Women’s Health And Fitness Articles

by Ellen G. Goldman, M.Ed.

Why is it that only 20% of Americans exercise enough to make a significant impact on their health profile?  No one would debate the proven benefits of consistent exercise; decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis, reduced blood pressure, maintenance of healthy body weight and improved body image, decreased depression, increased self esteem and improved stress management, just to name a few. The American College of Sports Medicine has coined the phrase, “Exercise is Medicine”. You would think that all of that would be enough motivation to get us out the door and to the gym on a daily basis. But even the most devoted exercisers sometimes have a hard time getting motivated to do their daily routine. Try the following tips to keep you motivated, excited and energized about your workouts. Read the rest of this entry »

by Michelle May, M.D.

You were born knowing exactly how much to eat. Hunger is your body’s way of telling you that you need fuel. By reconnecting with your instinctive signals, you can reach and maintain a healthier weight without restrictive dieting and obsessing over every bite of food you put in your mouth.

Perhaps you’ve ignored hunger for so long that you’ve forgotten how to recognize it. Maybe you even blame hunger for your weight problem and see it as the enemy. Perhaps you confuse hunger with all the other reasons you eat, like mealtime, boredom, stress or tasty food.

At the same time, you may have learned to ignore the feeling of satisfaction so you eat until you’re stuffed and very uncomfortable. Perhaps you “clean your plate,” “never waste food,” and “eat all your dinner if you want dessert,” instead of stopping when you’ve had enough. And you’ll perpetuate this cycle if you teach your children the same things.

Hunger is your instinctive guide to effortless (well almost) weight management

Reconnecting with your hunger signals helps you reach a healthier weight. Here’s how:
• You’ll eat less food when you’re eating to satisfy physical hunger than if you eat to satisfy other needs. Think about it. If you aren’t hungry when you start eating, how do you know when to stop? When the food is gone of course!

• You’re more likely to choose foods that nourish you. If you aren’t hungry but you’re eating because you are sad, mad or glad, what kinds of foods do you want? That’s when you’re more likely to want chocolate, cookies, chips, or other snacks and comfort foods.

• Food actually tastes better when you’re physically hungry. Hunger really is the best seasoning—so you eat less but enjoy it more.

• You’ll feel more satisfied because food is great for reducing hunger but not so great for reducing boredom, stress or other triggers.

• You’ll notice you’re hungry before you get too hungry and decreases overeating!

Trust Your Gut Instincts

To break out of the pattern of eating on autopilot, get in the habit of asking yourself, “Am I hungry?” every time you feel like eating. This simple but powerful question will help you recognize the difference between an urge to eat caused by the physical need for food from an urge to eat caused by head hunger.

Look for symptoms like hunger pangs, gnawing, growling, emptiness, low energy, shakiness, or headache. Notice that hunger is physical. It’s not a craving, a thought or a temptation. By focusing on hunger as your guide, you can become your own internal expert about when, what and how much to eat.

Food for Thought

• What specific signs of hunger do you usually have?

• What other thoughts and feelings do you confuse with hunger at times?

• What else could you do besides eat when you feel like eating even though you’re not hungry?

Michelle May, M.D. is a recovered yoyo dieter and the award-winning author of Am I Hungry? Download a copy of 101 Things to Do Besides Eat at http://AmIHungry.com/.

By Michelle May, MD

Why?

How?

When?

b. the support of a friend or partner

c. the accountability of a class or lesson d. to be pushed by a trainer or teacher

c. in an exercise environment

b. a real physical workout so I don’t have to think about anything

c. creative or artistic expression

12. When it comes to competition,

a. it makes me feel stressed

b. I like to challenge myself

c. a little is healthy and fun d. I am very competitive

By Liz Berney, Ph.D.

Next time you eat when you are not hungry, check in with yourself to see what’s going on. Most likely, something just happened inside of you. A feeling of anger, worry, frustration? It doesn’t have to be anything big - just a something. So yes, there is habit involved with eating when you are not hungry but the habit is a habitual response to having an uncomfortable feeling.

Last night for instance, I got a second email from the coach of a travel team for which my teenage son tried out. The first email indicated Max had made the team; the second said the coach wanted him to come for one more tryout. I headed straight for the ginger snaps.

The move to the snaps was so quick, so unconscious that it would have been easy to not even notice. Once I noticed the move, I sat with my journal (I have a five minute rule – I need to journal for five minutes before I eat when I am not hungry). From writing, I realized I was furious that the coach had made an offer and then taken it away. I had been so relieved that the decision had been made and that this tense tryout period was over. And, there was more. (Once I start journaling, there often is!). I was feeling out of control, uncomfortable that there was still no resolution with regard to the spring. As I continued writing, I learned that I also had feelings from my past where physical or emotional “gifts” felt like they had been rescinded.

After writing, I never went back to the ginger snaps. I felt successful that I had broken the habitual response this time. I learned that it wasn’t so terrible to feel those feelings. And I know that learning that I can’t control everything is still on my “to do” list!

