NWPT Results Manual - Section 6

Measuring Results – Should you weigh yourself?

Imagine this scenario. Your doc tells you that you need to focus on your health and lose some weight. You start exercising and eating healthy every day for an entire week. You step onto the scale excited to see your progress, and your weight has not changed or has actually increased! This can be extremely demoralizing and demotivating.

If you are going to measure your success once you have adopted healthy initiatives, you need appropriate and correct indicators of progress. Unfortunately, most people make their biggest mistake in this area. They measure their fat loss success by jumping on the scale. They think that if they have lost weight, they have succeeded; if not, they have failed. But it is not that simple. If you use the scale as your only indicator of success you are setting yourself up for failure! The scale tells you only one thing…your total body weight in pounds or kilograms. It does not tell you anything about how much of that weight is comprised of muscle, bone, fat, or water.

Have you heard that muscle weighs more than fat? Wrong. One pound of muscle weighs the same as one pound of fat – one pound. But a pound of muscle is more dense than a pound of fat, so it takes up a lot less space. A 140-pound woman who carries a lot of muscle will look very different from a 140-pound woman who carries very little muscle. She will appear smaller and leaner than her less-muscled counterpart, even though they weigh exactly the same.

Relying on the scale presents other problems:

• Body weight can fluctuate by several pounds throughout the course of a day.
• You could be retaining water and misinterpret the weight gain as body fat gain
• Women experience large weight fluctuations due to hormonal changes during their menstrual cycles.
• After you eat, your weight increases.
• If you have not had a daily morning bowel movement, your weight could be a couple pounds higher than usual.

With that said, using a scale is a quick and easy approach to monitoring your weight and reigning things in if your weight starts to creep up. In addition, research does indicate those who weigh themselves regularly maintain an ideal, healthier body weight that those who don’t.

Should you use the scale to monitor results? This is a personal decision and should depend on how emotional your response is based on the reading on the scale. If you find that a weight increase can cause you to become discouraged, depressed, demotivated and negatively affect your day, then you should consider using another approach to monitoring results. If a weight gain on the scale causes you to throw in the towel or negatively affects your behaviors, even though you’re doing all the right things, the scale may not be the best choice for you to use to monitor progress.

If you are going to use the scale as one of your indicators of success, it is important that you measure yourself on the same scale each time and ideally in the morning before you eat and after you have a bowel movement. Some people respond well to weighing themselves daily while others experience better success by measuring themselves only once per week to avoid the daily emotional roller coaster. If you use a scale to provide accountability, look for trends and do not get upset about daily fluctuations, then regular weight monitoring might work well for you. Bottom line – the number on the scale is just a number. It doesn’t indicate what kind of person you are and shouldn’t affect the quality of your life or your daily mood.

Other methods to measure weight loss success without or in addition to using a scale:

• Girth Measurements – Have a trainer, friend or family member take measurements around your thighs, hips, waist, chest, and arms and monitor the change.
• Body Fat Percentage – There are many techniques available to measure body fat including skinfold calipers, bioelectrical impedance, underwater weighing, and DEXA, being the gold standard. The thought is that it’s important to understand body composition and not just body weight.
• Photos – Another helpful tool in monitoring fat loss success is a picture, which provides a visual assessment that is more difficult to misinterpret. When using a photo to monitor progress, it’s important to wear minimal clothing to assess any significant changes. The person taking the photo should stand at the same spot away from you in each retest. You should also wear the same clothing to assure perception is not affected by color or cut of the material. Take three photos: one from the front, the side, and the back.
• Clothes – Some people prefer to monitor progress by how their clothes fit or which notch they use on their belt buckle. Be cautious of using this technique if you typically only wear loose clothing. The pandemic caused many to gain pounds without noticing because many were working from home. Wearing yoga pants and lounge wear won’t provide any valuable information to help avoid creeping weight gain.
• Health Variables – Some people respond well to focusing on health stats such as blood pressure, cholesterol level, and resting heart rate versus weight.
• Performance Variables – Some people are very motivated by focusing on performance metrics such as their walking or running speed, how many pushups they can do or how much weight they can lift. Some have been successful at throwing away the scale and never looking back.

