to be okay about her helping me and admitted it was okay to have help, I felt a sense of relief. I did not have to do this alone. And neither did she. =D

2)    Spend time with yourself: Whether it’s expressing a hobby, reading a book, meditating, or simply going for a walk, it is important to still make time for “me” during an emotionally difficult time. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the caregiving role, we forget to take time for ourselves. Getting away from everything else that’s distracting in the world makes having a clear and steady mind happen more easily.

My story: Usually my hobbies consist of anything involving physical activity. However, when I broke my neck I was forced to tap into other activities. I've always had a passion for music so I spent a lot of time watching music videos on YouTube. After a little inspiration, I decided I wanted to make a music video. I started learning how to use Garage Band (a recording program on most Mac computers) as well as I-movie (a movie making program on most Mac computers). I became obsessed with learning more about and creating my family tree. This hobby was extra special because it forced me to stay in touch with more family members than usual. With all the projects I got myself excited about, I was able to keep a positive attitude. AND not only that! When I was deep in a project, I forgot that I was even wearing the Halo. =D

3)    Keep a sense of Humor: Research continues to show that laughter truly is the best medicine. Laughter releases “feel good” hormones such as serotonin and dopamine which improves mood, decreases stress and improves immune system and body function. This is not to say that laughter is the “cure all”. But laughter is one of the body’s greatest forms of natural treatment to keep itself in a healthier place.

My story: During my injury, I decided to put this claim to the test. Luckily for me, I have a roommate with a great sense of humor who always knows how to keep the humor flowing (shout out to Alex Santa). That made it much easier. Along with that, I made it a point to watch comical movies and television shows that I thought would make me laugh. I must have watched over 50 episodes of Saturday Night Live in a 2-week period on Netflix. Needless to say, my frequent laughter was a major contributor to keeping my happiness elevated during my time in the Halo. =D

4)    Allow yourself to feel: As our very own Behavioral Therapist, Lisette Cifaldi, would say: Do not "unplug" yourself from your emotions. Acknowledge your emotions. Feel your emotions. When you’re angry, FEEL angry. When you want to cry, cry. Every time you ignore an emotion, it becomes part of a pile that gets stuffed down and roots itself deep inside. When your pile gets too big, it outweighs your ability to fight for happiness. 

My Story: About 4 weeks into wearing my Halo, I started to realize that no matter how hard I tried on the outside - I was not happy on the inside. For 4 weeks, I was ignoring my negative emotions. For 4 weeks, I was lying to myself and pretending everything was okay. But honestly, everything was not okay.

I felt sadness. I felt anger. I felt resentment towards myself. I felt regret towards the decision I made to backflip. Just when I thought I gained complete independence, my parents moved in to take care of me. I felt like I was moving backwards. I chose to ignore all of that for 4 weeks. I chose only to feel the things that I associated with happiness, which ironically, led me away from happiness. Once I finally gave attention to those emotions, expressed them and felt them; I found myself laughing more, smiling more, and enjoying the company of those around me more. All of a sudden, life became colorful again. =)

5)  Find meaning in your struggles: Let’s face it, sometimes things happen in life that simply suck. There always has been and always will be outside forces preventing you from making things exactly the way you want them to be. But being happy isn’t about getting WHAT you want. Being happy is about being WHO you want. Take what life throws at you and use it to build you up NOT drag you down. Take that lemon and create lemonade. If you believe that everything happens for a reason, search for that reason. Learn from it. If you don’t believe that then assign it a reason. Teach yourself something from it. The toughest time in life is the truest test of WHO we want to be.

When you’re in the middle of a struggle, ask yourself, “Where is the silver lining in all of this? What about this experience brings me one step closer to my ideal self? What would my ideal self do in this situation?”.

My story: When I look back at my struggles from my neck injury, of course, I remember the pain and suffering that affected both me and my loved ones. Of course, I remember losing my independence and having my parents move in with me. Of course, I remember NOT being able to be physically active for 3 months. Of course I remember not being able to fall asleep for hours. I could go on and on about the things that sucked. And you know what… I will never forget them. I will never forget them in a good way. I will always be proud that I had them. Because from each negative memory I was given, I was given an even greater positive memory. Positive memories that I could only get from those negative ones. Like:

- The quality time with my parents that not every young man gets to have.

- The vision to see just how many people love and remember me. (More than I would have ever imagined, some people I have not spoken to since Middle school!)

- The growth in my creative hobbies,  in my relationships with others, in the relationship with myself and growth with life in general.

- The spotlight while I was the center of attention for 3 months =D

- The work experience - since I wasn't able to be as active, I’ve had the opportunity to work on the sales side of business.

- The bragging rights to say that I survived the HANGMAN’S FRACTURE!!!

Lastly, it's not always easy to put these strategies into practice. Take it from me. It isn’t always easy for me, either. But I assure you when you do, it will make a world of a difference.

Please enjoy this video that kept me busy and happy during my tough time.

Coaching Corner: Plateau Pitfalls - The Scale

 



You’ve been eating good, clean food for weeks and meticulously recording every bite. Evidence of your commitment to daily exercise is a hamper full of sweaty, workout clothing. Despite your commendable efforts, the scale (otherwise known as the tyrant overseeing your success), refuses to budge. It’s infuriating and disheartening all at once.

