A Calorie is a Calorie - or is it?

A Calorie Is A Calorie—or Is It?

Last week I attended the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Symposium.  Oddly enough I found myself enjoying the Endocrinologist’s talk the most.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the whole conference, but definitely was intrigued by Dr. Lustig’s talk the most.  I read Dr. Lustig’s book, “FAT Chance Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease”, sometime last year.  In his book he addresses this question and others to begin to understand the obesity problem.  So what’s the answer you ask?  Depending on who you ask will depend on the answer you get.  Dr. Lustig’s recently published a study linking sugar, specifically fructose, to metabolic disease.  More on that study after I try and dissect the question, A calorie is a calorie – or is it?  As a dietitian I’m not here to give you the easy answer (or the answer you want to hear).  I’m here to help others to be healthy.  So read on to find out why it’s so confusing and I’ll try to help explain it.

There are three problems with “a calorie is a calorie.”

First let’s be honest.  There is absolutely NO way anyone could actually burn off the calories if you’re eating like the average American is eating.  A chocolate chip cookie has the equivalent calories of twenty minutes of jogging, and if you were to eat a Big Mac that would require four hours of biking.  Do people really do that?   I’ve never been of the mindset to eat something and go work it off through exercise (and again with the way we’re eating it’s next to impossible unless you’re Michael Phelps).   Case in point.  I made a chocolate mug cake the other night that called for coconut sugar, coconut oil, and deemed itself, “naturally sweetened & healthy”.  I’ll try anything once.  I have a program where I can analyze the calories in a recipe– 851 calories to be exact in that so called healthier dessert.  Now maybe I wasn’t supposed to eat the whole thing, but the recipe was being advertised “for the single lady on Valentine’s Day”.  Sheesh.  The following day I happened to be running my long run, 8 miles.  I decided to check and see how many calories I had expended.  Per my Fitbit, 697 calories.  Not even an 8 mile run was enough for the “healthy, naturally sweetened dessert” (and btw I used half the amount of coconut sugar the recipe called for!)  

I’ve counseled a lot of clients and I try to explain this concept of calories in = calories out (energy expenditure).  Because the concept is true:  if you take in more calories than you’ll use for that day you will gain weight (and vice versa, if you take in less calories than you need for the day it’s possible you’ll lose weight).  But what I also try to explain is that our energy expenditure is dependent on the quality and the quantity of the calories that you ingest.  You can eat a medium-sized apple for ~95 calories or you can have 2 Hershey nuggets for ~90 calories.  The calories are almost equivalent; however, the apple provides far more nutrients than the chocolate.  (I’m not saying that you can’t ever have chocolate but understand that on a day to day basis we should be taking in high QUALITY calories, not the empty ones.)  Therefore “a calorie is NOT a calorie.” 

Second, if a calorie is a calorie, then all carbohydrates should be the same, since they release 4.1 calories per gram of energy when burned.  But they’re not.  There are complex carbohydrates and there are simple carbohydrates – completely different in how they break down in your body and what they provide to you (vitamins, minerals, and fiber).   A doughnut for breakfast is not the same as a couple of slices of whole wheat toast.  The same goes for fat.  If they were all the same they’d release 9.0 calories per gram of energy when burned.  They are NOT all the same.  There are healthy fats (ones that have positive benefits-anti-inflammatory, help clear out the plaque) and there are unhealthy fats (those that can cause heart disease and a fatty liver).  The same concept goes for protein – there is high-quality protein and there is low-quality protein.  That’s why eggs were never “bad” in my book – they are truly a high-quality protein.  All those years, bacon and sausage were making eggs look bad.  So therefore, proteins are NOT all the same.  Proving once again, “a calorie is NOT a calorie.”

The third problem with “a calorie is a calorie” comes from this concept that we are eating more than we did in years past (the U.S. secretary of health and human services stated this and when you ask what our problem is as a nation people believe this to be true).  Are we eating more of everything or are we eating more of certain things?  The U.S. Department of Agriculture actually keeps track of the nutrient disappearance.  Our total consumption of protein and fat have remained constant (as our obesity pandemic has accelerated).  So if our total calories have increased but our total consumption of fat AND protein was unchanged, that means something else had to go up.  That leads us to look at the carbohydrates.  Our carbohydrates increased from 40 percent to 55 percent.  When you look a little bit closer, yes the complex carbohydrate intake increased a little, but the bigger increase was in the simple carbohydrates, specifically fructose.  If we are to have an answer to this global problem of obesity then we need to understand the causes and effects of this change in our diet – we’re eating more sugar. 

