Need a Little Motivation to Exercise? Here's Your Daily Dose...

Hi friends. Every now and again I'll introduce you to another website that I find particularly useful in one of these areas: diet, exercise, overeating, and overall wellness.

My friend, Heidi Marshall, has created such a site. Its concept is to provide daily motivation for moms to exercise daily via a short blog post or a video. Heidi practices what she preaches and is a regular exerciser. But she acknowledges that sometimes she doesn't feel motivated to actually get up, get going, and start exercising. How many of you moms out there can relate to this struggle? (I do! I do!) Our schedules are hectic to say the least and sometimes we make other things a priority instead of exercising because we feel overwhelmed and short of time.

The site's official launch date is June 2nd, so stay tuned for your daily dose of motivation!

------To read free chapters from the Book Stop Overeating Today!, please visit http://www.stopovereatingtips.com

Greek Method to Stop Overeating

Have you ever heard of macrobiotics? It is a Greek-derived diet that favors locally grown grains and vegetables. I'm not going to focus on that part of the diet, however. It's the manner in which people are taught to eat that is interesting to me.

The macrobiotic way prescribes that you take smaller bites of food and that you chew them thoroughly. This means it will take you twice as long or even three times as long to finish your meal if you eat like most Americans do, quickly and unconsciously.

Have any of you ever fed a baby? You have to give them tiny bites of whatever they are eating so they don't choke. It takes a long time. I know, I've got a 14-month old.

Try this today, even if it's just for a small snack. Take extra time to take small bites and chew them thoroughly, so that the food is totally liquefied in your mouth before you swallow.

Although it's probably not realistic for you to adopt macrobiotic eating for the rest of your life (who has the time?), it's good to slow down, savor the flavor, and enjoy each bite. The whole purpose is to cut down on overeating, and this tip will help you do just that.

-----------

To find out more about the book Stop Overeating Today! and read free chapters, visit http://www.stopovereatingtips.com

Get Over Your Excuses! Top 5 Excuses to Not Exercise.

This is written by a guest blogger, Personal Trainer Susie Lohse - Enjoy!

-----------------

So many excuses, so little time. Where do I begin? Throughout my many years as a personal trainer I feel like I have heard them all. We ALL use excuses as a psychological self defense mechanism to take the easier route. The route might include eating ice cream while watching the Biggest Loser instead of exercising yourself. I thought I would share with you my top five favorite excuses. Do any of these sound familiar?

1. Exercising just isn’t for me. This by far has to be my favorite one as I am always shocked when I hear it. Scientifically, the human body requires a certain amount of exercise to ward off those pesky things such as gaining weight, atrophying muscles, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weakened immune system, heart disease, diabetes, etc. You might as well say, exercise isn’t for me, but future hospital stays will be. If you surround yourself with people that use that same excuse you will be solidifying your excuse. Break free and join a healthy lifestyle so that you can enjoy a better life.

2. I don’t have time for exercise. When people give me this excuse I ask them later on in conversation what their favorite TV shows are. After they’ve rattled off eight must see shows I ask them how they can have time for that since they don’t have time for exercise? GOTCHA! Fact: the average American watches FOUR hours of television per day. Think about how much time you spend on Facebook, Twitter, and Google. It comes down to what you value in your life. If you don’t value your health you will use this excuse.

3. I’m too busy with my kids. Do you like being able to spend time with your kids? So much that you don’t have time to exercise? Studies have shown that lack of exercise can significantly decrease your lifespan. They have even compared the effects to being a smoker! Every parent that wants to watch their children grow old will take the time to exercise. One third of American children are now obese, an even GREATER reason for you to exercise WITH them. Take your kids for a walk, play soccer in the backyard, pop in a fun and easy workout video to do together. Become your family’s leader to a higher quality, longer, happier life.