The word used to explain the unfortunate scenario above is one dreaded by all dieters – plateau. You have reached a plateau. The problem with that word is that it only applies to one measurement of success. It only applies to the number on the scale. When the scale gets stubborn, crossing its arms in defiance, we explain the mechanical temper-tantrum by admitting we have reached a weight-loss plateau.

A plateau is dangerous territory for people trying to lose weight. The frustration and discouragement inherent in reaching a plateau, despite all your best efforts, results in many people saying, “Screw this!” I apologize for the indelicacy, but honestly that’s the PG-13 version of what’s more likely to be said. A plateau is a trigger that at a minimum causes us to get sloppy with our food, but more frequently leads to giving up on our weight-loss efforts altogether.

Because of plateau pitfalls, it is essential that you find other measures of success in your weight-loss journey. The number on the scale really doesn’t say all that much. The photo below is evidence of that. Each of the women below weighs the same amount, 154 pounds. Clearly that number doesn’t say anything about how healthy or thin they are, or even how they are shaped.



When the scale goes on strike, turn your attention to the following alternative measures of success:

1. Notice how your clothes fit, and purposely try on a piece of clothing that you know has become too large.


2. Notice how strong you feel or begin to increase your strength training so that you can measure your success by how much weight you are able to lift.


3. Notice how much more productive or energized you have become.


4. Set other weekly goals that have nothing to do with weight-loss, like increasing your water consumption, or walking 5000 more steps a day. Each new victory secures your motivation.


5. Take out unflattering, old pictures to remind yourself of how far you’ve come and where you refuse to return. In other words, when you feel like quitting think about why you started.


6. Remember that the longer you engage in healthy behaviors the more likely you are to sustain them for a lifetime. The plateau is a test of your long-term commitment.


7. Look in the mirror and admire the progress. Remind yourself of how much better your body looks and feels than it did at the start of your journey.


8. Find inspirational quotes and mantras and paste them everywhere!

When the dreaded plateau descends, remember -- it’s the journey that counts, not the destination.

15 Positive Psychological Effects of Exercise

 

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We have all heard that exercise releases endorphins, fights anxiety, increases stress resilience, and improves sleep. However, there are additional psychological effects exercise has on the mind. Check out these 15 effects:

1. Escape a Bad Mood: Exercise helps transform a bad mood into a good one. Ever gone for a run after a stressful work day? Chances are you felt better afterward. Usually within five minutes after moderate exercise, you get a mood enhancement effect. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with brain receptors (same receptors that bind some pain medicines) to reduce your perception of pain and trigger a positive feeling.


2. Reduce Anxiety: Both low and moderate intensity exercise has shown to reduce anxiety, however,

doing high intensity exercise, especially in women, has shown to provide the greatest reduction in anxiety.

 Regular workouts are even helpful for people prone to anxiety because it makes them less likely to panic. Exercise in many ways is like exposure treatment; therefore, people learn to associate the symptoms with safety instead of danger.

3. Stress Resilience: Exercise increases concentrations of norepinephrine which can affect the brain’s response to stress. Exercise stops neurons firing in the region of the brain which is stimulated during a stress response. Studies in mice have shown exercise reorganizes the brain by resisting neuron fire and making the brain more resistant to stress.

4. Improved Sleep: Although it’s not necessarily accurate to say exercise makes you more tired, exercise does show to improve sleep over the long term. Moving around five to six hours before bedtime raises the body’s temperature and when your temperature drops back to normal a few hours later; this signals the body that it’s time to sleep.


5. Lower Dementia Risk:

Any type of exercise which gets your heart pumping lowers the risk of dementia.

Regular exercise in midlife is associated with lower levels of cognitive problems, helping to prevent dementia and mild cognitive impairments.


6. Fight Depression: Physical activity extends beyond the mood enhancing short term effects and shows to help alleviate long-term depression. Exercise provides moderate relief and can alleviate symptoms among those depressed and has even worked just as effective as antidepressant pills.


7. Speed Up Your Mind: After just 30 minutes of exercise, your working memory (what’s in your conscious mind right now and what you’re doing with this information) improves. Exercise improves spatial memory by increasing production of cells in the hippocampus (responsible for memory and learning).


8. Reduce Silent Strokes:

Exercise reduces the chance of silent strokes by 40%.

It has to be more than walking to experience these benefits so any moderate movement like jogging, biking, tennis, or swimming are great to get the protective effect.


9. Protect Against Alzheimer’s: Exercise provides a protective effect against Alzheimer’s by helping to produce chemicals which fight the damaging inflammation of the brain. As the most common form of dementia, the brain literally wastes away followed by the body. Alzheimer’s kills off brain cells which cause the brain to shrink, losing important brain functions. Although exercise cannot cure Alzheimer’s, it can help fight against cognitive decline. As mentioned in #7 above, there is a chemical boost in the brain which prevents degeneration of the hippocampus, an imperative part of the brain for memory.


10. Improve Children’s School Performance: Children who engage in more exercise do better in school. Cardiovascular exercise can improve brain performance and a tough workout (high movement and coordination) increases levels of brain-derived protein in the body which is believed to help with decision making, higher thinking, and learning.


11. Stimulate Brain Cell Growth: Connected to cardiovascular exercise, doing cardio can create new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis. Exercise actually helps new brain cells to grow, specifically the brain regions related to memory and learning.


