What's Your Exercuse?

     No, that's not a type-o.  An Exercuse is an excuse given to not exercise.  I've used several, including "I'm too busy," "I have bad knees," "I don't like to sweat," and "It's no fun!"  Any of those sound familiar?  Do you have any to add?
     We all know exercising gives you many health benefits including sleeping better, reducing stress, having more energy, improving your cardio health, and aiding in weight loss.  Check out "Why is Exercise Important?"
     Now, to address some of the exercuses:

1. Am I really too busy?  I seem to find time for the things I want to do...spend time with friends, read, check my Facebook, watch a movie, etc.  Maybe a better way to put it, instead of "find" time, is "take" time. I take time for the things I value.  Even though I don't particularly like to exercise, because I value my health and keeping my weight at a healthy level, I must take time to exercise.
2. I really do have bad knees.  Since I've lost my weight, going up stairs has gotten a lot easier.  Getting up and down is easier, but I still have to be very careful when I kneel or do a knee bend.  So can I still exercise?  Absolutely! Check out "How to Exercise with Bad Knees" and "Chair Exercises." "Chair Exercises" provides links for several different exercise routines, including a modified Zumba workout.
3. Not too many people like to sweat.  some of the chair exercises in the link mentioned in #2 can be done without sweating.  The solution I found is water aerobics.  You sweat during aerobics, but since you're in the water, it's not noticeable.  Water aerobics also helps out with the "bad knees" exercuse.
4. Make it fun!  I got the 10 Minute Time Crunch kit at Weight Watchers and have been enjoying it.  It is a quick, easy way to move and lets me work at the intensity I need  before advancing to the next level.  I really enjoy music, so I have some of my favorite songs on my iPod to listen to while I walk.  I also found a YouTube video with a workout to "Move" by MercyMe.

     Do you have any suggestions.  Feel free to share what works for you.  If you don't like to use the word "exercise" try "activity."  Put some activity in your day everyday!

Stressed Spelled Backward is Desserts!

     I've heard that expression, and I've used it as an excuse to eat sweets when I'm stressed.  Not a good thing to do...so why do we do it? 
     Everyone gets stressed at times.  It may be due to your job, your health, your friends, your family or even your attempt to lose weight.  Everyone deals with stress differently.  Some people withdraw.  Others lash out.  Food is sometimes chosen as a coping mechanism. 
     I have to confess; I have to be aware of how I deal with stress.  I know I can be a stress eater.  One incident that I remember well is from high school.  When I finished taking my ACT test I stopped by McDonald's.  I ordered and consumed two Big Macs, a large order of fries, an apple pie and a large Dr. Pepper.  I also stopped by Braum's and had a triple scoop ice cream cone.  All that and I didn't get sick! 
     Sitting with my parents during their illnesses while trying to take care of my other responsibilities was also stressful.  I ate "junk" food, ate out often, and rationalized, "I'm cutting my stress by not worrying about what I eat."  Finally, my health demanded I lose weight.
      How do we deal with stress in ways that are healthy?  WeightWatchers.com has a good article called "Stress Tamers". It discusses the ways stress can manifest physically, emotionally, mentally, and behaviorally.  There are good ideas to help tame stress and the article provides a few links for more details. Exercising and talking to friends are two great ways to help reduce stress.
     The American Heart Association has a detailed article titled "Four Ways to Deal with Stress." It gives examples of positive self-talk, emergency stress stoppers, ways to combat feeling stressed with doing things you like, and daily relaxation. Other information links are on the site. There are a couple of video links in the article, in case so much reading stresses you out. (smile)
     The Emergency Stress Stoppers mentioned in the article were so good, I thought they were worth listing here.  Combining these things is also recommended, depending on the situation:

• Count to 10 before you speak.
• Take three to five deep breaths.
• Walk away from the stressful situation, and say you'll handle it later.
• Go for a walk.
• Don't be afraid to say "I'm sorry" if you make a mistake.
• Set your watch five to 10 minutes ahead to avoid the stress of being late.
• Break down big problems into smaller parts. For example, answer one letter or phone call per day, instead of dealing with everything at once.
• Drive in the slow lane or avoid busy roads to help you stay calm while driving.
• Smell a rose, hug a loved one or smile at your neighbor.

