Strategies for dealing with holiday snacking

This time of year usually means easy access to lots of unhealthy sweet treats, which leads to inevitable, unwanted weight gain. My dietician friend says that most Americans gain 10-15 lbs during the holidays! Yikes! So as the holiday season approaches, it’s time to develop some strategies around holiday snacking.

The workplace always seems to have an abundance of unhealthy food during the holidays. Add in holiday parties and happy hours and you could easily spend all day munching on delicious but unhealthy treats. Therefore, to prevent the unwanted weight gain, you need to make smart choices about which treats to eat and which to avoid. The most important thing to remember is that this is a time to celebrate with friends and family so completely abstaining from holiday deserts just isn’t very practical or fun. Therefore, aim to make every indulgence count!

First have lots of healthy options on hand. Keep a stash of fruit, veggies and humus, unsalted nuts, or other healthy snack readily available at work. Before you indulge in a holiday cookie or piece of pie, eat one of the healthy snacks that you have stashed. Once you have satiated your hunger, you likely won’t even want that sugary treat. Additionally, eat a healthy snack or even a full meal before you head out to your holiday party. This way you won’t be starving when faced with an abundance of unhealthy casseroles and desserts. Because let’s face it, we make poor choices when we are hungry.

Second, drink lots of water. The majority of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Additionally, thirst can feel an awful lot like hunger. So when those mid-afternoon hunger pangs start, drink a glass of water. After about 10 minutes, reevaluate your hunger. With your thirst quenched, you may no longer feel the need to eat something. But, if you are still hungry, eat one of those healthy snacks you prepared.

Lastly, vow to only eat treats and deserts that were hand made. These sweets have been prepared with love, so have a small piece and truly savor it. When you have lots of options, pick one or two that look the most visually appealing and take a small piece of each. Notice how lovely it looks and smells and then eat slowly so that you enjoy every bite. If you limit yourself to occasionally eating a small piece of something handmade and truly delicious, then you have no need to feel guilty! And don’t forget to thank the chef! Happy indulging!

The best yoga pose for managing stress: viparita karani

Even if you don’t do yoga, you have probably heard that doing yoga is great for managing stress. You don’t have to go to a class to get the stress busting benefits, just regularly practice this insomnia and stress busting yoga pose right before you go to sleep.

Legs up the wall pose, or viparita karani for you yogis out there, is an amazing pose that re-establishes a sense of balance and promotes a feeling of calm and wellbeing because it allows the lymph and blood from your legs to flow with gravity towards your head and heart. This is especially beneficial if you have tired and/or swollen legs resulting from prolonged sitting, standing, or travel. This gentle inversion (the legs are above the heart and head) can help bring relief for a headache, energize your tired body, or relax your mind to encourage sleep and rest. And don’t worry, you don’t have to know anything about yoga or even be flexible to do this pose.

To begin, lie on your back with your hips near a wall and the backs of your legs resting up against the wall so that your body is in an L shape. If you have really tight hamstrings scoot your hips further away from the wall until you feel a gentle lengthening rather than an uncomfortable pull along the backs of your legs. Remember, you want to feel comfortable and relaxed. You can slide a folded blanket under your hips and/or rest a heavy folded blanket across your belly and hips. Stay here as long as you feel comfortable. When you are ready, slowly bend your knees, carefully roll to one side, and press yourself up to seated. Sit for a few quiet moments before you get up. Enjoy!

Start your day off right

One afternoon, during the first few minutes of a yoga class, the teacher asked us to close our eyes and just enjoy the silence for a few breaths. Immediately my whole body relaxed and I realized that this was the first time all day that I had been still and quiet, it was wonderful! These short moments of silence are one of the many reasons that I love yoga so much.

Many years later, my teacher, Cate Stillman, recommended that I start each day in the same way, with a few minutes of quiet reflection. This has been a game changer for me, especially when I am super stressed. I wake up a few minutes early so that my mornings don’t feel rushed. Right after I wake up, I sit for a few minutes in my favorite chair with a big glass of water, just enjoying the morning. The key is to leave my cellphone, TV, etc. off during this time so that I can gently ease into my morning without distractions. This is also a really good time to spend a few minutes in seated meditation.

Starting my day in a relaxed, quiet manner helps me to ease into my day and to better manage my stress when things start to get crazy!

Are home cooked meals losing their appeal?

We all know that home cooked meals are generally healthier than eating out at a restaurant and they are certainly more affordable. Sometimes, though, eating at home starts to become boring. Luckily, there are several fun ways to make eating in fun and exciting.

Consider trying a new recipe. The great thing about this is that you don’t even have to buy a new cookbook because there are so many beautiful recipes for free online. Or if you are really feeling adventurous, go to the local farmer’s market and pick a fruit or vegetable that you have never tried before. Ask for suggestions for ways to prep your new food or again search for recipes online.