12. Increase Executive Functioning:  Exercise reliably improves executive functioning, such as: switching tasks efficiently, ignoring distractions, and making plans.


13. Prevent Migraines: Although there is fear that exercise may create a migraine, exercise can actually help prevent migraines.

Exercising at least three days a week shows improvements equal to taking the most current anti-migraine drugs.

14. Stop Smoking: Taking a brisk walk or doing a similar exercise can help someone give up smoking. Taking that walk creates an experience of less stress, less anxiety, and fewer withdrawal symptoms and helps by making the cigarette seem less attractive.


15. Reduce Motivation to Eat: Contrary to what is believed (eating more after exercise to replace lost calories) after exercise, people have lower motivation to eat food. Exercise helps to suppress hunger by decreasing the body’s levels of ghrelin (hormone that stimulates appetite). Additionally, exercising in the morning makes us more health focused for the day, choosing healthier food and movement options throughout our day.

Exercising has several positive effects which go beyond the gym. Which effects could you benefit from by exercising every day?

The 2014 Boston Marathon: Lindsay's Experience

It is now a full week after the 2014 Boston Marathon. This is going to be a long blog, but I promise I keep things interesting. Physically, I am still recovering while emotionally I am still processing. I thought I would share my experience and I can only hope you get the slightest taste of what it was like to be in Boston this year. In order to truly understand my emotions leading up to race day it is important to know this was my second marathon (qualifying race was the 2013 Cincinnati Flying Pig), I still haven’t grasped why I was given this opportunity and no, I didn’t “deserve” it. Sure, I worked hard to qualify, but there are bigger reasons as to why I got to be a participant in the 2014 Boston Marathon and I couldn’t be more grateful to share the experience.

Jeff (my boyfriend) and I got up around 5:00 am race day and took our time getting ready. Showered up, put on the body glide (I missed a few spots, ha), tossed on CTF gear and ate a solid breakfast. Jeff’s dad kindly drove us to the bus stop while I took a quick nap—apparently I still needed some shut eye. We arrived to Athlete’s Village around 7:30 am and I knew it was going to be a long wait before I started. Honestly, I wasn’t thrilled about this part but there is nothing you can do except rest, chit-chat, refuel, use the bathrooms and watch the snipers on top of a local school (craziness). Jeff left around 9:30 am and I had another hour or so before I made my way to the starting line.

Physically, my legs felt ready to go but my stomach was in rumble mode. So many thoughts and emotions—I felt honored to be there knowing so many people were tracking and supporting; having our families awaiting at mile 25 and knowing Jeff was out there was comforting, exciting and nerve racking all at the same time. It was finally time to get started and I couldn’t be happier.

Miles 1-6: Go figure the first thing I hear is the Dropkick Murphys song…it instantly made me think of everyone at CTF and “3, 2, 1, work” became real. I paced my first 6 miles really well given it was a lot of downhill. I knew that would hit me later… going downhill is not fun. It was only fun when I was 6 years old and thought it was cool to run down the hill next to my house to see how fast I could go. I got to mile 7 and couldn’t believe I was already 25% done with the course. Miles 7-13: I made sure to stay on top of my nutrition plan of using my gels, drinking water, drinking Gatorade every so often, and had my first dose of salt supplement. I was able to hold my pace and I couldn’t be more excited about that. These miles were a blast. I tried to clap as many hands as possible, favoring the kiddies. I was truly savoring every mile at this point.

Miles 13-19: Mile 13 wasn’t my finest mile. Thank goodness there was a bathroom close by because I felt my throat start to cease up—that feeling right before you puke. Awesome. I paused my watch at this point, got sick in a porter potty, felt a million times better then kept moving on. Physically, I knew this would probably catch up later but what can ya’ do? You keep moving. Ran to mile 14, drank Gatorade and water, recovered my pace miles 15-17 then proceeded to get sick AGAIN at mile 18. At this point, I was concerned about how my body would handle this once I got to my final miles but all I could do was follow my game plan and try to get my pacing back. Mile 19 was a 9:30 mile and that was when my quads started to cramp stronger than I’ve ever felt in my life.

Miles 20-26.2: These miles were the hardest miles I have ever physically ran/walked/stretched/trotted in my life. Mentally I was strong and knew the goal was to FINISH the race. KEEP MOVING. Maintain form. Wooooah--ceasing up. Pull over. Stop. Stretch. Shake it out. KEEP MOVING. Lean on the crowd’s support. Drink water, drink Gatorade, stay on the nutrition plan, pray and KEEP MOVING. Your friends are tracking you—KEEP MOVING. Family is at mile 25—smile for the picture and act like you aren’t in pain. Drink water. Stop, stretch, shake it out, talk to the person behind the fence then KEEP MOVING. These thoughts and actions were literally my last 6.2 miles. Crossing that finish line was emotional and I couldn’t wait to find Jeff, family and sit down. Finishing at 4:05 was not in the cards at mile 18 (I could have finished around 3:40), but starting at mile 19 a 4:05 finish was stellar. I found Jeff pretty easily and the tears came streaming down.

As I replay my miles, one of the main reasons I believe I had the opportunity to run that race was to be humbled.

Humble literally means to “bow down.” I felt what it was like to mentally rely on something bigger than me because my body was shutting down. In so many words, I had to look up, look around me and have faith that I was going to finish that race—no matter what.