All these contradictions lead us to now understand that a calorie is NOT a calorie.  Maybe a better way to say this is a calorie burned is a calorie burned.  I’m always trying to help my clients understand the keys to weight loss.  I reflect after a nutrition counseling session if I did my best to relay this message.  I know there are some that leave from my office thinking they can eat anything they want (wrong)and just go do some exercise to balance it out (wrong).  And then there are others that really understand that they need to make changes in what they’re eating.  People need to understand that the quality (along with portion control) of the food matters.  This will be a key part in understanding this obesity problem we have on our hands. 

 

Dr. Robert Lustig recently published his study proving that fructose is making us fat.  In the study he (and others) recruited 43 children between the ages of 9 and 18 who were considered at particularly high risk for diabetes and related disorders.  All the subjects were black or Hispanic and obese, and had at least one or more symptoms of metabolic syndrome, a cluster or risk factors that includes hypertension, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol and excess body fat around the waist. 

On average, the subjects were taking in about 27% of their daily calories from sugar.  By comparison, the average American takes in about 15 percent, although children typically do consume much more because they consume the highest intake of sugar-sweetened beverages.

The participants were paired with dietitians.  They replaced the sugary foods in their diets with other foods purchased at the local grocery store.  The goal was not to eliminate carbohydrates, but rather to reduce SUGARY foods and replace them with starchy foods without lowering body weight or calorie intake.  Again, all that was changed – remove the food with ADDED SUGAR and replace them with a NO-ADDED-SUGAR version.  Example:  instead of a sugar-laden yogurt, the children would eat a bagel.  Instead of pastries, they’d eat potato chips.  It wasn’t as if they were trying to feed them only healthy foods.  The remaining sugar came from fresh fruit (along with the benefit of fiber).

The study only lasted nine days due to money constraints with their study through the NIH (National Institutes of Health).  It didn’t matter.  In that short time span they saw marked changes.

On average, the subjects’ LDL cholesterol, the kind implicated in heart disease, fell 10 points.  Their diastolic blood pressure fell 5 points.  Their triglycerides, the fat that travels in the blood and also contributes to heart disease, dropped 33 points.  And their fasting blood sugar and insulin levels, indicators of their diabetes risk, also markedly improved.

 

Dr. Lustig was trying to set out and prove that added sugar, fructose specifically, can be linked to metabolic disease.  As he said at the conference, “someone should be held liable now that there’s proof.”  He’s been saying this for years and has finally been able to prove it, isolating the effect of sugar on metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.  While many might find it controversial – he didn’t reduce their caloric intake, but rather simply reduced their consumption of added sugars.  This study proves Lustig’s original statement – A calorie is not a calorie – The source of the calories determines where in the body they go.  Sugar calories are the worst, because they turn to fat in the liver, driving insulin resistance, and driving the risk for diabetes, heart, and liver disease.  This has enormous implications for the food industry, chronic disease, and health care costs. 

What does this mean in layman’s terms?  We need to cut back on added sugar in the food we are eating.  Start paying attention to the food you buy at the grocery store.  Cereal and yogurt are two foods off the top of my head that are LOADED with extra sugar.  Instead buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit (cinnamon and vanilla are also great flavor enhancers).  And cereal, just stop buying it altogether – it might be one of the worst foods ever.  The recommendations for women are no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar.  For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons.  For now, if you’re buying a packaged product it’s hard to know exactly how much you’re consuming.  However, in the coming year the nutrition label will begin to distinguish between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars.  Or better yet, follow these simple rules by Michael Pollan when in doubt:

1.  Eat Food.

2.  Not too much.

3.  Mostly plants.

 

Self-love

Self-Love

Valentine’s Day.  A day for love.  Love is defined as, “an intense feeling of deep affection.”  Love comes in many forms:  partnership, friendship, hugs, kisses, food, and even solidarity.   Many times on Valentine’s Day we put the focus on others in our lives.  But I challenge you this Valentine’s Day to love yourself.  The saying goes, you can’t love someone else until you truly love yourself.   YOU are special, YOU deserve love, and YOU should practice self-love.  Here are a few suggestions to show yourself some love:

Self-Acceptance – Accepting yourself for who you are is one of THE most important steps to self-love.  In this world of social media there are posts/pictures all the time that can lead one to begin to compare themselves with others.  Social media tends to promote “perfect pictures” and that’s not always truth.  Stop comparing yourself and begin to accept yourself.  We each have beautiful qualities about ourselves, whether they be physical or emotional, that attract people to us.  We definitely don’t need to look like or act like anyone else but ourselves.  We are unique and different.  That’s what makes the world so beautiful.