Conscious eating is really about living a conscious life – not easy, but far richer emotionally. As the weight of the feelings becomes released through writing, discussion, reflection, drawing or movement, the physical weight too begins to drop. I am becoming more and more aware of what I feel and then can make conscious choices about what I want to do with the feelings. Sometimes, it’s just learning to sit with them. I’m starting to feel more and more peaceful being with myself and the ginger snaps are there for whenever I’m hungry.

Liz Berney, Ph.D., President of Choosing You! uses automatic writing, journaling, visualizations, inner dialogue, improvisation, drawing and movement to help women make peace with their relationship with food and their bodies. She offers coaching, workshops, retreats, teleconferences and public speaking in conscious eating, body image and self love. Her next workshop is March 15 in Rockville, Maryland and her next beach retreat is May 2 – 4 in Rehoboth, Delaware. See www.choosingyou.org for more information or contact Liz at Liz@choosingyou.org

By Ellen G. Goldman, M.Ed.

How many times have you collapsed into bed at night and found yourself too exhausted to sleep? Doesn’t seem to make much sense; your feeling so tired, but your body does not seem to want to relax and allow you to fall into the sleep you so desperately need. Your mind is a whirlwind off all the things you wanted to get done that day and didn’t accomplish. Tomorrow’s “to do list” keeps getting longer with each passing minute.

You are locked into a catch-22. If only you had more energy during the day, you would be more efficient and get more done. But if you can not sleep at night, how in the world will you have the energy. There are so many reasons why you might be having difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep soundly, but rather than wrack your brain trying to figure it out, try some of these tips and see if the problem resolves itself.

1. Make sure you meet your required number of hours of sleep each night. Most individuals need between 7-9 hours of sleep every night. When sleep deprived, you are less efficient and focused during the day, and may be leaving yourself open for health risks as well. Research has shown sleep deprivation can affect appetite, weight gain, diabetes risk, the strength of your immune system and even your chance of developing depression. If you have been trying to get by on less sleep, try backing up bedtime by 15 minutes each week, until you are getting the amount of sleep that leaves you feeling refreshed in the morning.

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by Ellen Goldman

It’s late afternoon, you still have tons to accomplish, yet you can’t keep your eyes open.  Your focus is gone, and all you can think about is how you will possibly get through the rest of the day.  When you do get home, you’re too tired to enjoy your family, cranky and irritable, and all you want is to have some dinner and collapse in front of the TV.  Sound familiar?

You are not alone.  So many of my clients tell me the one thing they really want is more energy! Amazingly, small changes in your daily habits can produce big changes in how you feel. Try on some of the suggestions below, and see if you don’t begin feeling more alive, productive and energized throughout your day.
Action Steps to Energize Your Days

1. Eat often and eat light.  Food is fuel for the body.  Without it, we just don’t function well.  Eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours, and never go more than 4 hours without eating. This will keep your blood-sugar levels even, and give you the constant fuel needed to get through your day.
2.  Never skip breakfast. When you awake, you come off a 10-12 hour fast. All foods convert to glucose, and glucose equals energy. Give your brain and your body the fuel it needs to begin the day with energy and focus.
3.  Have a mixture of complex carbohydrates, lean protein and a small amount of healthy fat at every meal and snack.
4.  Minimize simple sugars to avoid spikes in your blood glucose that are followed by an energy crash. If you must have a sugary snack, eat a small amount of protein with it.
5.  Drink water and no-sugar beverages all day. Energy slumps are often the result of dehydration. Your urine should be light or pale yellow. Anything darker means your not getting enough fluids.
6.  When working at your desk, take a break every 90-120 minutes. Get up, walk around, take a snack, get some fresh air, or call a friend. Even five minutes will bring you back to your task feeling refreshed and energized.
7.  Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night, preferably at the same time, to keep you feeling rested and alert.
8.  Exercise. It seems like the last thing you would want to do when feeling exhausted and drained. However, energy begets energy. Even 10 minutes of brisk walking will refresh you and make you feel more awake.
9.  Switch your exercise routine to mid-afternoon when energy levels are most likely to plummet.
10.  Practice deep breathing. When we are rushed and stressed, often we breath fast and shallow, and we don’t even know it. Taking a few minutes to relax your body and take a few long, deep breaths, will refuel your cells with oxygen, leaving you feeling more refreshed.
11.  Try a power nap. Set your alarm and don’t sleep for more than 20 to 30 minutes or it might interfere with the quality of you evening sleep.
12.  Avoid toxic relationships as much as possible. If you notice whenever you spend time with a particular friend or colleague you leave feeling exhausted, it’s a sure sign that they are an energy drainer.
13.  Commit to a time and finally complete that big project that’s been on your to do list. If it’s been constantly nagging at the back of your mind, getting it finished will release an enormous amount of energy.
14.  Stop multitasking. Stay completely engaged until one job is complete and then move on to the next.
15.  Build in some down time every day. Sitting in silence, meditating, journaling, praying or enjoying nature are all powerful ways to refresh and recharge your batteries.