The Perfect Healthy Gift for Mom

With Mother’s Day coming up start thinking outside the box and think inside the bag. A well-stocked, stylish, gym bag is the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Every little motivational tool is a blessing when looking for reasons to workout. A gym bag with all the essentials is just what Mom needs to psych herself up to sweat. Here’s a few suggestions for this awesome gift idea:

First Things First…Find a Great Gym Bag:

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Mom needs a gym bag that is both stylish and practical. A duffle bag with extra compartments, both inside and out, is desirable for storing gym bag essentials. Also, make sure the gym bag you select is either machine washable or has coated fabric that can be easily wiped down. Leather just isn’t going to do. Ideally you want a gym bag that has both a handle strap and a shoulder strap. On days when she is loaded down with groceries and other sundry packages, Mom needs different carrying options for her gym bag. If shopping online, Zappos.com and Amazon.com have a great selection. I also like HadakiShop.com because you can select from many fabric choices as well as purchase matching accessories like a cosmetic bag.

Speaking of Cosmetic Bags…

A bag inside a bag? Yup, that’s a necessity for the ultimate gym bag. Mom will need a few essential toiletries like deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion and a brush. Look for her favorite brands in trial sizes, which can be purchased at most drug stores, and gather them in a small cosmetic bag for inclusion in her chic, new gym bag.

Hydration Station:

Every gym bag needs a great water bottle and Mom needs to stay hydrated during her workout. Look for a water bottle with an opening big enough to easily fill with ice (my favorite is the Nalgene Tritan Wide-Mouth http://store.nalgene.com/), and try to find one with a carrying strap. H2O with a hint of fruit can be very quenching so you might consider one of the cool new infusion water bottles like the Define Bottle which has both a wide opening and carrying strap (http://www.definebottle.com/).

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Fashionable Fitness:

Mom will feel better about sweating if she looks good while doing it, so why not help her out with a cute, new exercise outfit (or a gift certificate to buy one)? For the fashionista, Lululemon.com is the way to go. For comfort and style try Athleta.com and for fashion on a budget, TJ Maxx is the best!

A Few Extras:

You know Mom best so consider if she will need any of these items in her gym bag as well; hairbands, weight-lifting gloves, a towel, an extra pair of socks and a few on-the-go exercise accessories like a jump rope or resistance bands.

Coaching Corner: Dream Big Start Small

DREAM BIG.  START SMALL.   YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES.  DIG DEEP—REACH INSIDE.  ENGAGE IN THE WORLD IN WHICH YOU LIVE.  NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME.  WAKE UP.  GET OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.   WHAT IS GOING TO KEEP YOU IN THE GAME? 

Wellness Wednesday: 3 Weight Loss Motivation Tips

Motivation can be very difficult to sustain yet it is the single most important factor determining our success, regardless of the goal. In fact, motivation trumps environment, support, and knowledge when it comes to variables that affect achievement. That means that motivation has to be your number one priority with any aspiration. The priority is not only determining ways to fuel motivation but also vigilantly eliminating barriers to motivation.

The goal of losing weight is often riddled with motivational black holes. Our focus seems to get sucked into the abyss. Thus, when losing weight it remains important to keep a tool box filled with motivational strategies. Ever eager to help you stock your tool box, I’ve put together three more tips to help inspire your weight loss efforts:

1.       What does 5 pounds of fat look like?



We get overly fixated on numbers when trying to lose weight. If it’s not the scale then it’s a size. Why not look at your achievement in a way that is more meaningful than a number? The next time you find yourself saying with exasperation, “I’ve ONLY lost five pounds” get an idea of what five pounds really looks like (hint: check out the photo above). Better yet, remind yourself of what it feels like. Grab a 5-pound weight and carry it in your purse or jacket pocket for a few hours.

2.       Look at How Far You’ve Come Instead of How Far You Have to Go.



When achieving your goal seems many miles and days ahead, motivation can stall. Break down the goal into smaller increments and then track those milestones in a way that lets you focus on how far you’ve come. One of my clients started using the chart above. She would track her weight-loss in 2-pound increments and mark them off on the bar. Doing so allowed her to see how close she was to her goal as well as what she had already achieved. Here’s a chart to get you started: 5 Pound Goal

3.       Build Your Success Playlist



For every pound you lose add a new song to your weight-loss play list. Build a playlist of motivational songs that represent your successes from week-to-week. Use Google to select songs that characterize the unique challenges and ultimate victories experienced during the process of your weight-loss journey. (Speaking of journey…start with the song “Don’t Stop Believin” by the band Journey)! Within months you will have created the ultimate playlist.

Wellness Wednesday: The Healthy Touch

Touch is the first of all our senses to develop. In fact, humans begin using their sense of touch in the womb. It is essential for our ability to know the world we live in and to connect with others on both basic and deep levels. Touch is essential to our overall health.

From lowering blood pressure and heart rate to increasing immune function and relieving pain, getting touched makes you healthier -- not to mention happier and less anxious. Since you can't touch without being touched, the physiological benefits of touching occur for both the toucher and the touchee. Research has revealed that a person giving a massage experiences as great a reduction in stress hormones as the person on the receiving end. Likewise, studies have shown that a person giving a hug benefits just as much from the gesture as a person being hugged.