Minimize – What’s minimalism?  Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important – so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.  We often times begin to accumulate “stuff” and we often equate this “stuff” to love.  When in fact, sometimes this “stuff” is literally weighing us down.  It doesn’t mean you’re not able to own material possessions, but the problem today is the meaning we assign to our stuff.  We at times give too much meaning to our things.  A minimalist will search for happiness not through things, but rather through life itself.  Today is Valentine’s Day.  Rather than buy yourself something that will only last for a small moment in time, i.e chocolate, flowers, etc, treat yourself to an experience – something that you will be able to look back and remember – really living in the moment.  Which leads us to the next way to practice self-love:

Pamper Yourself – Respect your body for the amazing vessel that it is!  Take care of your body.  Simple self-care techniques:  exfoliate your skin, take a soothing bath, get a mani/pedi, indulge in a massage, prioritize your sleep routine – all of these are ways to show respect to your body by showing it the love it NEEDS and deserves! 

Nourish Your Body – I talk about this one all the time as a dietitian.  The old saying, “you are what you eat”.  There is some truth to this.  Our bodies naturally detoxify themselves (that amazing liver and kidney just doing their thing!)  But if we continuously put junk in, we will feel like garbage.  Replenish your body with real, whole food.  Food can provide the nutrients our bodies need and help sustain us by providing us with the nourishment that we need.  This is just one other way to show yourself some love – choosing healthy food  WILL help you to thrive!

Write yourself a note – We all have our days.  Some days are busier and more stressful than others and that can get the best of us sometimes.   Try writing yourself a positive note or have an inspirational quote you like written somewhere so that you can see it first thing in the morning or during the day (when you need to get over the mid-day slump).  We all can use a pep talk sometimes and having the reminders nearby is helpful (so the negative thoughts don’t take over). 

Be the ENERGY you WANT to attract – “Your friends should motivate and inspire you.  Your circle should be well rounded and supportive.  Keep it tight.  Quality over quantity, always.”  As we get older, the number of friends we have does tend to shrink – it’s the shift from having a large volume of friends to having those close to us that we can truly depend on.  Your vibe attracts your tribe – be the energy that you want to have surrounding you: uplifting, supportive people.

Be Grateful– Finding things to be grateful for on a daily basis can help change your inner dialogue.  Last year I made the commitment to start my day and end my day with one thing that I was grateful for.  It truly helped change my perspective on things that I used to think would be “earth shattering” or I would let ruin my day. 

We so many times tend to have negative internal conversations with ourselves.  Practicing gratitude can help change this internal chatter.  Are you grateful for a healthy body – that moves and allows you to be able to do exercise?  Are you grateful for your sense of smell – for that freshly baking bread in the oven –currently the situation in my house.  Are you thankful for being able to learn from your mistakes?  Are you grateful for this present moment?  Gratitude is an attitude of practice.

Let It Go– This is definitely easier said than done.  But the truth is you never really are able to move forward unless you do leave the past in the past – “You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.” ~Louise Smith  Each day is new and fresh and I do believe that’s helpful in committing to letting things go.  Again, easier said than done, but a step in the right direction if you’re truly wanting to move forward.

“Me” Time– Everybody needs ME time.  Taking time out of the day, even if it’s just 10 minutes is so important for us.  We often times give so much of ourselves – whether it’s at work with our patients or whether it’s at home with our family – the key is to give back to yourself so you have more to give to others.  If you run yourself into the ground, what good will you be to anyone else?  Don’t feel guilty or think you’re being selfish, think of it as giving back to yourself.  This giving back will help you recharge, reset, and reenergize!  Not only is this important for you but it’s important for those around you as well.

 

Disconnect To Connect– In this day and age, we are TOO connected – from our cell phones that receive emails from work to our smart watches that receive text messages (thanks Fitbit Surge, but no thanks).  Truly take time at the end of the day to disconnect from all of your devices.  Evidence shows that our devices are creating havoc when it comes to our sleep patterns – even MORE reason to disconnect.  Take time to reconnect with how you’re feeling, what you’re thinking and even what might be going on in your body – I use it as a wind down time before bed.  I reflect on the day and write down in my gratitude journal a few things that occurred during the day.  A calm mind helps for sound sleep.

 

Positive Affirmations– With time, positive affirmations can help transform our mind.  Truly focusing on the positive moments in our day will help in removing that negative chatter I mentioned before.  Start with something positive about yourself.  It can be something as simple as your hair looks good this morning or something from the previous day that you’re proud that you accomplished – possibly handling a stressful situation at work in a positive manner.  Stay consistent with your positive affirmations, over time it will help change your outlook and again remove the negative self-talk it’s so easy to get into the trap of.

