Searching Balance

While lecturing this week, I was speaking about nutrition and discussing with the class about balance.  It's important to balance calories, food groups, nutrients, fuel sources, acid/base balance, etc.  It can be overwhelming.  Inevitably, someone will ask, "how am I supposed to do it all correctly?". 

Honestly, the easy answer is if we eat like we are supposed to, then it usually works out.  Don't eat so much processed food, decrease the simple sugars and bad fats, prepare most of your food yourself, don't eat for the wrong reason, eat a variety of foods, consume more fruits, veggies, and whole grains...stuff we know we are supposed to do.

After all of that, balance is also needed in life.  Balance between family, work, health, play, church, self, and whatever else you deem important.  Without that balance, life gets 'wonky' and stress leads to a relapse of old habits.

So get out the scale and find balance in life for a better chance of weight loss success and happiness!

It's About Time

New research suggests that the old way of doing things is, well old.  The new thought is that you don't have to do lower intense activity longer - at least 10 mins.  Instead, you can do higher intensity movements for a couple minutes at a time and benefit your weight loss or management. 

That being said, the research doesn't suggest that the cardiorespiratory system still benefits.  Be sure to take care of the heart and lungs as well.

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New Research about All Calories Being Equal

There is new research that muddies the waters of common thought.  It had been long suggested that breakfast is a very important part of monitoring daily caloric intake.  Originally, it was thought that skipping breakfast would keep the metabolism (engine that burns calories) slow and make us so hungry that we over consumed at lunch.  New research suggests that neither is as big of a deal as we thought.  If your not hungry, don't force yourself to eat.

I think that they could be only answering part of the question.  If we over consume at any meal, we store.  So if breakfast is 500 calories and lunch is 700 calories but someone only eats 1000 calories at lunch...Don't they save calories?

The quick answer is yes, but what about the storage of the extra 300 calories consumed at lunch.  Beyond what we need the body will store calories as fat.  My understanding is that stored fat is one of the last type of calories to be used.  Our bodies tend to be selfish with them. 

For weight management, it would never make sense to add to our storage.  We are continually trying to "unstore"! Whatever you do or don't do for breakfast, don't over-consume for lunch.

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Tough Times call for Tougher Resolve

So many different things going on right now for me.  Most of them negative or at a minimum stressful.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new week, a new month and for many a new semester.  Beginnings can bring stress and stress can bring poor coping habits.

New can also help establish a line in the sand to help us walk away from the past and old choices and attitudes.  A fresh start with no failures or troubling acts.  I can do this!

This new time can also lend a helping hand with a consistent schedule.  No more vacays or visiting family to distract us and tempt us.  Now we can focus and prioritize!

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Traps Everywhere

Car trips, family gatherings, work conferences, date night (if I remember correctly), all have food in common...or at least they do for me.  And they all wreck havoc on weight management plans.

Even having a plan sometimes is not good enough.  That being said, a plan can still benefit you.  Being food from home will make it less likely that you will consume "food traps" like office donuts.

If you make it all about will power, there is a greater than zero chance that you find failure or at least a heaping helping of calories.

Watch out for traps this week! 217.0

Tough Trip

On Saturday, I was in a car for 9+ hours.  It turned into a 6+ hour snacking frenzy.  My weight is up a little, but I didn't weigh today.  I have my kids in town and I am working on being a good model for them.  Hopefully, I can plan and fix good food choices for us.

Upcoming Challenges

The next week or so will be a little crazy.  A very busy schedule followed by hosting my kids.  It will have all kinds of traps for bad eating and unhealthy choices.  No excuses though...I am admitting that I know it's coming.  Now what will I do about it?

When you have social events or stressful times ahead plan out meals and activities in order to keep up with your healthy habits.  Also, have a conversation with company or others to let them know your expectations of yourself.  It will increase accountability and help them understand why you are choosing what you are choosing!

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