By Mike

I always think of myself as a pessimist. However, I often find myself telling my friends or coworkers the brighter side of the situation. For example, at work, my coworkers complain about our boss’ management style (as do I sometimes). But then I counter with some positive ways of looking at the situation. While our boss likes to take all the fun and exciting work for herself, it frees up our time to work on new initiatives on our contract.

While I was in one of my pessimistic moods recently, I realized something that questions why our world was set up the way it is. Before I begin, though, please be sure to read through the entire piece as you’ll miss my point if you only read the next section…

The World is Out to Get You!

If you step back and look at the big picture around you, you’ll begin to realize that there doesn’t seem to be anything you can do right. To clarify, it seems that regardless of what you do to live a long, healthy life, there’s a downside to your action that could actually harm you. Take the following examples:

• Eating eggs is good because of the protein they provide. But eating eggs is bad because of the cholesterol.
• Running is an excellent, low cost method of weight loss and fitness. But running deteriorates your joints and could compress your spine from so much pounding.
• Drinking milk provides essential calcium and other nutrients to help our bodies grow healthy and strong. But many claim that drinking milk from cows isn’t natural (well, it isn’t I guess) and the hormones are wreaking havoc with our bodies.
• Relaxing by watching TV or reading a book is great for refreshing your mind and body. But too much relaxing leads to muscle atrophy and bed sores (ok, that was a stretch).
• Taking vitamins is essential to replace the nutrients you aren’t getting in your regular diet. But taking the wrong vitamins could lead to a toxic reaction (e.g. too much iron).
• Basically when you try to avoid one thing, you find out the alternative is just as bad for you, or worse.

So it seems that we have to be super-cautious about working out, eating, and just keeping/getting healthy or else risk harming our bodies more than we’re helping. Why is life so difficult?!?

Should we all just give up?

Ok, so that’s a pretty depressing statement, but many people that try to get healthy end up thinking the same thing. They give up trying. But even as a self-proclaimed pessimist, I won’t accept the excuse that the world is out to get us and nothing we can do will improve our lives.

Having a wife who is a registered dietitian doesn’t mean that I have some special insight into how to be healthy. I’m still an overweight, out-of-shape husband who eats buffets and Ramen noodles and watches TV instead of going to the gym. That’s because:

• every person’s body is different, thus are the types of food that work best for it (or against it). Just being close to a dietitian or personal trainer doesn’t automatically suck the fat away (believe me, I’ve wished for it).
• it’s up to the individual to have the motivation to work out, eat better or eat appropriate portions. No one can force me to change; I have to do it myself.

If I don’t get up off my butt and exercise, and eat the right mix of foods (and right amounts) for my body, then I probably have a very slim chance at staying, much less getting, healthy. And how do I find out what and how much I should be eating? By seeing a registered dietition! How do I get into better physical shape? By going to the gym, walking, running, climbing stairs, etc.!

But we still can’t escape the problem that whatever we do has both positive and negative results. However, I can still try. I’ll avoid fad diets and “miracle cures”, knowing that nothing will be a fast-fix to my health problems. I’ll be careful not to over-exert myself when working out, and minimize the impact on my joints. That means using the elliptical trainer and walking until I lose enough weight where running is less detrimental than it is beneficial. It means eating proper portions (aka “portion control”) and not overindulging at buffets or over-snacking.

Not all is lost, even if you are a pessimist. At the beginning of this article I said there always seems to be a negative to the positive. Well, conversely there’s a positive to every negative. Yes, eggs might raise your cholesterol, but you can just eat egg whites. Yes, exercising can deteriorate our bones, but you can do low-impact workouts. There’s always a good with any bad.

So stop moping around, feeling sorry for yourself that you’ll never get healthy. And stop fussing over all the new diet fads or health alerts. Otherwise, you’ll get overwhelmed and just give up. Take it one step at a time. Introduce exercise into your daily regimen. Then cut down on the amount of food you eat (assuming you overeat) or see a registered dietitian to create a nutrition plan that works for you.

Take enough small steps and you’ll be surprised at how far you’ve gone!

_{Photo by Abdullah AL-Naser}

If you do not do so already, have you thought about working out during your lunch hour? If there is a gym nearby, you could easily work out for 1/2 hour and shower before heading back to work. You could schedule your day so that you have a mid-morning snack about an hour before your work out, and then try to eat a lunch after you return from the gym. In a worst-case scenario, if you have a busy afternoon with no time for lunch after that workout, eat a meal replacement bar on your way back from the gym, but don’t make it a regular occurrence.