Learn Forgiveness– with yourself!  No one is perfect and I’ve always said that practice is what makes perfect.  There are going to be some hits and misses – the true failure lies in not even trying!  So be a little easy going on yourself and be proud of yourself for even trying.  Today I tried making homemade rolls once again – epic fail.  Instead of getting upset with myself I already told myself I WILL be trying again (I’m already reflecting on what went wrong).  And while bread making is not something to get uber upset about, remember this practicing forgiveness goes to the deeper stuff – not beating yourself up at the latest “mistake” you made but rather focusing on what you learned from that situation.  Each struggle or mistake helps you to learn new things.  This in turn helps us to be strong, amazing people – sure that have some imperfections but that make us each unique beings.

Practice Saying “No”– This one is important.  Learning to say no helps you to set boundaries for yourself and helps protect you (from those that WILL take advantage of you).  Believe me when I say it IS uncomfortable to say no but it IS important.  There’s no way for you to please everyone and sometimes you already have enough on your plate – saying yes will only add to that stress and create aggravation.  Remember the goal is to practice self-love – respect yourself by standing up for yourself – and practice saying no (so when the time comes you’ll be able to put yourself first and say no!)

 

Have FUN!  Do not get me wrong – there is definitely a time and place for being serious.  But on the flip side, make sure you leave some time for FUN!  When was the last time you danced?  You sang karaoke? Or went paddle boarding?  I’m reading the book, Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert and this is the essence of her novel – she wants you to embrace your curiosity, find what fuels your happiness, and face your fears – so you can uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us.  Be creative and find what stokes your spirit – giving back to yourself with some fun!

 

So this Valentine’s day, as you may be off showing all the special someone’s in your life how much you care for them, don’t forget about YOURSELF! 

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere.  You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.” – The Buddha

That's A Keeper - 5

I’ve come a long way in the kitchen.  Back in my college days my mom used to have to write the brand name she’d buy next to the ingredients on my recipes.  What can I say?  I was challenged when it came to shopping at the store.  I still have to look at a recipe 20 times or so to make sure I’m doing it right (no I can’t make things up on my own…I wish!)  But needless to say I’ve progressed in my cooking.  I have always thought that my food tasted good, but when others are now trying things out and they say it tastes good, it has to be good, right??  I still dream of the day of maybe opening up a restaurant where all the food is healthy, tasty, and homemade goodness.  We used to say that my brother would catch the seafood, my mom would do the bulk of the cooking and I would do the nutritional analysis.  That dream could still be a possibility one day.

Little by little I’ve started to make things all homemade.  I made ketchup recently.  So simple and no need to add the sugar that they do to the bottled stuff.  I also made marshmallows the other day.  No need for them, I just wanted to be able to see if I could make them homemade.  A little challenge for myself if you will.  I can check that off the list.  If I ever come across a recipe that includes them, I can easily whip them up (yes, they’re not that hard).   Bread is still on my list of items to make homemade.  But I’ll be honest.  There have been a few failures with bread that I try not to talk about.  I will attempt more times this year, because I really do want to make my bread homemade.  Have you ever taken a look at some of the nutrition labels for bread?  Too long a list and too many names my grandmother wouldn’t recognize.  It’s incredible.  So, yeah, bread is definitely on my list to conquer.  If anyone has an easy starter one, let me know!

Over the last couple of months I’ve been cooking up a storm!  As I always do, I weed out the good from the bad so you don’t have to.  If you’re new to the blog here is my definition of a “Keeper” - a recipe that I’ve tried and that can be a repeat recipe.  The key word being repeat – I haven’t repeated any in quite a few months, but I know I have my tried and true recipes when/if needed.  Here are a few of the latest rounds of keeper recipes. 

Snack: CashewMascarpone with Smoked Sundried Tomato Pesto

Cashews might be one of THE most versatile nuts/seeds out there.  I love turning cashews into “cashew cheese” as well as turning the cashews into a savory/sweet dessert.  Yes they do that too!  Over the holiday break I stumbled across a program on Create TV (my public broadcasting station here in Miami) that featured 3 vegan chefs on the program).  I had never seen the program and decided to watch.  That particular day was a lady named Tony Fiore.  She whipped up a cashew “mascarpone” cheese.  I will tell you that I love cheese.  I often think that’s one of the reason I can’t completely go vegan.  I just love cheese so much.  But this version of cashew cheese was PHENOMENAL!!  I loved it so much.  The sundried tomato pesto enhanced it quite a bit along with all of the fresh herbs.  SUPERB.  DELISH.  I can’t wait to make this again! 

https://www.copymethat.com/r/NN9Rbwc/cashew-mascarpone-with-smoked-sundried-t/print/

 

Snack: SuperfoodChocolate Quinoa Bark

Quinoa made its way into being popular a few years back and it’s still hanging around.  And with good reason!  Quinoa is technically a seed.   It comes in three varieties, white, red, and black.  It’s a nutritional powerhouse.  One cup contains 8 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, iron, magnesium, folate and some omega-3 fatty acids.  It is also a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.  So nutritious.  This bark mixes the quinoa (uncooked) along with almonds, cashews, and a mix of hemp and chia seeds.  The binding agent is maple syrup mixed with a little coconut oil and then you bake it in the oven.  Once out of the oven you melt the dark chocolate and spread it over the top.  Throw it in the fridge to set and voilá – start breaking apart the bark into small pieces.  Crunchy, delicious, and nutritious!