Some of us will respond well to weighing ourselves daily, others should weigh less frequently, while others perhaps shouldn’t use the scale at all. It’s important to recognize that we are all individuals and what motivates or demotivates us will be different. We need to figure out what works to keep us on track towards our personal best and stick with that.

Increasing Activity without Exercise!

NEAT or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis is the number of calories we expend from activity that is not exercise related. Lack of time is the number one reason people say they can not participate in an exercise program. The good news is that just being active throughout the day means you do not have to spend hours at the gym! The problem is we have simply become too sedentary. The age of technology is making us unhealthy. The International Journal on Obesity estimates that we expend 500-800 calories less per day than we did a few decades ago. So, all of the labor-saving devices that are supposed to be making life easier are in fact making our health and our lives a lot worse.

Here are some ways to increase daily caloric expenditure without actually “exercising”:

• Walk the Dog – It’s true that dog-owners are healthier because they are forced to take Spot for a walk a couple times per day. Whether you own a dog or not, get your steps in! Take a short walk before work, at lunch, or after dinner.
• Park the perimeter – Are you always looking for the perfect parking spot closest to your destination? Do you sometimes find yourself frustrated or circling the block waiting for a parking spot to open? Make it a goal that you’ll begin to always look for the farthest parking stall or you’ll park at least one to two blocks away from where you’re going.
• Stair-buster – Have you taken the elevator or escalator up or down just one flight? Commit to always taking the stairs if you need to go less than 5 flights.
• Active Errands – Leave the car and walk, run, or cycle to do quick errands.
• One exercise at a time – Do a few light exercises like knee bends, toe taps, squats, heel raises, wall pushups or tricep dips while making dinner or during TV commercials. Wrap an exercise tube around a pole or staircase and every time you pass, commit to doing one strength exercise.
• Set the clock – When working, get up and stretch every 30-60 minutes. It’s a good mental break and your back needs a release after sitting for an extended period.
• Chose the more active option – Choose to stand more than sit. Choose to sit more than lie down. Get in the habit of choosing the more active route of performing any daily task.
• Sign up for a course (gardening, ballroom dancing, pottery); it will keep you active without even thinking about it

One study at the University of South Carolina found that we expend approximately 10 calories less per day as a result of just using remote controls. 10 calories less – it does not sound like a lot. But 10 calories here and 15 calories there – it all adds up. It is easy to see how people are putting weight on so easily and so quickly. In this day and age, it is a lot easier to eat 3,500 excess calories than it is to expend 3,500 calories.

If you are exercising three hours per week, what are you doing the other 165 hours? How you spend the time outside of your exercise sessions will make a huge difference to your efforts and ultimately your results. Being active throughout the day will not take up any more of your time but you will end up burning more calories and feeling a lot better!

Studies have found that just 10-minute brief ‘workout snacks’ interspersed throughout the day are better than nothing and will provide benefits. Even just 1 minute on the hour of something active will do wonders.

Getting healthy doesn’t come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently. Get in the habit of being someone who regularly looks for ways to be more active rather than sedentary!

Finally, consider this. For those of you who feel you don’t have enough time to exercise, if you really look at your schedule, we’re confident you’ll find the time. It comes down to making the time – making exercise a priority in your life. There must be a compelling reason for you to want to make the time. You have to feel that you and your health deserve it. Are you going to wait for the triple by-pass, osteoporosis, diabetes, or obesity to set in before you find the motivation to start exercising? Find a reason today and you’ll find that fitting exercise into your schedule will be a lot easier than you imagined!

Stand up for your Health

One of the best actions you can take for your overall health is to avoid sitting for extended periods of time. Research has shown that regularly getting up out of your seat can burn 32% more calories than remaining seated and studies confirm people who gain weight, move 2.25 less hours per day. Another study that followed over 6000 subjects found that those who sat more in their day were two times more likely to develop Type II Diabetes. Other studies have shown that excessive sitters are 64%-125% more likely to experience and/or die from heart disease.