If you have a job like mine and do not have the ability to leave the work area (or not a lot of time for lunch), you could try to take a walk within your work day. Walk around the inside or the outside of your building. Walking briskly will burn calories but you may not get sweaty enough that you’d need a shower before heading back to work.

My coworker and I recently started taking a walk around our hospital campus–it takes us about 20-25 minutes, and it’s a 1.5 mile route on the sidewalks. We heat up our lunch after our walk and eat at our desks while we do some paperwork. Our boss doesn’t seem to mind, as our other coworkers are sitting in the cafeteria eating lunch and chatting about their lives.

If you are able to walk within (or outside) your work place, I recommend a partner–someone who will page or call you daily to say “hey, what time is good for you today to walk?”. It will help keep you accountable and help you stay motivated to get some exercise. Plus, you’ll get to know your coworker better and maybe build a new friendship as well!

Here are some statistics I found regarding dieting:

(courtesy of the Eating Disorder Foundation):

• Granted, this was a People Magazine survey (so somewhat biased results based on who reads the magazine) but 4 out of 5 of the women surveyed said they feel insecure about their bodies compared to fashion models. (who wouldn’t? But many of those photos are “doctored” and unrealistic!)
• In 1990, the average age of a girl starting a diet was 8 years old! Eight, that’s right. Can you imagine that our little 2nd and 3rd graders are already starting to think of dieting and actually doing it? They should be thinking about what Webkinz they want or what Wii game they want to play, not how they look!
• Another statistic that shocked me is that 81% of 10 year old girls are afraid of being fat.
• Men are not immune to dieting–about 1 in 4 men are dieting on an average day.

So, today, when you look in the mirror, be happy with what you see. What you see as imperfections are strengths in other people’s eyes. Ladies, you ARE beautiful; men, you ARE handsome! Make a resolution that, starting today, you’re not going to go on any fad diet and you’re going to stop picking on your body.

If you have children, avoid talking about how much you hate your body in front of them. Avoid talking about bad foods and good foods and how you “can’t eat that food”. Even at a young age, kids hear it and internalize it. It’s like swear words. If kids hear that it’s bad to say, then it becomes a punishment if they say it. Don’t be like that with food.

Don’t have “forbidden foods” and make kids feel bad if they want one (for example, if you say “cookies make me fat and I need to exercise if I have one” then your child might feel bad if they have one and feel like it’s going to make them “fat” because you think it will). Healthy eating behaviors and self-image are key! Even if your child is overweight, tell them that they are beautiful. Make exercise and healthy eating fun so that they won’t feel like they are being punished for their weight. Don’t avoid food groups or certain foods altogether, because you CAN eating fatty foods if you eat the proper portions!

“Stay Healthy, Live Longer, Spend Wisely–Making Intelligent Choices in America’s Healthcare System” is a recent book by a physician, Davis Liu, that helps explain different facets of today’s healthcare system.

This book describes HMOs, PPOs, Health Savings Accounts, and whether you really do need insurance (YOU DO!!!). Several times, he points out that we are legally bound to having car/vehicle insurance and house insurance if we own vehicles/homes, but are able to choose if we have health insurance; that we are diligent about when our cars need routine service/maintenance, but we rarely do the same with our health–although our health is the most important thing we have and it is priceless!

The book also discusses HOW to talk to your doctor and make the most of the office visit. How often do you schedule that appointment with a list of questions in your head, only to get there and forget them? Dr. Liu mentions that we need to tell our story–just as you would tell your friends all about a date you may have just had, you need to fill your doctor in when it comes to the symptoms you are having. Think of the 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, Why. You need to use these to describe what is going on with your health.

However, because doctors don’t have all day, you need to be concise in what you describe and discuss, and this book aids you in becoming a model patient. One page in the book also helps you make a health/medical history form. It is also best to take a pen and notebook with you to record what the doctor says and what you need to do about it. Just as your boss may give you an assignment and you must follow up with the assignment, so as your doctor might give you a task to complete as well (exercise, get certain bloodwork or tests done, etc). Who wants to go home from the doctor’s office after spending X amount of money only to forget what you’re supposed to do? What good is the appointment then?

The book goes on to describe the different types of doctors, when to get a second opinion, and how to improve communication with your doctor. It talks about checking out your doctor’s credentials to make sure they are board certified, and questions to ask regarding medications (and whether they are necessary).