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/superfood-chocolate-quinoa-bark/

 

Snack:  Roasted BeetHummus

I have made homemade hummus before.  If you pass by the hummus section in the grocery store these days, there are a lot of flavors now making plain hummus sound boring.  I stumbled upon this blog, Half Baked Harvest, the other day and after making her quinoa bark, thought I’d give her beet hummus a go.  The color is stunning.  I just wasn’t sure if the flavor would be great (beets are super earthy tasting to me and they are not my favorite thing – I try to like them and embrace them, but they’re just not my favorite).  Needless to say the flavor is on point.  A mix of the chickpeas, tahini, and almond butter really does mesh with the beets in a way I wouldn’t have thought it would.  The recipe states to peel the skin off of the chickpeas for a smoother hummus.  I’ve never had a smoother hummus before in my life.  I’ll be honest, I’ve never taken the time to peel the skin from the chickpeas.  This is a must step and one you won’t regret!

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/roasted-beet-hummus-video/

 

I’ve listed three snack type foods for you all to have.  The Super Bowl is next weekend and these might just be a few good recipes to have in your arsenal, healthy yet tasty!

Main Dish – Thai RedCurry with Vegetables

Traditional Thai flavor cooked in your home in right about 30 minutes.  Okay it might have been 35 minutes with all of the slicing (for the vegetables), but dinner in 30 minutes?  I’ll take that.  I always tell people to eat a colorful array of vegetables and while I didn’t plan on my picture looking like a rainbow, it kind of does, doesn’t it?  Simple yet flavorful.  I added tofu to my dish to keep it vegetarian, but feel free to add the protein of your choice to make the meal fully balanced. 

http://cookieandkate.com/2015/thai-red-curry-recipe/

 

Condiment – Berry ChiaJam

Berries, chia seeds, and maple syrup.  That’s it.  You’ll have your own homemade jam in 10 minutes.  Pretty sure I’m never buying store bought jelly/jam again.  I told you I was taking this “make everything homemade” thing seriously!  So simple and so flavorful.  I made this jam for the complete recipe below, the vegan wagon wheels, but I’ve since made the jam just to have on hand.  The vegan wagon wheels are out of this world.  If that sounds up your alley those are a keeper as well, by the way.  But I truly believe the wagon wheels’ main attraction and why I liked them as much as I did was because of the jam.  The cookie dough wasn’t bad either J

http://www.thefirstmess.com/2015/09/08/vegan-wagon-wheels-recipe/

 

Dessert:  Clementines, Dark Chocolate, and Pistachios

This is actually a simple concoction of my own.  No recipe required.  Simply melt some dark chocolate and dip the clementines into the chocolate.  Mash up some pistachios and then dip your clementines (with the chocolate side) into the pistachios.  Let them sit in the fridge for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to harden some.  And voilá, a little bite of heaven.  That chocolate with orange flavor, magnifique! 

So there you have it – a few more recipes that have recently made it into my “keepers”.  I hope you see a recipe or two that you might like to try.  My stack of “recipes to try” keeps growing.  I wish they ALL were keepers!

Small Changes, Big Difference

I hear it all the time in my office – “I’m not sure why I can’t lose weight.  I’ve tried anything and everything and still, no weight loss.  Sure a few pounds here and there and then I’ll gain it back”.  I really could put this story on repeat.  I’m not one to doubt people, and I’ll be honest, I don’t have the magic pill that people can take to help them have sustainable weight loss, but…the other day a lady came into my office and had NO clue how many calories she was eating daily.  (I don’t teach people to count calories, but I do have them log occasionally what they’re eating to gain perspective and insight into where they need to make changes).  Having said that she only needed 1,400 calories/day and was eating close to 2,400 calories daily (and I was being generous with her portions where she quite possibly was eating 3,400 calories for all I know).  This was an easy a-ha moment for her.  She could see where she needed to make changes and I used real life examples with what she was currently eating.  Then I began to show her other ideas of areas in which to change and she did seem motivated.  I’ll see her in a couple of weeks for follow-up and find out.

