by Carol deLaski | Mar 7, 2012 | Fitness, Health, Nutrition, Sandie Lynch
Do you struggle to wake up in the morning, hitting the snooze button “way” too many times? Then drag yourself out of bed, rush out of the house, just to run back in because you forgot something. You either take a large coffee with you or swing by your favorite coffee shop for a large energizing drink to get your day rolling. You sit down at your desk and pound through the morning, not even thinking about food until your stomach is screaming loud enough for everyone around you to get the message you need to eat. You rush out to grab something quick and scarf it down while working through email because you tell yourself there is no time to stop. Before you know it, the meal that was in front of you is gone and you don’t even remember how it tasted except the very first bite. The only thing you are aware of is your stomach is now feeling over full and bloated and the only word that comes to mind is ….”ugh!”
You notice your pace is now a little slower and your concentration is waning. Then it hits you about 2 hours later…BAM…you can hardly keep your eyes open and all you want to do is take a nap. But because you can’t, you are at work, you run down the hall for more coffee to get you through the rest of the day. Well, you made it home, barely as you drag yourself through the door. Because you feel you over ate at lunch you pass on dinner and sit down with a cocktail or glass of wine to unwind. You settle in with the news and again….BAM…lights out! You wake up 2 hours later and you’re starving. You head to the fridge looking for something light to fill the nagging hole that has reappeared in your stomach. But as you open the door you think, “ice cream would really feel good right about now or maybe that left over piece of lasagna from last night’s dinner. Yum!” You munch it down, one or the other or both and you head to bed, just to toss and turn because your stomach is again feeling uncomfortable. And the next day continues with the same pattern.
Does this sound familiar? If it does, it is not uncommon…so don’t feel you are alone. In my practice as a Registered Dietitian I hear this often and actually, the story I shared with you is the pattern a dear friend of mine who states she wants to do things differently, always seems to return to the same pattern. If you are where my friend is, I want to share with you a few tips to help energize your body and brain for the entire day and create the structure for success.
First, you need to understand the activities you do and your brain require energy to function properly. You get energy from the food you eat and the body metabolizes it for the energy you need. The foods that provide you with energy include carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol. Yes, alcohol, it is metabolized much like fat in your body and provides limited nutrient value, although red wine which processes the antioxidant; Resveratrol has shown to help prevent damage to blood vessels, reduce “bad” cholesterol and prevent blood clots. Please, don’t misunderstand me, I am not encouraging you to start drinking if you don’t. Below are some tips on how to empower your body and mind with the food you eat and ensure your day is energized and productive.
1. Start with breakfast. Studies show that breakfast eaters have a healthier weight, and perform better on tests that require concentration. The foods you want to include are whole grain cereals, low fat milk, some fruit, a little protein such as an egg or peanut butter on toast. By including the whole grains and protein mixture the glucose response is lower (low glycemic) proving better sustained energy throughout the morning. Studies have shown, individuals who eat a low glycemic breakfast burn more fat in the hours following breakfast. You should try to eat breakfast within 30 to 60 minutes of rising to help kick-start your metabolism for the day.
2. Eat small frequent meals. The brain cells require twice as much energy as any other cell in your body, so when you are asking them to function you need to give them their energy of choice; carbohydrates. Both the brain and muscles prefer carbs. So don’t be afraid to include some carbs throughout the day. Snack on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy, all of which are carbohydrates sources. Keep the serving size limited to about 3 carbs sources or servings at each snack or meal. Carbohydrates increase our blood sugar, and help release serotonin in the brain, a neurotransmitter that gives a calm and relaxing feeling. Too much blood sugar slows the blood and makes you feel tired, and too much serotonin released will make you feel the need for a nap “coming on” within 90 minutes. The two together will have you doing the “head bob” for sure.
3. Eat low fat, low sodium foods. Low fat foods empty quicker from the stomach getting us our energy faster. Also, when our stomach is occupied with digestion it makes us feel sluggish until it can divert it back to the areas of activity such as our brain and muscles. When we eat sodium it increases the thickness of the blood and increases blood pressure. Not only can this be dangerous if you have cardiovascular disease but slows down the blood and oxygen to the brain so our ability to concentration decreases.
