Are you an emotional eater?

I have found that the 3 main culprits for weight gain are overeating, mindless eating, and emotional eating.  Take this quiz to see if you are an emotional eater:

1. Do you think about food often or all the time?
2. Do you eat to relieve tension, worry, or upsets?
3. Do you eat when you’re bored?
4. Do you continue to eat after you feel full, sometimes to the point of feeling sick?
5. Does eating relieve your anxiety?
6. Do you eat without thinking?
7. Do you have to clean your plate?
8. Do you eat in secret or hide food?
9. Do you eat quickly, shoving in the food?
10. Do you feel guilty after you eat?
11. Do you eat small portions in front of people, but go back for more food when people aren’t around?
12. Do you binge (eat large amounts of food in a short time)?
13. Can you eat one serving, or do you eat the entire amount (a bag of cookies, or the whole half gallon of ice cream)?
14. Do you feel out of control and impulsive when eating?
15. Do you eat when you’re not physically hungry?
16. Do you lie to yourself about how much you really eat?
17. Do you have trouble tolerating negative feelings?
18. Do you have impulse problems in other areas of your life (shopping, gambling, sex, alcohol, pornography, drugs)?
19. Have you been on numerous diets over the years?
20. Do you experience constant weight fluctuations?

If you answered yes to some of these questions, then your emotions often trigger your desire to eat.  In order to address this, you need to get to the bottom of why you are eating.  Most often, there are some unresolved emotional issues in your life that you need to deal with in order to stop the cycle of emotional eating.

(This quiz was taken from Lose it For Life by Steve Arterburn and Linda Mintle).

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Sometimes eating healthy just isn’t worth it!

Last week-end, my husband and I took a rode trip to Florida to visit my sister and her family.  We left Friday before rush hour, so we needed to stop to get something to eat.  As I was already a bit anxious about what kind of food choices would be available all week-end, I was dead-set determined to eat healthy on the road – regardless of what I had to do.  So, we stopped at a Moe’s Southwest Grill in Montgomery, AL.  I had already decided to avoid the rice and the tortilla, so the only thing I could eat was salad (without the shell).  Since I’m trying to cut back on the amount of meat and dairy I eat (due to the hormones), this left me with tofu as my only remaining alternative.  So, basically my salad consisted of lettuce, cucumbers, tofu (which I’m not sure was even cooked), VERY little cheese, black beans, and salsa.  I had a little chipotle sauce on the side, but that didn’t help.  Basically, there was NOTHING on this salad to make it taste good at all.  Literally, as I write this I feel like vomiting just thinking about it.  My husband sat there and watched my face turn a lovely shade of pale green and felt so sorry for me that he cut off large parts of his “homewrecker” tortilla just so I would have something to eat! 

So, the moral of the story is sometimes there really ARE no healthy choices that are palatable, so you just have to do the best you can and resume your routine as soon as possible.  I have to say that I’m glad to be home and in control of what I cook and put in my mouth! 

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What is the best type of cardio?

Honestly, I think the best type of cardio is the one that you enjoy and will actually do!  However, I would like to make a personal observation.  I used to be partial to the elliptical, because according to the calorie-counter on the machine, I was burning A LOT of calories.  I did that for years, but of course it got boring and monotonous.  I’ve tried running several times.   However, last Spring I ended up getting bronchitis due to breathing in the pollen… so I stopped.  This year, I tried it again… this time I sprained my ankle (that was a few weeks AFTER my embarrassing face-plant after tripping over the curb… who knew that was there???).  Although I enjoy running (mostly because it’s outdoors), it doesn’t seem to be the cardio of choice for me.  After I sprained my ankle, I couldn’t do anything upright because it hurt my ankle too much.  So, I bought a spin bike.  I LOVE THE SPIN BIKE!!!  I’ve been doing that consistently now for a couple of months, and I’ve actually noticed a difference in the shape of my legs.  I have always depended on my weight training sessions for my body sculpting goals, and my legs have never taken the shape that I would like.  Now that I’m doing the spin bike nearly every day, I’m actually getting the definition and curves in my legs that I’ve been wanting.  At least to me they don’t look as “tree-trunk”ish as they did before.  Even my husband can tell a difference.  So, for me I’m hooked on spinning. 

However, I still say that the best cardio for you is whatever you actually enjoy the most and will do consistently.  I also think it’s a great idea to do several different types of cardio, because this will confuse your muscles and speed up your metabolism.  It will also prevent boredom.  All of these things will help you stay motivated and consistent in your exercise program. 