(From "Four Ways to Deal with Stress" by John Hammarley)

     My personal de-stress activities:

1. Breath Prayers- This combines deep breathing with reminding me Who's really in control.  I usually breath in thinking or saying an attribute of God and then exhale with a different attribute.  I use the same two attributes for the entire time I use this method for a specific situation.  This works well for me especially at night when I have a lot on my mind and I need to get to sleep.
2. Talking through things with friends- This helps me put things in perspective and having people I love and trust with my life offer great observations and help me take a practical approach to "getting my act together."
3. Take some "ME" time- I give myself permission to take 15-30 minutes to read, bead a bracelet, take a walk in my neighborhood, or something to take my mind off of what's so stressing.  On occasion, I've actually taken an entire weekend and gone to a cabin or hotel and stayed inside reading a couple of books and sleeping.
4. Saying "NO"- This one is still difficult for me, but I am doing better.  I have to realize that just because I'm asked to do something or participate in something doesn't mean I have to do it.  It's okay to say, "No, but thanks for asking."  I don't have to give any explanation or excuse.

     So next time you feel stressed, instead of reaching for dessert, reach for you phone to talk to a friend, take a walk, or read a book!

May I Take Your Order, Please?

     Several people I've talked to said they don't eat out when they're on a diet. I'm in trouble, if that's the case!  Although I've cut back because of trying to be a better steward of my money, I still eat out at least twice a week.  The key to managing your weight and eating out is making informed, healthy choices.
     In US News and World Report there is an article titled "Diets That Let You Eat Out." I wasn't surprised to find that Weight Watchers topped the list of resturant friendly diets...even though I don't consider WW a diet plan as much as a lifestyle change.  WW does a great job of educating it's members about ways to make good choices when ordering from a menu.
    "The Restaurant Survival Guide," an article on the WW site, gives several good tips for eating out.  It also lists words on the menu to watch out for because they usually are code for "contains lots of calories." Speaking of "code," just because a menu selection has the word "salad" in it doesn't guarantee it is the best choice.  The ingredients of some salads actually push the calories (and the PPV) higher than what a steak or chicken dish may be, so be cautious.
    What do I do when I go out?  I prepare, ask questions, and use portion control.  I prepare by having a good idea of what I want to order before I go.  I will either look up the food items in my WW Dining Out Companion or will use the internet to find the info I need.  One site I use is Dotti's Weight Loss Zone's Restaurant Guide. It lists hundreds of restaurants and a large portion of their menus with the PPV already calculated.  You might want to try some of the restaurant sites; some have the nutrition listed so PPV can calculated. I know this is true for Genghis Grill and Red Robin.  Applebee's actually has some menu items that are endorsed by WW and have the PPV on the menu.
     Some people are shy about asking questions at restaurants.  Not me.  Some of the questions I ask are: "Is the 8 oz. sirloin 8 oz. before or after cooking?" (If it is before, then after you will be consuming 6 oz. of steak.)  "What exactly comes on your side salad?" (I usually ask to hold the croutons and put the dressing on the side; I will dip my fork in the dressing to eat the salad.)  After everyone at the table gets a roll, I say, "Could you please take the rest of these rolls away, and we won't be needing anymore? Thanks!" (Removing the temptation is wise for me!)
     Portion control is a challenge at restuarants.  You've probably noticed that when you get your meal you get a large amount of food...way more than the suggested serving sizes of the individual portions of food.  To try to control the portions and avoid overeating, I usually ask the server to bring a to-go box with my order.  Before I start eating, I put half of my meal in the box and set it aside to have for lunch the next day.  My only problem with this is sometimes I forget to take my box home!
     Again, you don't have to avoid eating out.  Educate yourself about healthy food choices, do a little planning, and then enjoy your meal!!!!