4. I’m dealing with a life crisis. We will all go through several major life crises. I have seen many people fall off track due to a job change, divorce, death, or relocation. It all starts to snowball from there. They gain weight which affects their self image. Their health starts to fail, they begin to get sick more often and miss work more. Finally a major health issue has them in the hospital. The doctor THEN prescribes exercise. The entire circle could have been prevented by using exercise as a tool against depression. According to the Mayo Clinic, here are the reasons you need exercise even more when facing a life crisis:

• Releasing feel-good brain chemicals that may ease depression (neurotransmitters and endorphins)

• Reducing immune system chemicals that can worsen depression

• Increasing body temperature, which may have calming effects

• Gain confidence. Meeting exercise goals or challenges, even small ones, can boost your self-confidence. Getting in shape can also make you feel better about your appearance.

• Take your mind off worries. Exercise is a distraction that can get you away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed anxiety and depression.

• Get more social interaction. Exercise may give you the chance to meet or socialize with others. Just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood can help your mood.

• Cope in a healthy way. Doing something positive to manage anxiety or depression is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping anxiety or depression will go away on their own can lead to worsening symptoms.

5. I don’t know what to do. When you decided what you wanted to do for your career did you give up because you didn’t know how to? No, you went to college or another type of training to gain the knowledge needed. The same thing applies here. Most of my clients first come to me because they tried themselves but without any results. They come to me because they wanted an expert to put them in the right direction instead of wasting time or causing injuries. Lose the excuse and get educated. Next time you hear that little voice in your head telling you “no” to exercise, stop and realize the negative impact the little devil on your shoulder can be. Take control, step out of the victim role and reward yourself with a worthier and longer life.

Susie Lohse, Your Portable Personal Trainer www.trainwithsusie.com

--------------
For more information about the book Stop Overeating Today! and to read free chapters, please visit: http://www.stopovereatingtips.com

Erroneous Beliefs - Do YOU Have Any?

I was talking to a client the other day and she said something that just didn't sit right with me. We were talking about eating healthy and she said she hadn't been. But this is the part that really got me. She said because she wasn't eating healthy, she didn't deserve to buy this healthy water she liked that gave her more energy and helped her feel better.

Basically, her logic was this: If I'm not eating healthy, I don't deserve to feel good. That right there is an erroneous belief. It's all-or-nothing thinking. It's like someone saying, "Because I haven't been sticking to my diet, I'm not going to buy vegetables, I'm just going to eat more cake."

Do you have any of these erroneous beliefs? Do you fall into the trap of all-or-nothing thinking? I want to hear your erroneous beliefs.

After you've identified what they are, the next step is to change them. My client's new belief could be: "Because I haven't been sticking to my diet I am going to buy the healthy water to motivate me and remind me what it's like to feel good."

What's your erroneous belief and how can you change it?

----

To read 4 tips from the Book Stop Overeating Today, visit: http://www.stopovereatingtips.com

Freshman 15 - How to Get the Weight Off and Keep it Off

I can't sleep. It's 4:40 am and, no, I'm not usually this much of an early bird. I don't care about catching worms, I really just like to sleep. But I can't.

I've got Freshman 15 on my mind. It's May and most of the college Freshman are home now. My friend's sister came home from her Freshman year at college at least 15 pounds heavier and a little depressed. A lady who just bought my book, Stop Overeating Today!, told me her daughter just came home from her Freshman year and is at the heaviest weight she's ever been at and that she's struggling. My aunt brought in a relative who had a rough Freshman year due to the unhealthy college lifestyle - poor sleeping, poor eating, etc.

I've googled "Freshman 15" to see what kind of resources there are out there. Not much. One site, the first one on the list, addresses the problem but doesn't offer many solutions. But, if you go to their "how to be popular in college" page you can find out all about the parties and that the girls are supposed to dress like sluts to be popular. That's great information. (Hope you caught the sarcasm).

Hearing these stories about Freshman girls struggling with weight gain hits a personal chord in me. I gained about 20 pounds my Freshman year. Before college, I had already struggled with overeating and bulimia, so that definitely contributed to my difficulty adjusting to the anarchy of college. With nobody telling me what time to go to bed, what to eat, and what time to get out of bed in the morning, I was a free bird to experiment as I pleased and make plenty of mistakes along the way that affected my health and my judgment.

