Musts, Nows, Nevers & Nots

What is your response to this magazine cover? 

How about these? 25 Ways to Eat More Superfoods...  Must Eat Foods...  7 Pantry Staples Every Woman Needs... 25 Fattening Foods You Should Never Eat....7 Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips... 15 Breakfast Mistakes that cause Weight Gain... Worst Workout Foods... These are all titles of articles from some well known health and fitness magazines and websites.  Confused anyone? To say the least but I have  a lot of other stronger emotions.  Hungry... really hungry.  Guilty... guilty for being hungry. Ashamed... ashamed that I am a grown woman who does not have Dijon mustard in my pantry. Anxious.... Anxious because everything should be done now and apparently I am late. Embarrassed... embarrassed that I have broken Mistake #2 of the 15 by having juice with my breakfast.  Overwhelmed...overwhelmed by the Musts, Nows, Nevers and Nots. So how does one deal with this flood of feelings? Well if I wasn't an emotional eater before, I sure am now as I reach for one of the foods that should never cross my lips.  You guessed it, canned tomatoes.

Human beings are constantly bombarded with daily headlines regarding many things related to health & wellness.  What are the ramifications of the ones with a negative vibe?  It has been proven as this article states, that people who watch violent TV are more likely to be aggressive, specifically that the violence can act as a trigger for stored aggressive thoughts. Sounds a lot like the triggered response of emotional eating described above, right?  The Musts, Nows, Nevers & Nots generated many negative emotions for me.  But I didn't just learn this since becoming an adult.  Nope, we have experienced since childhood the responses which are elicited from negative media.  An article published for the American Psychological Association states "research has found strong associations between increases in advertising for non-nutritious foods and rates of childhood obesity." Another study done by UCLA, written about in the New York Times, came to the conclusion that the commercials specifically were the predictor of obesity risk.  It's important to note that of the 2000 participants, there were not any associations between obesity and commercial-free programming or videos. Watching "The Lion King" is alright, but be careful when watching a football game with all the fast food commercials.  It seems we have been conditioned since an early age on emotional eating. 

Now, what is your response to this magazine cover? 

There are obvious differences between the two magazine covers I have included. Did you feel an opposite reaction to this cover then the first? This cover to me has a much more positive message from the colors(green vs. red), pictures(healthy items vs. bikini actress) and of course the choice in words used.  From this one, there is not one Must, Now, Never or Not. I sure would like to see more covers like this one and we all can do our part by supporting magazines with positive messages regarding health and wellness. But that does not mean that we can eliminate all other media from our view. Here is what I have learned has worked for me when encountering those negative media messages.

How do I learn to defend myself from this unhealthy cycle of negativity leading to overeating? 

Maddie in the "Recognize" step

1. Recognize... Together we have recognized the above print articles, some magazine covers and TV commercials as possible triggers for emotional eating.  But this could happen anywhere and everywhere that you go including the movie theater, grocery store, social gatherings, coffee shops, even health clubs. There are triggers everywhere and many of us don't even know it. Learn to recognize. 
2. Observe... Once you have recognized scenarios or situations, then begin to observe your reactions. Don't make any changes to your behavior yet, just see what your gut response would be. I used to read all the health and fitness magazines to see the latest tricks and diets.  I would immediately feel inferior especially for not ever being able to look like that models/actresses.   For writing down triggers and your reactions to review in the future, Journaling would be beneficial.  
3. Armor... Find your armor for your own triggers.  Most likely, there won't be anything physically that you can do to stop your reactions. Mostly your armor will be remaining mentally strong and resisting your urges.  I now look at those magazines and remember that this is their profession to look a certain way and with that comes an extreme amount of work related stress. Stress I choose not to have in my life.  With each resistance, you will feel success. 

It's silly to think that we are going to overhaul today's media just by taking these steps.  Although it's not so silly to think that as individuals we have the knowledge and capability to recognize, observe and armor ourselves against all the Musts, Nows, Nevers & Nots that we encounter on a daily basis. And with each success, you are on your way to the healthiest, happiest you.

Fuel Your Body

My legs are heavy. I feel like I have on cement shoes. My stomach is rumbling like I haven't eaten for days. I am sweating much more than usual even though I have no energy and have had a poor workout. Oh no, there are little white spots in my vision and I feel a little light-headed.  Has this ever happened to you? One of the causes of this is not getting sufficient nutrition before working out. So in order to avoid feeling like this I highly recommend fueling your body.

THE RESEARCH SAYS... 

An article from NBC News discusses research done where the conclusion was not eating before exercising will help you trim excess fat.  However, the article did include this important sentence, "Though members of the group that didn't eat performed worse on the intensive training, they burned a higher proportion of fat to carbohydrates than the group that ate."  Interesting. Another article from Huffington Post, a sports nutritionist perspective includes the statement "If you can't fuel it, you can't do it." We can't expect our body to perform without proper fuel.  By burning fat first and not carbohydrates(energy), then your workout is going to be that much harder to get through and less intense according to Active.com . Makes sense to me.    I would much rather fuel my body before a workout and feel the intensity of the exercise, have the sustained energy throughout and ultimately be strong.  What about you?

If you answered yes to that question, it then leads us to the next, "What should that snack be?" This is unique to each individual as well as what your intention for your body is going to be for that workout. For today, let's keep it very general because if you are the average Jane like me exercising, we just need a little something in our stomachs to keep our bodies moving.

