The Right Body at the Wrong Time by Lou Haskins

This blog discusses Being Healthy in America Today

This is another segment of The Right Body in the Wrong Time - we continue the discussion of making Behavior Changes and why it is so difficult.

In the previous posts, (see archive) we went through the first four steps in the decision making process that leads to permanent change, precontemplation, contemplation, planning and action. 
This was the easy part! 

Now, after all this self-education and awareness, we put ourselves to the test of steps five and six,
Maintenance and Permanent Process.
Many of us get to this point;   now, you're going to see what it takes to make it your way of life!

This is where we want to be! 
ON CRUISE CONTROL!!! 
we can start and stop when we want, resume or even accelerate, and best of all COAST!

If it were only this easy! Just think, never worrying about what you're eating, never weighing yourself, not keeping volumes of charts and exercise schedules or calorie counting......why, everybody would look good and be healthy!

Just like these settings in your car's system, maintenance and permanent process allow you to do just that. The good habits become so ingrained, that they become second nature. You are so intellectually committed, you know that if you don't do this, your health will fail! 

 Maintenance- This is achieved best incrementally! 

Earlier, I described a typical all-or nothing approach. The kind I had tried.
It usually fails.
After all, the idea is to feel good, NOT miserable! Also important, is making progress that turns into habit.
How do you do that?

Set attainable goals, write them down and refer to them, and chart your progress.

A real-life example that worked for one of my clients. 

After the example we'll go through the elements that made it work.

(If you haven't read the previous posts in this series, The Right Body in the Wrong Time, now would be a good time to do so.)

This person was morbidly obese ( BMI 40). She had diabetes and metabolic syndrome. 

Docs are now calling this diabesity.

I talked with her.  Just listening is one of the most important things a trainer can do, btw. 

She was worried and depressed; she had tried so many things and nothing had worked. 

She was at the point where she knew if something wasn't done,  a health crisis was imminent!

She said she lived in a second floor apartment;  and, at the end of the day, climbing those stairs was really hard.  

BEFORE any commitment by her, or formal training by me, I made a simple suggestion: 

"When you climb those stairs, as you get to the top, step back and do one more. You can do that, right?"

She thought for a second, and said,  " Well, yeah, I guess I could do one more."

"OK.  Put up a piece of paper on the door, count those steps as you climb, each time write down how many you climb, and add one more each day," I told her.

"After two weeks, add them all up and you'll be surprised at how much extra exercise you got."

Off she went, looking determined, I thought.

A couple of weeks or so later, I saw her again. 

After only two weeks, there was a noticeable weight loss in her face. 

Even I was surprised! She was excited, and I was eager to have her tell me what happened.

 She had lost seven pounds. 

  She was climbing more stairs than the original goal.

   She was going for short walks.

    She even changed her habit of going straight to the refrigerator when she entered the apartment.

NOW she had a chance of making the changes required to live her life instead of just existing! At this point, training by a professional would increase her chances of reaching Permanent Process,  but is not absolutely necessary, because the criteria for sustainable change are being met.

They are:

1. Motivation-This person knew, as mentioned in previous posts, that a  health calamity was near.

2. A simple initial task - that the person agreed she could do.

3. Keeping a record- right on the door at the top of the stairs, pretty hard to ignore!

4. Progression-incremental increase is easier. (inch by inch, life's a cinch-yard by yard, life is hard)

5. A sense of accomplishment-she's keeping the record and seeing her steps increase every day.

6. Control- The feeling of helplessness and being unable to deal with issues disappears.

The BONUS effect-there are often unexpected positive events that occur in the process, a cascade of good things that further motivate the person to continue to improve. She started taking extra walks and stopped eating as soon as she got home.

In this case, the previous behavior was to eat as soon as she got in the door. The heightened  awareness and sense of accomplishment blunted that self- destructive desire and eventually eliminated it. 

The HALO effect- When despair and depression are replaced with success, you feel so terrific, you can do anything! That's a good place to be!

The concept of ONE MORE-Getting in the habit of pushing yourself, just a little each time, pays big dividends.

At this point, a trainer can help her stay on track, give her support, info and resources to continue her self-education, and emphasize that only SHE can take charge of her health.

The trainer would make sure she did not focus on weight; that rate of loss ( 7 pounds in two weeks) would actually be unhealthy over time. 

The trainer would also explain body composition; and why it is a better indicator of progress.

Reminder! As mentioned before, if the steps mentioned in previous posts are followed, it's possible to do this yourself!