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How to have a fantastic workout in 20 to 30 minutes

I do understand that most people are extremely limited on time, and exercise is usually the first thing to cut from their schedule.  Unfortunately, the problem with this is that at some point, the lack of exercise will begin to negatively impact energy, efficiency, and productivity in virtually every other area of life.  Then, health problems may set in.  At this point, exercise becomes much more difficult and crucially necessary at the same time. 

If you are not currently exercising because you can’t seem to find the time, I would suggest that you start with a 20-30 minute exercise schedule 3 days a week – preferably Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Choose 3 large muscle upper body exercises to work back, chest, and shoulders (for example:  a row, a push-up, and a military press).  Do these exercises one after the other with very little rest between sets (this is called a circuit).  Do each circuit 2 to 3 times.  Then switch to lower body exercises like seated leg press, squats, lunges, or romanian deadlifts.  Again, do each circuit 2 to 3 times.  End the session with some abdominal/low back work to strengthen your core.  Then cool down with a good stretch.  This type of workout will challenge both your strength and your endurance. 

I think I found the PERFECT healthy snack…homemade protein bars!

This is super easy, and it is absolutely perfect for either breakfast, pre-workout, post-workout recovery, or anytime snack.  It is a great combo of healthy complex carbs, high-quality protein, and “good fat”.  If you use the Smart Balance brand of all-natural peanut butter that has flax oil, then you get an added nutritional boost.  Here’s the recipe…

 2 cups dry old-fashioned oats

4 scoops of whey protein powder

1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter

approx 6 tbsp. of water

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl (easiest to do by hand).  Dough should be fairly stiff and formed into bars on wax paper.  Either freeze for 30 minutes or chill in refrigerator until ready to eat. 

I tried this recipe today, and it really does taste great!  It made 6 bars for me, but I made them kind of big… you might be able to make 8 bars out of this recipe if you make them a little smaller.  You have no idea how excited I am about this, because this will solve the dilemma of what kind of snack you can eat on the go.  (I found this recipe in The Body Sculpting Bible For Women.)  This is so inexpensive and easy to carry around.  However, it should be refrigerated, so just remember that and plan accordingly. 

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Formula For Workout Success

S = D x (T + N + R)

S – Success; D – Determination; T – Training; N – Nutrition; R – Rest

I saw this formula in a book called The Body-Sculpting Bible For Women, and I agree with this wholeheartedly!  If you want to succeed in achieving the new body you’ve always dreamed of, then the main thing you need is determination above all else!!  If you are not completely determined, then you will only give your training and nutrition a half-hearted effort, which won’t take you very far.  You may only do one set instead of 3.  You might swing the weights with lots of momentum instead of reaching the full contraction & release of the muscle.  You might spend most of your time between sets talking to friends (instead of a 1 to 3 minute rest – it becomes a 10 – 15 minute rest).  You might spend your time on the treadmill hanging on to the machine.  Does any of this sound familiar?  Then there’s rest.  This is EXTREMELY important… it is part of the equation.  If you place your body under vigorous physical, mental, and emotional stress, then adequate rest and relaxation is imperative in order to keep your hormones (especially cortisol) in check.  Extremely high levels of cortisol have been connected with fat storage – especially around the mid-section.  So, training, nutrition, and rest are very important.  However, without determination to reach your goals, then you won’t succeed.  Remind yourself often why you want to do be fit.  Put a picture of yourself on the refrigerator with a list of reasons to get fit right underneath it.  This will serve as a steady reminder and inspiration for you.  The fit lifestyle is not an easy one, but it is totally worthwhile! 

Are you addicted to exercise? Take this quiz.

Lately, I’ve run across several women who seem controlled by eating and exercising.  I must confess… I have been there, and I have to keep myself in check to make sure I stay balanced.  It really is a fine line between exercising enough and becoming obsessive about it to the point of over-exercising.  For me, I monitor this by keeping close tabs on both my inner attitude toward my workouts, as well as the physical signs of over-training.  Again, I confess that recently I’ve caught myself leaning toward a NEED to exercise and a general anxiety at the thought of missing workouts.  This is coming dangerously close to an exercise addiction.  Every 12 weeks, I force myself to take a break from weights in order to give my muscles and joints time to rest and recover.  I hardly ever take time off from cardio, though.  So, I need to be very careful not to allow the desire to exercise to become a need to exercise.  It’s such a fine line. 

 I found a very helpful quiz in a book called Appearance Obsession:  Learning to Love the Way You Look by Joni E. Johnston, Psy. D.  I’m quoting this verbatim, so I hope I’m not breaking any copyright laws! 

 When Exercise Takes Control

Who’s in control, you or your exercise routine?  The following questions will help you assess the degree to which your exercise may be getting out of control. 

 Are You at Risk For Overexercise?