4. Exercise consistently. Consistent exercise not only helps your body create more energy but it makes it more efficient at metabolizing the foods you eat for energy. Studies show that individuals who do at least 15 minutes of aerobic activity; such as running, walking briskly, biking, dancing, etc… have higher scores on IQ and performance tests, this is also seen when testing the same individuals; they score better when tested after exercise. Thus, consistent exercise makes you smarter, more productive, and energizes your day. Include about 15-30 minutes at least 5 days a week to reap the benefits.
5. Get adequate sleep. The body needs between 6 to 8 hours of sleep to perform its best. The body’s hormones that regulate metabolism and hunger become dysfunctional when we get inadequate sleep. Also, our body goes through numerous cycles of sleep during the night and the last cycle between 6 to 8 hours is the cycle that performs the majority of memory storage and reorganization of thoughts of learning new projects or remembering the day’s events. When we don’t’ get adequate sleep we have more difficulty learning things and remembering past activities. “Where did I put those keys….?”
6. Create a schedule structure for success. If you don’t schedule things in, it is more likely the new things won’t happen. We are creatures of habit, and it takes time to create new ones. Our brain requires consistent activity to change our brain maps to patterns we want in life and push out old ones that no longer serve us. The old saying it takes 21 days to make a habit. So schedule it until it is second nature.
Feel the difference as you empower your body and brain for your day, your life, and the things and people you love!
If you would like to learn more about fueling your body for more energy, productivity, and finding the energy balance for the body you want; by losing weight, gaining muscle, running a marathon, or just making it through the day with enough energy to play with your kids, I invite you to come to my workshop series, “Eat More, Weigh Less, Feel Great!” at PIOMA Performance Fitness, www.piomafitness.com, the next session on March 24th. Come, bring a friend and learn how to eat for the body you want and the energy that will change your world.
Eat More, Weigh Less, Feel Great Series:
1. February 25th: Choose the Foods that Make You Burn More Fat
2. March 24th: Find the Energy Balance for the Body You Want
3. April 21st: Energize Your Body and Mind with Food and Activity
For more information, contact either PIOMA Performance Fitness in Middletown or email coach and Registered Dietitian Sandie Lynch, [email protected].
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by Carol deLaski | Feb 29, 2012 | Health, Laura Hall, Self-Care
Like many of you out there, I am a busy woman with many interests and things I feel passionate about. Before I discovered my little secret, which I’m going to share with you in a minute, there were many a nights that I would go to bed wishing that I had more hours in the day because I wasn’t able to get it all done. Does this sound familiar to you?
So, what’s the secret? I bathe myself in grace each morning…literally.
At Christmas I received a bottle of shower gel called “Amazing Grace”. It’s from a company called Philosophy and these are the words that are printed on the front of the bottle:
Life is a classroom. Each day is a test, and each day we receive a passing or failing grade in one particular subject: Grace. Grace is compassion, gratitude, surrender, faith, forgiveness, good manners, reverence and the list goes on. It’s something money can’t buy and credentials rarely produce. Being the smartest, the prettiest, the most talented, the richest or even the poorest can’t help. Being a humble person can, and being a helpful person can guide you through your days with grace and gratitude.
Bathing myself in grace helps me start my day off on the right foot. It reminds me that who I am being is truly more important than what I am doing. It sets the intention for my day to be to bring as much grace into my interactions with others, as well as with myself, as I can. And, it allows me to go to bed at night grateful for the opportunities to practice compassion, love, forgiveness, patience and other grace filled ways of being. Because I know for me, that this is ultimately how I’d like to be graded-by my ability to practice grace, not by how many things I checked off my to do list.
How about you? What do you do to start you day off on the right foot? What needs to happen for you to go to bed giving yourself a “passing” grade?
Today’s author: Laura Hall is an iPEC certified life coach who believes every woman deserves a coach. She offers both one on one as well as group coaching services. She can be reached at [email protected] or check out her website at www.hallcoaching.com.
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by Carol deLaski | Feb 21, 2012 | Fitness, Health, Nutrition, Sandie Lynch
Could it be true, that we could eat more, weigh less and feel great? Most of the time when we think about trying to lose weight, we envision restricting our calories, eating smaller portions, having to drum up extra willpower to avoid those sweets at the office or around the house, and avoiding our favorite foods. Everything spells deprivation and so… needless to say, the so-called “diet” will probably not last too long because who really wants to feel deprived in the land of plenty?
