Emotional Eating

Did you know that emotional eating is a learned response?  It goes against what our bodies actually want to do when we "eat our stress."  Naturally speaking, when we are under stress, the body goes into fight or flight mode.  A full stomach is not conducive to either of these actions!

(Hormonally speaking, stress sets off a chain of events that breaks down and mobilizes energy-yielding nutrients.  This increases the amount of glucose and fats in the blood so that the body cells can easily produce energy for the fight or flight.  Now, instead of fight or flight, we sit on the couch, so those nutrients do not get used, and then they end up back as belly fat.)

So, if stress eating is a learned response, where do we learn it?  Well, I hate to place all of the blame on parents... but we tend to learn it from our families.

The next time a little one that you know needs cheering up, opt for something other than food!  Spontaneous dance party, anyone?

What is Lifestyle Medicine?

We live in a world where we want a quick fix to a long term problem.  We wake up one day and find that we gained 20 (or 50 pounds) - and we want it gone tomorrow.  Except, we did not gain that weight literally over night, so we do we think we should lose it over night?  Because commercials and magazine covers tell us that we should.

We have no problem trying the latest fad diet - until we get tired of cabbage, or miss pasta, or have a stressful day at work.  Ask someone to eat less, actively reduce stress, or find some time to exercise - well, that's just crazy talk.  We have known for over 20 years that poor choices in eating, exercise and smoking lead to the leading causes of death in the US.  If we were to make better choices when it came to food, exercise, tobacco, stress, sleeping and socializing (that is, actually being social, not just pseudo-social through social media), we could prevent 80% of premature death.  

It should be easy enough, right?  Most of us enjoy spending time with people that we like.  No one wants to not be healthy.  Unfortunately, sometimes we need help making and sticking with healthy choices.  Evidence has shown us that intensive diet and exercise counseling can help improve health outcomes in people with risk factors for chronic disease.  Intensive.   Not a single trip to the doctor.  Not reading articles on the internet, especially ones written by people with questionable qualifications.  Instead, people need regular support and encouragement, coupled with good quality information.  This kind of support comes from frequent, regular visits with a health care professional, or from participation in something like one of my wellness groups.

My Crazy Story of How I Got Where I Am Today

If you would like to learn more about my health, fitness and nutrition support groups, visit here: http://goo.gl/forms/dawBNSa9tU
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I was raised in a middle class, two-income family.  My parents got married two days after my mom graduated high school.  My mom always regretted working to put my dad through college and not getting to go to college herself (and therefore never making/ having as much money as she would like to have).  There was never any question about whether or not I would go to college.  The problem, however, was that at 17, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up.

When I was about 19, someone - who did not know me at all - told me that I should be a teacher, because "teaching is good pay for a lady."  If I had had any thoughts about being a teacher, that definitely got rid of them!

Around the same time, I learned about a major in nutrition and food science.  It included two things that were fun for me - food and science.  I did not know at the time that it was placing me on a career path with the same "great" pay as teaching.

I love teaching, as a matter of fact.  I love helping people who want to learn the facts about nutrition and health, and guiding people on the path to better health.  One problem with our current medical model, though, is that we don't help "healthy" people stay healthy - we put a band aid on people after they get really sick.  The Western medical field is shifting somewhat to prevention, but we still have a long way to go until that becomes the first line of defense and dietitians are well used to help people achieve their healthiest potential. 

Because I wasn't happy in the current medical model, I spent some time floundering, trying to find where I belonged.  This lead to some choices that put me in excessively stressful situations.  I did not always handle that stress well.  I was overworked and I ate my stress.  Despite "knowing better," I ended up at the most I had ever weighed in my life.  I was still overworked, overwhelmed, and felt like I had no time to take care of myself.

Then one day I met Jessica Baumgartner.  She, along with my naturopath, motivated me to take control of my life and my health.  If I cannot make time to care for myself, I am not going to be very good at taking care of other people - including my family - for very long.  I had a hard time committing to exercise, because it required 30 minutes, an hour or more.  Then I starte doing 10 Minute Trainer - even on my most hectic days I can squeeze in ten minutes to exercise (and it is so short that my daughter is not usually demanding my attention before I am done).