So how did I get my Freshman 15 off?? The solution wasn't just to exercise more. That didn't fix the main problem, which was overeating. I'm sure if I had been exercising as much my Freshman year in college as I had been as a high school cross-country runner, I would have only gained about half of the weight I did. But then, I'd still be 10 pounds overweight. The way to avoid gaining extra weight as a Freshman, as well as how to get rid of extra weight gained, begins with making a list of at least five occasions in which overeating occurred. College wasn't that long ago for me, so I can remember at least five times I overate. Here's my list:

1) Pizza party in the girls dorm at eleven pm

2) Brownie party in the girls dorm at two am

3) Getting seconds at the cafeteria in the morning

4) Buying extra food and stocking it in my dorm fridge

5) Ice cream party in college dorm at midnight

6) Late night runs to the college dorm vending machines while doing my laundry

(See a familiar theme? If I had gone to bed before 11 pm every night, I probably could have saved myself from gaining 10 pounds.)

The next thing to do is to identify why you overate in each situation. Were you stressed about your grades and felt like indulging? Were you eating out of emotion: giddiness, excitement, nervousness, anxiety, depression, or worry? Did you need to figure out how to get to bed earlier and miss most of the late night binges?

Here's a chapter from my book, Stop Overeating Today!, that talks about my ice cream party in the college dorm at night and discusses how I learned to stop emotional eating. The tips from my book were written after I successfully lost 35 extra pounds gained from overeating, weight acquired in high school and college. Obviously, my example is an extreme one, but it shows that I really understand the challenges of Freshman 15 and I am an expert in how to stop overeating and lose extra weight gained. Read the tip about emotional eating! How to Stop Emotional Eating

For more free chapters from the book Stop Overeating Today!, please visit: http://www.stopovereatingtips.com

Will You Still Order the Cheesecake If You Know it Has 1200 Calories?

This is a guest post by Karen Koenig.

------------------

I don’t know about you, but I have mixed feelings about including nutritional information on menus. People all over the world manage to be “normal”—even healthy—eaters without knowing precisely how many calories, salt, or fat grams food contains, so why can’t Americans? On the other hand, reading nutritional information alongside menu selections might be just what is needed to break through denial and help folks make better choices. At any rate, here are preliminary results of research on the subject.

Experts admit that because menu labeling laws are fairly new and not well studied, what is known about their impact on diet is inconclusive. Moreover, study results vary wildly. One study in the January issue of the Journal of Pediatrics focusing on families concluded that “mothers made better choices for their children when provided with calorie numbers, but didn’t make those same decisions for themselves.”

A Stanford University study on Starbucks customer eating habits showed decreased calorie consumption after menu labeling was instituted in New York City. A study on the habits of fast-food-chain customers in NYC found that although consumers said they were influenced by a menu’s nutritional information, when calorie consumption was calculated, theirs was similar to that of folks choosing from non-labeled menus.

A research report in December’s American Journal of Public Health concluded that folks who cut back calories based on menu labeling at dinner made up for restriction by eating more later in the evening. However, others who were shown not only calories but who also received “information on daily recommended calorie intake as well,” consumed fewer calories in total. Whew!

What about people who rebel against reading calories on a menu, sporting a “No one can tell me what to eat!” or “So what?” attitude? In this case, reading caloric information on a menu might actually trigger overeating. After all, most of us know whether food is low- or high-calorie/fat/salt anyway, don’t we? Including calorie information might educate some of us, but may pull others away from eating intuitively and may make food exclusively about nutrition rather than enjoyment as well. Plus, by targeting the what of eating and not the how or how much, menu labeling does nothing to help eaters decide how hungry, full or satisfied they are.

I know that nutrition and weight “experts” are trying their darndest to get us healthy and are giving it their best shot. It will be interesting to see whether NYC’s experiment with menu labeling pays off. I look forward to more conclusive study results.

Best,
Karen
http://www.eatingnormal.com/
http://www.nicegirlsfinishfat.com/

Don't Let Comfort Foods Seduce You!

Do you have comfort foods? We all do. Ice cream, cake, brownies, sorry if I'm making your mouth water :) Tonight I discovered another comfort food I have had for a LONG time, but I never knew it. You might laugh..... it's cold cereal.