So, how can you add a healthy touch to your life? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Give or Get a Massage:

Whether it’s your significant other rubbing your shoulders, a quickie-back massage at the mall, or a foot-rub during a pedicure, even a short massage helps you to unwind. Your muscles relax, the heart rate slows, blood pressure falls and levels of the stress hormone cortisol drop. When cortisol drops, the immune system strengthens.

Hug it out

Hugging is not limited to your children or spouse. If you ask permission, just about everyone appreciates a hug. When hugging, both the hugger and hugee simultaneously experience a flood of the hormone oxytocin and a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol. So, hugging can reduce stress and boost the immune system all at once. Now that’s a powerful embrace.

Hold Hands

Holding hands can be enormously calming. In fact, research shows that holding hands with a special someone can reduce stress, lower cortisol and lower blood pressure, especially when done during a tense situation.

Let’s Talk About Sex

Sex is the contact sport of touching – it involves the total body. It’s no wonder it feels so good. All that skin-to-skin stroking (not to mention orgasm!) floods us with oxytocin and feel-good endorphins that do wondrous things for our emotional well-being. If done regularly, which I highly recommend, sex helps to strengthen the immune system.

Fitness Friday: Super Bowl Workout

Did you know that, on average, people consume 1,200 calories while watching the Super Bowl? Although when sitting in front of the TV for hours and indulging in a few additional snacks is acceptable, the Super Bowl is no excuse to undo the healthy lifestyle that you work so hard to maintain. Instead of staying sedentary throughout the game, try this fun Super Bowl workout instead!

When you see this:   Do this:

For the committed football fan:

 

 

 

 

Fitness Friday: Treadmill HIIT workout:

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) describes any workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense activity or even complete rest.

This treadmill “HIIT” workout is great for winter days, it will help you beat the boredom, improve your aerobic capacity and burn more calories with only 30 minutes of speed and heel intervals.

The workout is design for all fitness level; you can work at your own pace adjusting the intensity accordingly. Have fun!

Coaches Corner: Winter Olympics Fitness Tips

Elite athletes are not always born great, often they are “made”. There are countless athletes out there who are strong, agile, fit, healthy, skilled, kinesthetically aware, confident, optimistic, and so on and so forth. What separates someone who is born into an everyday athlete from someone who is made into an Olympian? A passion, a purpose, and a plan.

Seppe Smits, a 22 year old from Belgium, had a dream of being the first Belgian to ever snowboard in the Winter Olympic Games. Growing up, Smits had always had a passion for adventure, but he never quite found something that could completely satisfy his craving until he went snowboarding on a vacation to the mountains. Coming from a country with no mountains, the only way Smits could practice his snowboarding at home was at an indoor ski dome one hour from his house; which he went to at least three times a week. If Smits wanted to actually snowboard on a mountain, it was a 20 hour road trip for him and his mother. One evening, Smits was practicing a back flip and ended up landing on his shoulder, causing his collar bone to break. Instead of giving up, he used that 4-5 month recovery period watching countless videos of elite snowboarders, over and over again, to better understand the mechanics of the sport. In 2012, Smits competed in his first Big Air competition, and won. This year, 2014, at the Sochi, Russia Olympic Games, Smits will be making history as Belgian’s very first Olympic Snowboarder.

There are perhaps thousands of things that go into making an Olympic athlete. But when all of those things are broken down and simplified, they become a passion, a purpose, and a plan. The idea sounds simple, and in fact it is, but; often times, greatness stems from simplicity.  Seppe Smits had a passion for great adventure. His self-driven purpose was to make history as Belgian’s first Olympic snowboarder. His plan; understand the sport by analyzing videos, go to the indoor ski dome at least 3 days a week, take vacations to the mountains, and compete in competitions. When you really think about it, this concept doesn’t just apply to Olympic athletes. Having a passion, a purpose, and a plan can turn the average into the great.

It is very easy in the Winter time to make excuses not to exercise. It’s colder outside, the weather is bad, there’s too much ice, less motivation with less sunlight, the list goes on and on. But where there is an excuse there is a solution. Heck, if Seppe Smits can train to be an Olympic snowboarder in a country without mountains, then we can learn to stay active without the access of ideal weather/temperature conditions. For long term success, all we need is a passion, a purpose, and a plan. In this case, finding a passion means finding something you enjoy. Instead of using your energy thinking about why you wouldn’t enjoy something, use that energy to keep an open mind and actually try new things. Who knows, maybe you’ll surprise yourself. Finding a purpose means finding a truly motivating reason to stay active. To help you find that purpose, answer yourself a few questions?

•  How would staying active in the winter positively impact my life?


•  What do I hope to gain from being active?


•  If you’re looking for a beach body, how would that lifestyle permanently improve your life?

Having a plan means coming up with ways to stay active. Seppe Smits used an indoor ski dome, what resources do you have? Perhaps you feel like you don’t have many resources. Below are five tips to help you stay active in the winter;

1)      Body Weight Exercises: Body weight exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home. They are a good way to build strength and can even get your heart rate up when done in a circuit. Below is an example of something you could do.

2)      Find a friend to go to the gym with: Often times when we depend on ourselves to go to the gym, we may decide last minute not to go because of ____________ (fill in the blank). But when you are scheduled to meet somebody, you are more likely to go because you don’t want to let them down.

