Have you ever gotten off track in the pursuit of your healthy lifestyle goals? Maybe you ate too much, or didn't exercise, or weren't consistent in taking your medications....and you think to yourself - "well, I messed that up, so why keep trying, why not just keep eating (or not exercising or not be consistent with my medication)". This kind of thinking can turn into an unhealthy vicious cycle, very quickly.
Here is a "new perspective" I would like you to try.
Every moment of the day we make choices. Every moment we get a chance to move toward our goals. Sometimes we don't make a good decision, but that is not the end of your chance to make your goal. You have the next moment to make a new choice, a better choice! You have the power to define each moment. You have the power to make the next moment a positive one on your journey to good health.
Think of each new moment as an opportunity to take one step closer to your goals and good health!!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Liz's Oatmeal Ideas
Each recipe starts with 1/2 cup Quick Oats (I buy them in the bulk section of Whole Foods, but you can also buy Quaker Quick Oats in the big round container).
If I am making this to bring to work for breakfast, I put the dry ingredients in a sandwich size Ziploc bag and the liquid ingredients in a larger plastic or glass container that I can just add the dry ingredients to, then add water before I heat in microwave.
Oatmeal + 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter + Honey + Skim milk
Oatmeal + 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar OR 1 Tbsp. Maple syrup + 1/3-1/2 cup Unsweetened Applesauce (I buy the single serve unsweetened applesauce cups)
Oatmeal + 2 Tbsp. Cottage Cheese + 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (the cottage cheese provides a nice boost of protein)
Oatmeal + Handful of Craisins + Handful of chopped Walnuts + 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
Here are some other oatmeal recipes:
http://www.mrbreakfast.com/recipe_collection.asp?subcategoryid=7
If I am making this to bring to work for breakfast, I put the dry ingredients in a sandwich size Ziploc bag and the liquid ingredients in a larger plastic or glass container that I can just add the dry ingredients to, then add water before I heat in microwave.
Oatmeal + 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter + Honey + Skim milk
Oatmeal + 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar OR 1 Tbsp. Maple syrup + 1/3-1/2 cup Unsweetened Applesauce (I buy the single serve unsweetened applesauce cups)
Oatmeal + 2 Tbsp. Cottage Cheese + 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (the cottage cheese provides a nice boost of protein)
Oatmeal + Handful of Craisins + Handful of chopped Walnuts + 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
Here are some other oatmeal recipes:
http://www.mrbreakfast.com/recipe_collection.asp?subcategoryid=7
Breakfast - what could be the most important meal of the day!
Here are some of the easy, on-the-go breakfast ideas that we shared:
*Cereal bars like Fiber One
*Frozen egg patties (can be purchased at Wal-Mart) that can easily be heated in the microwave and eaten with an English muffin to make an egg sandwich.
*Breakfast Cookies (sorry I forgot the brand name, can be purchased at Hy-Vee)
*Naked Juices or Bolthouse Farms juice
*Oatmeal (I will be posting some of my favorite oatmeal combinations in the next post)
*Fruit and yogurt
*Yogurt with Fiber One cereal (even though I would never eat Fiber One cereal on it's own, it is pretty good when added to yogurt, and is a great source of whole grain and fiber)
*Boost or Ensure nutritional drinks
*Carnation Instant Breakfast drink made with skim milk
Please add your own post if you have other breakfast ideas.
*Cereal bars like Fiber One
*Frozen egg patties (can be purchased at Wal-Mart) that can easily be heated in the microwave and eaten with an English muffin to make an egg sandwich.
*Breakfast Cookies (sorry I forgot the brand name, can be purchased at Hy-Vee)
*Naked Juices or Bolthouse Farms juice
*Oatmeal (I will be posting some of my favorite oatmeal combinations in the next post)
*Fruit and yogurt
*Yogurt with Fiber One cereal (even though I would never eat Fiber One cereal on it's own, it is pretty good when added to yogurt, and is a great source of whole grain and fiber)
*Boost or Ensure nutritional drinks
*Carnation Instant Breakfast drink made with skim milk
Please add your own post if you have other breakfast ideas.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Surviving the Holidays
We had a great meeting with discussion about the upcoming holidays, time away from work/normal routine and strategies to cope with the stress that these things can bring.
Some of the fears that we shared:
*Being at home and away from the regular routine.
*Not having access to the KFC/FitNest.
*Being stuck at the same weight or in the same old routine.
*Family stress (holidays, family member in hospital, etc.)
*Wanting to enjoy the holiday foods.
From the discussion about our fears, we came up with some great coping strategies:
*Schedule exercise, taking your meds, drinking water, etc. on your calendar even when you are not at the office. You can even set your phone to send you reminders.
*Set a schedule for your time at home so it can be structured like your work day. This will allow you to have more control of your time.
*Make a date with a friend or family member for a walking lunch at the mall or store to get exercise.
