Jenn's Losing It

Setbacks happen to all of us.  Here's how to get back on track. Whether you missed a Weight Watcher's meeting, unplanned eating, skipping your morning walk, or not keeping track, lapses like these are temporary when you identify, accept, and move past them. Thinking of a setback as a time when an old, unhelpful behavior change.  The good news?  A setback is also a sign of success.  The new behaviors that you've acquired have been established themselves that your old behaviors seem - just that - old and unhelpful. To bounce back from a setback, ask yourself what you can learn and what you can change to ward off the setback again.  Then, turn to your support systems - online, meeting room, friends or family.  Having a support system to lean on during times that you feel you've gone off track is an important tool to have.  They can help you find your way out of a dark time and remind you that the bad time you're having now, may not be nearly as ba...

What really affects your cholesterol numbers? What is cholesterol?  We all have cholesterol in our bodies, a fat like substance that's part of our cells.  You might already know your LDL ('bad cholesterol) and HDL ('good" cholesterol numbers and that high LDL can leaf to heart disease but dietary cholesterol the kind found in foods like eggs, shrimp and other proteins doesn't actually affect our cholesterol levels.  Recent research has shown that there's no evidence to support that eating foods with cholesterol causes heart disease. So what does contribute to heart disease?  Dietary cholesterol isn't the enemy, but saturated fat is.  We now know that a diet high in saturated fat can contribute to high LDL cholesterol and heart disease.  To keep your own cholesterol levels in a healthy range, be mindful of sat fat amount in different foods, check the nutritional labels of packaged foods for that information. FACT: Animal sources account for most dietary...

The trick? Combine activity with a healthy eating plan. So as I'm sure you've already said to yourself- duh! Everyone knows that. But it really is tricky because we all know it, but we all struggle with it. If we didn't we wouldn't need to be attending Weight Watchers meetings or following a weight management program at home. Something to remember is that physical activity isn't just going to the gym or jogging around the block. Movement is technically "any body movement that increases your energy expenditure." Any time that you move you are physically active so that means carrying groceries (in one trip if you're like me), dancing with a friend, walking a 5K. Now if you change what and how you're eating and match that with an increase of activity- you should see a 20% greater weight loss than changing your diet alone! "How it helps is that aside from enhancing your wellbeing, boosting your mood, helping your heart health...

Boost your everyday joy - it can help you live healthier and lose weight.   Let's face it when we're happy everyday tasks seem easier, the day seems brighter, our loved ones seem awesome, all is right with the world, right? It gets better! Happiness not only affects how we feel but what we do, who knew right?! Studies have shown that Happy people make better choices overall. That means better food choices and getting out there to move more. You have more energy. You engage socially. You are more likely to perform more "good for you actions", like eating more nutritious food and getting more rest-because of more activity! "Happy is as Happy does". Although half of our tendency towards happiness is genetic, another 10% from our environment and the remaining 40% is determined by what we do. You can choose to do things that make you happy. Small things can make a big difference. Even taking a moment to take in that sunrise or sunset whi...

Boost your know how about this essential nutrient. During the April 9th meeting we discussed protein and its importance in your daily diet.  It's something that will help you to sustain yourself a little longer with higher protein foods.  especially is you're working out. According to the Weight Watchers weekly, you should aim for 8 grams of protein daily for every 20 pounds you weigh.  If you weigh 180, for example, you'd aim for 72 grams of protein per day.  Let's remember that protein is a nutrition hero!  Protein can help to strengthen your bones and support muscles, cartilage, skin and blood health.  We all are fairly familiar with animal proteins such as poultry ,seafood, eggs and dairy.  But don't overlook vegetarian proteins like beans, peas, soy products, nuts and seeds.  Many high protein foods are rich in B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, zinc and magnesium, all of which help keep the body running smoothly.  Since much of our...

"Overeating happens to all of us.   Here's how to bounce back when it happens." Overeating.  It happens to all of us, no one is immune.  Luckily so can recovery.  Use the overeating episode as a chance to learn why it happened and how to return to plan - not a failure.  One of the most important things that I can share is make sure you track the "episode".  Track the food, as horrible as it feels.  It helps you have something to look back at, something to learn from.  It also could also turn out to not as bad as you think.  "Journaling about what happened can help you avoid it next time". Here are some tips from the weekly magazine - Get rid of the problem food.   Throw it out.  Put it down the disposal.  Walk it to a neighbor.  Just remove it from your environment. Track it .  Treat this food as you do all meals and snacks. Track it and move on.You might be surprised that it adds up to fewer SmartPoin...

