Stress and Stressful Situations - What Can You Do?

It's inevitable, you're going to have stress in today's world. Lots of stress.

Stress with your loved ones.
Stress with your job.
Stress driving in traffic [esp in Atlanta]
Stress with relationships.
Stress with burdens you take on, places you have to go, people you have to see, things you have to do.

It goes on and on. And never seems to end?

So, what can you do about stress and stressful situations?

First of all, I am not a doctor. I am a Fitness Professional and can only give you my opinion based on what I have seen in my clients as well as going through it in my life as well. Stress can kill you! It will kill you, if you let it. And if you let it, it will hurt your body and your mind. But so many of us walk around each day increasing the load over and over, on our bodies and our minds, until inevitably one of them breaks - body or mind. Many times, the mind protects itself and so therefore, the body suffers. It may be a nagging injury, it may be a sudden injury, it may be temporary, it may be permanent. Whatever it is, it takes the pressure off your overloaded mind and gives you something else to think about, I mean to stress about.

I see a lot of body injuries that are stress-related. I also see a lot of emotional injuries that are stress-related. You get to a point of "how much more can I handle?"

There is no easy answer and there is no one answer. But there are things you can do to help. Part of that is taking responsibility for your body and understanding that regardless of how much you take on, if your body fails, you will be unable to do it. Wait! Maybe that's why your body fails, it's telling you to not take on so much. ?? Is that possible?

Bottom line - the stress is going to be there regardless, the only thing you can change is your reaction to it. And you can take care of your body.

Harmful: 
Blaming others for what has happened in the past.
Taking on too much.
Letting things build up.
Not having an outlet for your emotions.

Helpful: 
Taking responsibility for the choices you have made.
Saying no when you can.
Getting things out in the open.
Having an outlet.
Taking care of your body.

Let's talk about the last 3 helpfuls:
Getting things out in the open. So many of us hold our emotions inside. Fearful of what others will think. Fearful of showing our emotions. Maybe even fearful of our emotions. Gotta get it out. Find some way. Talk, find a counselor, pray, cry, and most of all, stop shoving things under the carpet. Get them out in the open.

Having an outlet. Take it to the workout. You've heard me say that before. In my life, running is my therapy. It is my time to get things out in the open, examine them, fix what I need to, and let the others things go. It wasn't always this way. My outlet 10 years ago was to overeat unhealthy foods and not workout. And it got me to a place where I was obese and miserable. You have to make that choice. If you know what you want and you are not doing it, then you will be miserable. Find an outlet. It doesn't have to be running. It could be yoga, tennis, soccer, aerobics - anything that gets you up and moving and physical.

Taking care of your body. Find ways to HEAL from stress. My favorites:
• Massage - this is so necessary for your body to release unhealthy toxins. I consider it part of my monthly routine. Not only does it force you to relax, but it just helps you get healthy and push the bad stuff out of your body. Skimp on fast food, but spend money on this one. It is well worth it. My contact in Atlanta area:
http://www.simplymassagetherapy.com/ - talk to Dawn.
• Supplements - there are natural supplements that you can take to help your body in stressful situations, temporarily. Melatonin to help you sleep, Holy Basil, Vitamin B, and natural progesterone cream for hormone issues. Do the research and find out what will work with you. I would recommend talking to your doctor, but don't be surprised if he says you don't need it and it's in your head. Go with your gut instinct. Sometimes you have to go to a new doctor. Listen to what your body is telling you. If your hormones are off-balance, then you will know it if you listen. It doesn't mean that you can only fix the problem with a pill, but sometimes a supplement can help you through the rough times.
• Epsom salt bath - I highly recommend these, once or twice a week. Fill a tub with warm water and add 2 to 4 cups of epsom salts [yes, I know that is a lot]. Relax. Epsom salts are very healing to your body. Once again, you want to get the bad stuff out.
• Reflexology - this is the technical term for "rub your feet!". Okay, well, it is for me. Reflexology is the science of using pressure of thumb to release pain and tension, typically on the feet. This is a huge stress reliever, but not many people do it. If you don't have someone to rub your feet, hello? Do it yourself! Part of my nightly routine is getting a good aromatherapy lotion and rubbing my feet. For about 10 minutes. Find a reflexology chart and read about it. It is very interesting. Some believe that certain parts of your feet correspond to certain parts of your body. Regardless of whether you believe that or not, try it just for the heck of it and see if it helps you.

Find out what works for you. Take care of your stress.