3)      Wear layers: If you are someone who enjoys the outdoors, it can be cumbersome to wear big bulky jackets. Simply wearing 3-4 thin layers (2-3 shirts [short and long sleeve], thin jacket, workout shorts, workout pants, 2-3 layers of socks, shoes, 2-3 layers of thin gloves, scarf, earmuffs, and a hat) can be just as, if not more, protective from the cold and it is more comfortable to move in as well.

4)      Turn Your Shoveling into a workout: If you live in a place where it snows a lot, you can turn your shoveling into a workout. If you would like to measure improvements, you can time yourself each time you have to shovel and try to set a new record! Be sure to keep your core engaged and use your leg strength while shoveling in order to reduce the risk of low back aches.

5)      Have a quality warm-up: Warming up is always an important part of the workout. When our muscles are warm they are less prone to injury. Not only that, but warming up is exactly what it implies, you become warmer. The cold temperature may not go away, but after a quality warm-up it will certainly be more tolerable.

There is never a good time to do something, but the best time is always now. Let this winter be your time to discover/rediscover a passion, a purpose, and a plan. Use this time to teach yourself how to conquer mountains when all you have access to are hills. Use this time to further define yourself. Use this time to take your something average and turn it into your something “great”.

How to Spend the Last Day of the Year

You made it! It’s the last day of the year, and since you are reading this insightful blog that means you’ve survived 2013. You’re not done yet however. You have a few more hours to go before ringing in the New Year. How do you want to spend it? How do you want to spend the last day of the year?

Do you want to wallow in resentment? Do you want to sit on the couch, numbing gaze, while watching another episode of Law & Order? Do you want to waste mental and emotional energy reflecting on the hardships of 2013, clinging to a desperate hope that 2014 will be a better year? Do you want to stare at your reflection with self-loathing because your body still has a ways to go before reaching an acceptable appearance?

Or…

Do you want to float in love and gratitude? Do you want to feel the exhilaration of achievement and hard work that comes from exercising? Do you want to call the people who have nurtured your soul and thank them for their presence in your life? Do you want to walk through your work day grateful for the ability to share your unique skills while feeling the security of knowing that you have an income? Do you want to thank your body for providing another year of experiencing life…hugs, kisses, adventures? Do you want to reflect on the abundance in your life? Do you want to recall the opportunities that have been presented to you -- the opportunities to learn, evolve, grow, and succeed? Do you want to witness the beauty around you with a deeper appreciation?

You choose. You can choose how to spend the last day of the year.

I have chosen to feel a deep sense of gratitude that comes from doing what I love. I have chosen to reflect on the immense honor that my clients bestow upon me as they open up their hearts in my office and trust me with their vulnerability. I have chosen to acknowledge how my clients help me as much as I help them. I am choosing to thank you all for the gift of your presence in my life.

“The winds of grace blow all the time. All we need to do is set our sails.” ~ Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Have a Happy New Year all!

Wellness Wednesday: American Heart Association New Guidelines

It's been 15 years since the American Heart Association last issued their guidelines on weight management.  The newest revision, released just last month, announced that losing weight is a battle best fought with the support of others, the advice of experts and a healthy well-balanced approach.  Hilton Head Health pioneered these principles over 37 years ago.  It's about time the rest of the world started closing the gap.

We continue to push the envelope.  We've introduced new culinary classes, home coaching programs and soon each guest will be equipped with the most advanced activity trackers to increase motivation and accountability.  I'm proud to say H3 is still the leading innovator in creating healthy lifestyles.

The new guideline outlines the “gold standard” for a weight management program as one that offers an intensive on site program, behavioral coaching for diet, and exercise in a group or individual sessions with qualified health care providers.  The focus should not only be on weight loss, but on the skills necessary for weight maintenance.   Does that sound familiar?  It should, Hilton Head Health has been offering this type of program for nearly 4 decades.

The American Heart Association continues to use Body Mass Index or BMI as the main screening tool.  Treatment is recommended for those with a BMI of 30 or greater, or a BMI of 25+ with one additional comorbidity or risk factor. (The previous guideline required 2 comorbidities).  Comorbidities include; diabetes, prediabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and a waist circumference greater than 40” for men and 35” for women.  The guideline does not endorse one specific diet but recommends that both personal preference and health status should be taken into consideration when determining the nutritional approach.  For me, one of the most significant and encouraging points made by the new guidelines is that “clinically meaningful health improvements can be seen even with a weight loss in the 2% - 5% range.”  For a 200 lb. person that translates to an achievable 4 – 10 lb. loss.

For those who want to review the guideline in their entirety click here.

Coaching Corner: Banana Power

Eating just two bananas can provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout; not surprising that the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. Bananas contain three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber and provide an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Energy isn’t the only way; however, a banana can help us keep fit. Bananas can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions.

ANEMIA:
Bananas, being high in iron, can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

BLOOD PRESSURE:
Extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, bananas are perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

BLOOD SUGAR:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

BRAIN POWER:
Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. (200 students at an English School were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power.)

CONSTIPATION:
Bananas are high in fiber; therefore including bananas can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

DEPRESSION:
Bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

HEARTBURN:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

MOSQUITO BITES:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

NERVES:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system..

ULCERS:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

When you compare it to an apple, it has FOUR TIMES the protein, TWICE the carbohydrate, THREE TIMES the phosphorus, FIVE TIMES the vitamin A and iron, TWICE the other vitamins and minerals, and also rich in potassium…. So maybe it’s time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, ‘A BANANA a day keeps the doctor away.’