A key point to the book that I will utilize is the section on over-the-counter medications–I never realized how many active ingredients are similar in the products we have in the house, and how I can really downsize the meds I take for common ailments. For example, trouble sleeping and seasonal allergies are aided by the same active ingredients, so why take 2 different meds when one will aid both?.

However, I think that this book could have discussed the healthcare team in more detail. For example, it discusses body mass index/overweight/obesity and herbal and dietary supplements but does not discuss that your doctor should refer you to a registered dietitian for questions/more information regarding these topics. It also does not mention that if you have a chronic illness, that other members of the healthcare team (registered dietitians, social workers, case managers, support groups) will become an important part of your life. I think a chapter focusing on these “support” individuals would be beneficial. In that sense, this book is “doctor-biased” in that it underlyingly assumes that the doctor is the “be all/end all” resource which is not the true case.

This book does give you a myriad of websites to go to for further information on several organizations (American Cancer Society, checking out your doctor’s licensure, etc). However, it IS internet-focused; there are no phone numbers to call if you do not have the internet which is a huge downfall of this book. One of the prime audiences of this book (in my opinion) is the “baby boomer” generation who are at the age where they need routine doctor visits and may not have the internet.

Do not be fooled by the title–this book is not a guide to help you stay healthy and give you specific points to do so. It focused mostly on managing the healthcare system and becoming wiser at managing the system. But, being wiser about the system does not guarantee that you WILL stay healthier and live longer (as these things are affected more by how you live your life rather than how smart you are about things). From a financial perspective, I think that this book gives you good information on different healthcare options and will help you and your insurance company make the most of the money it will spend.

I think this book is a must for those of us who choose insurance options primarily based on cost or on what sounds good–for those of us who don’t really understand health insurance and want to know which is the best choice for us. As well, I think it is a good book for those of us who are not really knowledgeable about the health care system (do you know what a pulmonologist does or what routine tests are beneficial for someone your age?). This book does not give you medical advice and is not a reference for “what to do if I have a cold or if I have chest pain”. It is meant to guide you towards making wise health care decisions, inform you of your options, and aid you in communicating with your doctor so that you can increase your chances of staying healthy longer.

Overall, I think this book is well written, an “easy read”, and definitely interesting. Although I think that there are some topics lacking from the book and it is somewhat mistitled, I think it’s a must-read for most people and will increase your knowledge of the healthcare system and aid you in making the most of your doctor visits and routine preventative tests–and if nothing else, it gives you a myriad of websites to go to for more information!

_{I did not receive any monetary or non-monetary compensation for writing this review. The opinions within this article are my own.}

Recently, I wrote about how we need to clean out our cupboards, refrigerators, freezers, and spice racks and keep only those food items within date. Well, we also need to take time to clean out our clothes closets!

Although this post is not necessarily “nutrition” focused, I think it’s important to clean out those items that no longer fit you. Sometimes, keeping those items that no longer fit (are too small) can be a negative reinforcement that we are no longer that size, and may actually make us feel worse about ourselves.

Yes, I too am guilty of the “clothes saving”. I have kept sweaters that are too big for me for the “if I get pregnant I’ll wear that” times. And I still have jeans for the “if I lose weight again I’ll be able to fit in them” days. However, even if I were to lose those 10 pounds and fit in the pants I used to wear, that could potentially be a year from now, and would those clothes still be in style?

So, take time this week to go through your closet (don’t forget to go through the shoes, underwear drawer, and coat closet!) and get rid of items.

My Criteria For Ditching the Clothes

1. I haven’t worn it in over a year
2. I haven’t fit in it in over a year
3. It’s been out of style for YEARS or I just don’t like it!
4. I have a similar item (for example, another black shirt) that looks better on me and is in better condition
5. I am embarrassed to wear it around my friends when going out, even though it fits
6. It is no longer in good condition.

What to do with the clothes you toss?

• See if it has an alternate use. Can it be used for working around the house or doing yard work (and still be OK to run to Home Depot or Lowes in)? Can it be something you can sleep in (i.e., a tank top that is a bit too short; a t-shirt that is a bit too big)?
• If it’s still in style and does not fit you, see if a friend/family member would look good in it/appreciate it.
• Donate it! Give it to GoodWill or the Salvation Army. I am positive that someone will be thankful for your donation (and it’s tax-deductible).
• If it’s in poor condition or it’s seen better days, get rid of it! If it’s a t-shirt, think about using it as a houserag (would it be good to wax the car with?). Otherwise, it’s time to say goodbye to it!