As a Registered Dietitian, it saddens me how so much misinformation is in our culture. Sometimes it is a twist from the truth to get us to buy the newest diet book and/or the media may report on one research study and alter our view of what is “good” for us. The confusion on what to eat and what to avoid is rampant. This is the very reason I am passionate about sharing the reality of how the body is designed and what it truly needs to be its best. For example, one of the common misunderstanding encountered, is that carbohydrates are something to avoid.
When I hear this I always ask, “So what type of weight do you want to lose?” This usually perplexes the individual and she asks, “What types are there?” I explain that usually when we lose weight, we lose three types of weight; water, fat and lean body mass, and when we lose water and/or lean body mass we harm our body and LOWER our metabolism. So far, I have not met anyone who purposely wants to LOWER her metabolism. To explain how this happens; our body has no extra protein stores (lean body mass), so when we lose protein it is at the cost of our health, usually initially in immunity or cell repair, setting us up for a lowered stress threshold and increased susceptibility to illness. With lower protein stores, not only are we medically compromised, but now we must continue to cut calories to continue losing weight. NOT what we want!! It is a vicious cycle no one wants to be on, I know because this is the very cycle I was on for 12 years before I learned the truth.
So what is the truth? The truth is, the body needs certain types of energy and nutrients to be its best and without them, our body struggles to retain a healthy weight, and maintain health. If your goal is to grow leaner and healthier, you must give your body what it needs! The great news is that when it gets what it needs, it naturally resets the broken processes that we caused by robbing it of essential nutrients, and it grows efficient in burning fat, making energy, and maintaining health. Unfortunately, for some, there are certain diseases that may compound the problem, but there is always hope because the body always responds positively when given the right things.
Most everyone knows some of what these “right things” are but continue to try the empty promises that so many fad diets offer. I can empathize, because I was there! What changed for me was finally “hearing” that all these empty promises, although giving me temporary weight loss, was actually making me fatter each time I lost weight. In the book, Fit or Fat by Covert Bailey, he called this “skinny fat!” Skinny fat is when you lose weight but your fat ratio increases to an unhealthy level still making you susceptible to chronic disease. What can you do to avoid becoming “Skinny fat?” Include plenty of foods that maintain your lean body mass and make your metabolism more efficient! Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, starchy vegetables; such as potatoes and corn, whole grains; such as wheat, barley, oats, quinoa, rice, and healthy fats; like nuts and seeds. I know a few foods in the list may have surprised you, but when you learn how the body uses these essential foods to optimize your metabolism, you will be not be afraid to include them in the future!
I invite you to come to my workshop series, “Eat More, Weigh Less, Feel Great!” at PIOMA Performance Fitness, www.piomafitness.com, starting on February 25th. Come, bring a friend and start correcting your metabolism deficiencies and growing healthier with each new day!
Eat More, Weigh Less, Feel Great Series:
- February 25th: Choose the Foods that Make You Burn More Fat
- March 24th: Find the Energy Balance for the Body You Want
- April 21st: Energize Your Body and Mind with Food and Activity
For more information, contact either PIOMA Performance Fitness in Middletown or email coach and Registered Dietitian, Sandie Ropp.
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by Carol deLaski | Feb 15, 2012 | Carol deLaski, Confidence
“Like attracts like” according to the Law of Attraction; in essence, we create our own reality. By intentionally focusing our thoughts, emotions, and actions on what we want in our lives we will draw it to us. If we are not intentional, however, we can unconsciously attract circumstances and repeat patterns that are not beneficial to us. To use this “law” effectively we need to be aware of what we’re “putting out there”.
Are you attracting what you want into your life? What is comfortable and familiar is not always what we truly want and need. Change, by its very nature, is often uncomfortable and unfamiliar. It’s only through recognizing the discomfort, and consistently sticking with the new behavior or thought pattern, that we create lasting change.
Altering our behaviors only touches the surface. If we want to address the roots of our behavior patterns we need to understand our underlying thoughts. Your self-perception, and your concept of the world around you, is based on your energetic level. This level determines what you attract and what is reflected back to you. Most importantly it determines how effective you are as a leader of your life.