Dr Joan Vernikos, author of Sitting Kills, Movement Heals was first to suggest that sitting is equally as dangerous to our health as smoking and states “we weren’t designed to sit.” It is reported that reducing your sitting time decreases your risk of dying and increases your life span. One study found that reducing your sitting time to 3 hours per day or less, increases your life expectancy by 2 years.

Not only is excessive sitting detrimental to our physical health, research indicates that those who spend more time standing and moving report improved mood, reduced lethargy, greater energy and enhanced productivity, even with just a short, 5 minute walk on the hour. Another study from Stanford University found that taking a 5-minute walk on the hour helps enhance brain functioning. Bottom line, standing has physical benefits and also improves our mental health and cognitive development.

It is estimated that we spend more than half of our waking hours sitting while watching TV, driving or sitting at a desk. Let’s fix that! Here are 10 simple tips to increase your standing time:

1. Read 5 pages – When reading a document or book, set a goal to read X number of pages and then get up and move.
2. Answer the phone – Every time the phone rings, use it as a trigger to stand up, walk and talk.
3. Text message – Whenever you get a text message, do 10 reps of a simple exercise like Chair Squats, Knee Lifts, Front/Side/Back Standing Leg Lifts, Standing Back Extensions, Desk pushups or Standing Torso rotations. It won’t be enough to work up a sweat but will keep your blood flowing and improve circulation. These mini workout snacks are great for your overall health!
4. Post meal walk – After each meal, walk for 5 minutes to help with digestion and to increase your daily steps.
5. Email delivery – Instead of emailing your co-workers in your office, walk to their work space and deliver the message to them face-to-face.
6. Invest in a Standing or Treadmill Desk – Start with small standing increments of 20 minutes at a time. Changing positions is the most important factor. It’s far better to transition from standing to sitting and back to standing every 20-30 minutes than sit for 4 hours and stand for 4 hours at a time. One year-long study found subjects lost 5 to 7.7 pounds when using a Treadmill desk. To prevent sweating while working, set the pace at a leisurely 2 miles per hour.
7. Set an alarm – Have your computer trigger you to move your body every 30-60 minutes. An alarm will remind you to get up and do something.
8. Schedule Walk & Talk Meetings – Schedule ‘recess’ or walking breaks with colleagues. Not only is this great for your body but can be great for brainstorming or to develop a connection with co-workers.
9. Avoid the elevator/escalator – Set a goal that if you’re going fewer than a few flights, take the stairs.
10. Make the distance further– If you must walk to a meeting, take the scenic route around your office building. If you drive to work, park at the furthest parking spot. If you take C-tran, get off one stop early and walk it in.

Sitting is a part of everyone’s daily life but make a conscious effort to reduce it as much as possible and your body and mind will thank you for it!

Mind Tricks to Keep Going

We’ve all probably had to struggle through a workout or play mind games to get to the finish line of a challenging physical event or race. Recent research indicates that the more we distract ourselves during our workouts, our perceived effort goes down and performance goes up.

Here’s some mind tricks that you can use whenever you are struggling to keep going:

TV – Watching your favorite TV show, a movie or educational Ted-talk, can take your mind off your indoor workouts. Many people report they do a higher volume of activity when they are distracted by something they are enjoying watching.

Music – It is true that music motivates so create your high-energy playlist that gets you performing at a high level and takes your mind off the effort.

Talking – Grab a friend and gab your way through your workouts. The time can pass so much more quickly.

Solve world problems: Try thinking about an issue you’re trying to solve and then allow your mind to wander as you brainstorm various solutions. Sometimes your best, most creative ideas can surface during a workout.

Enjoy the scenery: Focus on the scenery all around. Take notice of the colors and sounds. Explore the beauty and you’ll find you’re less distracted by the challenging efforts.

Mental Bribery: Sometimes making a deal with yourself can really help. For example, you could negotiate “Run to the next water station, then I can walk for 2 minutes” or “Make it through the first loop, then I’ll take a short break” or “Complete 5 workouts this week and then get 2 rest days” or “Push hard for 30 seconds, then go easy for 5 minutes” or “Just go for 10 minutes and then decide if you want to continue or not.”