Wellness Wednesday: Spiritual Refueling

By Lisette Cifaldi, MSW, LMSW

Director of Behavioral Health, Hilton Head Health

The number one symptom of spiritual disconnection is serenity deficiency. When you are white-knuckling it through the day and even the smallest inconveniences have you gritting your teeth, then your serenity has been breached. All signs are pointing to a need for spiritual refueling.

Environment, culture, and lifestyle can all be contributing factors involved in the kidnapping of our peace and serenity. However, a well-nurtured spiritual connection provides a healthy immunity against the influences that compromise our peacefulness.  Below are a few ideas for how to begin spiritual refueling:

Laugh Until You Cry: When is the last time you had a good belly laugh? We allow life to become all too serious at times. Laughter is necessary for lightening your spirit and loosening strongholds on your heart. Have a marathon showing of funny movies or DVR some of your favorite sitcoms and watch them back-to-back.  Visit a local comedy club or just stand in the greeting card section of your closest Target reading the cards filed under humorous.

Full Service Please: Being of service to others gets us out of the monkey chatter in our head. When we help people in need our spirit blossoms. We become untethered from our thoughts as our spirit naturally takes the reigns. Service can take the form of volunteerism with local charities or non-profit organizations, as well as just dropping in on an elderly neighbor or bringing dinner to a sick friend. Don’t over-think it -- just dive in and help.

Naturally Speaking: One way to spiritually refuel is to surround yourself with the beauty of nature. Set aside some time to create a mindful experience in the great outdoors. Try a quiet walk on the beach or a tranquil saunter through the woods. Work in your garden or arrange a picnic under your favorite tree. Feel the sun on your face, the breeze through your hair or the snow on the tip of your tongue.

Exercise Your Right Brain: Getting creative is a great way to awaken your spirituality. Our analytic thought can become a strait-jacket for our spirituality. Channel Houdini for help in escaping that strait-jacket by engaging in creative endeavors. Paint, collage, craft, photograph…instead of looking for beauty, create it!

Mischievous Merriment: Smiles, giggles, and feelings of happiness abound when we do something nice for others, especially without them knowing about it. Putting a smile on someone else’s face lights up your spirit from within. Get a bunch of $5 Starbuck’s gift cards and randomly give them away. Sing the praises of someone who has given you excellent customer service by writing their boss a letter. Send someone flowers, or put a small box of chocolates on their desk with a note that recognizes their hard work.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You: Gratitude is the doorway into your spirit. By purposively cultivating gratitude you align yourself with the abundance of the universe. When we expand our practices of gratitude “I’m not enough,” and “I don’t have enough” become, “I am enough” and “I have everything I need.” Start with a gratitude list on your refrigerator. Whenever you’re in the kitchen, write down one thing you’re grateful for on the list. Create a gratitude box at the beginning of the year. Once or twice a week, recognize something you are truly grateful for, write it on a note, and put it in the box. At the end of the year, open the box and reflect on all your blessings.

Pipe Down: Last, but not least, allow for silence in your life. Our mind, body and spirit need quiet. Find a place and time to rest peacefully with no distractions or noise. Let the commotion in your head and environment fall away so your spirit can surface and take center stage.

Wellness Wednesday: 10 Healthy-Habit Holiday Gift Ideas

With the holidays around the corner, why not give gifts that will help people succeed with their healthy lifestyle goals and aspirations?  I’ve searched the web for some innovative gadgets and tools that can help with snacking, portion control, mindful eating, and earth-friendly habits.  Here’s a few of my favorites:

1. Calorie Cuvee Wine Glass ($19.95): This hand-etched calorie counting wine glass offers a guideline for people who enjoy drinking wine but would also like to regulate their intake, whether it's for weight loss or general health. The Caloric Cuvee glass clearly marks ounces and lists calories consumed by ounces. http://www.caloriccuvee.com/


2. Jokari Healthy Steps Portion Control Ice Cream Scoop ($6.75): Over portioning ice cream is easy to do. This nifty-little ice cream scoop captures the correct portion size of ice cream in a chamber and releases the scoop into a bowl or cone with the push of a plunger-button at the base of the handle. http://www.amazon.com/Jokari-229494-Ice-Cream-Scoop/dp/B003Y3B90A


3. Healthy Steps Pasta Basket ($7.59): Portioning out pasta can be tricky. With the Healthy Steps Pasta Basket it’s easy to measure, cook, and strain one serving of pasta. Perfetto! Never again cook more pasta than you need. The Healthy Steps Portion Control Pasta Basket measures one serving of pasta and works with any type of pasta! The silicone basket provides a contained cooking space and up to four baskets fit into one pot. http://www.neatlysmart.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=75292&gclid=CMGr3Krt0LoCFYqk4AodJz4ASg


4. The HAPIfork ($99): The HAPIfork is the first item I have even seen that can help cultivate the habit of mindful eating. It’s an electronic fork that lights up and vibrates when you are eating too fast. Research shows that it takes 15-20 minutes to feel satisfied, and when we feel satisfied we naturally eat less. By simply slowing down your pace while eating, you will consume fewer calories. Pair with your smartphone or tablet over Bluetooth® to see your eating stats in real time with the HAPIfork app for iOS or Android and connect it to your device via Bluetooth® to check; (1) How long it took to eat your meal, (2) The number of "fork servings" (each time food is brought to the mouth) per minute, (3) A timer to help you pace your fork servings, (4) Actual intervals between fork servings, and (5) Your success rate and overspeed ratio.  http://www.brookstone.com/hapifork-smart-fork?bkeid=search|google|bidword|c|hapifork|exact&gclid=CILslc3v0LoCFY6Y4AodazkARg


