Let's say we blow a few more winter cobwebs from our minds!
I know you're busy. We've got clubs, kids, jobs and homes to take care of. Some of us are even caretakers to our parents. We have dogs to train, cats to groom and birds to RE-train. Our TV's need watching, our ballgames need cheering, and our papers need reading. Our significant others need cuddling, our kids need hugging, and our buds need a beer.
But what about us?
Don't you think you're at a point in your life where you could devote some extra time to YOU? Remember that goal of getting into better shape? How is that coming along?
It's great that you are out there walking, maybe stretching to the bird songs. But its time to do even more.
Get a pedometer and keep track. Set some goals. Push yourself. Call a friend and enlist his or her help to stay motivated! Get that bike out from back of the garage. Buy a new seat for it. One of the more comfortable ones made for our size. Commit to a gym membership. Many gyms now have times set aside just for men or just for women.
Call a friend and make plans to met and spend 1 or 2 hours walking through the Home Depot or Lowe's and talk about all the projects you'd like to do. Then do some of them!
Or find the closest farmers' market and go once a week. Spend enough time to see the whole thing. This is the best way to get some of the freshest produce and learn about some you have probably never thought of before.
It is so important to keep moving and to increase your opportunity for movement whenever possible. Often, the hardest part is just getting started. However, most of us find that once inertia has begun, it's not so bad. It could even be fun!
This Week's Challenge:
Pick one thing that you'd like to do but because of your current health you cannot.
Write it down.
Now, who do you know, or who could you contact, to help you reach that goal?
Write their names down.
Next, decide what the best way to contact them should be.
Schedule a time and date to get in touch with them.
Finally, Do it! Go ahead!
Then come back here and keep us up to date with how it is going.
Tip of the Day
Don't get stuck in a rut by doing the same thing every week. Mix your activities up. If you make a schedule for yourself, at least for the 1st month, it will help you keep on task!
To the journey,
Toni A. Tripp
Open Wide (This Won't Hurt a Bit!)
Coming next week: Spring Cleaning, part II
Alex, friend of mine, recently shared with me a trick he has come across to help him curb his snacking habit: Brushing his teeth! Sounds too simple, huh?
I know we all brush in the morning and at night. Most of us also brush after a garlicky lunch. But my friend goes one step further. He brushes after every meal and after every snack, because the clean feeling dissuades him from eating. And let me tell you -- this guy has a terrific smile because of it!
Like many of us, Alex is overweight. But he smiles a lot and claims the flash of his pearly whites keeps his clients' attention off his girth and onto whatever it is he wants them to focus on. And when it's appropriate, he also chews sugarless gum between brushings. Before work meetings, when he knows there will be food like bagels, muffins and juice (things he needs to avoid) he takes the travel-sized bottle of mouthwash stashed in his desk and pops into the men's room for a quick refresher.
He tells me that at those times when the office doughnuts are looking just too good, a couple of silent inhales through his clean teeth remind him of his goal.
Apparently, my friend Alex is not the only one this clean mouth theory works for. Another friend, Karen, is a dental technician. She has patients who are also trying to resist temptation, and they swear that by getting their teeth cleaned every 2-3 months, it helps them to say no to some of the more sugary foods. Why this works, I'm not really sure -- but for some people it is a very healthy way to for them to avoid temptation.
Finally, out of the mouths of Babes: a friend of my daughter was staying with us recently, and she is just not a big breakfast fan (even when it happens after noon because they wake up at 11:30). Sometimes I actually have to remind her to eat before they tumble out of the house (imagine)! One day she turned to me and pleaded, “But I've already brushed my teeth and nothing will taste right! Couldn't I just eat a bigger lunch?”
Maybe there is something to this clean teeth thing after all.
This Week's Challenge
Set an appointment with your dentist for a cleaning and a check up while you are there.
Dr Garrison would agree that a healthy mouth is a part of the whole health puzzle. In fact, sometimes a dentist can spot certain health concerns before we are aware of them.
Tip of the Day
Make sure you always use a soft bristles toothbrush no matter your choice of shape or brand. Ask your dentist why!
Alex, friend of mine, recently shared with me a trick he has come across to help him curb his snacking habit: Brushing his teeth! Sounds too simple, huh?
I know we all brush in the morning and at night. Most of us also brush after a garlicky lunch. But my friend goes one step further. He brushes after every meal and after every snack, because the clean feeling dissuades him from eating. And let me tell you -- this guy has a terrific smile because of it!
