I love new beginnings, whether it be the start of a new project, the “first day of school”, seeing the “after” in a makeover show, or January first – the beginning of the new year.
The promise that a fresh start is possible – the idea that we really can change something about ourselves – the “new you in the new year” - is the appeal and the fuel for all New Year Resolutions.
Although we sometimes make a laundry list of resolutions, the most important step in having any or all of them be successful and *stick* is to resolve to be resolved. In other words, make the decision to stay committed.
Take quitting smoking. If you have just snubbed out a cigarette, you have quit smoking. If you resolve right now to not light up again, and you take steps to make that happen, you will quit smoking. The tricky part is staying resolved.
Your resolution to lose weight? Well, you have to be resolved to make it your highest priority. You may have to get help in finding out what you have to do to make that happen: change amounts of what you eat, change the types of food you buy, change the amount of exercise you get (or don’t get!); but change begins with making the decision to do it and then sticking with it.
Just do it – resolve to make your self and your health the highest priority of your day every day. My best advice? Have the resolve to change just ONE habit this year – just because you believe you will feel better and be healthier.
Some may think that I’m just talking about will power, but that’s a phrase I really stay away from. To me, “will power’ implies gutting it out, straining against the impossible, getting tough; and that sounds negative to me. But “resolve” - that implies you are in charge of your thoughts, your determination, and your future.
Many years ago, I undertook a habit change with this thought in mind: “if I attempt this every day for a year, I may change – or I may not change; but if I DON’T do it, I am guaranteed NOT to change.” That thought became my biggest motivator; it kept me resolved to stay on track or get back on when I veered off course. I maintained my resolve and reached my goal in 3 months – much less than a year. So my challenge to you is to resolve to be resolved when it comes to making your new year, new you resolution! And best wishes, whatever wellness goal you set for yourself.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Extreme Makeover: Breakfast
Good old Mom was still right when she said "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. To maintain a healthy weight and jump-start your metabolism, breakfast is a 'must do', so don't think cutting out that meal will help you cut calories and lose weight faster. Studies have proven that skipping breakfast triggers our bodies to fight "starvation" by holding on to its fat; and really, many us us just overeat later in the day when we skip breakfast.
But, what we choose as our breakfast can make an enormous difference in how we feel and how we lose - or don't lose - weight.
This used to be my typical breakfast:
a small container of yogurt, a banana and orange juice. I thought I was making good choices; after all I was getting protein, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium, right?
Well, yes. But I was also getting very hungry an hour later, and I felt tired too.
Why? Well my "healthy breakfast" had almost 300 calories - which isn't bad - but the kind of calories I was consuming had no filling or "staying power". Here's why:
Banana = 72 calories, 18 grams carbohydrate ( 10 grams sugar) and 2 grams fiber
Orange Juice = 110 calories, 26 grams carbohydrate (22 grams sugar)
Activia yogurt = 110 calories, 19 grams carbohydrate (17 grams sugar) and 4 grams protein
So my 300 calories served me 63 grams of carbohydrates - nearly 50 of them sugars! Note that the fiber content is a measly 2 grams from the banana. Basically the meal I chose to start my day - started it all right - but put me on a fast blood sugar high, that soon plummeted leaving me feeling hungry and tired, and often craving something sweet!
I have spent quite a bit of time as the facilitator of the diabetes support group and know a little bit about carb counting as a means of keeping blood glucose levels steady, so I realized my high sugar breakfast choices - even though I wasn't adding sugar from the sugar bowl to anything -were probably doing me harm.
I set out to make over my breakfast to give me the results I really wanted. I wanted more energy, nutrition per calorie, low sugar content and higher fiber. Fiber is a power nutrient for many reasons: it fills you up, it digests slowly, promotes a healthy digestive tract, and can help lower cholesterol and weight! Protein fuels muscles and provides energy.
So now I alternate between two breakfasts:
Some days I have an egg with low-fat cheddar cheese on a whole wheat English muffin.
Other days I eat a very high-fiber cereal like Fiber One with unsweetened Almond Breeze milk.
