Posted by Alicia Leeds on Wed, Sep 23, 2009 @ 05:57 PM
I have said it plenty of times and I am saying it again 'cause it's a need to know statement, "If it's there, you will eat it!"... and by "you" I mean "I" (I will definitely eat it).
Some of us can be fooled some of the time. But we are only fooling ourselves when we bring the cookies home from work "for the kids". The kids don't care. They didn't even know the cookies were there.
When we have momentum around our healthy lifestyle - especially when we are losing weight - we don't even think about bringing the cookies into the house. But when our momentum slows... "Walk on by" becomes "I'll just look", which morphs into "just a little taste" and finally "pack me a to go container"!
It's a weight management chicken or egg! Which comes first the cookie or the rationalization?
It doesn't matter. If it's there you will eat it and it doesn't matter why you brought the cookies home.
What does matter (to your successful weight management) is that you employ some simple skills based on the original need to know statement and its derivatives.
If it's there you will eat it. So make sure that fruits and vegetables and lean proteins and whole grains and HMR Meal Replacements are there. (By "there" I mean wherever you are.)
If it's not there you can't eat it. So make sure that the cookies are not there and the cake is not there and the BBQ ribs are not there and the cheeseburger is not there...this could take a while... but you get the point.
Here's the foolproof need to know - if you are not there you can not eat it. Translation? Stay out of the office snack room when you know your boss has brought the cookies!
When you are struggling with your weight don't set yourself up for failure by creating or frequenting environments that put your resolve to the test.
Graduate from knowing "if it's there you will eat it" to really living by it. Calculate the calories on the whole box of Triscuits before you put them in the cart. How many calories does the whole container of Ben and Jerry's have? Can you afford 1400 calories of Chunky Monkey today?
One last thing... "if it's there, you will eat it" is how we survived as a species. If you are eating it, you are doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing. There's nothing wrong or abnormal about you (and by "you" I mean me). But we live in an a culture where high calorie high fat food is everywhere. So to be successful with our weight management we have to create our own safe "there" where we can be - and eat it, too!
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Wed, Jul 29, 2009 @ 04:54 PM
Eating is entertainment in America - not the backdrop to a social gathering - but the main event.
The food industry banks on this. And is making record profits, too - selling us cheap calories as the new American pasttime. Food - especially high fat, high calorie food - is FUN. We buy it - gobs of it. And as a result, 67% of Americans are overweight and obese - and more than 30% of our children are, too.
Take this example from the boardwalk at Santa Cruz, California. "The Experience" is fat on sugar on fat on sugar with a nice ring of fatty sugar around the edge. Nevermind the ocean, the sand, the rides, games, colors, lights, sounds and people at the boardwalk. The FOOD (and I use the term loosely) is "The Experience".
Can you imagine anything better?
Well, there's fried Twinkies or fried Oreos, garlic fries, hot dogs, sausages, donuts the size of your head, funnel cake with every imaginable topping, slurpies, double dips, chocolate covered soft serve and of course, pizza, hamburgers, soda and...what...? Not a fruit to be found?!!! It's an endless feast of "Experiences" all designed to leave you wanting more - and (thank goodness) there's lots more for the taking.
Can you imagine anything better?
Of course you can (the question is clearly rhetorical) - but the message is clear. This is entertainment! This is your chance! Go for it! And all for $8.50! (about a half cent per calorie) Don't miss out on this exciting 1500 calorie "Experience"!
Enjoying an ice cream on a hot summer night can add to the festivities - food has long been a part of culture and celebration. But let's just get real about what it is and what it isn't. Food as entertainment is a marketing gimmick - it's a weight management trap with dire consequences. We have got to change our individual and cultural mindset. And the sooner we can imagine it - the better.
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Fri, Jul 03, 2009 @ 10:52 AM
Are you getting ready for a long holiday weekend? What are your plans for healthy eating? If you are like most Americans, all thoughts of healthy eating have been pushed aside until "after". Even if you have been practicing healthy behaviors for a while, you might still be tempted to let things go.
So what's wrong with that?
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust for America's Health have published their annual report, "F as in Fat", on the state of obesity in America. Their conclusion? "Obesity policies are failing."
Americans are the fattest people on the planet.
Adult obesity rates continued to rise in 23 states in 2009. Obesity rates did not decrease in any state! 31 states have obesity rates above 25%. That means 1 in 4 Americans (have a BMI > 30) are at least 30 or more pounds overweight.
(Look around the BBQ this weekend. See for yourself.)