A lot of us like the extra support, knowledge and motivation a trainer can provide. 

That's OK too! 

This person has since moved to Mississippi, and we've lost touch, but I'm confident she has the motivation, strategies and behaviors in place to lead a healthy and fit life.

I said in the last post I would include a picture of how I look now.
In the first pic, I'm 60 years old.

Now, at age 71, I'm healthier and younger.

At University of North Florida, I was tested at age 69, and met the standards of fitness for a man

35 years old! 

Folks, I have been there! Let me help you take control  and make the journey to health and fitness!

 The next post will be about Permanent Process-how to put the whole concept of health and fitness on CRUISE CONTROL and fahgeddabout it!

 

White Bean Ratatouille

           White Bean Ratatouille -  Healthy & Delicious!

  

Ratatouille is a dish of cooked vegetables that originated in southern France. 

It is hearty and satisfying, like comfort food, with none of the guilt. This version contains white beans which add protein and have a wonderful texture. Serve it hot or cold, either way this dish is sure to please! 

Yield: 8 servings

Here's what you need:

    * 1 large-size globe eggplant, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
    * 1 tablespoon water, for sautéing
    * 2 medium-size red onions, sliced
    * 3 medium-size zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
    * 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch squares
    * 4 garlic cloves, minced
    * 1/4 cup dry white wine
    * 1 cup vegetable stock
    * 4 tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped (or 2 cans - 15 oz each – fire roasted diced tomatoes)
    * 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
    * 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
    * 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    * 2 bay leaves
    * 2 (15oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
    * Salt and fresh group pepper, to taste
    * 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil

   1. Steam eggplant cubes for 10 minutes. Heat the water in a large-size sauté pan, add onions and cook, for 5 minutes.
   2. Add zucchini and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes. Add steamed eggplant and cook another 5 minutes, then add garlic.
   3. Add wine and stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-high and stir in tomatoes, parsley, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   4. Add beans to skillet, stirring well to combine. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender but not mushy and liquids have thickened, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
   5. Remove skillet from heat, remove the bay leaves, and stir in chopped basil.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 195 calories, 1g fat, 38g carbohydrate, 11.5g fiber, and 9.5g protein.

The Right Body in the Wrong Time - By Lou Haskins

This Blog Discusses Being Healthy in America Today


This Segment:The Right Body in The Wrong Time. 
 We continue the discussion  of making BEHAVIOR CHANGES, and why it is so difficult.

The last segment concluded with the statement, "The next funeral I attend may be my own!"

That realization came when I decided to get some term insurance to better protect my family. I figured a couple of hundred thousand  dollars more would do. I went online and filled out a form for some term insurance. It was cheap!
A company rep called, and said they would send someone out to  interview me.
They did.
I met him at the door.
He took one look at me, put a tape measure around my waist and said, "We'll be in touch."



True to his word, a few days later, I got a letter from the company telling me they declined to insure me.
Even this experience didn't really register, I was in denial (precontemplation).


But! A couple of days later my sister-in law stopped by. I opened the door wearing a favorite old terry cloth robe.  

The Defining Moment! 

SHE INNOCENTLY SAID,  "Lou, are you playing Santa Claus this year?"

 
Wait! Santa is old and FAT!  Hmmm...the truth HURT!                                                               


I went from the precontemplation to the planning and action phases in a hurry!
Only this time,  a revelation came with it!
If I didn't change, the disastrous loss of my health was imminent!


I started with the internet.  Anything and everything I needed and you need to make your chamge happen is there, and it's FREE!
It's important to point out here that the changes I made were done incrementally! 
It wasn't easy, but now the driving force of knowing my health was at serious risk, carried me forward.

FOOD

Take a look at the link below. It's at the USDA (US Dept of Agriculture) website.
The amount of information there is mind boggling!  We're paying for it, so why not use it?
It is a wonderful resource http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/

YOU BITE IT, YOU WRITE IT! 
I kept a food diary - It should be two weeks or more, (everything that passed my lips !)
I gradually replaced simple sugar and  calorie dense foods with whole foods containing more fiber. 
I started reading every food label.
More importantly, I started eating a LOT less commercially manufactured food.
I took the salt shaker off the table.
I began to learn from reading labels and that self-education process I mentioned earlier; just how much BAD stuff was in what I was eating. I got a sense of how many calories I was eating. 
The food diary was a real eye opener! Like everyone else, I didn't think I was really eating THAT much! Just that knowledge alone makes you start to scale back what you eat and how much.