The simplest way to spice up your home cooked meal is to pull out the fancy china. Eating on fancy plates will make even the simplest meal more beautiful and really special. Don’t forget to take a brief moment before you eat to give thanks for the lovely food and for the effort and love that went into preparing the meal. Enjoy! 

Has your weight loss plateaued?

If you have been working really hard to lose weight but your weight loss has slowed or you are just beginning a weight loss plan, you should be writing down everything that you are eating and drinking. Buy a cute notebook, sign up for a calorie tracking app like My Fitness Pal (its free!), or set up a simple Excel spreadsheet so that you can quickly and easily keep track of everything that goes into your mouth. It is really important to write down literally everything that you eat and drink; including how large a serving it is, even if it is small or seemingly insignificant.

At the end of each day, review how the day went and notice if those “small” snacks are more frequent or larger than you thought. Also pay special attention to what you are drinking as drinks such as fruit juice and sodas can quickly pack in a lot of calories. If you notice that you are regularly snacking on unhealthy treats or drinking lots of beverages besides water, then this is a great place to start making small changes that will have a significant effect on your weight loss over time. So stock up on healthy, tasty snacks, such as fresh fruit or crunchy veggies and switch out your daily glass of orange juice or coke for a large glass of water.

Continue to keep track of what you are eating and drinking and evaluate your choices regularly so that you notice any bad habits as they start to creep back into your diet. It is really hard to kid yourself that you are eating healthy when you have everything in writing!

Massage your feet before bed for a great night's sleep

I am a big believer in developing a relaxing pre-sleep routine. This has been absolutely crucial for helping me get a great night' sleep every night. While this routine will be different for everyone, I highly recommend giving yourself a foot massage right before you go to bed. This is a truly calming, grounding practice that will help you bring your awareness into your body so that your mind has a chance to relax. (Please note that while it is nice to get a massage from a loved one, you will get the most benefit from doing this yourself.) 

I like to give myself a foot massage literally right before I lay down to sleep. I get an old towel to lay in the bed under my feet, I place a little oil in my hands, and I massage my feet for a few minutes. You can do this without using oil but I promise that the oil makes this practice even more amazing. If you are going to use oil don't bother buying a fancy massage oil, instead use a good organic cooking oil. I highly recommend using coconut oil if you tend to be naturally warm or sesame oil if you tend to feel cold. There is no right or wrong way to massage your feet, just do what feels good for as long as you like. After the massage you can put on an old pair of socks to protect your sheets or just pat your feet dry. Don’t scrub or wash the oil off as it is a great moisturizer. And that is it! You will sleep like a baby!

In the comments below, let me know how it goes!

*FREE* Strategy Sessions

I have a few openings in my calendar next week for free strategy sessions. Let's talk about what is going on with your health! I want to know if you are sleeping well, eating well, and feeling amazing everyday. And if you are not, I want to to help you, so let's chat!

The Secret to Healthy Eating for Busy People

Most busy professionals really want to eat delicious, nutritious, fresh food but struggle to find the time. Therefore,the convenience of pre-packaged, frozen meals or restaurants wins out over healthy, home cooked meals.

I have good news, I know the secret to eating well without spending a ton of time: PLANNING! Most people don't think about what's for dinner until they get home from work. This means that even though they want to eat a healthy, home cooked meal, they either don't have the ingredients or are too hungry to wait until dinner is fully prepped and finished cooking. This is where planning ahead can solve both problems. 

First find a time during your week where you have some free time. Make a list of quick, easy meals that you love and would look forward to eating. Second, make a grocery list, go shopping, and stock up for the week. For most of us, the weekends are a great time to do this. Third, do as much prep work as possible ahead of time. This could mean chopping up veggies for a salad and storing them in single serving tupperware or making a large pot of yummy soup, lasagna, or other veggie filled casserole that can be stored (or even frozen) and quickly heated up throughout the week. The key is to think of really simple, quick recipes that don't take a lot of prep time or that can be prepped ahead of time so that when you get home from work, you already know what to fix, you have the ingredients, and you are excited about eating it. Enjoy!

Leave your favorite quick, healthy meal ideas in the comments below!

Improve your efficiency by taking regular breaks throughout your work day!

I am always looking for ways to ensure that I am making the most of my work day. I want to get my work done quickly, efficiently, and most importantly I want to do a great job. But I don't want to work long hours.

I was therefore surprised to discover that taking regular, short breaks throughout the day was the key to helping me get my work done well and in a timely manner. Every hour to an hour and a half, I take a short 5 minute break. During this break, I go get a glass of water or tea, visit with a coworker about something non-work related, go for a short walk outside, or just close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. Therefore my eyes get a chance to rest from staring at the computer, my brain gets to focus on something different for a short time so that it doesn't get stale, and my body gets a chance to move around and stretch. These breaks leave me feeling relaxed, rejuvenated, and inspired to get back to work!

Leave a comment below with your favorite way to be efficient at work.