Again, there is no easy answer, but there is a way you can start - start with the inside - start listening to your instincts, your inside voice and start healing your body and handling your stress. Let it out! Get it out! Now go and get healthy, okay?

So What's So Bad About Diet Coke?

I get this question a lot. From clients who are trying to lose weight, from friends who know how adament I am about any soda consumption, and from innocent bystanders who hear my rants while trying to dissuade an obese person in the soda aisle from a purchase. Well, the last ones really don't question me but more look at me like I am crazy. 

So what's so bad about Diet Coke? 

It's "diet", right? It's gotta be good for you, right? 

First of all, the word "diet" is a TOTAL misconception. The false claim that it has: 
NO calories
NO sugar
NO nothing

Well then, why drink it if it has nothing?


I don't know why so many choose to drink it because I personally never got into the flavor, but I do know personally how destructive it can be. I have seen people I care about drink it and have side affects. I have seen clients who are hooked on it and dealing with a number of physical issues. Let's face it, do any amount of research on Diet Coke and you will be bombarded with the negative physical effects of it, mostly due to the Aspartame sweetener in it. Yes that's right, NO sugar = plenty of Aspartame. Still think there's no calories in it?  Really? 

The most common negative side effects besides fibromyalgia, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, and on and on are DEPRESSION and FATIGUE. 

What have I seen the most? 

Depression, definitely. 
Hormone imbalance. 
Weight gain. 

It is SO ironic because of the name "Diet" Coke, there is an immediate EMOTIONAL tag in your brain that says "because it's diet, it must be good for me, it must be able to help me lose weight". It sincerely drives me crazy when I see an OBESE person drinking a diet soda. Aaaaggghhh! How did it get that way? 

Umm, may be marketing and advertising? May be to make a company millions of dollars by promoting an addictive product to people with low self-esteem?

I'm sorry if I am stepping on some toes, but maybe some toes need to be stepped on. 

I asked one of my best clients who had a huge problem with colas when I first started with her to give me her point of view:

"Eliminating coke from my diet has overall made me feel better. I don't get as many sugar cravings in the afternoon that typically came with my drinking soda, and I my digestive system seems to appreciate using water in my tummy instead of excessive amounts of carbonated drinks. I used to have a pretty bad eye twitch - it's completely gone since I cut soda out of my diet. I do not drink any caffeine anymore, which really wasn't that hard to get used to. The best part of this all....I can't stand the taste of coke anymore! It's really disgusting! I actually decided to treat myself over the holidays with a Coke Zero - I had one sip and had to dump the rest of the can down the drain. It was horrible. Water is really satisfying and truly feels like a clean drink. I have no worries when I'm drinking water."

As a Fitness Professional, the biggest negative symptoms I see:

Women - hormone imbalance, depression
Men - belly fat, depression









I know it's hard to give up something you like, but I challenge you to do a little research yourself. If you are feeling any of these negative symptoms or are overweight, consider taking a soda break. I challenge you to take a two-week break. Do you think you can? If you can, please let me know your results, okay? 


sandi@startwiththeinside.com


 

Should Protein Bars Be Part of a Healthy Nutrition Plan?

Does a healthy nutrition plan [notice I didn't say "diet"] include protein bars? 

I get this question a lot from people who are just starting on a weight loss program. And the answer varies a little bit. It depends on your situation. 

If you go to your local grocery store, to the "protein bar section", you will most likely see approximately 60 different bars - different flavors, different brands, different breakdowns. So which ones are good? And are they that good? 

Here's some tips to help you navigate and made the decision as to whether you should include them in your nutrition plan. 

First of all, the NAME "protein bar" is misleading. Try an experiement for me. Disregard the pretty packaging and clever advertising and turn the bar over. Look at the label. Look at: 
1. Calories
2. Carb grams

3. Protein grams
4. Sugar grams

1. Calories - for women - should be in 180-250 range. 300-400 calories for a bar is way too much!
2 and 3. Look at carb grams vs. protein grams. If the bar screams on the label "High Protein" and yet it says 41 g Carb and 9 g Protein, what is it high in? Carb, it's a "High Carb" bar, not a "High Protein" bar. Aagh, so where's the truth in advertising? Well, they are a little overwhelmed in trying to fix our broken healthcare system, best not to wait for them to fix it. Take action yourself by reading labels and educating yourself. 
4. Sugar content by grams and also by reading the ingredient content. If sugar is first or second ingredient, you can be sure sugar content is high. Compare bars on sugar. You will see some with 9grams and other with 20+grams. Which do you think is better for you? 