I love that I have found a way to help people eat better and move more, reducing risks of chronic disease and poor health.  I have an outlet to help people who already have health conditions, as well as those who want to keep themselves healthy and active for years to come!

If you can relate to anything that I have said, I encourage you to reach out to me.  If you are interested in losing weight and feeling healthy, or if you would like to learn more about being a health coach, please use the links below to reach out to me.  If this is not a good fit for you or the opportunity for you, I am just glad that we got to connect.  I love meeting new people and I would still like to keep in touch!  I hope that you enjoyed this video and that something that I said inspires you.  I hope to talk to you really soon!  Bye!

If you would like to learn more about my health, fitness and nutrition support groups, visit here: http://goo.gl/forms/dawBNSa9tU
If you would like more information about becoming a health coach, visit here: http://goo.gl/forms/VL4cpvBTP4

How Much Should You Weigh?

So this is not about how many pounds (or kilograms), but how often.  We currently do not have a bathroom scale at our house - simply because our last one was ruined and we haven't invested in a new one.

A new study out of Duke University suggests that people should weigh themselves daily.  They indicate that it may "boost enthusiasm for healthy behaviors."

Unfortunately, many people who are trying to lose weight may also be dealing with weight stigma.  Placing such an emphasis on the number on the scale , as opposed to health parameters and how a person feels, may stimulate obsessive and even potentially disordered eating behaviors,

It is important to note, for anyone who engages in regular weighing, that weight can fluctuate from day to day, and weight tends to increase during the day.


Combating weight stigma: A call to action for health professionals.  (n.d.)  Retrieved from Binge Eating Disorder Association: http://bedaonline.com/weight-stigma-awareness-week-toolkits/toolkit-providers/
Daily weigh-ins may encourage weight loss. (2015, Mar 13) Retrieved from Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/03/13/daily-weigh-ins-may-encourage-weight-loss/

Motivation or Abuse?

I think we have all seen it - that "motivational" moment that is utter nonsense.  No excuses!  Guilt.  Shame.  All in the name of self-improvement, right?  I am all for motivating change - that is pretty much what my career is all about.  However, in my years as a Registered Dietitian, I have seen that guilt- and shame-inducing motivation does not work.  After all, if it did, would obesity rates still be rising?  (Yikes! I hadn't seen the 2013 data until a minute ago, and I didn't realize that we had to add a >35% category!)

A friend of mine posted a link to an article on Facebook, and I love it!  I loved it so much, that I made my sister-in-law read it - right then.  I don't know you Carolyn Kylstra, but I loved this article!

For those of you who hate those "motivational" sayings, pictures, etc., I am here for you!  I believe in positive reinforcement, not negative.  I live in the real world.  My real world includes a husband, preschooler, and chronic headaches.  Sometimes life happens.  Oh, and we were all created differently.

Perfectionism

Do you struggle with perfectionism?  I know I do at times.  The problem with perfectionism (I mean, other than the fact that none of us can ever be perfect) is that it is not sustainable and leads to all or nothing thinking.  Sadly, we can see this play out in health - through both eating and exercise habits - as well as finances.

Someone else wrote this article, and said it way more eloquently than I could, but "some is always better than none."  If you struggle with perfectionism, it is OK to seek out help, whether that means enlisting friends and family to support you through your journey out of perfectionism or receiving help from a professional.

Junk Foods May Lead to Depression

                With the recent death of Robin Williams, depression has hit the forefront of the news.  There are lots of articles hitting the internet about depression and suicide. 

                A recent study in Spain showed that people who had higher intakes of junk foods (including hamburgers and pizza) and processed pastries had a higher risk of developing depression.  If you are prone to getting the blues, make sure that you are eating enough protein, omega-3 fatty acids (from fatty fish, flaxseed, walnuts) and B vitamins.

                I am not trying to minimize the problem of depression, and I am not implying that a better diet will cure depression.  However, it is no secret that people are feeling very isolated and depression seems to be more prevalent.  If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, please reach out and find some professional help!

Works Cited

Sanchez_Villegas, A., Toledo, E., de Irala, J., Ruiz-Canela, M., Pla-Vifal, J., & Martinez-Gonzalez, M. A. (2012). Fast-food and commercial baked goods consumption and the risk of depression. Public Health Nutrition , 15 (3), 424-432.