5. Slimware Sunburst Plates ($37.50): Slimware is a unique line of casual dinnerware that provides subtle reminders about potion control within the plate design/graphic. The three sunbursts printed on the plate correspond to appropriate portion sizes for vegetables, proteins and carbs/side dishes. Each Slimware box contains four 10.5 inch melamine plates. http://www.slimware.com/Articles.asp?ID=141


6. The Kitchen Safe ($49.95): If you have a hard time controlling your snacking or eating a particular trigger food responsibly, the Kitchen Safe may be your long-awaited solution. Have your snack then simply place the snack or food item in the Kitchen Safe, close the lid, and set the timer. Once the timer is set, and the button is pressed, the safe locks and cannot be opened until the timer reaches zero. http://www.thekitchensafe.com/pages/overview


7. Measure Up Bowls ($29.99): The Classic Measure Up Bowl is great for measuring cereals, fruits, soups, chilis, pastas, rice, salads...anything you eat out of a bowl! The Classic features 1/2, 1, 1-1/2 and 2 cups premeasured portions on the interior of the bowl. The Small Measure Up Bowl is perfect for the calorie-dense, high-fat foods that have a smaller serving size. Nuts, granola and ICE CREAM, just to name a few. The Small features 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 cup premeasured portions on the interior of the bowl. The white porcelain makes them compatible with almost any dish set. Microwave/dishwasher safe. http://shopmeasureupbowl.com/main.sc


8. Healthy Steps Portion Control Dressing Cruet ($9.84): The Portion Control Dressing Cruet by Healthy Steps measures out the proper serving size of healthier, homemade salad dressings. Simply fill with flavored vinegar, olive oil and herbs or follow one of the healthy dressing recipes embossed on the bottle. Cover the top with your finger and give it a shake. The built-in emulsifier mixes the ingredients quickly. One easy squeeze of the cruet is all it takes to fill the top serving chamber with a 2 tbsp serving of salad dressing. Then pour over your fresh green salad and enjoy! The Healthy Steps Dressing Cruet holds just over a cup…that’s 8 servings of salad dressing. http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Steps-Portion-Control-Dressing/dp/B005IU5LX8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383767791&sr=8-1&keywords=portion+control+dressing+cruet


9. LunchSkins Re-useable Snack & Lunch Bags ($7.85): These stylish snack bags are great for appropriate snack portioning as well as creating a litterless lunch. Reduce your daily lunchprint by adding LunchSkins to your packed lunches. http://www.lunchskins.com/reusable-snack-bags-s/21.htm


10. Bee’s Wrap Re-Useable Food Wrap ($18): These cool wraps, made of all natural muslin, beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin are reusable, recyclable food storage sheets perfect for picnics, school lunches, and leftovers. The warmth of your hands molds the cloth to the item you are wrapping and as it cools, the cloth stiffens, preserving your food. When the food is gone, Bee’s Wrap lives on thanks to beeswax and jojoba oil’s antibacterial qualities. Simply wash in cool water with a mild dish soap, air dry, fold, and store in a drawer. http://www.thegrommet.com/bees-wrap-set-of-three-sizes

Coaching Corner: Persistence

 

The obvious goal that most people have when they start a weight management program is to not only lose weight but keep it off.  Unfortunately, the reality is that they gain some, if not all of their weight back.  When this pattern repeats itself over time it is referred to as yo-yo dieting, or weight cycling.  There is a common misconception that this pattern can lower, if not “destroy” your metabolism; making future weight loss difficult if not impossible.  If you believe that you have destroyed your metabolism as a result of previous dieting behavior, you might assume that you can’t lose weight, so why try?  The good news is that according to the National Institutes of Health’s, Weight Control Information Network (WIN), studies show weight cycling does not affect your metabolic rate.  Results for the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), a data base of 10,000 successful maintainers support those findings. The participants of NWCR have lost on average 50 – 70 lbs. and maintained that weight loss for 7-10 years.  Most of the participants had lost and regained weight many times prior to successfully maintaining their weight.  While no one is suggesting it is a good idea to lose and regain weight repeatedly, studies have shown that it does not predict your chance of success in the future.  One common characteristic of the members in NWCR is that they didn’t give up working on managing their weight.  They kept at it, learned from their experience and finally found a plan that worked for them.  In other words, they were persistent.   For those of you who are successful in managing your weight, congratulations, keep up the great work!  For those who have found that goal elusive, do not give up.  Weight management can be compared to many aspects of life; it’s not the one that gets it right the first time, it’s the one who does not give up until they got it right.

As you may know, I am a big fan of quotes.  Sometimes the right quote can help keep or regain focus. Here some great quotes about persistence.

“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”     Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.”  William Feather

“Ambition is the path to success.  Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”  Bill Bradley

“It doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you don’t stop.”    Confucius

“Giving up is the only sure way to fail.”   Gena Showalter

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”   Thomas Alva Edison

“Fall seven times, get up eight.”   Japanese Proverb