Why cold cereal? It's just so easy. All you have to do is grab a bowl, a spoon, the cereal and the milk. You can be eating in less than 10 seconds. It's easy to curl up on the coach with cold cereal or to eat it in front of the TV. It's such a low-maintenance meal, that definitely adds to its appeal. I eat it when I'm tired and don't want to fix anything else.

So tonight I came home and my husband was eating cereal. He was too tired to fix something different and was eating Honey O's. The aroma of the cereal (yes, cereal has an aroma!) and of the milk made me want to grab some myself and then curl up on the coach to eat it. Even though I had recently eaten dinner and was perfectly full, it was like the lure of the cereal almost tricked me into being hungry again.

I couldn't believe it! My body's full signal was turning off and my body was giving me a false hunger signal. I almost fell for it, but I didn't. Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever been around a comfort food, felt hungry, eaten it, and then realized you were never hungry in the first place?

Hmmm, I can't be the only one out there. Even if cereal doesn't seduce you (I know I must be weird), there's got to be something out there that does. Let me know about it!

To get more advice and tips, and to find out how I lost 35 pounds, please visit: http://www.stopovereatingtips.com

Why Cardio Isn't Enough

This is a guest post by Becky Williamson, Personal Trainer. Exercise is one of the tips listed in my book, Stop Overeating Today! Check it out at: www.stopovereatingtips.com

---------------------------


I'm usually a pretty happy, positive person. Yet, every so often, I go off on a little rant. This is one of those times. I'm a little cranky. So, as Joan Rivers would say, "Can we talk?" My pet peeve of the day? Why aren't more women over the age of 40 lifting weights? I hear time and again about how we peri- and post-menopausal women are getting all fat and frumpy. Well, here's what I think: The ones who are getting fat and frumpy are not lifting weights. I'd also bet that a good number of the heavy ones are doing some sort of low intensity exercise (like walking the dog) several times a week, feeling that they've got the "exercise" in their life covered. Wrong.

All that low level stuff is wonderful for stress reduction, quality time with friends and pets, to get your circulation going and to get your joints moving. But for fat loss or for muscle development? Nope.

So, my crankiness started today when I overheard a conversation between two fifty something women during which one woman said to the next woman: "My weight is up so I'm going to have to start walking more and start that low calorie diet again". Yeesh. She'll probably look the same come December 1st. What would I have loved to hear? How about "I'd better sign up for that cardio kick boxing class at the club in order to ramp up my workouts", or "I think I need a few sessions with a trainer to learn how to lift free weights and build a little calorie burning muscle". Ummmmm.......only in my dreams.

Here's the crux of my rant: Some boomer women still hang on to the idea that they're "too old" to do certain forms of exercise or that they'll bulk up by lifting weights. Wrong on both counts. There may be exercises that some women in their 50's or 60's aren't fit enough to do (yet), but we're not that fragile. And, we're NOT going to bulk up by lifting weights. Save for a few women with severe musculoskeletal disorders, all women can and should lift weights.

Studies show that strength training slows the aging process, boosts your mood and boosts your metabolism by laying down additional muscle over time. Heck, I'm sold on the first benefit alone. Slow down my aging process? Where do I sign up??!!!! I'm in. I believe higher intensity exercise (preferably designed into an interval training program) plus lifting weights is the secret to living a vibrant and healthy life as a 50+ woman. However, low calorie dieting and "more cardio" seems to be the manta of women over 50 who want to lose weight. My suggestion for a new mantra for the new "enlightened" boomer woman?...... "I want to be lean, toned and vibrant. Hand over the weights and give me a side order of intervals". Okay, I'll stop ranting now. I'll be back to my sunny, positive self in my next post. Promise.

Committed to your success,
Becky

http://lifesportfitnessblog.com/

Are You a Good Caretaker for Yourself?