Mantras: Pick an inspiring phrase that you repeat to put you in a trance-type state that assures you to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Something like “I can do this”, “I’m stronger than I think I am”, “Keep going”, “Never quit” or “I’ve got this” might do the trick for you.

Mental Games: Literally play games to take your mind off the effort. For example, you could go through the alphabet thinking of an inspirational word for each letter. You could consider the months in a year and think of someone you love who celebrates a birthday in each month. You could count to 500 and then reverse counting backwards from 500. You could count as high as you can in a second language. You could create or add to your bucket list in your head.

Baby Steps: If you are faced with a challenge that seems impossible and overwhelming, break it into smaller, easier-to-accomplish chunks. For example, if you are trying to run a 10K, break it into two 5Ks. If you are competing a triathlon, focus on the swim first, then the bike, then the run. If you are trying to get through a one hour workout, break it into four 15 minute segments. Whatever it is you are tackling, break it down into smaller steps.

What’s your WHY:  When you are struggling to finish, take the time to reflect on why you started. What is your reason? Ask yourself what did you hope to accomplish? Make a list of your goals. When you have a compelling reason it’s easier to keep going.

Pat on the Back: Feeling good about how much you have accomplished can often give you a boost of energy and confidence to keep going. For example, when you are struggling to get to the finish line of a Half Marathon, remember back to when you couldn’t even run a block. Or when you’re struggling to complete a set of chin-ups, remember when you couldn’t even do one.

Extrinsic rewards: Having a carrot to incentivize you to keep going can be very helpful for many. For example, if I finish this tough race, we are going on a weekend get-away. If I complete 3 cardio and 2 muscle conditioning workouts this week, I will book a massage. If I get through this challenging trail run, we’ll go to our favorite coffee shop and enjoy each other’s’ company. If I reach XYZ goal, I will treat myself to a shopping trip or buy something I’ve always wanted. Sometimes, if you can’t find the internal motivation, external motivation can work wonders to get you through a big goal!

The Importance of Sleep

More and more literature touts the importance of sleep in terms of health and fat loss. We now understand that when the body doesn’t get the 7-9 hours of sleep every night that it needs to rejuvenate, repair, recover and heal, it finds ways to compensate for the lower levels of serotonin or dopamine caused by lack of sleep. It does this by increasing appetite and craving foods with sugar and fats that instantly give you the immediate release of serotonin and dopamine. It also causes you to store more fat as a defense mechanism to provide the energy to help manage the longer days. So, get to bed early! Plus, if you’re in bed at a decent hour, you’ll be less likely to be munching!

The 3-2-1 Approach to Better Sleep

In the quest for a good night’s sleep, the 3-2-1 approach provides a straightforward yet powerful strategy to enhance sleep quality. This method breaks down the hours leading up to bedtime, focusing on specific restrictions to create an optimal sleep environment. By restricting food three hours before bed, refraining from water two hours before, and avoiding electronic devices one hour before, individuals can significantly improve their sleep and overall health and well-being.

3 Hours Before Bed: No Food

Sleep is when our body focuses on repairing tissues and removing toxins. Consuming a heavy meal close to bedtime disrupts this process and may result in indigestion and discomfort, making it harder to relax and fall asleep. Studies show that eating close to bedtime decreases the time that we spend in deep, restful sleep – that includes alcohol! Think of it this way – why do you need to consume a lot of calories when you’re just going to bed and won’t need the energy for activity. If you find yourself really hungry, opt for a light snack focusing on easily digestible options like a small piece of fruit or a handful of nuts.

2 Hours Before Bed: No Water

Hydration is vital for overall health, but consuming liquids too close to bedtime can lead to disruptive trips to the bathroom during the night. The second phase of the 3-2-1 approach encourages individuals to limit water intake two hours before bed. This allows the body sufficient time to process and eliminate excess fluids, reducing the likelihood of interruptions to sleep. Staying adequately hydrated throughout the day remains essential; simply adjust your intake timing and drink more water throughout the day to align with optimal sleep patterns.