Answer True or False to the following questions.

1. The way my body looks to me depends on whether I have exercised that day or not.
2. I often exercise when I have an injury or don’t feel well.
3. For one year or longer, I have exercised five or more times a week for one hour or more.
4. I feel depressed and/or irritable if I miss exercising for three days or more.
5. I find myself continually adding newer and stricter goals to my exercise routine.
6. I will dramatically alter my schedule in order to work out.
7. I feel anxious if I miss even one workout.
8. At times I have used exercise to avoid dealing with work or relationship problems.
9. I often feel like I hate my exercise routine, but feel unable to stop it.
10. I exercise primarily for weight control and muscle tone.
11. I keep detailed records or logs of my workout sessions.
12. It would be very difficult for me to change my exercise.  (For example, if you are a runner, you would be unwilling to switch or alternate with aerobic dance or bicycling.)
13. I frequently find myself thinking about exercising in between workouts.
14. While I am exercising, I often find myself daydreaming about the possibility of a “new, improved” physique.

Scoring:  Give yourself one point for every true response.  Add up your total points and see where you fall on the exercise continuum as follows.

0-3:  You are normally in control of your exercise schedule.  Like many of us, you may at times have mixed feelings about your exercise schedule – sometimes enjoying it, sometimes not.  It may be helpful to assess your exercise motivation to see how “looking good” fits in.  However, your answers suggest that you are not presently at risk for overexercising.

4-6:  You are in the borderline range of overexercise.  It will be important to assess your exercise behavior to see how it may be affecting other areas of your life.  Even if it is not, your pattern of responses suggests that you are not getting a lot of enjoyment out of your current exercise pattern. 

7 or more:  You are likely to depend on exercise for a sense of self-worth.  This dependency may cause problems in other areas of your life, or you may be feeling like exercise is controlling you rather than the other way around. 

If you found that you are over-exercising, she gives helpful suggestions in her book in order to help you have a healthier mental outlook regarding your exercise routine.  Remember, life is not about exercise, eating, or your appearance!  You want to take care of yourself physically through proper nutrition and exercise so that you can maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to accomplish whatever it is you were put on this earth to do.  I have to remind myself of this all the time! 

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Should I avoid all fats?

Absolutely not! 

One of my clients recently came into the session and said that she just found out that salmon has fat in it!  Then she asked if she should avoid it because of that.  I can understand her concern, because she is about my age – and “back in our day” we were always told that “low fat” and “fat free” is the way to go.  It was almost as if ALL fats are bad, evil, and to be avoided at all costs.  Today, health professional have realized that all fats are not created equally.  For example, our bodies need the omega-3 fatty acids that are found in cold water fish such as cod, slamon, sardines, trout, mackerel, and eel.  Consuming these types of fatty acids in combination with a diet low in saturated fat has the tendency to disperse fatty acids and cholesterol in the bloodstream, which seems to be help reduce arterial clogging.  They also have a blood thinning effect and discourage excess clotting.  They also lower blood triglycerides and raise HDL’s (high density lipoproteins, the good lipoproteins). 

Basically, some of the “good fats” include olive oil, canola oil, cold water fish, avocado, and nuts.  We all need to avoid saturated fats and trans-fats as much as we can.  These fats are found abundantly in red meat and in processed foods (tip:  look at the label – if it has the word “hydrogenated” – don’t eat it!). 

A final note about fats… one gram of fat has 9 calories, where one gram of both carbs and protein each have 4 calories.  Ultimately, when trying to lose or manage weight – it’s all about the calories.  It takes a 3,500 calorie deficit to burn one pound of body fat.  So, obviously you can cut calories by cutting out fat… just make sure the fat you’re cutting out is the right kind! 

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7 Tips for Preventing Depression

Today I’m going to switch hats just a little and put on my “counselor hat”.  (For those who don’t know, I’m not only a personal trainer, but I also have a Master’s degree in Social Work and professional counseling experience). 

I was talking to a friend of ours yesterday, and he was mentioning how he has had two major depressive episodes in his life.  The first one left him without even a will to live.  Fortunately, he was treated and now knows the symptoms to look for and what to do when he starts to feel them. 

I started thinking about how depression is so insidious because it attacks every facet of your life… physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  Physically, you usually have problems with appetite, sleep, energy, motivation, and sex drive among others.  Emotionally, you may feel weepy or just plain apathetic.  You tend to isolate yourself from others.  Your attitude is usually negative, and you just can’t seem to pull yourself out of it.  You will probably struggle with issues of self-doubt, self-esteem, and fear (ex:  fear of inadequacy; fear of intimacy; fear of failure).  Mentally, you tend to believe all kinds of horrible things about yourself.  You might obsess on the negatives you see all around you (if this is the case – don’t watch the news!)  Spiritually, you just feel depleted and drained.  You lose your purpose in life and start wondering why you were even put on this earth to begin with.  Satan would like nothing better for people to be in this state, and if you look around you – you probably know plenty of people who are. 

