The Right Way to Lose Weight

How many times have we heard about the right way to lose weight, from friends, professionals and busybodies? The truth is that there are definitely healthier ways to lose than others, but the even more important question is how to keep it off. There is no definitive "right way" or one size fits all. "

"The problem is that we have lost the ability to know what is right for us as an individual. Do you really know what your body needs? Do you listen? I am sure that most of us know when we are totally exhausted or sick, but do you know the signs of your body knocking at your brain to pay attention? Did you pull all nighters as a student instead of planning for those tests, or stay up all night with that screaming baby instead of napping with them during the day? We all have great excuses when we ignore our physical being, but to what cost? I see younger people with all kinds of physical ailments on a regular basis. Many of these issues having developed because of lack of conscious care of their bodies. I hear, "I'll think about that later", however that time can come all too quickly and dramatically affect our lives.

So, instead of focusing on the right way to lose weight, think of how you can best care for your body, and in turn, yourself.

Chris Spears-Bartunek,MS,LMHC

Thinking Ahead: Holiday Eating Strategies

Halloween is just around the corner and we’re likely already thinking about where we’ll be spending Thanksgiving this year. Holidays are definitely a time to celebrate, and eating and celebrating are inextricably linked. As such, I’ve often been asked to suggest healthy recipes for Thanksgiving through to the New Year - and I am always happy to do that. However, a while back I held a seminar “Have a Healthier Thanksgiving” and after very thoughtfully and passionately going through all the strategies and recipes a gentleman said – “how bad is indulging in one meal, anyway? I think I’d rather have the real thing and work out harder the next day.” (He was obviously not convinced about mashing his potatoes with low-sodium chicken broth.) His comment stopped me in my nutritional tracks. He was entirely right – studies show that exercise is THE best way to maintain your weight – as it can cover the occasional dietary indulgence. This realization plus knowing how many of my clients are already stressed this time of year has made me much more apt to recommend increasing exercise for a sense of well-being and balance – even if it’s just a walk after a big family meal. With all this being said, you may think I’m suggesting we eat whatever we want – and just exercise more. Interestingly, a mental shift in focus away from the “I shouldn’t eat that” often allows us the ability to mindfully moderate as we enjoy our holiday eating traditions. For example, showing up to a celebration slightly hungry vs. overly hungry can allow us to create a more balanced plate – ½ fruits and vegetables, ¼ protein and ¼ starch. This method allows us to moderate calories while not depriving ourselves of any given food. Another way of looking at balance – after your holiday indulgence day you may not feel as hungry the next day – so eat less. Plus, if you throw in an extra day of exercise you’ll do even more to balance the extra calories. The last point to consider is that you may only have 5-6 days of actual events out of the 40-day holiday stretch. This math folds quite nicely into what some call the 80/20 rule: you can get to where you want to go if 80% of the time you’re following your normal eating routine. Kathryn Reed, MS, Certified Nutritionist

Why Breakfast Matters

Breakast matters for a variety of reasons. I can't tell you how many clients I've talked to over the years who've been challenged to eat it consistently. They struggle with starting and maintaining a breakfast habit even as they hear the nutritional wisdom that eating breakfast correlates with a healthy body weight. The number one reason I hear in this situation is "but I'm not hungry." Years ago I was talking to a client and I asked him when he stopped eating breakfast. He'd just started working at a coffee shop and was drinking tons more coffee first thing in the morning. Once he realized that the caffeine was giving him energy while suppressing his appetite - it made sense to him why breakfast went by the wayside. Compounding the problem was eating a very large dinner or indulging in late night snacking to make up for the calories his body missed earlier. This back-loading of calories only further contributed to his lack of hunger and breakfast-skipping cycle. So, what's the science behind why breakfast matters? Bottom line is that if you skip breakfast your body has to break down your muscle for the energy-producing glucose it needs. Not only are you losing precious muscle - you're also keeping your metabolism in its morning slump (digestion raises your metabolic rate). So, if you'd like to have more energy, maintain your muscle and get your metabolism running at a higher rate...eat breakfast. Anything is better than nothing but we find more sustained energy when we have protein and fiber along with our carbohydrates. Try greek yogurt, a bit of trailmix, a smoothie, a protein bar, a fruit & nut bar, some eggs and toast/fruit, nut butter on toast, or oatmeal. If you're on the way to a workout first thing have some fruit like a banana and then have your breakfast after the workout. Most importantly, don't wait to be hungry before you make breakfast a consistent habit. At first it will be a choice. The good news is eventually your hunger will kick in and guide you, especially when the habit of eating larger meals at night naturally diminishes. Kathryn Reed, MS, Certified Nutritionist