1 Hour Before Bed: No Electronic Devices

The final hour leading up to bedtime calls for a digital detox. Electronic devices emit blue light that interferes with the body’s natural production of melatonin, the sleep-regulating hormone. By disconnecting from screens one hour before bed, individuals signal to their bodies that it’s time to wind down. Engage in calming activities such as reading a book, practicing relaxation exercises, or enjoying a warm bath to prepare your mind and body for restful sleep.

One of the best actions you can take to improve your overall health is to assure your behaviors enhance better quality sleep. By incorporating these simple adjustments into your evening routine, you can create an environment conducive to a good night’s rest and better health.

Manage your Stress:

There has been quite a bit of research recently measuring stress hormones and how they affect our fat metabolism and overall health. Dr. Pamela Peeke has been the leading researcher in this area and she has found that our body interprets any kind of stress in our live as physical stress and immediately responds using the “Fight or Flight” response. Unfortunately, most of the stress in our lives is not physical stress but rather, work, kids, financial etc. – more of the emotional or mental type of stress. But nonetheless, as our stress increases, the stress hormone, cortisol, is released into the blood stream.

Excessive cortisol has many negative effects on our body. One, it causes the body to crave more fat and sugar resulting in an increase in caloric intake. Secondly, it causes the body to uptake more fat into the fat cells in order to store energy. Both act a defense mechanism to provide the body with energy to fight off the stress – unfortunately, since we’re not really undergoing physical stress instead, we gain weight. High cortisol can also impact the quality of our sleep. High levels of stress have also been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The message is clear. If you want to obtain optimal health, you need to manage your stress. Take baths, get massages, write in a journal, read, pray, practice deep breathing, participate in Tai Chi, Yoga or meditation classes. Do whatever it takes to either interpret your stress differently or take care of yourself so that stress doesn’t tear you down.

Tips to increase Energy

Maintaining high energy levels is crucial for optimal performance and overall well-being at work, home or play. Whether you need energy to face a demanding workday, complete a rigorous workout session, keep up with your kids, or just want to play golf or your favorite sport, having enough energy can make a significant difference. If you often find yourself dragging, here are ten effective ways to boost your energy levels.

1. Prioritize Sleep – Quality sleep is the foundation of high energy levels. Aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night to allow your body to repair and recharge. Establish a consistent sleep schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, and ensure your sleep environment is comfortable and conducive to rest.
2. Stay Hydrated – Dehydration can lead to fatigue and decreased cognitive function. Make it a habit to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Carry a reusable water bottle with you and sip water regularly, especially if you engage in physical activities or spend time in a dry environment.
3. Maintain a Balanced Diet – Eating a well-balanced diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs for sustained energy. Include a mix of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, and a variety of fruits and vegetables in your meals. Avoid excessive consumption of sugary snacks and processed foods, as they can lead to energy crashes.
4. Regular Exercise – Physical activity has numerous benefits, including increased energy levels. Regular exercise improves circulation, enhances mood, and boosts overall stamina. Find activities you enjoy, whether it’s brisk walking, jogging, weightlifting, cycling, or engaging in a fitness class, and aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and 2-3 strength sessions per week. It may seem counterintuitive to exercise if you lack energy but moving your body increases your energy level.
5. Manage Stress – Chronic stress can deplete your energy resources. Incorporate stress-management techniques into your daily routine, such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or spending time in nature. Taking breaks and practicing mindfulness can help reduce stress and prevent energy drain.
6. Power Naps – Short power naps can provide a quick energy boost without interfering with your nighttime sleep. Limit naps to 10-20 minutes to avoid entering deep sleep, which can lead to grogginess. Find a quiet, comfortable space and allow yourself a brief nap when needed.
7. Socialize and Connect – Human connection has a profound impact on energy levels. Spending time with friends and loved ones, engaging in meaningful conversations, and participating in social activities can provide a positive energy boost and enhance overall well-being.
8. Break Up Your Day – Instead of pushing through long periods of work without breaks, incorporate short breaks into your routine. Take a walk, stretch, or perform a quick breathing exercise to refresh your mind and body, promoting sustained energy throughout the day.
9. Sunlight Exposure – Natural sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which plays a crucial role in energy levels. Spend time outdoors, especially in the morning, to expose yourself to sunlight.
10. Limit Caffeine and Alcohol – While caffeine and alcohol can provide a temporary energy boost, excessive consumption can lead to crashes and increased fatigue. Consume in moderation and be mindful of the effect on your energy levels.

