Let’s Chat About New Year’s Resolutions

Stella After a Holiday Binge

One of our dogs is a wanderer.  From what I hear, it must be the beagle in her.  I had to pull this picture out today as a reminder of how many of us felt at some point during the holidays.  This was taken after she disappeared last year for about 14 hours.  We thought she was a goner for sure, but she came back in the middle of the night from what turned out to be a bird seed bender.  (Apparently that was all she could find in the middle of winter.)  Her “waist” had disappeared and she was so full, she just kind of tilted over.  So . . . read on as I talk about the post-holiday period.  I have my own spin on New Year’s resolutions involving weight loss.

How many times have you resolved to take off that extra weight, starting (of course!) on January 1?  All health clubs love your resolutions, because it means a good first month of the year for income.  And a resolution to get things going is not a bad idea, but if you find yourself in a pattern of starting and stopping based on days on the calendar, it is time to rethink the logic of this kind of planning.  What is so magical about January 1?  A plan for a huge lifestyle overhaul starting New Year’s Day can be a set-up for packing it in before the big day of change arrives.  Just make the commitment whenever you are ready, even if it is an ordinary day, like January 12th or May 2!

Now let’s look at the kind of weight loss goals people make most often, ie. “I will lose 20 pounds by  . . . . ”  Judging your success or failure based on a number on the scale puts many people on an emotional roller coaster (see my video about the scale).  More importantly, though, a goal of weight loss alone takes the focus off the real goal.  What, you ask, is the real goal then?  I would argue that what all people really want is a bigger goal – health and happiness – and many see weight loss as a means to get there.

This may seem like just a detail, but let’s just switch the focus to a goal of a more balanced, “happier” life and see how that would work.  Would it really be best to start toward that goal by aiming for weight loss without considering life in general?  This is what I see too many people doing, over and over again – losing weight by following some kind of food plan, but not examining the reasons why overeating was happening in the first place.  Will power alone is not enough in this case, and it’s no wonder I see so many people afraid of gaining back weight when they lose it like this.  That kind of anxiety does not help to accomplish the real goal – a happy, healthy life.  There is no confidence, because there is no real change!

I think that many of the lifestyle patterns that cause extra weight to accumulate are a result of not taking good care of ourselves, in other words not making ourselves a priority.  A large part of this is not anything that takes any time.  It is a way of thinking.  It begins with how we deal with our emotional lives and the personal interactions we have.  Keeping our emotional baggage from getting too heavy is critical.  The new movie “Up in the Air” got me thinking about this.  George Clooney’s character talks about the heavy burden that personal relationships represent.  He goes a step further to say that we do not need them, and in fact we would be better off without all that baggage.  Of course, part of the point of the movie is that relationships ARE worth having (and I agree!), but I think we should manage that emotional baggage so it doesn’t become overwhelming.  Because . . . many people eat when emotional baggage feels too weighty.  When it’s not possible to resolve conflict, the only healthy thing to do is to come to some kind of resolution for ourselves.  In other words, a peaceful resolution can be a one-person exercise, within ourselves.  I am working on this!

Making time for ourselves is another life balancing goal.  This is not selfish in a bad way.  I call it “positive selfishness.”  It may not be possible to find any more time, but using what you have is important.  A 30-second break to close your eyes and breathe deeply can be helpful if that is all you can manage at a stressful moment.  Anyone can do that!

So, thinking of weight as the problem and a person’s emotional state as the result is a little backwards, don’t you think?  I believe unhappiness and lifestyle imbalance contribute to overweight, not the other way around.  Doesn’t it seem more productive to make a resolution that will directly affect the balance in your life and have a more direct effect on your happiness?  I think so.  It can be very hard for busy people to make themselves a priority and be “positively selfish,”  but my experience (both personal and professional) tells me that it is not optional for good health and happiness, or weight control for that matter.