It’s hard to change our habits, but when we take small steps, one at a time, we reach success. Choose one or two tips, and incorporate them into your routine every week. Within a couple of months, you should notice a huge difference in how you feel.  Everyday holds opportunities to love, learn, and enjoy life with those around you. Don’t be too exhausted to notice!

Ellen Goldman created EnerG coaching, LLC, to help people struggling with issues such as weight loss, stress management, getting in shape, life satisfaction, and other health related problems that can be affected by lifestyle changes. Learn more about her fitness and wellness coaching programs, and receive two free quizzes to assess your readiness to make positive changes in your life, when you subscribe to Fitness & Wellness From the Inside Out Monthly Tips at http://www.EnerGcoaching.com

by Yarrow

There are a lot of us out here who recently resolved to live a healthier lifestyle, get fit and loose a bit of physical baggage.

Since “it’s all about energy” in both what we think and the energetic-quality of the actual food we consume, here are five Feng Shui tips to help you stay on track with your resolution:

1. Vital friends. Be around people who have your best interests at heart and bring positive energy to your life. Avoid energetic vampires; they are the people who always dampen your spirits.
2. Declare your kitchen sacred. Think your intentions as you wipe the counters and clean the refrigerator using a citrus water solution.
3. Make a shrine for your juicer and/or supplement bottles. Designate a space on your kitchen counter and honor yourself by using colorful placemats.
4. Color yourself happy. Use containers with uplifting colors for your special food. Stack a glass bowl in your favorite color with vegetables and fruits to feast your eyes on nature’s colorful palette. Avoid the use of red, the appetite-stimulating color.
5. Drink with joy. Use a beverage glass with a positive vibe. Try a stemmed martini glass.

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By Michelle May, M.D.

There is a harmful idea virus that has become so widespread, so ubiquitous, that it is accepted as normal. It has subtly integrated itself into our beliefs, our thoughts, our language, our behavior and our reality. It’s so pervasive that it has become “conventional wisdom” and almost no one questions it.

So What Is This Idea Virus?
It is the belief that restrictive eating is healthy eating. It usually starts with information about nutrition or weight management that mutates into rules and restriction. But the blurring of the line between healthy eating and restrictive eating is the difference between a work of art and paint-by-number. Either way, you end up with a nice picture-until you get up close to take a look.

Healthy Eating vs. Restrictive Eating
In Charge - In Control
Nourishment - Diet
Fuel - Calories
Quality - Points
Healthy - Skinny
Aware - Preoccupied
Conscious - Consumed
Mindful - Vigilant
Information - Dogma
Guide - Rules
All foods fit - Good or bad
Balance - Perfection
Variety - Temptation
Moderation - Deprivation
Choosing - Earning
Deciding - Rationalizing
Flexible - Rigid
Hunger based - By the clock
Comfort - Portion sizes
Physical Activity - Penance
Effortless - Willpower
Trust - Fear
Learning - Failing
Self-acceptance - Condemnation
Enjoyment - Guilt
Pleasure - Shame
Freedom - Bondage

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By Michelle May, M.D.

Do you anticipate the holidays but dread the “inevitable” holiday weight gain? Do your holiday events revolve around eating more than the meaning, people, presents, decorations, or travel? Avoiding holiday weight gain and eating healthy during the holidays can be a real challenge unless you have a great strategy. These 15 holiday eating tips will help you avoid holiday weight gain and enjoy the season more while eating less.

1. It is easier to get distracted from signals of physical hunger and satiety at social gatherings, especially if food is the main event. Make an effort to pay close attention to your body’s signals.

2. Be a food snob. Skip the store-bought goodies, the dried-out fudge and the so-so stuffing. If the food you select doesn’t taste as good as you expected, stop eating it and choose something else. Think of how much less you’d eat if you only ate things that tasted fabulous!

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by Catherine Bruns

Often I work with my clients to ‘clean up’ some of the undone areas of their lives. Sometimes this means actual mess and clutter and sometimes it means relationships and old business. Recently many of my clients have noted that one of the things that is making it on their clean up list is to respond to emails and return phone calls from friends and family that have piled up. I noticed that this was happening in my life too. I think about friends and loved ones all the time, but I was not making it a habit to connect with many of these people on a regular basis. I’m sure we have many reasons, not the least of which is the perception of not enough time, but what I realized is that I was allowing myself to become a bit isolated. I think that unfortunately this can happen to many of us, even when we interact with multiple people during the course of a busy day. We are social creatures as human beings - women especially, and it is important that we have a strong circle of support to hold us up, help us grow, be our community, and see us really as we are. I’ve found that there are some easy ways to build and deepen your supportive circle.

Don’t Wait
When you think of someone take just a moment right then to call, email or drop a note to let that person know that you’re thinking of them. It only takes a few minutes of your time and it serves to strengthen that relationship. If you’re anything like me your tendency is to think of someone or something you want to share and then put it off until later. As Nike says, Just Do It! This is a powerful way to deepen your existing relationships and think of how joyful it will make your friend to receive your moment of love.

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