Happiness is Health

Feelings of joy and happiness are critical to your overall health. So, what do you do when you’re in a slump and can’t shake a bad mood? Here’s 10 things that you can do to instantly boost your mood.

1. Exercise – You had to know that would be number one on the list. As soon as you start moving, you instantly start to feel better because the ‘happy-go-lucky’ endorphins are released into your blood stream. They call it ‘runner’s high’ for a reason. When you’re feeling down, commit to working out for at least 20 minutes. Go for a walk, jog, bike ride, do some Yoga or lift weights. No one ever regrets a workout when they’re done because no matter how you felt when you started, you always feel better when you’re done.
2. Head to nature – Go for a hike in the woods, walk along the beach, or just sit by the river. Breathing the fresh air and being in nature instantly makes you feel better.
3. Soak in the sun’s rays –Get outside and soak up some vitamin D for about 15 minutes to trigger feelings of joy and happiness.
4. Book a get-together with your favorite people – Consider who are the people that have the capacity to make you laugh and cheer you up and schedule time with them right away. If you can’t get together face-to-face, make a phone call or video chat.
5. Breathe – One of the simplest things you can do to calm any stress, evoke the relaxation response, and feel a sense of peace is to focus on slow deep breathing. Imagine positive energy coming into your body as you breathe in and imagine any negative energy, tension and stress leaving your body as your exhale.
6. Sleep – Things feel worse when you’re tired. Sometimes you just need a good night’s sleep or a nap.
7. Music – Listen to your favorite playlist. There are certain songs that can instantly put me in a better mood so know your go-to songs that you can play when you need a little pick-me-up.
8. Gratitude Mindset – If you focus on the negative, you feel worse. In contrast, if you focus on the positives, you instantly feel better. Make a mental list of everything and everyone you appreciate about your life. It’s hard to be down when you consider how much you are thankful for.
9. Comedy – It’s hard to feel down when you’re laughing. Put on a funny movie or watch a comedian’s act.
10. Animals – Whether its dogs, cats, puppies, horses, goats, or pigs, animals have the capacity to make humans instantly feel better. So, get some cuddles from your furry pets.

BONUS – If you’re feeling down, do something kind or say something nice to someone else. Making others feel better, makes you feel better too!

Increase your Natural Happiness Chemicals

Happiness is an important component to overall health so an understanding of how to manipulate our biology to boost our happiness is an awesome life hack. The role and functions of dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins control our mood, behavior, and overall well-being. Each of these chemical messengers are neurotransmitters that play crucial roles in our brain and nervous system. Once you understand how to boost them, you can control your own sense of happiness.

Dopamine, often referred to as the “feel-good” or “reward” chemical, is involved in regulating mood, attention, and movement. It is associated with motivation, pleasure, reinforcement of rewarding behaviors and contributes to feelings of satisfaction. You can boost your dopamine by participating in pleasurable activities such as eating, socializing, or accomplishing goals. Try to break larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks to experience a continuous release of dopamine. Regular exercise, adequate sleep and healthy nutrition all contribute to healthy dopamine levels.

Endorphins are your body’s natural painkillers, enhance mood, and induce feelings of euphoria or the classic ‘runner’s high”. You can release endorphins by exercising, especially activities that get your heart pumping. Laughter is another way to release endorphins and promote a sense of joy. Engaging in pleasurable activities, hobbies and listening to music can also give you an endorphin high.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, appetite, and sleep. It is involved in maintaining emotional balance and a sense of well-being. Ideal serotonin levels are associated with a good mood, while imbalances have been linked to depression and anxiety. You can give yourself a hit of serotonin by spending time outdoors, increasing your exposure to sunlight and by exercising.