Where am I going with all of this?  I would encourage you to choose a New Year’s (or any other day’s) resolution that will set you up for success with health and weight control.  If you often find yourself stress eating, think about how to address the stress management problem.  You will save calories automatically if you can successfully find a substitute, even some of the time.  A food plan can help with weight loss, but it is only a tool.  Aiming for a more balanced lifestyle will make a food plan seem like a welcome addition to your life if you choose to follow one that is realistic and is supported by a life with coping skills under construction.  Set yourself up for success and any plan you choose will work better!  And the more balanced life you create in the process is a reward in itself.  Happy New Year!!

p.s.  I would love to hear your resolutions.  Please comment.  Everyone needs some good ideas.

How Many Days Are There – Really?

The holidays are a time of fear and dread, not joy and celebration, for many people I meet this time of year.  There are no horrible situations in their lives, and in most cases, it is not even the added work involved that they dread.  The thing that sends waves of negativity though their holidays is a creation of their own thinking.  About potential plane crashes?  World hunger?  The economy?  No, it is none of those things.  It is about how they will SURVIVE (yes, that is how it’s stated many times) the holiday food.

The question I ask when I hear the panic in a client’s voice is “How many days are there – really?”  My intention by asking this is to draw attention back to the facts and allow for some non-judgmental thinking and planning.  When thinking is judgmental and emotional, I can almost see it in their eyes, the plates of food getting bigger and more overwhelming, swirling without end from Thanksgiving (sometimes even as early as Halloween) until New Year’s Day.  Emotion takes over, and tensions builds, in most cases causing the very thing they dread – lack of control with their food.

That would be tough enough, but the thinking seldom stops there.  The natural reaction, in the absence of non-judgmental thinking, is to confirm in one’s mind the seemingly undenible “fact,” that “I can never control myself during the holidays.”    What often happens is that “the holidays” morph from a few days to a time period that includes all or most of the days in between.  There is a way out of this bind, and it starts with thinking, not judging.

So how many days are there for you – really?  I have 5 holiday gatherings, including Thanksgiving.  I met a woman who has 13, but that includes a flurry of birthdays in her family.  That is still only 13 days out of 63 days, since she starts worrying at Halloween.   Think about how you plan to eat on those days, and please try to make the plan realistic.  It can be general, as in “I plan to eat whatever I choose, but I will eat slowly enough to stay in touch with hunger, and I will stop before I feel over-full.”  A more specific plan can work too, but remember to make it realistic and flexible.  For instance, if a part of your plan involves skipping dessert, but then you see that your absolute favorite deesert in the world is offered, you may choose to modify the plan to include a small piece.  The difference in calories overall will be minimal if negative thinking does not take over.

Whatever you decide to do, try to remember that it is not what you do, but how you think and feel about it, that matters most.  There is always a “what’s next” moment, and that is the only moment that really matters.  The beauty of planning is that it makes it possible to enjoy the holidays more.  As I have said before, worrying is not planning, and in fact, planning can remove a lot of worry and start to instill some confidence in the ability to make better choices.  I wish all of you a holiday filled with family, fun, and stress-free eating!

Certain Fats May Affect Appetite

Call it “your brain on ice cream.”  Difficulty getting back on track after a high fat splurge may be at least partially due to changes in brain composition and chemistry brought on by certain fats.  A new study from the UT Southwestern Medical Center suggests that certain fats affect appetite by sending messages to body cells, telling them to ignore appetite-suppressing signals from insulin and leptin.  In test animals, the effect lasted several days, resulting in higher calorie intakes.  If this is an indication of how these fats behave in humans, it provides another reason to limit concentrated food sources, especially for people prone to insulin resistance and weight gain.

Researchers have known that high fat diets can cause insulin resistance, but it has been less clear how this happens and whether the type of fat plays a role.  The brain incorporates fats into its structure, so it seems logical that the types of fats that a person eats would make a difference in how the brain functions.

