We now know that obesity has increased 5.2% and 6.3% in males and females, respectively, over the last 10 years in our county, thanks to Caitlin Burgess http://minnetonka.patch.com/groups/around-town/p/are-men-or-women-gaining-weight-in-minnetonka . Once hearing such facts, we disapprove, are disappointed or are indifferent. For those who wonder what solutions are out there and may want to look at preventing further increases in ourselves or a friend/loved one, here are a few tips.
Brush your teeth after eating. If you snack, just don't use paste.
If you find yourself eating every two hours, keep a record of this; then go back to remind yourself and reflect on whether you wish to make changes.
When you get the munchies, deep slow breathe in and let it out slowly. Repeat several times. Then decide if you need a snack. Perhaps place your hand on the area where you accumulate fat deposits to remember that too much food leads to unwanted pounds. This is what mindfulness is all about.
Choose crunchy, low-calorie foods and fluids, suck on mint or cinnamon candies (sugarless or sugarful plus a good rinse with water when it's gone), very hot/cold foods and fluids so you remember that you have consumed energy. Be ready to really taste the sips, bites and satisfaction from flavor you receive from your energy intake. This is also mindful consumption. It can minimize quantity consumed simply by increasing the satisfaction obtained from a smaller amount.
Observe how caffeine and nicotine affect your energy intakes. Consider dropping down to decaf or half-caffeinated beverages for minimizing the anxiety that can contribute to stressful living. For example, the caffeine in Sweet Tea, a new popular trending drink, that goes well with salty snacks. Do you find yourself buying into consuming traditional foods and fluids in large amounts out of tradition during temperature extremes? Recognizing this is part of awareness that can lead to slow improvements in weight.
Have you been active with your upper and lower body enough to boost your heart rate for even 10 minutes most days lately? Try one of these old activites plus some walking or swimming to make 3 x 10 = 30 minutes most days: https://www.presidentschallenge.org/challenge/physical/index.shtml
Mind and body are connected. Lifestyles that incorporate a mind-body balance are surprisingly simple ways to cut your obesity risk for future years to come. While corporate wellness programs often take two to three years for results, you can work with an insurance health coach, a medical professional who will give you tips (heatlh coach) for improving your risk factors, or look into having Empowris work with your company or business to build health into your employees for a discounted rate (info@empowris.com).
Katherine Rivard, RDN,LD
http://www.enoughisenough.vpweb.com
www.unicity.com
Awareness, Nutritional Balance, and Health