Lately I've been going through my book Stop Overeating Today! and editing it to make small improvements and changes for a second edition. It's nice to read it with new eyes. After working on it for about a year and a half, I needed to put it down for a few months and then reapproach it from a fresh perspective. As I've done so, my a-ha! moment has been this: Everyone is a caretaker for their own body. Now, here's the question that I will put out there in the second edition: Are you a good caretaker for yourself? If you're not sure how to answer that question, think of it a different way. If someone you loved dearly needed a caretaker, would you find yourself qualified to fulfill that role based on your success with taking care of yourself?

This is definitely a rhetorical question to think about. Do you spend too much time working and not enough time planning healthy meals and exercising? If you're too busy to exercise, think again. Are you too busy to get life insurance? Probably not, you probably consider that a necessity and a wise investment. Exercise and eating healthy are also a wise investment and the best life insurance you've got.

I'm not trying to bring on the guilt trip. For me at least, guilt isn't very motivating. People can talk about gloom and doom all day and it won't keep me eating healthy and exercising in the long term.

My purpose is to activate people to take one simple step in the direction of taking better care of themselves. What will it be for you? I want to buy more fresh and vitamin-rich foods. I've added these foods to my grocery list for this week: asparagus, figs, salmon, eggs, brown rice, turkey, and almonds. I usually shop at Trader Joe's (love that store!), but this week I am going to go to Henry's where I can get a better selection and a better price on produce.

So, what's your simple step in the direction of taking better care of yourself? Getting in at least eight ounces of water daily? Taking a 15 minute walk daily? Having a smaller portion of ice cream? Leave a comment and let me know!

For more information about the book Stop Overeating Today! and to read three sample chapters, please visit http://www.stopovereatingtips.com

Losing Weight is Easier than Planning a Funeral

I was talking to a client of mine on the phone today. We have been coaching for two weeks and he has lost 15 pounds. He bought my book back in January, stuck to it for three weeks, fell of the bandwagon, and contacted me for personal coaching to increase his commitment and accountability. I asked him today, "What have been some of the benefits of losing 15 pounds?"

His response surprised me. I was expecting him to comment on how he enjoyed having more energy throughout the day. Instead, he said, "I don't have to worry about getting a heart attack and then being dead...Paying for coaching is a lot cheaper than planning a funeral."

How sobering. He's right. The pain and inconvience of exercising hard and changing ones eating habits is less than the pain and inconvenience a loved one experiences while planning the funeral of someone who passed due to weight related causes.

If you've given up on exercising and eating right because you can't seem to stick to a plan, change your motivation. Don't do it for yourself. Do it for your family and loved ones.

For more information about personal coaching and the book Stop Overeating Today!, please visit: http;//www.stopovereatingtips.com

Top 10 Deceiving "Healthy" Foods

From time to time, I like to have guest bloggers share their two cents with my blog followers. Every post will not always address overeating. This post, for instance, written by guest blogger Dr. Tom Potisk, offers sound nutrition advice. For more resources related to overeating, please visit: www.stopovereatingtips.com After you read this post, I'd love to hear your comments. Which of these are a surprise to you? I didn't know about #9. I always buy it and inflammation is something I have trouble with, so I'm glad Dr. Potisk set me straight!

---------

Better eating habits are as important as regular exercise for weight management. Modifying your food choices can be very helpful but there are a few foods that can be deceiving. Here are the top 10 deceiving “healthy” foods that can lead to weight gain and/or other health problems:

1) Margarine, because it lacks the essential oils necessary for a healthy cardiovascular system.
2) Artificial sweeteners, because they contribute to inflammation.
3) Soy, because it mimics the hormone estrogen.
4) Most granola bars, because they contain excess sugar.
5) Most dehydrated fruits, because they have added sugar.
6) Most juices, because they contain excess added sugars.
7) Whole grain products, because many people have hidden gluten allergies.
8) Commercially grown apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, and imported grapes because they are the top 5 most chemically treated produce.
9) All orange juice, because it is well known to increase inflammation.
10) Commercially raised chicken because it's likely raised indoors, given antibiotics and probably hormones for faster growth. Carefully investigate every food choice you make. May God bless you with whole health, Dr Tom Potisk AKA the "Down to Earth" doctor. Author of a new book Whole Health Healing - The Budget Friendly Natural Wellness Bible For All Ages http://www.thedowntoearthdoctor.com