I started thinking that depression is just like most diseases… it’s probably easier to prevent than to cure through intentional, proactive choices.   Granted, some people might be more likely to suffer depression due to a family history of depression; child abuse or neglect; traumatic experiences; etc.  However, it is my opinion that if you are not depressed now, then it would be very wise for you to take measures now in order to prevent becoming depressed in the future.  Depression can hit any of us any time as is evidenced by the fact of such an astounding number of people on anti-depressant medication in this country. 

Here are some tips to help prevent depression:

1)  Take care of your physical health by engaging in regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and getting plenty of rest.  Studies show that people who exercise regularly are less likely to get depressed than people who don’t. 

2) Watch your thought life.  There is actually a scripture verse about this:  Phil. 4:8 says “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things”.  This is so wise!  It also includes avoiding things that send you negative messages.  I am very careful about what I put in my mind through the media…. I’m careful about the books I read, the movies I watch, television shows, etc.  The old saying “garbage in, garbage out” is completely true.  If you fill your mind with garbage, then guess what comes out!!! 

3) Pay attention to the messages you tell yourself.  We have so many thoughts during the day, and we tell ourselves so many things that we’re probably not even conscious of.  A lot of these messages are things we’ve internalized from our parents or other significant people in our lives from when we were kids.  Unfortunately, a lot of it is also negative.  Try to catch yourself in these thoughts… when you do; intentionally reframe that thought so that it conforms to what is actually true (most of the time we end up believing complete lies about ourselves).  Your thoughts follow your beliefs; your emotions follow your thoughts; and most of the time, your actions follow your emotions.  If you believe the truth about yourself, then you will think positive thoughts, which will lead to positive emotions, which will lead to positive attitudes and behaviors. 

4) Spend time with God every day.  God loves you and has a plan and purpose for your life.  He’s just waiting for you to come to Him and to enjoy your relationship with Him.  Jesus died for you so that you can freely experience this. 

5) Write out your mission statement and review it regularly.  This will remind you of your purpose on this earth and how you are unique and especially gifted to fulfill a special role in this universe.  Only you can be you and do what you do.  Your life is meant to positively impact the lives of those in your circle of influence. 

6) Keep a journal.  This will help you process your thoughts and emotions.  Over time, you will see patterns emerge, and hopefully growth as you overcome challenges and obstacles in your life. 

7) Enjoy the simple things in life.  Don’t get so busy that you forget to notice the little things like the welcome breeze blowing in your face on a hot summer’s day; or a baby’s smile; or the smell of a flower.  That may sound cheesy, but sometimes it’s the simple things in life that help put everything in perspective. 

What to do when you don’t feel like exercising…

This is exactly how I felt today.  I woke up earlier than I had planned to, and ever since I’ve been feeling tired, sleep-deprived, and a bit unmotivated to do what I have to do today.  After my client left this morning, I had the choice:  do I work out or don’t I?  The bed was screaming my name.  However, I ignored the screaming and just did what I had to do!  I did my chest, back, biceps, and abs and then the spin bike for 45 minutes.  How did I feel afterward?  Still tired, but proud that I did what I had planned to do.  Now, this is the way I’m tackling the rest of my day… I’m setting my mind to accomplish what I intended and ignoring the inner voice inside that continues to beckon me to take it slow and easy today. 

I tell you this to let you know that I have the same internal battles and struggles as everybody else; I’m no different.  There are plenty of days that I just plain don’t feel like doing anything!  However, since I’m self-employed, I can’t afford to give in to my feelings!  So, to answer the above question, sometimes I think the best thing to do when it comes to exercise is to not ask yourself whether you feel like doing it or not.  Write it down in your schedule/appointment book, and then keep that appointment with yourself.  We all have a mind, emotions, and a will.  Our will is like the gatekeeper for our thoughts and emotions.  You choose by an act of your will what you will think about, what attitude you will have for that day, and what you will accomplish.  If we all lived solely by our emotions alone, what would this world be like?  We don’t need to ignore our emotions, because they are like an indicator light on our car… they let us know when there’s something wrong that needs to be fixed.  Emotions are very important, but we don’t need to live by them. 

Anyway, I thought this was an appropriate thought to write about today since I am struggling with my own motivation level at the moment and having to take my own advice.  I hope it helps someone else out there. 

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