Nutritious choices made simple®
There are few topics that paralyze me the way childhood obesity does. I know…I’m not supposed to “take it home.” As a clinician, it is my job to be just that…clinical. But how can I, when I am facing a 70-pound second grader and a parent that doesn’t know where to begin?
As I hope we all know by now, there is no magic bullet when it comes to losing weight. The solution is simple, but certainly not easy to do. To lose weight we need to create an imbalance in the body’s caloric energy equation, or in plain English, we need to eat less (calories in) and move our bodies more (calories out). Many weight loss programs promise you won’t be hungry while you are eating less. From my point of view, I am not sure why feeling some amount of hunger is considered such a bad thing. Feeling hungry is a signal we can put to use to help us manage our weight.
I had a conversation with a client today that started with answering her question on how many grams of carbohydrates she was supposed to have in a day. It evolved into a discussion about how to figure out nutritional numbers (calories, grams, ratio of carbohydrates, protein, fat). I thought that some of you may benefit from that information as well.
It is April and North Dakota’s current temperature: 32 degrees F; snow still covers the ground. This seems like a picturesque scene perfect for curling up to a fire with a cup of hot cocoa… Wrong. We want spring and we want it NOW. We are so ready to transition to eating light meals with fresh vegetables and fruits that are not only good for you but finally in season.
Boot camps are certainly one of the hottest trends going on right now. Originally new recruit training for the military, boot camps were intense physical and psychological conditioning programs run with the intention of turning out a “lean, mean, fighting machine.” They were also meant to train recruits to obey orders without question, “When I say jump, you ask how high.”
I’m not going to lie. Sometimes, I don’t follow my own advice. By the end of the winter, even with a gym membership (and even a free one at the school I coach at!), I struggle getting myself there. But recently, something amazing happened. Since spring sprung (you know, way back last week), I’ve gotten back into running, and started doing it two or three times a week during lunchtime. Not enough to make me sweat, usually 2 ½-3 ½ milers.
Balancing everything that we need to balance in life is not innate… It takes time and effort to find your secret weapon that makes it all “work.” …We all know it is important to take care of our bodies, exercise and eat well. Yet everyday many of us partake in a risky experiment that challenges this… Take a moment to make space in your day for better balance.
In Maine, we don’t have 4 seasons; we have two: winter and spring/summer/fall. Winter lasts from November to mid-April here in the Northeast and with a possible 5+ months of snow-covered ground, it’s sometimes hard to stay with your fitness routine.
I’ll admit it: I’m not a winter person. I think the snow is beautiful, but by this time of the year, I’m ready for my garden to start blooming. I’m also ready to start running outside again and, for many of us, the treadmill looks better this time of the year than a jaunt through the snow and ice. Never fear, fellow warm-blooded Mainers, there are ways to combat the dreary days of March and April.