This is what I teach my patients – one change at a time.  Don’t go trying to do: a three-day juice cleanse, a go to the gym every day for an hour, or NO CARBS EVER – because real life will sneak up on you and before you know it you’ve inched back into your old ways.   These quick fixes don’t work in the long-term.  I believe that people have good intentions and it’s not always about one’s will power.  Truthfully I believe the reason that “diets” bomb is because of this “all or none” mentality.  And it is a vicious cycle where it may work for a little while and in the beginning one is all gung ho, but then give it a bit of time and one’s good intentions start to falter and you feel demoralized and end up doing what you’ve always done.  The truth is that sustainable weight loss lies somewhere in the middle ground – choosing one small healthy habit, implementing it and then moving on to the next – you start small without feeling like you’re changing EVERYTHING all at once.  And the key is to find the small change that you need to make as no one small change will work for everybody.  These small changes can add up to big changes!  Here are a few suggestions for some small changes:

Track your food intake.  Don’t change a thing of what you’re currently eating, but simply begin to measure the amounts.  After a day or two look back over your food intake to reflect and see what it is that you’ve been taking in.  Periodically check back into yourself and start to log the food intake again - The simple act of writing this information down has proven to be one of the most powerful weight loss tools.  The act of writing it down is about holding yourself accountable.  You might also want to note how you were feeling right before you ate it.  Were you angry, sad, or bored?  We often focus so much on foods and calories, but our emotions are a huge part of our eating habits.  (With many of the current applications, Fat Secret, My Fitness Pal, or Lose It, they will help calculate out your estimated caloric needs based on your height, weight, age, and estimated desired weight loss.  This will give you an idea of what your estimated nutrient needs are to be able to see how on point or how not on point you are). 

Track Your Sleep.  You may have heard that there’s a link between sleep and weight – and there is!  Losing just 30 minutes of sleep each night can lead to long-term weight gain in adults (not to mention a range of other ailments:  diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, stroke, and cancer).  Adults typically need between 7-9 hours of nightly sleep (according to the CDC).  If you know you’re lacking sleep, aim to get at least a little extra each night.  Incorporate a soothing nighttime routine – meditate, have a warm bath (make sure to turn off your tablet – the blue light from the screen can disrupt your circadian rhythm).  The key is to settle your wakeful brain to sleep mode – and aim for consistency. 

Eat More Vegetables.  You’ve seen the USDA’s “My Plate” where half the plate is vegetables?  Well, eat MORE vegetables.  I often call it the “fiber factor” with my patients.  The fiber does a critical job in your body.  Most people associate it with “aiding in digestion”, which it does, but more than that, it slows everything down and can give you a sense of fullness.  This is critical when it comes to helping one eat fewer calories at a meal (as vegetables are often lower calorie).  Let’s be clear when I say EAT more vegetables (I did say eat, NOT drink) – the non-starchy vegetables:  Lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, asparagus, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, onions, and more.  (Starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes, peas, and the winter squashes are technically classified as carbohydrates.  They work quite differently than the non-starchy vegetables in the body).  I’ve been challenging some of my younger patients, the kiddos (and even adults) to try one new veggie a week and try it in all different forms to maybe find the form they might like.  For instance, with cauliflower, try it raw, steamed or roasted.  You can even turn the cauliflower into cauliflower “rice” or make a cauliflower crust.  The key is to think outside the box when it comes to veggies and begin to incorporate more in for the fiber factor.

Move More.  The latest trend has been and still is fitness tracking devices.  They count your steps all day (and some even measure your heartrate!)   I’ll admit, I’m a little bit obsessed with my Fitbit.  Obsessed in a good way.  When I first got my Fitbit, I started to notice that by the end of the workday I’d be averaging 3,000 steps in a day (just while at work).  If I did my morning run I’d tack on between 5,000-7,000 steps on those days, but on the days when no exercise was happening, I was at less than 50% of what the recommended goal is of 10,000 steps/day.  What I started doing over this last year, was beginning to incorporate a morning walk, a walk at lunch, or an evening walk.  The key for me was simply moving more.  I was conscious of the fact that my job was sedentary but seeing the steps was the motivation for me to use those 10 minutes I’d arrive at work early to go for a quick walk.  The lunch time walk is important for me to simply get out of the building and get some fresh air (many times people think that they’ll get more work done if they eat their lunch at their desk.  Sadly, that’s not the case.)  Since this New Year started I’ve gone every day except for two on a lunchtime walk and I can honestly say I’m more productive and feel better when I do get my mid-day walk in.  Remember, small steps.  If hearing 150 minutes/week sounds like too much and un-obtainable, simply aim to get 10 minute intervals in when you can.  The movement makes a difference. 