Need a food diary?
Go to :  http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/tnrockyrun/feedme.htm
 Presto! There it is. Just print it out!
Go to the food pyramid: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/tnrockyrun/feedme.htm
Make a copies of the food pyramid while you're there, and  compare what's recommended to what you  eat.
It's a good place to start. By the time you get to the final process, (the sixth decision making step), you'll be tweaking that food pyramid to suit you personally.  One size does not fit all.
Just start writing down everything that goes in your mouth. 
We do a lot of what's known as mindless eating. When you see what you eat written down, well,  you'll be surprised!

Remember, there is no magic bullet,"special diet" or "clogged colon" cure!

You must take charge of your health!
During this process, you begin to feel in control. This is really important!
Instead of vague wishes to lose weight, or wasting your money on bogus pills or mail-order food, you are the one shaping the plan for yourself. That's why it works!  
And, it costs nothing!


You're making a lifestyle behavior change. You HAVE to believe that NOT making the change will lead to really a bad outcome for you! If you don't think that, you'll be a short term success, with  relapse waiting to happen.


A reminder here - we are not talking about losing weight, we're talking about being healthy!


I like to watch  the TV show, Dancing With the Stars! 

In 2007, former supermodel Paulina  Porizkova was eliminated in the first round. I remember what her pro dance partner said about her, "She's deceptively unfit!"


But she looked good! 


Being healthy is more than appearance or looking thin. Health is not the absence of disease, it's about having the strength and vitality to do the things you want, anytime you want, all your life. 






So, now, if you are spending time each day learning about healthy food, and you are starting to take control of your eating, what about exercise? 

 With my new-found knowledge, I made up my own pre-breakfast yoga/strength routine and followed it every day (almost) 
I began doing strength training.
Like food, exercise is best begun slowly and increased incrementally.  

The failure scenario I described earlier, which I had done countless times, always resulting in re-gaining weight and being in poor physical condition, has to be avoided.


Start with the link here that takes you to the President's Council on Physical Fitness.
http://www.adultfitnesstest.org/ 
This is another wonderful free site that gets you into the action mode.

Here, I'd like to make a point. If you know you need to improve your physical self, and you've gone through the first three decision making phases, Precontemplation, Contemplation and Planning; up to now, it falls into the category of good intentions. 
  
You CAN proceed to the Action phase and do it alone. 
But, it would be like swimming an Olympic pool carrying a bowling ball-possible, but VERY difficult. 
At this point, a good step for many people is to make an investment in your health and future with a premier establishment that employs qualified professional trainers; such as Body by Design Studio. (voted Best in Raleigh, 2009),   



We'll talk about phase five, maintenance, and six, what I call permanent process.
Oh, and, the 7th phase, the one we don't LIKE to talk about.
At Body by Design Studio, you and your training professional form a team with one task in mind:  
for you to meet your goals!
 

A qualified professional trainer will:  
be results oriented,
have the knowledge to select only the exercises that work for you safely.
will allow you to make the most of your exercise time,  
provide needed structure so that you don't get off track.

A qualified professional trainer knows fact from fiction and will not waste your time with fads. 
When you get to the maintenance phase, you can, with confidence, go forward on your own, knowing that the resource is always there for you should you need a refresher.

So, let's recap to this point.
1. You have the right body, but it's in the wrong time. 
2. Our Western lifestyle is dragging us down.
3. You have to get that "epiphany moment",  the one that makes you realize that NOT to make serious changes in your lifestyle could result in a health catastrophe! 
4. You think about, plan, and go into action by educating yourself and taking small incremental steps that breed success and let you realize you are the one in control.

For those interested enough to read this far, my picture, as I look today, will be in the next post.

Recipie: Green Smoothie

 

Here's a smoothie recipe you may not have thought of before. Green smoothies consist of 3 basic ingredients: greens, fruit and water. Have fun experimenting with a wide range of varieties of both the greens and the fruit in order to reap the most benefit. You may be surprised to find that the simple combination of greens and fruit is quite delicious. 
Servings: 1 

Here's what you need...

    •    1 bunch (2 cups) red dandelion greens (feel free to use spinach or any other dark greens)
    •    1 cup strawberries
    •    1 banana
    •    1-2 cups filtered water

In a high speed blender mix the ingredients until smooth.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 199 calories, 1g fat, 47g carbohydrate, 10g fiber, and 6g protein.

NOTE; Don't worry.  Even though  it looks healthy, it really is delicious!