A Good Night's Sleep is the Key to Your Next Promotion!

I know how hard it is to get a great night's sleep when you are stressed and exhausted. What I discovered though is that the less sleep I got, the less efficient I was at my job. I therefore had to work even harder to get my work done. This left me even more stressed out and overwhelmed. When I finally focused on getting a great night's sleep, I found that I didn't have to work as hard to get ahead. So, if you are a busy, hard working professional, sign up for my next FREE call that will teach you how to get a great night's sleep every night. Don't worry if you cannot make the call live, I will send you the recording!

I am passionate about helping busy, overworked professionals learn to live natural, vibrant, beautiful lives! Please join me to chat about why getting enough sleep could help you land your next promotion!

Sign up below! It is FREE!!!

http://www.bethmarek.com/freetalks/lp_sleep2.php

Is stressed out the new normal?

These days everyone you talk to is “stressed out”. It seems like you must be doing something wrong if you aren’t completely overbooked, frazzled, and sleep deprived. Our jobs are requiring more time, more energy, and more productivity than ever before. To keep up, we are sleeping less, spending longer hours in front of the computer, and generally neglecting our health. Finding time for our families is getting harder and harder. Even the commercials on TV, billboards, and magazine ads are all promoting the latest time saving gadget or prepackaged meals on the go in order to help us pack it all in. I know people who eat all of their meals in the car as they run from place to place or meeting to meeting. But in the long run, is this new lightning fast pace that we live in really better? Are we actually getting more done or are we just running ourselves ragged trying desperately to keep up?

When I was told, at 36 years old, that my blood pressure was becoming dangerously high, I was stunned. I had always considered myself pretty healthy. I eat mostly fruits and vegetables and I work out regularly. But wait, do I really? I began to really think about my day to day routine over the previous few months and I realized that I had been cooking at home less and less often and I hadn’t had the energy to actually do yoga or go for a run in a long time. Oh and I wasn’t sleeping at all. The more I began to dig into my daily life, I realized a pattern. I was so stressed from my new position at work that I was literally making myself sick. From the moment I got to work each day, I didn’t stop. I ate lunch in front of my computer so that I didn’t have to take a break, came home late, and then spent the next few hours worrying about all of the work that I wasn’t able to finish that day and then, I would wake up in the middle of the night with my brain going a hundred miles an hour. This lack of sleep and the poor food choices were causing me to be too exhausted to do the activities that I enjoyed and the stress just continued to build.  And to add insult to injury, I was gaining weight. I decided that my health was much more important than anything going on at work and I needed to make a change. It is amazing what happens when you finally decide to put your health first. By making a few simple habit changes, I was able to manage my stress and to start each day feeling amazing! Oh and with all of the quality sleep, I was more efficient and effective at my job.

The American Psychological Association performs a study every year called “Stress in America: Our Health at Risk” which polls over a thousand people on their perceived stress levels. According to the report from the 2011 study, “Participants’ responses have revealed high stress levels, reliance on unhealthy behaviors to manage stress and alarming physical health consequences of stress — a combination that suggests the nation is on the verge of a stress-induced public health crisis.” The results from this study indicated that most participants felt that their stress had increased, with 39% reporting increased levels of stress over the last year and 44% reporting increased stress over the past 5 years. But what is most telling is that while participants are reporting continued stress over the years, they do not seem to know how to manage it, with only 26% of participants reporting “they are doing an excellent or a very good job at preventing themselves from becoming stressed.”

So how do we manage the stress that is becoming a way of life? Start with these simple steps. First, plan to take mini breaks throughout the day. This could mean taking a walk around the office or taking a few moments to have a friendly chat with a colleague. This could even be as short and simple as closing your eyes, readjusting your posture, and taking several deep breaths every 15 to 20 minutes. Additionally, resolve to actually take a lunch break. Head to the lunch room or take your lunch outside so that you can easily focus on enjoying your meal. If possible, take a brisk walk after eating. Or, if leaving your desk is just not feasible, turn off your computer screen and savor every bite. In the evening, at least an hour before going to bed, turn off the TV, computer, cell phones, etc. and do something that you enjoy. Take a walk, play a game, take a hot bath, or catch up with your family. This hour should be used to wind down, settle, and prepare your body for sleep so that when bed time rolls around your brain has started to relax and you are truly ready for a good night sleep. Over time, you will find that being well rested will actually make you more efficient and effective at your job.

So while it seems that our lives are not going to slow down anytime soon, being able to manage the inevitable stress will allow us to be more effective professionals and continue to be healthy even as we age.

Check out my webpage (http://www.bethmarek.com) to learn more about my new program Rested, Nourished, Vibrant, which will help you learn to manage stress, eat well, sleep great, and feel amazing!

Anderson, N., Johnson, S., Belar, C., Breckler, S., Nordal, K., & Ballard, D. (2012). Stress in America: Our Health at Risk. American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2011/final-2011.pdf