Oxytocin is often called the “love hormone” or “bonding molecule”. It is associated with social bonding, trust, and plays an important role in emotional connections, social relationships and promoting feelings of warmth and closeness. You can boost your oxytocin by engaging in social interactions, physical touch, and acts of kindness. Spending quality time with friends and family, hugging, and cuddling (even with pets) will give you a wonderful boost of oxytocin.

Lifestyle factors such as regular exercise, healthy nutrition, and social connections can positively influence the production and regulation of these neurotransmitters. Understanding how to boost these happy chemicals can significantly improve your overall well-being and promote a happier and healthier lifestyle. No need for drugs because you’ll be high on life!

Embrace Discomfort

Labor saving devices and the comforts of the modern world that are supposed to be making our lives easier are actually causing disease, early deaths and mental health issues. Michael Easter, author of “The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self” explores our current relationship with and ability to manage discomfort. Here are some key concepts from the book that may cause you to rethink your lifestyle to better support optimal health:

Embrace Physical Discomfort: Our bodies and minds benefit from movement and physical exertion. A sedentary lifestyle with extended periods of sitting is considered the new smoking and is causing a rapid increase in obesity and multiple health issues including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Here’s some ways to incorporate physical discomfort in your life:

• Move your body daily. Strive for 5000-10000 steps per day.
• Try to use less equipment, technology and labor-saving devices and do things the ‘hard’ way.
• Exercise regularly. Challenge your heart and lungs through cardiovascular exercise and your muscles by strength training.
• Incorporate at least 1-2 more challenging, high-intensity workouts per week.
• Schedule a more aggressive challenge every few months. Perhaps enroll in a local race, complete a physical assessment and try to improve your score, or tackle a challenging hike or bike ride.
• Once per year consider attempting a physical feat, a misogi, that will really push your limits.

Embrace Hunger – Easter suggests that our abundant lifestyle and the constant access to food anytime, anywhere has caused Americans to overconsume. This is one of the factors resulting in our obesity crisis. We are a Supersize society, and most Americans don’t know what it’s like to be hungry. People feed from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed resulting in only a few hours every day that their body isn’t digesting food. Here are some tips to help avoid overconsuming:

• Try a form of intermittent fasting. We all practice fasting to some extent, but some may only fast for a few hours every night when they sleep while others may try to increase their fasting window. It is generally recommended that you try to have about 13 hours every night when you are not consuming any food or drink. So that means if you finish eating at 7pm, you don’t eat again until 8am. Allow your body some time to digest and absorb the nutrients in your food and be okay with not always reaching for those late night comfort foods.
• Avoid Overeating – Get into the habit of not stuffing yourself when you eat. Think of your hunger level on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being ravenous and 10 being gorged. Try to stop eating when you’re satisfied but could eat a little more or feeling full but not uncomfortable. Practice mindful eating and being aware of your hunger cues.

Embrace Silence, Solitude and Boredom – In modern society, we are constantly stimulated by our cell phones, TVs, computers, music, and people. Easter encourages us to spend time alone and learn to be okay with silence and boredom. Understand that it’s important for our mental health to not be stimulated every waking hour. Set boundaries on your device usage, ask for cell phones to be put away during meals, and practice good sleep rituals by shutting down electronic devices an hour before bed.

Embrace Nature – There are numerous studies that have documented the importance of and the physical and mental benefits of spending time outdoors. Spend some time outside every day and schedule an outdoor walk, hike, bike ride or other activity in nature as often as possible. Be okay with tackling undesirable weather and the elements. Knowing that you can endure hard things when the conditions aren’t perfect will develop physical and mental grit.

“The Comfort Crisis” is a wake-up call to examine our lifestyles, step out of our comfort zones, and challenge our limits if we truly want to be healthy and happy.