I may add an orange, apple or raspberries, but I now only have whole fruit instead of juice.
Here's the difference nutritionally:
Egg sandwich + orange day: 258 calories, 36 grams carbohydrate ( 11 sugar), 9 grams protein ( 1 gram saturated fat) and 6 grams fiber
Fiber One and raspberries day: 150 calories, 28 grams carbohydrate ( about 1 gram sugar), 2 grams protein, 16 grams fiber
Quite a change!
My new breakfasts are lower in calories, and could easily be adjusted up to 400 calories - and in fact, I may add a spoonful of low-sugar peanut butter to make sure I get enough protein on the cereal day, but now I am full and feel satisfied for several hours after eating breakfast; I can tell my blood sugar is behaving in a normal way, my weight and waist are easier to maintain and my energy level is better. I usually have a snack mid-morning of either nuts or string cheese, and then I am fine until lunch.
My old breakfast had foods that are good ones by themselves. But combined, they gave me more sugars at one meal than I normally had in a day. My "extreme makeover" has worked for me, and my hope is that it will prompt you to take a look at how you are starting your day.
But, what we choose as our breakfast can make an enormous difference in how we feel and how we lose - or don't lose - weight.
This used to be my typical breakfast:
a small container of yogurt, a banana and orange juice. I thought I was making good choices; after all I was getting protein, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium, right?
Well, yes. But I was also getting very hungry an hour later, and I felt tired too.
Why? Well my "healthy breakfast" had almost 300 calories - which isn't bad - but the kind of calories I was consuming had no filling or "staying power". Here's why:
Banana = 72 calories, 18 grams carbohydrate ( 10 grams sugar) and 2 grams fiber
Orange Juice = 110 calories, 26 grams carbohydrate (22 grams sugar)
Activia yogurt = 110 calories, 19 grams carbohydrate (17 grams sugar) and 4 grams protein
So my 300 calories served me 63 grams of carbohydrates - nearly 50 of them sugars! Note that the fiber content is a measly 2 grams from the banana. Basically the meal I chose to start my day - started it all right - but put me on a fast blood sugar high, that soon plummeted leaving me feeling hungry and tired, and often craving something sweet!
I have spent quite a bit of time as the facilitator of the diabetes support group and know a little bit about carb counting as a means of keeping blood glucose levels steady, so I realized my high sugar breakfast choices - even though I wasn't adding sugar from the sugar bowl to anything -were probably doing me harm.
I set out to make over my breakfast to give me the results I really wanted. I wanted more energy, nutrition per calorie, low sugar content and higher fiber. Fiber is a power nutrient for many reasons: it fills you up, it digests slowly, promotes a healthy digestive tract, and can help lower cholesterol and weight! Protein fuels muscles and provides energy.
So now I alternate between two breakfasts:
Some days I have an egg with low-fat cheddar cheese on a whole wheat English muffin.
Other days I eat a very high-fiber cereal like Fiber One with unsweetened Almond Breeze milk.
I may add an orange, apple or raspberries, but I now only have whole fruit instead of juice.
Here's the difference nutritionally:
Egg sandwich + orange day: 258 calories, 36 grams carbohydrate ( 11 sugar), 9 grams protein ( 1 gram saturated fat) and 6 grams fiber
Fiber One and raspberries day: 150 calories, 28 grams carbohydrate ( about 1 gram sugar), 2 grams protein, 16 grams fiber
Quite a change!
My new breakfasts are lower in calories, and could easily be adjusted up to 400 calories - and in fact, I may add a spoonful of low-sugar peanut butter to make sure I get enough protein on the cereal day, but now I am full and feel satisfied for several hours after eating breakfast; I can tell my blood sugar is behaving in a normal way, my weight and waist are easier to maintain and my energy level is better. I usually have a snack mid-morning of either nuts or string cheese, and then I am fine until lunch.
My old breakfast had foods that are good ones by themselves. But combined, they gave me more sugars at one meal than I normally had in a day. My "extreme makeover" has worked for me, and my hope is that it will prompt you to take a look at how you are starting your day.
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