What's worse? The percentage of obese and overweight children is at or above 30% in 30 states. Studies have consistently shown that obese children become obese adults. The next generation is the first to have a lower life expectancy than their parents, and pediatricians are now treating their young patients for diseases typically associated with aging, including hypertension and diabetes.
What does all this have to do with America's famous holiday? Well, think about the foods typically associated with the 4th of July. Think about what you plan to eat. Are you willing to make different choices? Are you willing to rock the boat? Serve turkey burgers or veggie burgers instead of hamburgers, make roasted potatoes instead of potato salad, serve veggie platters instead of chips and dip? Will you have fresh fruit available instead of cookies? Will you get your workout in before the party? Are you willing to have 1 drink instead of 4? Serve sparkling water instead of soda? What are you willing to change?
As long as we accept the status quo we will have to accept the status quo. And that means accepting that the majority of American adults will be overweight and/or unhealthy, our children will look forward to a lifetime of chronic disease and premature death, and our already strained healthcare system will likely go bust.
On the 4th of July we celebrate, we are proud to be American. Are we proud enough to do what it takes to change what that means?
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Tue, Jun 30, 2009 @ 03:18 PM
Do you have a piece of cake and then, (not wanting to have a second piece) find yourself cutting (and eating) a tiny slice of cake to make it even, then a corner here, maybe an edge there... just one more little...bite... In the presence of a tray of brownies I am likely to do this, even after having a second or third brownie - I will keep slicing off one bite at a time until I force myself to walk away.
I have learned over the years that I can only control my behavior (and my calorie intake) around brownies if I don't have the first bite. Not a small one, not a taste, not a nibble. In fact, it is much better for me to never be in the same room as brownies - but at times that is out of my hands. I do my best to avoid brownies at all costs... Why? - Because I will respond appropriately to brownies in my environment. I will eat them.
In Dr David Kessler's new book, The End of Overeating - Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, he quotes many research studies which show the powerful reinforcing qualities of certain types of foods. These studies show that animals are willing to work hard for those foods that are higher in sugar and fat, and hardest for those foods that combine the two. In one study, mice were rewarded with high sugar/high fat Chocolate Ensure after poking their noses into a hole a certain number of times. The sugar/fat combination in Ensure was so reinforcing to them that they poked their noses 77 times to receive their reward!
In fact, "The breaking point at which the animals will no longer work for the (sugar/fat) reward... is just slightly lower than the breaking point for cocaine."
In other words - when we are in the presence of foods which are reinforcing to us, foods which stimulate the pleasure centers of our brains, we are biologically driven to eat them. We will eat them even if we know we shouldn't. We cannot rely on willpower to overcome what is a natural and appropriate response to stimuli in our environment.
If you can't put the chips down and walk away from the bag, or you find yourself headed to the freezer for another bowl of ice cream even before you have finished the first one... you are not crazy, out of control, weak, or a failure. These are simply foods (often called trigger foods) that are so reinforcing to you that you are compelled to eat more of them.
The problem with the foods that are most reinforcing is that they are the same foods that are typically low in nutrition and high in calories. They are the foods that cause weight gain, or at the very least, make it more difficult to maintain your weight successfully. The solution is easy. Environmental control. To the best of your ability, keep those foods out of your environment. To the best of your ability, keep yourself out of those environments where those foods are readily available.
Here's a trick I use if I find myself contemplating having the box of _______________ in the house. I assume I will eat the whole box, figure out how many calories in the whole box and then decide if I really want to buy it. A box of brownie mix usually runs about 2400 calories... more than a week's worth of PA for me. (7 - 1 hour walks plus 4 yoga classes)
My trigger - brownies. I just have to walk away. Not a taste, not a nibble... not a bite. 'Cause I never met a tray of brownies I didn't like.
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Wed, May 20, 2009 @ 07:57 AM
I'm just about to take off for a drive across the country! I am really looking forward to the trip but worried about keeping up my healthy eating and exercise.
I've got the cooler packed and ready to go with apples and frozen blueberries, chobani yogurt, grapes, baby carrots and cold cooked potato wedges. So I've got the sweet, crunchy and salty covered. Also, packed some HMR Mexican Enchilladas (great over a salad), HMR Lasagna, HMR Chicken Pasta Parmesan, and HMR Cheese Ravioli - all of which are delicious at room temperature.
Using the HMR 70+ pudding will be an easy way to whip up breakfast and snacks - I can just stop and pick up a coffee cup, buy a bottle of water, stir and go.
