Be Well by Showing Up

“You’ve got to be in it to win it.” That was slogan of the New York State lottery when I lived there in the 1990s.  I think we can say that about everything.  In fact, it seems to me that we get halfway to success just by showing up.  What does it mean to “show up” when it comes to being well?

Let’s begin with memberships.  The most important thing about joining Weight Watchers, signing up for a gym membership, or enrolling in a Zumba class is showing up!  “It works if you work it,” Rev. Johnnie Coleman used to say.  Then there’s the equipment you purchased: the universal home gym; the treadmill; the NordicTrack; and the DVDs, free weights, and other paraphernalia you have stashed in the back of your closet.  Dig them out, set them up, and use them.  Ten minutes a day is the perfect way to start.

How about your diet? Show up at the breakfast table, the farmers’ market, and the supermarket.  One of the first assignments I give my clients is to go food shopping.  You can’t eat it if it’s not in the house.  Or maybe you need to show up on the scale to see what your weight really is or at the doctor’s office for that annual physical or mammogram.  Is it time to show up at your dentist’s office?

All of the things I’ve suggested are pretty simple steps.  Showing up is like that.  It takes no special skills or knowledge.  Just get there and see what happens.

Tune Up Your Habits

Over the years, most of my clients have gotten frustrated at some point when the pounds stopped dropping.    They would complain about  the dreaded “plateau.”  In the weight loss world, we know that weight does not change systematically, in a nice linear fashion.  We could see no movement on the scale for a week only to wake up one morning three pounds lighter.  A true plateau occurs when weight does not change for three weeks.

When clients experience a real plateau, we examine their habits, because typically there is a behavior change behind it.  We can shift our habits so gradually that we’re barely aware of it, until the scale or our clothes get our attention.  If you’re not having the results you used to have, take a moment with the checklist of good habits below. See if you’ve gotten away from any of these successful behaviors.  If you never did practice these, pick just one to try this week.  And remember, you don’t have to be perfect!

• Measure your serving sizes. Use measuring cups/spoons or a scale or go ahead and count out the number of chips you eat. (We won’t tell.)
• Ask for your salad dressing on the side.
• Choose unsweetened beverages.
• Select the sandwich without the mayo or cheese.
• Opt for marinara rather than Alfredo or cream sauce.
• Order a side salad or fruit, not chips or fries.
• Request that the server not bring the bread or chip basket to your table.
• Order a small-sized everything except calorie free beverages.
• Snack on fruits and veggies rather than cheese and crackers or candy.
• Watch for the unexpected calories in seemingly healthy foods: dried fruit, nuts, cheese, peanut butter, granola, trail mix, cereals, and whole grain foods.
• Take the dog for a walk every morning or evening.
• Make it a rum and diet coke for 65 calories or 4 oz. of red wine for 80, rather than a 6 oz. margarita for 250. 
• Park in the back of parking lot and walk in when temperatures permit.
• Take the stairs when it’s feasible.
• Schedule your exercise on your calendar just as you do your meetings.
• Keep your old pair of gym shoes at your desk or in your trunk and look for opportunities to use them.
• Go to the park or the pool with the kids, not the movies.

Things We Need to Teach Our Kids

Parents are leaders, and I’d love to see parents take a stronger leadership role in teaching their children to be well.  If I ruled the world, here are some of the things I’d have parents teach their kids:

-          There is nothing good about smoking.  When my daughters were young, we’d play a little game where I’d ask them, “What’s good about smoking?”  They’d shout back, “Nothing!”  I’d repeat, “What’s good?” and again they’d tell me nothing is.  (Yes, they were very young then - but that’s the time to start the message!)

-          Exercise is like brushing teeth: it’s to be done daily.  Most kids know to brush their teeth at least once a day, but exercise is presented as optional. It’s not.  Being physically active is the one of the two things anyone can do to lower their likelihood of contracting a major disease.  (Not smoking is the other thing; see bullet #1. J)

-          Always wear a helmet when riding a bike.  Here, parents have to lead by example.  It distressing to see so many parents out riding bikes with their children and only the kids have helmets on.   It’s ironic - the kids have a shorter distance to fall and are probably better at landing safely than the adults.  Everyone needs to wear a bike helmet - period.

-          Cookies, chips, regular soda, and candy are treats, not snacks.  Parents, you don’t have to buy that stuff just because you have kids in the house.  They can snack on raisins, carrot sticks, apple slices with peanut butter, cheese sticks, yogurt cups, graham crackers with skim milk, and the like, just as you do.

Grandparents, this goes for you, too!  (Okay, I’ve gotten that out of my system!)

The Efficacy of Popular Weight Loss Programs

People frequently ask me what I think of various weight loss programs.  Marie Osmond endorses Nutrisystem, Valerie Bertinelli lost her weight with Jenny Craig, and Charles Barkley credits Weight Watchers for his weight loss.  How about Sensa, HCG or Alli?

I’m always skeptical about weight loss products, because they are usually not regulated and have not gone through the rigorous scrutiny prescription medications have. Those that have often get pulled from the market after long-term harmful results start to surface.   Diet “supplements” are not FDA regulated, and typically they are evaluated by the manufacturer, not a neutral third-party, so the not-so-favorable studies never get reported to the public.