SIZE, BALANCE, FAMILIARITY... 

1. Size is extremely important. An hour before a workout is not the time to have a large salad, no matter how healthy it can be. Nor will 6 jelly beans suffice.  What has worked for me is a snack size about 1/2 of my palm when I workout at 5:30am right out of bed. If you are working out later in the day, I would recommend a full palm sized snack.  If you put too much in your stomach your body will be focused on digesting instead of burning calories during your workout. 
2. Balance is also key. Those 6 jelly beans may give you a boost of energy, but then within minutes you are going to crash and your last half will feel like an eternity.  According to Men's Fitness, a general guideline is a pre workout snack should consist of a small amount of fat, moderate amounts of protein and moderate to high amounts of carbs.  Be careful though because it is easy to focus on this ratio too much and either overeat or not enough. 



Costco Peanut Butter...
Bulk is totally worth it. 

3. Lastly, Do you think trying that fiber bar for the first time before a workout would be a good idea? A friend of mine did while we were working out together and it was not pretty, for her sake and mine.  Go for something that is familiar and will be easy on your stomach.  

BONUS: Make it easy, as with all my recipes and food suggestions.  Especially if you are getting up early for a workout, running quick from work to the gym, or only have an hour window in your schedule.  It may require a little extra work on a Sunday now and again prepping, but it will be well worth it.

MY GO TO's...

• Chocolate Oatmeal Energy Bar

• 1/2 banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter

• Oatmeal Banana Muffins 

• 1/2 of Clif Bar or other favorite energy bar

• Apple and peanut butter

• 1/2 serving of cereal w/ nonfat milk

• 1/2 Smoothie(save other 1/2 for post-workout)

• For more options that suit your specific needs, visit Greatist.com

A good idea is to experiment.  Try one snack for a week and see how you feel.  Next week, try a different one and again see how you feel.  Listen to your body and as your body progresses and your workouts change, you may find that some snacks will hold you over and others won't.  As an incredible and unique individual, finding that right fuel for your body allows you to be the healthiest it can be. 

Working Towards the Uncomfortable

During a recent 5 mile training run, I approached a hill about halfway through. This was my long run of the week so 5 miles was a  bit of a push as it was.  So as I encountered this hill, I immediately said to myself, "If I poop out, that's OK." Why? Why would I give myself that out? Why give myself permission to quit?  Starting up the hill, the worst thing that could happen, of course happened, I started feeling nauseous. That's right... I'm about to hurl. I again hear those thoughts of "I am going to throw up, it's OK to stop." But was it and why? Here were my options, What would you do?

Option #1) I could stop. Walk up the rest of the hill until my nausea goes away. Return to running and run the rest of the way home. Feel good about my run but bothered that I can't run the entire distance as originally planned. Again, feel good but entirely let down.

Option #2) Push harder through the nausea and not stop until I get home. As soon as I get home, puke. Have lingering nausea throughout the rest of my day.  My 5 mile goal would be accomplished but my precious day off would be ruined by being slow, tired and sluggish.

Option #3) Slow down, find a steady yet turtle-like pace to get me up the hill. Push through my comfort zone and about 10 yards up the hill, find my stride and  enter into a whole new zone. An exhilarated, accomplished, empowered zone where I feel I could conquer the world and run another hill, 10 hills or even another 10 miles. Feel so great the rest of the day with lots of energy, confidence and pride for completing my goal.
I chose Option #3. I didn't stop, I slowed down, but I did not stop.

There are many terms or phrases for this sort of thing but the one I heard recently by my awesome spin instructor Abbie was "working towards the uncomfortable." This phrase truly speaks to me as when we are challenging ourselves we are putting the work into that intention. Work is associated for me with reward, success, pride and accomplishment.  And there is no better sensation than feeling all of those in one sweet moment.

Here are a few ideas to incorporate "working towards the uncomfortable" into your daily life...

1) Eating with a different hand, sitting in a different place at the table, or my favorite taking a new or different route to/from work are all ways to engage your brain and are called "Neurobics" according to this article in the Wall Street Journal.

TRX at BHFC

2) Group classes are an excellent way to workout longer than you normally would, try new exercises, move in a different way all the while being motivated by an instructor who will support you with form and safety. If you don't belong to a gym, go 5 minutes longer on your regular workouts at least once, maybe twice a week. Try a new exercise such as Yoga, TRX, U-Jam, Pilates, etc.  There are so many great apps and DVD's out there that you can do a lot from your own home.  Also, workout with a buddy instead of on your own.

3) Try a new recipe.  We get in such ruts with what we cook week in and week out. Try one new recipe a week. Who knows, you and your family may have a new favorite dish? I love Eating Well for their healthy and easy recipes. Here is one I plan on trying, Rhubarb Waffles.

4) Weight Loss. Many of us think we cannot live without our __________. Fill in the blank.  Chances are you honestly haven't truly tried to live without that chocolate, ice cream, diet coke, cupcake, cookie, etc.  Try eliminating that one favorite thing just for a week and replacing it with a new healthier option.. This is surely working towards the uncomfortable.

5) Have a long lost friend you haven't chatted with in awhile? Maybe you feel like too much time has passed or she/he won't want to hear from you. Call, Email, or Text them.

By trying one of the above suggestions or an idea of your own you may find yourself building confidence, expanding your knowledge, learning to accept new challenges, and building your memory. I see in your future small pushes with tremendous benefits so how will you "Work towards the Uncomfortable?"