Attitudes (aka energy) are contagious. Most of us have had experiences where we’ve been affected by other people’s energy; either positively or negatively. Sayings such as “one bad apple can spoil the whole lot” speak to the affect one disgruntled and unhappy person can have on an entire group. Likewise, one person exuding enthusiasm and concern can have a positive impact on those with whom she comes into contact. The outer ripple effects of our energy are relatively easy to see. We know when we are being lifted, or drained, by circumstances and people in our lives.
A more challenging area of energy to assess is our internal terrain. How aware are you of the ‘mental chatter’ or tapes that play in your mind on any given day? It’s common knowledge that our thoughts have a powerful impact on what we feel, which then in turn, affects what we do. Our actions are a direct result of the thoughts and feelings we’re experiencing. A simple example, is when we think “I can’t”, we feel powerless and apathetic, which results in lethargy; or no action. By contrast, if we think thoughts of responsibility such as “What’s my part?” we forgive others their part, leading to cooperation and forward movement.
Knowing this, we can then look to our thinking when we are feeling stuck or unable to create the change we want in our lives.
The 7 levels of energy presented on the Energetic Self Perception Chart of Energy Leadership provide a framework in which we can evaluate and understand the impact our thoughts are having on our emotions and actions. With awareness we can then choose to expand the thoughts that are producing the energy we desire. By recognizing and accepting our catabolic, or negative thoughts, we release them and move onto the anabolic, positive thoughts that produce higher levels of energy.
How conscious, or self aware, are you? Your level of consciousness is determined by how you see yourself, the world around you, the people in your life, and life in general. Your consciousness produces energy which will attract the people, events, and outcomes into your personal and professional life. The higher your level of consciousness, the more energy you will have, and the more productive, peaceful and healthy you will be.
To learn more about the 7 Levels of Energy and how to apply the Energy Leadership process join Carol Hayes for a 6 week tele-course starting Wednesday February 15th from 7-8:15 pm. Click here for more details.
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by Carol deLaski | Feb 1, 2012 | Business, Linda Norris
Talk about a wakeup call!
I was getting ready to write this blog about a positive experience I’d had during the course of my workday today about the value of working in teams, and decided to surf the web about the challenges of teamwork, when I came across this really weird website that seemed like something out of Dilbert.
It’s called Despair.com, and its premise is this: “It began with a dream. A dream of the perfectly-realized American company. A company that would create dissatisfied customers in the process of exploiting demoralized employees while selling overpriced and ineffective products to remediate the problems caused by the very process itself. And now the dream has come true. As nightmares often do.”
Really, its intent appears to be making fun of all positive, employee engagement and teamwork coaching sites that are out there. Compare the traditional Teamwork poster we’ve all seen with one they offer on their site:
While I was there, though, I looked at this video, which is about dealing with employee complaints, by using the theory of “It could be much worse.”
http://spin.despair.com/videos/addressing-employee-complaints/
I watched it, and actually laughed at first—but then I remembered some of the things that were said by managers in my last job, as the economy began its downward spiral, (“Don’t complain, you’re lucky to have a job!”) and realized that there really are discouraging people out in our workplaces. Boy, was I depressed.
My takeaway, when it comes to living a wholistic life?
Negativity is something to avoid like the plague. Tolerate as long as you are in the mood to laugh at it, but…
My personal lesson: optimism is hard work, and while pessimism is real, cynicism is inescapable, optimism is the balance that keeps the world moving forward. Keep at it, keep the faith, and remember that there are people just waiting everywhere you go to drag you down. Laugh at their foolishness, shake your head sadly, and move on.
Linda Norris, NW Communications
eMail: [email protected]
www.facebook.com/nwcomms
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First, you need to understand the activities you do and your brain require energy to function properly. You get energy from the food you eat and the body metabolizes it for the energy you need. The foods that provide you with energy include carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol. Yes, alcohol, it is metabolized much like fat in your body and provides limited nutrient value, although red wine which processes the antioxidant; Resveratrol has shown to help prevent damage to blood vessels, reduce “bad” cholesterol and prevent blood clots. Please, don’t misunderstand me, I am not encouraging you to start drinking if you don’t. Below are some tips on how to empower your body and mind with the food you eat and ensure your day is energized and productive.