Intuitive Eating

This section could have easily been addressed in the nutrition section, however, it’s such a different way of thinking for most people that placing the material in the Lifestyle Changes section seemed to make more sense.

The first step to Intuitive Eating is to understand we eat because we’re hungry, but also when we’re bored, stressed, depressed, or celebrating. When you eat for reasons other than hunger, you find yourself in a vicious cycle of gaining weight, dieting, losing weight, quitting the diet, and repeating. Intuitive eating allows us to eat without shame or guilt while still maintaining our health and fitness goals.

Here is a summary of the principles highlighted in the book “Intuitive Eating – A revolutionary anti-diet approach” by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch.

1. Reject the Diet Culture – Intuitive eating requires you to NOT focus on weight loss and dieting. This approach understands that diets don’t work in the long term. Most diets fail, causing people to regain weight so it’s not a successful solution.
2. Honor your Hunger- Intuitive eating requires you to listen to your body’s hunger cues. If you are hungry, eat something. If you don’t eat and as a result become ravenous, you will overeat. Instead, as you start to feel hungry, ask yourself “what do I feel like eating?” or “what does my body need right now?” Intuitive eating involves mindful eating. This means that you eat with all 5 senses. You focus on eating slowly, taking smaller bites, putting down your utensils in between bites and taking the time to savor the taste, texture, smell, and appearance of the food. Allow the time for your body to send the message that you are full. You eat with no distractions such as TV or your cell phone, so you are better able to listen to your body’s cues.
3. Make Peace with Food – With intuitive eating, no food is off limits. You don’t restrict any food. You give yourself permission to eat what you really want. Experience demonstrates that if you deprive yourself of the items that you really want and crave, you will end up binging and then suffer from guilt. When you give yourself permission to eat all foods, it removes the shame and urgency associated with those taboo foods.
4. Challenge the Food Police – Silence the voices that tell you that you’re good or bad based on what you eat. Remove the judgement that categorizes food as good or bad. A healthy, balanced approach can include all foods in moderation. You don’t have to say “I will never eat that” instead you can say “I’ll enjoy that once per week or once per month” or “I’ll enjoy a small piece everyday” or whatever works for you.
5. Feel your Fullness – Learn to connect more deeply with your body’s signals. Listen for your body’s cues that you are no longer hungry. Ask yourself ‘are you actually hungry?’ and ‘are you sufficiently satiated?’ When attending dinners, honor your fullness and be ok with saying ‘No thank you’ when someone is pushing food on you multiple times. It’s not your responsibility to make someone happy by overeating.
6. Discover the satisfaction factor – When you eat what you really want, it’s satisfying. The Diet Culture removes pleasure in eating. We feel guilty if we eat what we want so instead, we’ll often substitute with something less appealing and end up not truly being satisfied. We’ll end up overeating other foods because we didn’t satisfy what we really wanted. Instead, if you’re really craving something, indulge, enjoy, and remove the guilt. You have the right to enjoy your meal without feeling guilty or worrying about how much exercise you’ll need to do to offset the caloric intake.
7. Cope with your emotions without using food – Find ways to comfort, nurture, distract and resolve your issues without using food. When you’re feeling anxious, lonely, bored and/or angry, expand your toolbox of other ways to cope with those emotions.
8. Respect your Body – Your body deserves to be treated with dignity. Avoid being so critical. Appreciate your body and all its incredible abilities. Love your body. Love yourself. We each have a unique body and we should learn to appreciate diverse bodies.
9. Exercise – Find the joy in movement. Do something active that you enjoy doing whether it’s walking with a friend, dancing, hiking in the outdoors…Include cardio, strength and be active with others. You always feel so better afterwards.
10. Honor your health with Gentle Nutrition – Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds. Eat in a way that assures you consume all the required macronutrients and micronutrients to achieve optimal health. Recognize and take note of how your body feels after eating certain foods and quantities. It’s about progress, moderation, and balance, not perfection.

Heal your relationship with food. Don’t strive for perfection. There is no failure, shame, or guilt in Intuitive Eating. Pause, observe the signals, and learn to enjoy eating again.