Okay, so they are not all good for you. So, do you just pick out the ones that are good for you? 

Again, depends. 

When you first start on a nutritional program, a lot of times, you are coming off several things: bad [okay horrendous] eating patterns, poor quality of food intake and poor choices of food available. It's hard to make all of those changes at once without feeling some kind of rebellion from your body. 

When I wanted to lose weight, I realized I would have to give up some form of chocolate, whether it was the chocolate M&M's I had daily, or the small snack-size candy bars I had daily [see a pattern here], or the chocolate ice cream I ate at night. Something had to go. I chose all of them, which was a good choice for me at the time. I was able to focus on a good workout program and healthy foods for once. It forced me to lose my grip on chocolate. But there was a problem, I still CRAVED it. Then I found protein bars and again, was mislead by the title "protein bar". I figured if it had that title and WAS in the healthy section of the store, it can't be that bad, right? I did have protein bars as part of my nutrition plan, but I limited it to once a day, and then once I made progress, I had to limit that again to 1/2 bar a day or every other day. The further I got along in my weight loss, the more I had to "give up" in my chocolate battle. It just had to be that way. 

And now, I have been pretty much the same weight for the last 9 years. Are protein bars part of my regime now? Kind of. When I am training or serious about body fat % [think bikini], I don't have protein bars. When it is off-season or that time of month and I absolutely CRAVE chocolate, I will have one. But not every day. 

For me -- a protein bar was an ALTERNATIVE to having a candy bar. Period. 

So, for me, a protein bar was a good choice to help me over the weight loss hurdle hump. And that's what I recommend to my clients. Use it if you HAVE to to get you through, but know that there are heatlhier options and those include less-processed and more natural foods. 

Also, if you are going to have a protein bar, eat it with something for balance. For example, a handful of grapes, or an apple. Not only to satisfy your stomach, but to subconsciously tell your body to eat healthy foods [like fruits and veggies]. 

Be a smart consumer by turning foods over and reading labels. Then, YOU make the choice, NOT the front of the label, IF it is a good choice for you. Be strong friends!
 

Oatmeal and How to Cook It

[This is from a post on Start With The Inside fan page on Facebook.]


Oatmeal is one of the healthiest foods you can eat, but it's sometimes confusing on which KIND to get and HOW to cook it. Basically, there are 3 types you can get:

#1 - Instant Oatmeal in packets
#2 - Quick Cooking oats in a container
#3 - Old Fashioned oats in a container

I have had all three and here's a quick breakdown on nutrition information:

#1 - Instant Oatmeal in packets
Serving size - 1 packet
Calories 160
Fat 2g
Carb 33g
Protein 4g
Sugar 13g
Sodium 230 mg

#2 - Quick Cooking oats in a container
Serving size - 1/2 cup
Calories 140
Fat 2.5g
Carb 26g
Protein 5g
Sugars 0g
Sodium 0mg

#3 - Old Fashioned oats in a container
Serving size - 1/2 cup
Calories 150
Fat 2.5g
Carb 27g
Protein 5g
Sugars 0g
Sodium 0mg

Calories is about the same for all three, but look at the sugar and sodium level in oatmeal packets. Not much difference between quick cooking oats and old fashioned oats, minor difference in calories and carbs. So how do you cook them? [all examples will be using the microwave]

#1 - Instant oatmeal in packets - empty packet into bowl, add 2/3 cup water, microwave for 1 minute.
#2 - Quick Cooking oats in a container - 1/2 cup of oats and 1 cup water, microwave for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.
#3 - Old Fashioned oats in a container - 1/2 cup of oats and 1 cup water, microwave for 2 minutes, stir once, then microwave again for 1 minute.

You can adjust these microwave times if you need to get the right consistency and actually, there is no "right" consistency, it's how you like it. Some people like it lumpy, some people like it smooth. If you prefer more smooth, then add more water.

To answer the next question that's coming...yes, I have had all three and which do I recommend? #3 every time. #1 has too much sugar and sodium and for me, one packet doesn't fill me up so if you have 2 packets, what do you do? You take everything X2 = 320 calories. #2 is okay, but I usually use them for cooking oatmeal muffins or oatmeal bread. I love #3. I sprinkle cinnamon on it before cooking. And I always make my oatmeal a "protein" oatmeal by adding a scoop of protein powder to 1/2 cup of water - whisk it until smooth [I do this while the oatmeal is cooking] and then add the water when it is done cooking. How often? I eat oatmeal every day! Again, it is one of the healthiest foods you can eat and it really starts my morning out right!