However, it may be OK to save some absolute favorite items that you hope to fit in again if they are still in style. If you save a few things, this may be an incentive to lose weight. But give yourself a limit–after all, one of the rewards to getting to your goal weight could be a whole new wardrobe! And isn’t clothes shopping fun when you love your body?

_{Photo by S5hiara}

Living and working in a high-paced area, I notice that a lot of what we say is negative. We are quick to judge others and even quicker to judge ourselves. How often have we looked in the mirror and exclaimed “I have fat thighs/hips, stomach”, “I hate my hair”, “If only I could change…?” I do it, my husband does it, and even girls I know who have model-perfect bodies do it. But it’s not right! By judging ourselves and those around us, we are trying to conform to a standard that we have set, a standard that says “this is what is good, and I have to match up to what is good.”

But who defines this standard? If you think about it, it’s crazy. What constitutes “the perfect body” for me might not be what you think is the perfect body? So who is right? No one!!

Not only should you talk to yourself lovingly, talk to others with the same level of respect. Even if you think that someone else is out-of-shape, try to find something about them that is positive: do they look nice in that shirt today, does that necklace bring out the color of their eyes? Commend others on what they are doing right, and do the same for yourself. Start the day off with a positive attitude and give yourself a hug everyday. You might think I’m crazy, but try it! It’s the easiest thing you can do for yourself!

_{[Photo by kalandrakas]}

Courtney, who used to write for Shape magazine (and had a monthly weight loss column in the magazine), admits to how she has struggled with her weight, binge eating (which becomes an important part of this book), and working out.

It’s not a weight loss book that conveys that “you can do it and there will never be any struggles.” On the contrary, this book describes those struggles, from eating out with friends, having difficulties with eating when you start out with a bad day, and struggling to lose weight when everyone already “makes fun of” your excess baggage.

Although I am a “normal weight” person, I still have days where I struggle to eat healthy, exercise, and feel good about myself. Therefore, I related to several points in this book–from food cravings to being self-conscious about other’s seeing my meals to finding the motivation to work out. Courtney talks about all of these points and much more! I also related to her story because she lives (lived?) in the DC area and trained for a marathon–her feelings about marathon training, and her excitement over the “long runs” and being able to succeed, were very similar to how I would feel during those months of training.

One of the key points that Courtney discussed, which can be easy to forget, is that weight loss isn’t ever just about weight. Emotions play a key role in our weight, in how we eat, and how much we eat. Like alcoholism and cigarette addictions, we CAN have addictions to certain foods, to portions of foods, and to using food to numb an emotional pain. And Courtney discusses this in her book.

The last chapter of the book says it all–basically, that (paraphrased) it’s about what’s on the inside that matters. Weight loss isn’t about how others view you. It’s about how you see yourself and whether you match up to your own standard of weight loss and self-image. Remember that others can’t see what you are going through inside and that no one should judge you for how your weight loss is going.

Weight loss is also about priorities, about what you deem important. If you (like me) are always trying to please everyone, then it might be hard for you to fit exercise into your schedule because you don’t want to disappoint anyone else or stick up for yourself and say “I can’t go out tonight/I can’t drink tonight. I’m working out in the morning”. And, it’s about asking for help and not feeling alone. We’re human beings–it’s rare that we do anything alone, so why would we try to make a big change like lose weight without having support? So, if you are trying to lose weight, don’t feel like you need to go at it alone–find support in your friends, in your family, in your coworkers, in anyone who will help you achieve your goals and support the person you are inside.

This book is not for someone who is looking for a way to lose weight (i.e., it won’t give you recipes, meal plans, or exercise goals), but for someone who is trying to lose weight or understand the struggles of someone undergoing weight loss and overcoming a binge eating disorder. In my opinion, it’s a book to help friends and family of someone struggling with weight to understand how complex of an issue it really is!

Many of us are going to embark on 2008 by setting some sort of a New Year’s resolution, even if we tell ourselves we won’t. But many of us (myself included) have set those NY resolutions in the past and by the end of January have forgotten them, gotten discouraged, or “messed up”. So, how can we stick to those resolutions?

My Tips For a Successful New Year’s Resolution

1. Be realistic: if you have not worked out in months, what makes you think that you’re going to suddenly start working out every day?