Of course nights are great for going on dates, binge-watching Netflix, doing work, chatting on the phone—you name it. But you know what  else  they're great for? Setting yourself up for bigger and better weight-loss results. Just follow these tips to get yourself that much closer to your goal weight. Have a Low-Sodium Dinner "If you want to wake up feeling less bloated, definitely skip the Chinese dinner," says Keri Gans, R.D., author of  The Small Change Diet . What happens is the salt stays in your system overnight, so you wake up puffier than you normally would. The best option is to cook a healthy meal of steamed veggies and a lean protein—neither of which should be loaded with salt. Do a Nighttime Workout You know that sweating can help you drop pounds, but you may think that exercising too close to bedtime can keep you up at night. Luckily, that's not true; a 2013 survey from the National Sleep Foundation found that active people are 56 to 67 percent more likel...

iStock/Thinkstock A new Gallup survey found that a full 51 percent of adults are hoping to drop pounds—yet only about half of them say they are truly doing something to downsize. We get it: Embarking on a weight-loss plan feels so daunting. But it doesn't have to be; all it takes to get started is a few tiny lifestyle tweaks that get you on your way to reaching your goal. Here, five beyond-simple weight-loss strategies to get you started: Start your day with oatmeal: Research shows  it can help keep hunger at bay better than other cereals   Ditch the guilt:  Recent research shows  beating yourself up about eating something indulgent can sabotage your weight-loss efforts . Instead, look at treating yourself as a celebratory—not shame-inducing—event.  Ignore the scale:  Numbers go up and down and stall in a plateau all the time, which can do a number on your motivation. A better idea: Focus on healthy habits rather than weigh-ins—it's likely to result in more...

Tried losing weight a million times but never had much success? You might be going at it the wrong way:  Learning how to maintain your current weight helps women stick to healthier lifestyles  and  lose weight , according to a new study published in the  Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine . In the study, overweight African American women were put in a program that gave them weight-maintenance (not weight-loss) pointers, such as to skip fast food, watch less TV, and cut their daily caloric intake by just 200 calories a day. They were also taught skills such as how to read nutrition labels and how to find low-calorie dishes on restaurant menus. After 12 months, 62 percent of the women were either at or below their original weight. On average, the women had dropped about two pounds each. So why did this “maintain, don’t gain” method work? One reason could be that it’s simply easier to stick with healthy habits that control your current weight ...

You know that eating breakfast is key for keeping your appetite under control throughout the day. But  what  you eat in the a.m. may be just as important as whether you eat at all:  Adding peanuts or peanut butter to your breakfast can help control cravings for up to 12 hours afterward , according to a study published recently in the  British Journal of Nutrition . For the study, researchers from Purdue University and the Federal University of Vicosa in Brazil put 15 obese women through three experiments: In the first, they ate 1.5 ounces of peanuts with orange juice and Cream of Wheat cereal. In the second, the same women swapped the peanuts out for 3 tablespoons of peanut butter. Finally, in the last experiment, they had only the juice and cereal (researchers adjusted the portion sizes so that calorie counts remained the same throughout all three phases). After each experiment, researchers took participants’ blood samples and asked them to rate their appetite level...

Be wary of what you eat on Saturday-your waist line could end up with a case of the Mondays in the weeks ahead, say the Washington University School of Medicine researchers.  Using food diaries, exercise monitors and a series of weigh ins, they tracked 48 adults (age 50 to 60) and found that participants consumed more calories on Saturday than any other day of the week.  Over a year, researchers say the extra noshing would add up to 9 pounds! Prevention Magazine-November 2008

So we all hate that guys can drop weight and tone up like it's no big deal, so why not steal some of the strategies that make it work for them.  Here they are: Have a one tracked mind: Guys have a one track mind..when it comes to fitness, that works!  Women tend to pick all the vices they have to work on all at once, no wonder we fail!  So pick your worst diet habit and pair it with your most challenging fitness goal and make them your mission for the next four weeks.  Act oblivious: Men don't worry about what the random Joe on the street thinks of their body.  I know that can be hard to adopt, so find some workout clothes that make you feel uber confident in so that when you're running or taking that class you can focus on that instead of what you look like. Grunt, groan and sweat:   All that noise you hear from the next treadmill over signals the intensity that he's working out.  Guess what?  That guy is on to something!  Basically y...

Here are some tips on how you can snack with less calories and still enjoy those desserts. Snack Ideas: Trade 20 potato chips for 20 salted edamame pods (Save 100 calories) Have a tablespoon of peanuts and a tablespoon of chocolate chips instead of a pack of Peanut M&Ms (Save 127 calories) Dip baby carrots, slices of cucumber and bell pepper rather than 14 tortilla chips in your guacamole (Save 220 calories) "Make your snack a small meal" Leslie J Bonci, R.D., FITNESS advisory board member and director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center says.  Eat two Mini BabyBel Wedges, a half cup of grapes and two whole grain Wasa crackers instead of nibbling your way through a block of sharp cheddar cheese. (Save at least 400 calories) Rather than a Snickers bar, have a tablespoon of Nutella on a small apple (Save 125 calories) 4 Oh-So Sweet Dessert Ideas: Instead of a slice of peach pie with vanilla ice cream, have a grilled peach topped wi...