*Plan ahead by packing your own snacks and healthy foods. Use the snack-size ziploc bags to get the right portion size.
*Buy yourself a present, maybe a Wii Fit game, or something that will re-motivate you to exercise.
*It's ok to have some of the holiday foods in moderation. Then when someone is trying to get you to eat "just one more" try saying no especially if it is going to help you to stay on track. Your loved ones should understand that you are only trying to be as healthy as you can be.
*Borrow an exercise DVD from the library or Netflix to do at home.
Most of all we talked about acknowledging your apprehensions and fears about the holiday break, make a plan to stay on track and healthy during that time, and most importantly take a break and do something for yourself!
Have a safe and peaceful holiday with your family, friends and loved ones.
Some of the fears that we shared:
*Being at home and away from the regular routine.
*Not having access to the KFC/FitNest.
*Being stuck at the same weight or in the same old routine.
*Family stress (holidays, family member in hospital, etc.)
*Wanting to enjoy the holiday foods.
From the discussion about our fears, we came up with some great coping strategies:
*Schedule exercise, taking your meds, drinking water, etc. on your calendar even when you are not at the office. You can even set your phone to send you reminders.
*Set a schedule for your time at home so it can be structured like your work day. This will allow you to have more control of your time.
*Make a date with a friend or family member for a walking lunch at the mall or store to get exercise.
*Plan ahead by packing your own snacks and healthy foods. Use the snack-size ziploc bags to get the right portion size.
*Buy yourself a present, maybe a Wii Fit game, or something that will re-motivate you to exercise.
*It's ok to have some of the holiday foods in moderation. Then when someone is trying to get you to eat "just one more" try saying no especially if it is going to help you to stay on track. Your loved ones should understand that you are only trying to be as healthy as you can be.
*Borrow an exercise DVD from the library or Netflix to do at home.
Most of all we talked about acknowledging your apprehensions and fears about the holiday break, make a plan to stay on track and healthy during that time, and most importantly take a break and do something for yourself!
Have a safe and peaceful holiday with your family, friends and loved ones.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Setting Goals
We had our first group support meeting this week and it was a very positive experience. I was excited to get this part of the program started and excited to meet some of the folks in the CVRR Program. And to be honest I was a little nervous about the first meeting because I really want this to be an experience that everyone can benefit from.
Like I mentioned in an email, the group meeting will talk about the same subject as the monthly email tips. So this month we are focusing on setting goals and using the SMART goal template as a guide. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time specific.
Here are some questions to think about when you are working on a goal for this program:
What kinds of things would you like to incorporate into your lifestyle that would improve your health?
What skills do you need to acquire that would improve your health?
What kinds of barriers are preventing you from acquiring those skills or incorporating healthy behaviors?
What motivates you to get past those barriers?
Now think about a time when you were eating healthier, getting more exercise, getting the proper amount of sleep, taking your medications regularly or using stress management techniques...how did you feel? Can the positive feelings you have experienced in the past, be motivation for you to take on the challenge of living healthier now?
Take a moment to answer some of these questions, and then write one simple goal you can focus on for the next week or month. Baby steps, baby steps...
Here is a SMART goal format you can use:
I will (your goal here) by (how you will do the goal). I will know I am making progress because (how you will measure the goal)(time goes here).
And an example of a SMART goal:
I will lose 20 pounds by increasing my exercise to 4 times a week and cutting back on sugar and portion sizes. I will know I am making progress because I will lose 2 pounds a week for ten weeks.
Please share your thoughts, feelings, goals, frustrations, questions, celebrations, etc. here on the blog!! I can't wait to hear how you are all doing.
Like I mentioned in an email, the group meeting will talk about the same subject as the monthly email tips. So this month we are focusing on setting goals and using the SMART goal template as a guide. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time specific.
Here are some questions to think about when you are working on a goal for this program:
What kinds of things would you like to incorporate into your lifestyle that would improve your health?
What skills do you need to acquire that would improve your health?
What kinds of barriers are preventing you from acquiring those skills or incorporating healthy behaviors?
What motivates you to get past those barriers?
Now think about a time when you were eating healthier, getting more exercise, getting the proper amount of sleep, taking your medications regularly or using stress management techniques...how did you feel? Can the positive feelings you have experienced in the past, be motivation for you to take on the challenge of living healthier now?
Take a moment to answer some of these questions, and then write one simple goal you can focus on for the next week or month. Baby steps, baby steps...
Here is a SMART goal format you can use:
I will (your goal here) by (how you will do the goal). I will know I am making progress because (how you will measure the goal)(time goes here).
And an example of a SMART goal:
I will lose 20 pounds by increasing my exercise to 4 times a week and cutting back on sugar and portion sizes. I will know I am making progress because I will lose 2 pounds a week for ten weeks.
Please share your thoughts, feelings, goals, frustrations, questions, celebrations, etc. here on the blog!! I can't wait to hear how you are all doing.
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