The research team gave fats to study animals in three ways:  by injection directly to the brain, through the carotid artery, or through a stomach tube three times a day.  In each case, two types of fat mixtures were studied.  One was high in palmitic acid, a highly saturated fatty acid found in high fat dairy foods and meat, and the other was high in oleic acid, which is a major component of olive and grapeseed oils.

While oleic acids did not reduce the ability of leptin and insulin to carry out their functions in body cells, the palmitic acid did not allow these hormones to perform their appetite suppressive function.  In short, the study makes a good case for limiting foods like greasy hamburgers, ice cream, and cheese, because they may cause people to eat more by shutting off normal appetite suppressing body chemistry.  The good news is that we may be able to set the stage for a trim fit body by building a better brain with healthy fats.  With that in mind, you may want to limit the butter burgers and custard shakes.  They may end up in your brain before they end up on your hips!

The Glycemic Index: Is it a Helpful Weight Loss Tool?

If you stroll through the diet section of your favorite bookstore, you will notice a couple of things.  First, you will see that it takes up a good bit of space!  As you begin to look closer, you will also see that many of the books include “glycemic index” or “blood sugar” in their titles.  What is the glycemic index, and have we finally found the key to easy, permanent weight loss?

The glycemic index is a measure of the blood sugar effect caused by eating a given food relative to eating pure glucose.  Each individual food is given a number from 1 to 100 based on how quickly it converts to glucose in the blood.  Pure glucose has a GI of 100.  The lower an individual food falls on the glycemic index, the slower and less dramatic its blood sugar effect is.  Foods with a high glycemic index include dried fruit, bananas, white bread, ice cream, carrots, and watermelon.  Moderate GI foods include baked beans, green peas, sweet potatoes, blueberries, most pasta, and rice.  Many vegetables, unsweetened yogurt, grapefruit, apples, tomatoes, high-fiber/low sugar cereals, and beans are among the low GI foods.

While the glycemic index can be somewhat useful as a comparative guide to choosing healthier foods, its use as a real life weight loss aid is limited for several reasons.  First of all, the glycemic index rates individual foods, not combinations of foods.  Since we usually eat combinations of foods, like toast with butter and eggs, the actual way that food affects blood sugar is more complex.  Fiber, protein, and fat will slow the passage of glucose into the bloodstream.  Although the overall GI of a high fat diet may be low, it is not likely to be the healthiest way to eat or the best way of losing weight.  A Snickers bar actually rates a lower GI number than a baked potato!  Which do you think is healthier?!  The reliability of the glycemic index is also complicated by the way a food is prepared, the degree to which it is cooked, and the ripeness of produce.  A ripe banana for example, will affect blood sugar more than one that is less ripe.  Even a person’s blood sugar response to the same food can vary from day to day.

The way that the glycemic index is measured can also contradict a common-sense approach to healthy eating.  Since the rating is determined using the amount of a given food containing 50 grams of carbohydrate, some of the quantities containing that amount can be unrealistically large.  In the case of carrots, most of us would be sick before we could eat enough of them to get 50 grams of carbohydrate.  Carrots are a very healthy food, yet many people wonder if they should be eating them because they have a high glycemic index.  Please do not stop eating carrots!

Losing weight still depends on a negative energy balance.  In other words, you have to burn more calories than you eat in order to lose weight.  Taking a broad look at the glycemic index, some generalizations can be helpful.  It is true that choosing plenty of high fiber low calorie foods, like fruits and vegetables, is a good weight loss strategy.  These foods also tend to be low on the glycemic index.  A moderate amount of high protein foods, which also tend to be low GI foods, can be helpful because protein seems to help satisfy hunger.  The actual GI numbers are less important than these more general guidelines for healthy weight control.  Just beware of the low GI high fat foods!  They are still concentrated sources of calories, despite their low GI rankings.  While the glycemic index is not the “magic bullet” for weight loss, the good news is that there is nothing wrong with carrots or bananas!

Don’t Let the Scale Confuse You!

Good News About Popcorn!