Dinnertime can be tough on all of us, so here are some tips to cut some calories without missing out or feeling hungry. Toss your salad with squeeze of orange and a teaspoon of olive oil instead of two tablespoons of ranch dressing (Save 100 calories) Rather than saute veggies in olive oil, stir fry them in fat free vegetable broth and toss with  teaspoon of olive oil after they're cooked. (Save almost 200 calories) Trade a cup of spaghetti for a cup of spaghetti squash (Save 179 calories) Prevent late night binges by splitting your dinner into two separate meals.  Eating half at your normal dinner time and half at your late night snack time is a good suggestion made by Leslie J Bonci, R.D., FITNESS advisory board member and director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.  You won't feel deprived or overindulge. (Save at least 250 calories) Instead of using oil to flavor your rice, add a tea bag (try jasmine and green tea) to the cookin...

Here are some ways to cut back on calories come lunch time! Use a teaspoon of dry-roasted sunflower seeds instead of croutons on your salad. (Save 30-50 calories) Choose a six inch turkey sub instead of tuna on your next trip to Subway. (Save 220 calories) Spread a wedge of light cheese on your sandwich instead of a Swiss cheese slice. (Save 71 calories) On a Caprese salad, hold the olive oil, when you have good mozzarella and fresh tomato all they need to compliment them are balsamic vinegar and basil, according to Leslie J Bonci, R.D., FITNESS advisory board member and director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Save 120-240 calories) Order a cup of egg drop soup instead of wonton soup the next time you order out for Chinese (Save 50-100 calories) Order a bowl of the Broccoli Cheese Soup rather than the Loaded Baked Potato soup at Chilis (Save 180 calories) Have a Burger King Cheeseburger instead of the BK Veggie Burger (go figure!) Save 110 ...

Here are some tips on how to slim down your meal without missing a bite! When you go out for breakfast ask for your eggs to be cooked dry, this will cut back on the oil or butter used to cook your eggs. (Save 250 calories) Having a bagel for breakfast? Slice your bagel lengthwise in thirds, keep the ends and toss the middle, it gives you the illusion that you're eating the whole bagel. (Save 120 calories) Order Canadian bacon instead of sausage on your breakfast sandwich. (Save 100-200 calories) At your next trip to Dunkin Donuts instead of getting a medium Coffee Coolatta with cream, order a medium iced coffee with skim milk and Splenda. (Saves 560 calories) Eat half a grapefruit with breakfast.  The high water content helps to make you feel full and keep you from overeating at your main meal. (Save about 100 calories) Make your own parfait instead of buying one.  How to make one? Use a cup of fat-free Greek yogurt, a half cup of sliced strawberries or blueberries (or...

Simple..to shed pounds, get your veggies in!  Add pureed cauliflower and squash to your classic recipes such as chicken casserole and macaroni and cheese.  By doing this you can cut as many as 357 calories from your day.  All this is according to a study at Pennsylvania State University in University Park.  When you pack in veggies in place of other high calorie ingredients it cuts your calories, says Alexandia Blatt, lead author of the study.  Another way to do this is add more sliced/chopped veggies to your meals.  So if your rice pilaf calls for one cup of veggies, try doubling it and cut back on some of the rice.  The result is great flavor with an extra boost of fiber which helps fill you up faster. Fitness Magazine July/August 2011

These 5 common slip ups slow toning and reduce fat burning. Using Light Weights When you resistance train you create tiny tears in your muscle, then when they heal they fill with new tissue.   The new tissue is what increases tone and strength.   So to speed slimming, chose a weight that you can only lift 12 times.   The heavier mass ensures muscle stimulation and can boost that calorie burn by 25%.   Reevaluate your strength limit every four weeks and adjust your weights accordingly. Sipping Sports Drinks Sports drinks are great for replacing carbohydrates and electrolytes in your muscle when you are performing endurance activities such as long distance running.   If you’re sipping these during your daily stroll, you may be consuming enough sugar to cancel out all the calories you’ve just burned.   To kick up the calorie burn, flavor some water with a dash of lemon.   It’s been suggested that you drink 12-13 glasses of this lemon water to...

Here’s a 15 minute lower body workout.  Click here for printable version Diagonal Leg: Targets abs, obliques, butt, quads, hamstrings, calves ·          Lie face up on the floor with knees bent, keeping your feet flat with your hands on the floor by your hips ·          Lift your hips off the floor and tuck your left foot under your right thigh (left knee should be pointing left) ·          Keep your hips lifted during the whole time, bring left knee out to un-tuck your foot, then extend your leg diagonally up and to the left ·          Return foot to tucked in position.   Do 20 reps, then switch sides and repeat. ·          Do 2 sets Side-Lunge Butt Kicker: Targets abs, obliques, butt, quads, hamstrings ·          Stand with feet hip-widt...

A new Harvard Medical School study of 50 premenopausal women suggests that excess belly fat can actually RAISE your risk of osteoporosis.   Extra weight was always thought to be a protector of your bones, well not anymore!   Researchers in the study measured both fat deposits (the amount of fat in women’s bones) and bone density.   What were the findings? Women who carried fat on their hips had normal bone fat and bone density.   The ones with a little extra in the midsection had more bone marrow fat and lower bone density.   This puts those ladies at a higher risk for osteoporosis.   Doctors have known for a long time that extra belly fat can increase your risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.   The same inflammatory effect that can up your risk for those diseases can also be linked to a decrease in bone density.