Let me know if you have other food questions! For more information on our fan page, visit: www.facebook.com/startwiththeinside - Become a fan today!

sandi@startwiththeinside.com

How NOT To Make a New Year's Resolution

It's that time of year again. Christmas is over, New Year's is on the way, and people are saying what is expected of them - hey, let's set some New Year's Resolutions? What are your goals for the year? What can you accomplish this year? Yada, yada, yada, boom, boom, boom. 

What do you think is the most popular or common New Year's Resolution? Losing weight, maybe? I've heard, esp. lately, that 90% of the people who make a New Year's resolution to lose weight, or become fit, fail to keep their resolution. Well, duh, I could have told you that. I've done that! Who hasn't? 

A New Year comes along and all of a sudden, it's time to analyze your life, what is good, what is bad, what you can change, what you cannot. But come February and March, when the "resolutions" are pretty much in hindsight now, what do you do then? Make another resolution in March? Or does it become just another notch in the bedpost of failed resolutions and you go on. 

So what is a "Resolution"? Dictionary says it is a "resolve or determination; the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure". So you resolve to do something, you determine a way to do it. But here's the hard part - actually doing it. 

Let's go to the heart of the matter - the actually doing it part. You've already read all about making New Year's Resolutions. If yours is weight-related or health-related or fitness-related, you've probably even read more. How many times you should work out a week, what specific foods you should eat, what classes you should take, what foods you should not eat, how to set weight goals. That's all fine and dandy, if you can do it. But if you've failed in the past and you knew all of this in the past [health information], then what's going to change this time around? How many years have you made the resolution to get in shape or lose weight? Has it happened yet? What can you do to finally make a change?

How about NOT making a New Year's Resolution? 

How about going against the grain and everyone else you know? Don't set yourself up for failure. Don't set unrealistic timelines. Don't make yourself do something you don't really want to do. Don't make a New Year's Resolution. There, do you feel better? Is some of the pressure off now? 

Now let's get to the other heart of the matter - what's in your heart? Really in your heart? What is the one thing _____ that you want to do in your life that you are not doing? 

What is the one thing _____ that you secretly say to yourself, "When I get in shape, I will do this _____"? or "When I lose weight, I will do this ______"? 

Can I tell you something? If we take all of those ______'s and multiply them ________ by everyone who is not doing their  ________, we'd have a whole lot of ______________________ done in the world. What are we missing by not doing our _______? World Peace, the answer to cancer, being nice to your neighbor, friendliness, love, new businesses, books, geniuses. What exactly are we missing out on? We're missing out on a whole lot of people [2 out of 3 people have a weight problem in America right now] who are not accomplishing their goals, their heart's desires. They will do it when they get in shape, and they are not getting in shape. They will do it when they lose weight, and they are not losing weight. 

I'm asking you to make a difference. I'm asking you to make a change. My life changed 9 years ago when I decided to STOP making the resolutions and just SHUT UP and do it. It's not a once-a-year thing for me to make goals. It's an every month thing, an every week thing, an every day thing. I choose to get up and be healthy. I choose to eat healthy foods. I choose to workout my body. And I choose to do my _____. 

Get free from the annual "New Year's Resolution" this year by NOT making a New Year's Resolution, but by deciding what you really want in your life. Decide if you really want to do _____, and then just go out there and do it. Make the steps to do it, make the plans, you know how, just follow your heart, listen to your INSIDE voice. It starts with the inside. 

I'm going to do it today, are you?

 

How To Detox From Christmas Cookies...

It's the day after Christmas and are the cookies still around? Some are, the good ones are gone, of course, but there are still some stragglers, enough to tempt you and help you with the sugar high you are used to after munching on them for several days now. 


Aaaaggghhhh! 


How do you detox from Christmas cookies? 


There are several types of Christmas cookie connoisseurs - 
...those who make the cookies
...those who decorate the cookies
...those who eat the cookies
...and the most common breed - those who make, decorate and eat the cookies


'Tis the season. 


Ya gotta have cookies, right? 


In the 8 years since I have lost my weight, you would probably get a different answer each year. One year it would be "no cookies, don't even start". Another year it would be "it's okay to have one once in a while, don't worry about it". Another year it would be "just eat in moderation". I wish I was strong enough to be like the first example every year, but I'm not. Every year it is a struggle...because I am a baker, I love to cook. I am a momma, I love to please my kids. And because I love the season and Christmas cookies and baked goods go along with the season. I do make several organic varieties now, but then there are the good ol staples that cannot be modified. 