Popcorn is a favorite snack for many people, and a new study says that it can also be a healthy option.  Researchers at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania found that popcorn is not only high in fiber; it is also provides more antioxidants than any other typical snack food.   

 As a whole grain food, popcorn contains most of the nutrients and antioxidants found in the original plant.  In fact, the antioxidants it contains are protected from the sun during drying, and minimal nutrient losses occur during popping.  An added benefit is that popcorn is a high volume/low calorie food, so it can provide a weight-friendly option when compared with higher calorie snacks that offer fewer nutritional benefits. 

 There is just one problem with popcorn for many people.  The way to prepare it most healthfully is to air pop it (prepare

it  without added fat) and add minimal salt or other flavorings.  Admittedly, when it comes to taste, this just is not as good as popcorn drenched in butter and salt. 

 Oh, the dilemma we face!  Popcorn that tastes great but is not very healthy, or popcorn that tastes, well, . . . like cardboard, but with nutritional benefits.  My personal belief is that there is a middle-of-the-road option that is tasty and healthy.  Try air-popped popcorn with a drizzle of olive or canola oil and a light sprinkle of salt.  You can also use several spritzes of a margarine spray like Parkay or I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.  A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese is another way to add flavor in a more moderate way. 

 A simple method for making your own plain microwave popcorn is to put about 3 tablespoons of kernels in a brown paper lunch bag, fold over the top and microwave until the popping slows.  In my microwave, this takes about 3 minutes on high.  I know that the healthier versions will not taste exactly the same as the buttery, salty alternative, but it might be easier to make the switch when you think of all the calories and saturated fat you are saving by keeping it simpler.

Planning is Not Worrying

What are you worrying about right now?  If you are like most of us, many hours of your day are spent with a nervous eye on the future:  ”What am I going to do if I don’t hit my goal at work this month?”  ”I can’t possibly get everything done by Friday!”  ”I HAVE TO lose 30 pounds by my sister’s wedding in November.”   Planning and worrying are two very different thinking processes.  When you are planning, you are mindful and creative; you are here and now.  When you worry, thoughts are more unconscious and lack imagination.  They are based on fear with a focus on the future.  Planning feels positive.  Worrying feels negative.  Planning is productive.  Worrying has no good purpose.  ”How does this relate to eating, Ms. Dietitian?” you may wonder.  Well, I’m glad you asked!

A real life example appeared last week when a client came in for a visit.  She had been doing well with her weight loss plans, and had lost a few pounds after 3 weeks of effort.  During the appointment, however, it became obvious that my client was very worried about the next month, because she had a packed social calendar.  What she visualized was a bunch of unknown situations with lots of food and alcohol, and her mind started spinning mindlessly into a state of fear and dread.  This woman’s mind was sitting in the undefinable future, in fact right in the middle of several future events that turned into one big monster in her head.  These parties she would normally have looked forward to became obligations.  If she had stayed in this mindset, she would probably not have even had to wait for the first party to sabotage her plans.  Stress-induced overeating would derail her before she even got dressed for the first gathering.  

This thinking process clearly did not work well.  It was not creative and no solutions or increased well-being were achieved.  But wait!  That was not the end of the meeting, thank goodness.  We started talking about what she could do to feel more in control at the upcoming social events.  We mapped out a flexible enough plan to accommodate the situations.  We talked about how a plan is nothing more than mindfully intending to do something, and to be mindful you must be here and now.  The plan can be anything,  but the mere act of planning will make better eating more likely simply because you will be thinking.  By the end of the meeting, my client looked more relaxed, was smiling, and said she felt much better about the next month.  Only by doing what we could constructively do NOW could we be productive at setting up future problem solving.  When the mind spins wildly in an unknown future situation, no benefits result.