I'll bring along a box of Kashi Go Lean Cereal to munch on or add to the yogurt and maybe a HMR Benefit Bar or two cut up in a baggie for a super sweet treat.
I've got a plan to stop every couple of hours for a ten minute walk (and will make sure this happens by drinking plenty of water!) so I can fit in all my PA in multiple short bouts.
It's a tough road out there when you're trying to manage your weight and health, but HMR makes it a little easier.
See you on the left coast!
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Sun, Apr 26, 2009 @ 11:03 PM
America Runs on Dunkin' The Oreo Donut
Just in case yesterday's 30 varieties of Oreo Cookie weren't enough... The Oreo becomes a Donut!
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Fri, Apr 10, 2009 @ 03:50 PM
A study this week reported that 1 in 5 four year old children are obese. There are 120,000 new cases of diabetes diagnosed every month in the USA. Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women. And our health care system is going broke.
But for those people who still think food is entertainment, here's a game burger for you and 10 of your closest friends:
A baseball stadium in Michigan, USA, has created an artery-busting hamburger containing 4800 calories and is daring fans to eat the "snack", promising a free T-shirt to anyone who succeeds.
The burger is smothered with chilli, salsa, sour cream and a dollop of melted nacho-style cheese - topped off with Frito chips, lettuce, tomato and five slices of American cheese and laid out in a bun.
It will cost $US20.
Batter up.
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Tue, Jan 27, 2009 @ 05:01 PM
Ask the Expert
Question of the Day:
Q. I constantly think about food and am always fighting with my mind over wanting foods. I recently have reached my goal weight but cannot seem to control my overpowering urge to eat everything in sight. Any suggestions?
A. This is a great question! It speaks to the common misconceptions that when you finally lose the weight ...
#1 - You can eat whatever you want, or
#2 - You will feel so great (cured, enlightened) that the goodies you loved will no longer appeal to you
Well, the truth of the matter is that it takes a very long time to establish lasting healthy habits - and maintaining weight loss is even more challenging than losing it for most of us. And, for some of us, those food cravings never really go away...
The good news is that you can still learn the skills you need to manage your weight with commitment, dedication and practice!
So, what do you do when that out of control feeling around food starts to happen and you are determined to keep the weight off (this time)?
#1 Practice - MORE is Better! More of the good stuff that is. Make sure that you are eating enough throughout the day to stay full. Have plenty of fruits and veggies, low fat dairy and lean proteins and whole grains. Use HMR shakes as meals and snacks - especially when you are on the go...a 240 calorie double chocolate shake could save you hundreds of calories at the coffee shop! I'll say it again, STAY FULL!!!
#2 Eat often. Eat Often. Every couple of hours. As soon as you let yourself get hungry, your ability to make healthy choices begins to decrease. The hungrier you are, the more out of control you will be. If you are hungry, you will eat and you will eat what's there and what's there in America usually makes us gain weight.
#3 Create Supportive Environments by adding in the healthy stuff. Have plenty of fruits and veggies cut up, cooked, peeled, sliced and ready to go at home, in the car, at your friend's house, at work, in your bag...Never leave home without snacks. HMR 70+ puddings are a great snack option you can mix right in the packet. Bring food with you to social events, Edible Arrangements are awesome (and you can easily make a do it yourself version with BBQ skewers and cut-up fruit).
#4 Create Supportive Environments by taking out the unhealthy stuff (realize that even some healthy stuff should be removed if it's a trigger food for you!) Don't expect to be superwoman. If the cookies are not there - you can't eat them. Keep it that simple. Peanut butter is healthy - but not if you eat the whole jar in a sitting. Be realistic and throw away - or give away (food pantries and homeless shelters) - the foods that don't work to support your goals.
#5 Give yourself a break by staying out of places and situations that do not support your weight management goals. If you're a fast food junkie, don't expect that you'll be able to order a salad every time you drop in McD.'s...so don't go there! Choose different restaurants - or better yet - figure out new ways of interacting socially that don't center around food!
#6 Be Physically Active Every Day!
#7 Focus on the positives. Make a list of the foods you can eat and experiment with new recipes, reward yourself for the little things like having all your veggies this week. Put on your favorite new clothes and tell yourself how FaB-U-Lous!!! you are.
Be patient and consistent. Tolerate your feelings of discomfort. You are learning a new way of life and change is hard. Forgive yourself if you make a mistake, move on, try again. Look at every experience as an opportuniity to learn something new about yourself.
Congratulations on reaching your goal weight! You are doing an awesome job! Keep up the good work!