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate.  And I’m talking hydrate with WATER.  We’ve had an unseasonably hot and humid winter thus far in Miami.  And with that humidity needs the replacement of the water loss daily through sweating, etc.  More so, water is calorie free and the only drink that can truly quench your thirst.  The patient I mentioned above was having 2 sodas daily (the 20 ounce bottle size).  She admitted to being addicted to soda, but that was an additional 500 calories daily that by simply removing would allow for her to lose a pound/week.  She knew that they were extra calories, but wasn’t quite sure of how to eliminate them completely.  She wasn’t willing to eliminate them completely (too extreme), so I explained that maybe the way in which she could begin to make the change was to simply change the size of her soda.  Instead of a 20-ounce, 240 calorie drink, could she be satisfied with their 8-ounce, 90 calorie drink.  Remember, small changes.  Sure I’d love for her to completely eliminate them but I also need to be realistic.  She was willing to work on the amount that she was taking in when she realized I didn’t tell her to eliminate it completely.  Believe me, the end goal is to remove sodas completely, but it’s all in how you approach it.  We cut back 300 calories alone just with her drinks.  I then proceeded to show her other ways in choosing healthier options at the restaurants she was eating at to cut back even more.  Working where she was at and beginning to make small changes. 

When making dietary changes, start small and set realistic goals.  The path to a healthier lifestyle begins one little habit at a time.  Make the commitment to making healthy changes and by this time next year, you’ll be in a much better place.  Balance, moderation, variety, and one step at a time.  It’s not a diet; it’s a way of life.

 

 

Fuel Happiness

Fuel Happiness

A few weeks back while scrolling through Twitter I saw a picture posted by Lululemon:

I re-tweeted the picture and challenged people to write down three things they were grateful for.  Little did I know all that was to unfold just from a simple re-tweet (more on that later).  Over this last year I’ve been writing down daily at least two things I am grateful for:

I’ve always seen the gratitude jar and the idea surfaces each New Year, but have never really committed to doing so.  Last year, I decided I was going to do it.  I started reading through all of my notes (from this past year) on New Year’s Day and there were days as I am looking back that were just simple entries, “birds chirping, sun rising, and the smell of fresh cut grass (seen on my run)” and then there were days that were a little deeper, “thankful my friend made it out of surgery – while it was more intensive than previously thought, she’s going to be okay – grateful for her friendship and all that she means to me.”  It’s hard to put into words how the gratitude jar changed me.  But it did do just that, change me.  The simple truth is that each and every day there is something to be grateful for.  I’m blessed with a good job, a family that loves me (and friends too), and my health.  I believe the change came in looking at challenges/stresses that I would face as growth and opportunities to learn versus having a negative attitude/reaction about them.  One example is that I had my purse stolen the day before Thanksgiving.  The gentleman came into our work area under the premise that he had just been diagnosed with diabetes and what was he going to do as it was the day before Thanksgiving.  He said he needed “help”.  A thief preying on our good nature and the essence of what we do, helping people.  Having my purse stolen before I probably would’ve reacted by letting it ruin my whole day.  As it was, I definitely had a moment right after it happened (he used the card at the Dollar Store for $337 – how did they not check his ID with that big a purchase?!) but within an hour I was already reflecting on the good – I was safe, my purse/license, etc. could be replaced, and this gentleman was obviously stealing because he didn’t have enough.  Total different reaction than what I would’ve had before.  I’ve been using this as my mantra:  “gratitude always in all ways” – in a weird way I was actually grateful my purse was stolen.    My purse was/is just a material possession and everything that was in there was able to be replaced.  Sure we’re a little more careful around the office and close our doors and lock them whenever leaving the area.  But even though this gentleman preyed upon us by using the “recent diabetes diagnosis”, I knew that I can’t/won’t change who I am as a person – the next person that walks through the door really might need help with a recent diagnosis of diabetes.  This one rotten apple won’t spoil the whole bunch – I’m grateful that I am able to educate people and help them with their diagnosis.  This thief was good but he won’t leave me jaded.  The gratitude jar allowed me to start my day with something that I was grateful for and also end my day with something that I was grateful for.  Even on those tough long days I always made time to reflect on the day.  It would have been easy to skip the jar, but reflecting at the end of the day I always was able to see the good in the bad (as they say). 