Regardless of how many cookies you consume, whether it be one a day, or the dreaded one an hour, you still need to detox from the cookies...


• Once they are gone, don't make any more. Regardless of if you have the ingredients. 
• If all the good ones are gone and you are still nibbling on the stragglers, no matter how crummy they are, throw them OUT! It's okay, I give you permission. 
• Get back on a good nutrition schedule [notice I did NOT say DIET!], making sure to get enough protein and healthy fruits and veggies. I like to make a protein shake with frozen fruit and banana just to get some extra protein in. I also put red grapes in ziplocs and snack on those when I get the sugar urge. Isn't it amazing how FAST your body gets used to sugar...and then how HARD it is to give it up? 
• Be strong emotionally. Christmas is an emotional holiday. Time with family, presents, food, events, it all takes a toll on your body - and your emotions. Cookies that would never tempt you before now are calling your name. Be strong and know what you want. If you are trying to lose weight or get healthy, then you've got to just let it go [and the cookies] and get back on-track. 
• And one of my favorite options - take it to the WORKOUT! Run, bike, lift weights - do something! Jump rope if you have to. Take your emotions to your workout and just get it out! 


The best way to detox from cookie overload is just to stop eating them. Period. 


It's only once a year. Indulge if you choose to indulge, NOW GET BACK ON-TRACK. Don't wait until January to get back on track - because we've got 5-6 days left of December. Trust me on this one. Get back on-track NOW. 


I am with ya friends, everyone has their own battles and everyone has their own Christmas cookie battle. Now it's time to win that battle...


Are you going to?

Christmas Parties - To Partake Or Not?

'Tis the season to be overweight, falala lala lalalala. Oh no, that's not how it goes. So why do we feel that way? Is it the crazy schedules, the parties, the get-togethers, the shopping, the driving near mall areas, the parties, the concerts, the plays, the parties, the cheese straws and sausage balls? Ha - it's the parties, all those parties with all that food. Christmas parties - to partake or not? 

I love Christmas. I love Christmas parties. Who doesn't? You get to see people you don't normally get to spend time with. You get to eat good food that you don't normally eat. There is a carefree and loving atmosphere at Christmastime, you know, of course, after you run around like a maniac, starving all day, wrapping presents and baking food and driving in bad weather. That's all just part of the experience, right? 

When you are trying to lose weight, Christmas parties can make or break you. But it doesn't have to be like that. You can go to Christmas parties and eat good food, you can go to Christmas parties and not over-drink. It is possible. It's all in how you approach the upcoming parties. 

If you think and SAY "I'm going to blow it at this party, I can't stay away from the cheese straws", then you most likely will blow it at the party and overeat the cheese straws. 

If you think and SAY "I always drink too much alcohol at parties and then go overboard on the eating", then most likely you will drink too much and have a eating fest. 

It can be very hard and frustrating - so what do you do? 

First of all, remember the reason for the season. Put your priorities on what is truly important. Christmas parties are a time for you to get together with friends. It's not all about the eating. Well, part of it is about the eating, but not all of it. Is it about the cheese straws or about talking to friends, laughing with friends, loving friends? 

You already know what to do prior to the party - drink water, don't starve, exercise - you've heard it all before, you read it in every magazine this time of year. You know what to do. So now get your mind into it. If it is important for you to eat healthy, even at parties, then eat healthy. If it is important for you to stay away from certain foods, then do it. If it's important to you to make a change in how you do things, then do it. 

It's only a Christmas party! It's not a life and death decision. 

I love to eat at parties. I get to try new foods, but I hold fast to what I do any other time I go somewhere other than my home and eat. I have already made those choices. I know what foods are not good for my body, so I don't eat them. I haven't been to a party yet where there is nothing I can eat.

Do your homework. The foods that you know are not good for your body, you stay away from them during the week, so stay away from them at a party. If alcohol is a problem for you, then acknowledge it and stay away from it. 

Most of the time, the problem is not the food - or the alcohol. 

It's you. 

It's you, making a decision, conscious or not, that you will overeat or overdrink. 

It's you, making a decision on whether you will stay on-track with your nutrition program or whether you will "blow it" just one more time because Oh, it's a party. 

It's you. 

You decide. Don't blame the season because you made a bad decision. Don't blame your friends for having a party. Decide today to do it differently than you have in the past. And go to the party and have fun.