Keeping a focus on the present tends to keep efforts manageable.  Another example that comes to mind is the story of a female runner I read in the New York Times recently.  Diane Van Deren is an ultramarathon runner, which means that she runs distances of at least 100 miles.  The fascinating thing about Diane is that she had an operation to remove part of her brain because of seizures.  As a result, she has no sense of time or space.  Obviously she has some problems with navigating her life in general, but the  brain deficit makes her  unaware of the dread of upcoming miles.  Isn’t that amazing?  She can run long distances without the constant wish to be farther along or finished with the race.  Without the future focus, she has no real choice but to be live in the present, without the fear of what’s ahead.  A 100 mile race really is only about what each step feels like.  Wow, I could not help but think that she may have a leg up on the rest of us beyond her running abilities.  She has the advantage of not being able to worry!

The connection to eating is an important one.  Feeling good is more weight loss friendly than feeling stressed and out of control.  We are all less likely to feel out of control if we try not to jump ahead in time and magnify the effort.  Just like the ultamarathon runner, one step in front of the other is a good focus.  One hundred miles is just too much to think about at one time!

Spaghetti with Tuna and Tomato Sauce

This is so easy – and really good!  Mix in chopped broccoli for more nutrients and volume, while keeping the calories moderate.

 

1 can (7-ounce) Italian tuna (packed in olive oil)

3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

1 can (28-ounce) plum tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (divided)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

1.    Drain tuna in a sieve set over a small bowl, squeezing to press out as much oil as possible (reserve the oil).  Break up the tuna with a fork and set aside.

2.    Heat 1 tablespoon of the tuna oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes with their juice and crushed red pepper; break up the tomatoes with a fork.  Simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.  Stir in tuna and set aside.

3.    Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions.  Drain it and return to the pot.  Add the sauce and 3 tablespoons of parsley; toss to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and serve immediately.  Makes 6 servings.

 

Calories 345; Total Fat 4g  (1g sat); Protein 20g; Carb 62g; Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 179 mg; Fiber 11g

Keep Things Simple for Success!

OK, here it is – my first video!  Do your thoughts support or sabotage your weight loss efforts?   It’s a good question to ask as you watch.

Protecting Against Bone and Muscle Loss May Depend on the pH of Blood

Recent studies at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have found that fruits and vegetables contain alkali-producing compounds that neutralize acids in the body.  This appears to protect bones and muscles.  A new ARS study now suggests that, in addition to the benefits of fruits and vegetables, it may also be important to reduce the amount of acid that is created through the breakdown of dietary protein.

Strong, dense bones depend on more than high calcium foods.  Keeping bones strong also means protecting against bone loss by neutralizing acids in the bloodstream.  Diets high in protein and low in fruits and vegetables produce a mildly acidic condition called “acidosis” with aging.  The body is not able to adequately neutralize the acids, so calcium (with its alkaline pH) is pulled out of bones to do the job.  While balance is regained in the blood, the bones suffer, and it appears that muscle loss  is greater as well.

Researchers did a study of healthy people over the age of 50 on a controlled diet.  Two randomly-selected groups were given either a placebo or potassium bicarbonate capsules designed to mimic the alkali-producing effect of 14 servings of fruits and vegetables.  All participants were then given a 10 day low protein diet followed by a 10 day high protein diet, or vis versa, with a five-day wash out period in between.  Blood, urine, and calcium absorption were analyzed after each diet phase, and muscle and bone metabolism were measured.  

With the higher protein diet, the potassium bicarbonate (alkalinized) group showed less muscle wasting than the placebo group, indicating a protective effect against the acid-producing effect of the diet.  On both diets, markers for muscle and bone conservation indicated that the alkalinized group also conserved more bone and muscle when compared with those taking the  placebo.

The study suggests that the healthiest way to maximize the muscle-building effect of adequate protein intake is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  Their acid-neutalizing effect will minimize muscle wasting, causing a more positive net muscle balance.  Eating lots of extra protein does not appear to be helpful for building muscle.  The excess will just be eliminated and the additional acid load caused by its breakdown is linked to bone calcium losses and muscle wasting.  If you needed another reason to eat more fruits and vegetables, now you have it!