2. Break your resolution into pieces: if you want to get more physically active over the next year, consider breaking your goals into months: For example: “for January, I am going to work out once to twice a week”; “for February, I am going to focus on strength training and see the physical trainer at the gym”. Increase these goals as the months go by.

3. Choose a resolution that you are motivated to achieve. Have fun with it!

4. Choose a resolution that it specific, not vague. For example, “this year I am going to lose weight” is vague, but to state “this year, I am going to try to lose 10 pounds by…” is a realistic goal that you can work towards.

5. Write down your resolutions and post them where you can see them (I have mine on the back of my bathroom closet door–I get in there daily and not everyone knows it’s there).

6. Get others motivated to set the same resolution with you. For instance, you and your neighbor decide that you are going to walk every Monday morning (and if you don’t feel motivated, chances are, she will and motivate you to keep your resolution).

7. Get others to support you, even if they don’t have the same resolution (in the case of trying to quit smoking). However, remind them that nagging is not the best motivation.

8. Make a plan to accomplish your resolution. If you want to spend more time with extended family, block out weekends andoccasions in which you will see them. Or, schedule weekly phone calls on your calendar to keep you connected. If your plan is to volunteer more, write down places you could volunteer and keep that list handy.

9. Plan a reward if you meet your resolution. For instance, plan a trip if you lose those 10 pounds, run a race, etc. Have this goal in mind before you set the resolution however.

10. Recognize that we all have good and bad days. So you screw up one day or even a week, but that doesn’t mean you’re done for the rest of the year (unless it’s already December 31st)!

Good luck in achieving your New Year’s resolutions, and Have a safe and Happy New Year!!

_{Photo Courtesy of Snowdeal}

Yes, I admitted it! Even I, a registered dietitian, can get lazy!!!

And, yes, I also decided that I didn’t want to train to run 26.2 miles. I wanted to train to run shorter distances and run faster. So, after talking with my husband, who had also signed up with me, we decided to sell/transfer our marathon numbers to other dedicated runners, and admit our change in goal. It’s OK to change your goals, and there will be more info to come on this topic at a later date.

This doesn’t mean that I won’t run another marathon; I would like to build a healthy base of running solid miles, be more consistent in my running year-round, and build some muscle before the next marathon try. I would also like to have a few short-distance races under my belt before I tackle another long-distance race.

So, next weekend, October 28th, you will find my husband and me on the sidelines in Washington, DC, cheering on those two runners who bought our numbers (legally), and the 30,000 other runners who are marathoners!! We are proud of them all!!

I’m sure we’ve all had those days when we are stressed out, irritable, tired, and just “not in the mood” to eat healthy or exercise. But we know it’s good for us to fuel our bodies well in order to hopefully live a long, healthy life.

So what are we to do? Do we have to be “perfect” every single day of our lives? In my opinion, No. Because you are human, there are going to be times when you occasionally take a day off from being physically active, or a day that you declare as “fast food/junk food” day (not to be abused as binge eating day, which NOT the same thing!). But when we start having more of those “off” days than “on” days, we’ve got to do something!

Motivational Techniques

1. Self-talk is key. We’ve been taught over the years to be nice to others. Well, the same goes for ourselves. Be nice to yourself. You don’t go around telling someone that they’re fat (unless you’re just plain rude and have no manners), so don’t tell yourself that. You may be carrying a few extra pounds, but don’t carry it mentally too.
2. As well, don’t call yourself stupid and don’t beat yourself up when you struggle. So, you failed at doing this eating well/exercising thing for one day. As Scarlett O’Hara once said “tomorrow is another day”. For example, I decided to take the day off from exercising and I ate “horribly” one day (see example above). That doesn’t mean that I’m a horrible person and I can never succeed at anything. It just means I’m human and I struggle. So, forgive yourself before you go to sleep, and get up the next day and try anew
3. Journal, journal, journal. Part of the mental game is to journal what’s going on with your mood, your food, and your body. Journal when you feel stressed, what triggers you to feel stressed, what you are craving at that point, and how you can relieve that stress without turning to food
4. Find a healthy outlet to stress, be it physical activity, journaling, blogging, being creative (through music, writing, drawing), reading, going out with or calling a friend, doing housework or yardwork, or praying….find an outlet. Get support. It’s important.
5. And finally, smile at yourself. Think positively. YOU CAN DO IT!

_{Photo Courtesy of [LollyKnit]}