Weight loss programs, such as those mentioned above, are a safer, usually more effective way to go.  The key to long term success with any of these programs is not to view them as a short term diet, but rather as a method for facilitating a lifelong shift in life style.  Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig provide food, allowing customers to learn portion control and nutritional balance, ideally.  This can be helpful initially, as long as the skills for managing weight without the company’s food are ultimately mastered.  Most people are not in a position to purchase diet foods for the rest of their lives, and we have to learn how to handle buffets, vacations, holidays, and visits from the in-laws.

There are proven habits that facilitate losing and maintaining weight.  These include doing regular, healthy food shopping; making wise choices when dining out; exercising most days of the week; and eating consciously.  Learning, practicing, and teaching these habits have been my passion for almost twenty years.  It’s been a great journey; why not join me?

Wound Care Basics

Have you noticed how high tech band-aids and wound care have become?  Yesterday, I dropped an enormous chopping knife on my toe.  Thankfully I had recently read about wound care in the February 2012 issue of the Wellness Letter, published by the University of California, Berkeley, so I knew just what to do:

1. Stop the bleeding by using a clean cloth or gauze to apply pressure.  If the injury is a deep puncture wound, such as a nail would cause, allow it to bleed a little to cleanse it.
2. Cleanse the wound by holding it under cool running water, if possible.  (Thankfully I’m in good enough shape to maneuver my toe into the sink.  One more good reason to exercise and do those stretches!)  Irrigation is what prevents infection. You may use soap around the cut, but not on it.  Remove any debris with tweezers.
3. Keep the wound moist and clean with an adhesive bandage.  We were told years ago to keep the wound dry and expose it to air, but experts now know that moisture is more beneficial and will help prevent scarring.  Any variety of bandages you prefer is sufficient, as standard, unmedicated band-aids or regular gauze and tape are fine.
4. Use your own judgment about antibiotic creams, as the experts are not in agreement.  Bacitracin, neomycin and the like are not necessary and should be discontinued if they cause skin irritation.  Avoid betadine at concentrations greater than 1%, rubbing alcohol, iodine, and hydrogen peroxide, as they can damage the skin.
5. Finally, see a doctor for a) a tetanus shot if you have a puncture wound and it’s been longer than five years since your last injection, b) any bite that breaks the skin, c) wounds where the bleeding won’t stop, d) cuts you can’t clean yourself, and e) symptoms such as redness, swelling or fever, signs of infection.

Obesity is Costly and Getting Costlier

Eighteen months ago, I wrote about the high cost of being overweight or obese.  George Washington University researchers had estimated the cost of being overweight for women as $524 annually and for men as $432. (While overweight and obese women earn less than those at a healthy weight, men are not disadvantaged this way.)    Their estimated annual cost of obesity was outright alarming: $4879 for women and $2646 for men.

Let’s keep those figures in mind and consider a national perspective.  Recently the USA Today reported that Duke University researchers predict that the adult obesity rate may increase from 36% in 2010 to 42% in 2030.  Think your health insurance premiums are high now?  Obesity raises an individual’s risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, many forms of cancer, and other chronic, disabling illnesses.  This increase would cost the U.S. $549.5 billion in weight-related medical expenditures in the next 18 years. 

The good news is that we are not helpless!  Diets and weight loss supplements do not work.  Just earlier today I heard a DJ suggesting we drink a combination of grapefruit juice, apple cider vinegar, and honey before every meal to “burn 30% more fat.”  My mantra in response to such advice is “there is no evidence to support that claim.”  Instead, read food labels and pay attention to serving size.  Gradually change your diet so that ultimately you routinely have fruit at breakfast, two servings of vegetables at lunch and dinner, and a fruit or vegetable with every snack.  Let’s keep the weight off and our money in our pockets!

Must You Exercise?

In a word, yes.  If you want to be healthy, you really must exercise.  You may manage to be disease free without it, but you cannot be truly healthy - experiencing physical, mental and emotional soundness, vitality, and proper functioning.
 

While there are many, many reasons why exercise is essential, let’s consider just this one: between age 25 and 65, a typical person gains an average one pound of weight per year.  But they also lose 0.5 pounds of lean tissue (muscle) each year.  This means they have actually gained 1.5 pounds of fat annually.  Over a 40-year period, this accumulates to 60 pounds more fat and 20 pounds less lean mass!

 
The good news is that this is preventable.  One and a half pounds equals 5250 calories, so eating about 100 fewer calories per week would stop the fat from accumulating.  Weighing yourself once a week will help you stay on track.  To circumvent the loss of muscle, exercise is the solution, and it doesn’t take hours in the gym.  Hand-held weights, exercise bands or tubes, or your own body weight can provide all the resistance needed to maintain muscle mass.   Two 30-minute or three 20-minute workouts per week on alternating days will do it.
 

To get started, check out these links at WebMD or give me a call.  The sooner you start, the longer you’ll have to enjoy the benefits of being physically fit, strong, and energetic.  Exercise will help you look, feel, and be your very best!