After I re-tweeted the picture from Lululemon it began to create a dialogue with one of their employees through email.   As part of the picture and the tweet I said something to the effect that meditation helps me to be grateful.  She asked me how I meditate and what has been my experience with meditating? I told her my goal is to meditate daily, however, my struggle has been with consistency.  Let’s be honest, my mind races!!  It’s hard for me to sit still and just be.    There are times when I’ll sit at my desk at lunch (another unhealthy habit I plan to work on in the coming year) but where I take a moment and just sit and breathe and block everything out.  Sometimes my meditation is just for a minute or two.  And while this allows me to focus and work on the rest of the day, by the time I do get home I’m exhausted.  If I close my eyes, I might be down for the count.  So, consistency in meditating has been my challenge.  The Lululemon representative wrote back and told me to be on the lookout for a “surprise”.  A week or two went by and lo and behold there was a surprise in the mail.  Enclosed in the package was a letter giving me a year subscription to Headspace – a meditation app.  The letter said that Headspace is an app that “offers support in practicing mindfulness which is so important to maintain over the holidays” – um, just what I needed!!  Again, I am no expert when it comes to meditation.  I call it an exercise in breathing and doing nothing to help you focus when it really matters (with your mind wandering and re-focusing as many times as needed).  I know I’m not the only one, but as I said, my mind races all the time.  During my yoga teacher training, my teacher made me cover my eyes with a scarf because obviously I was looking around at everything (my mind racing).  Taming your mind is hard work!  The app has helped me to be more consistent.  I would meditate before, but just wasn’t truly consistent and so every time that I would start would be like starting over for the first time.  Meditating is truly just that – breathing and beginning to focus, getting lost and starting over, and then getting lost and starting over all again – it’s what we do!  But the important part is I’m aiming now more on my consistency.   Meditation is a bicep curl for the brain.  My hope is that with consistency in meditating I get stronger and will truly be more present and “in the now”, simply put, being focused and present in all that I do.  I’ll keep you posted. J

The next little gift that was enclosed were a deck of cards enclosed with a separate note.  It asked, “What if the only thing you practiced this holiday was happiness?”  It went on to say that “happiness is a practice” and said that there were 35 research-based practices on the cards that can help to fuel our happiness this holiday.  One card for example was labeled “Positivity” –

This past week I gave up listening to music.  It might sound like that’s an easy thing to give up (and I thought it was something easy I was starting with).  But for me, when I’m cooking I listen to music.  There’s been a lot of cooking this past week (I’ve been off from work) and with no music it gave me a LOT of time to think.  Today when the week was up, I played some music while cooking and believe me when I tell you how MUCH I appreciated having the music play J   Now to think about what I’ll give up next month for a week.  I am looking forward to continuing this month after month to get the full effects as they say.  Cultivate positivity.  Try giving something up. 

I’m not one to set “resolutions” in the New Year.    However, I do sit and reflect on the past year to see what changes I will make to help better myself in the New Year – I’d rather call it an aim or an intention.  In my professional life this past year, my intent was to learn and soak up as much as possible at work and aim to take the Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) exam.  I did just that and PASSED! Yay!!  I think there is always more to learn and while I now have this title after my name I truly believe that I was a CDE even had I not passed the exam.  Luckily I passed J  So, it got me thinking about this next year.  What would be my intention?  The gift from Lululemon made it clear and evident.  First and foremost, meditate.  I have a tool (the Headspace app) that enables me to focus and improve on taming this mind of mine.  I look forward to hearing the 10-minute sequence that is set before me each day.  I started before the New Year in hopes that I would truly begin to be consistent.  I’m currently on Day 13.   There hasn’t been an easy day yet.  But that’s okay.  I’m exercising my brain and that takes work.  My goal is simply to be more focused and really truly present when I’m engaged in different activities.  Secondly, I’m going to work on “fueling my own happiness” – I know that happiness is a skill, a practice, something that I can train (meditation suggests so).  It doesn’t mean that my external circumstances aren’t going to impact my happiness.  It just means that with meditation it will help me to navigate it with a little bit more ease.  Where will I start?  How does one “practice being happy?” That deck of 35 research-based cards (given to me) will be a start.  They have ideas of ways that can help “fuel my happiness” that have been proven to boost my mood and truly help me to flourish.  Why wouldn’t I try some of these out?  “Fueling my happiness” will make my days happier, interactions with others happier, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll spread happiness to the people in my life.  I’ll share throughout the year (Twitter and Instagram) some of the ways I’m fueling my happiness J

So, again, it’s that time of year when you take time to reflect on the closing year and begin to make resolutions, goals, intentions (whatever you care to call them).   You probably have already done so, but let me challenge you to include one of the concepts I’ve presented to you today:

1.       Keep a gratitude jar (or journal)

2.       Meditate.  Breathe.  Focus.

3.      Fuel Happiness – find what fills you with passion and purpose.  It’s all up to you.  Ignite a ripple effect in your community.