Like many of us, Alex is overweight. But he smiles a lot and claims the flash of his pearly whites keeps his clients' attention off his girth and onto whatever it is he wants them to focus on. And when it's appropriate, he also chews sugarless gum between brushings. Before work meetings, when he knows there will be food like bagels, muffins and juice (things he needs to avoid) he takes the travel-sized bottle of mouthwash stashed in his desk and pops into the men's room for a quick refresher.
He tells me that at those times when the office doughnuts are looking just too good, a couple of silent inhales through his clean teeth remind him of his goal.
Apparently, my friend Alex is not the only one this clean mouth theory works for. Another friend, Karen, is a dental technician. She has patients who are also trying to resist temptation, and they swear that by getting their teeth cleaned every 2-3 months, it helps them to say no to some of the more sugary foods. Why this works, I'm not really sure -- but for some people it is a very healthy way to for them to avoid temptation.
Finally, out of the mouths of Babes: a friend of my daughter was staying with us recently, and she is just not a big breakfast fan (even when it happens after noon because they wake up at 11:30). Sometimes I actually have to remind her to eat before they tumble out of the house (imagine)! One day she turned to me and pleaded, “But I've already brushed my teeth and nothing will taste right! Couldn't I just eat a bigger lunch?”
Maybe there is something to this clean teeth thing after all.
This Week's Challenge
Set an appointment with your dentist for a cleaning and a check up while you are there.
Dr Garrison would agree that a healthy mouth is a part of the whole health puzzle. In fact, sometimes a dentist can spot certain health concerns before we are aware of them.
Tip of the Day
Make sure you always use a soft bristles toothbrush no matter your choice of shape or brand. Ask your dentist why!
Spring has Sprung
Look for next week's blog, Open Wide (This Won't Hurt a Bit), where Toni muses about a new appetite curbing technique you may not have thought of.
Ah, spring! Out here in Michigan the tulips are sprouting up and robins are coupling up.
It’s time to get outside, people! Enjoy this time while you can.
Start by walking. Even if you can only make it to the end of your driveway and back today, by tomorrow you'll be able to go 2 steps further. Within the week try making it to your neighbor's and back without feeling like you have just run a marathon. Speaking of marathons -- if you’re up for it, now is the time to get outside and train for those longer hauls. Make sure you have good shoes, and get started wearing them out!
If walking is out of the question, you can still get outside. Sit in a chair and do some deep breathing and stretching. Don’t hurt yourself by stretching too far too fast – the object is to shake off the winter dust. Remember what springtime is really all about -- New Beginnings.
So, come on everyone -- get your fresh-air-starved bodies outside. I’m serious. Turn off this computer and head for the door. Do it now -- I know you are just looking for an excuse to get outside and play! Come on outside! It feels GREAT!
This Week's Challenge
Turn off your computers, your TV’s, and your video games, and go outside!
Today's Tip
Once you are outside, enjoy it! And if you have kids or pets, they'll love the time you spend with them walking or playing in the fresh air. Even cheering as you watch THEM play can be good for all of you!
Ah, spring! Out here in Michigan the tulips are sprouting up and robins are coupling up.
It’s time to get outside, people! Enjoy this time while you can.
Start by walking. Even if you can only make it to the end of your driveway and back today, by tomorrow you'll be able to go 2 steps further. Within the week try making it to your neighbor's and back without feeling like you have just run a marathon. Speaking of marathons -- if you’re up for it, now is the time to get outside and train for those longer hauls. Make sure you have good shoes, and get started wearing them out!
If walking is out of the question, you can still get outside. Sit in a chair and do some deep breathing and stretching. Don’t hurt yourself by stretching too far too fast – the object is to shake off the winter dust. Remember what springtime is really all about -- New Beginnings.
So, come on everyone -- get your fresh-air-starved bodies outside. I’m serious. Turn off this computer and head for the door. Do it now -- I know you are just looking for an excuse to get outside and play! Come on outside! It feels GREAT!
This Week's Challenge
Turn off your computers, your TV’s, and your video games, and go outside!
Today's Tip
Once you are outside, enjoy it! And if you have kids or pets, they'll love the time you spend with them walking or playing in the fresh air. Even cheering as you watch THEM play can be good for all of you!
A Banner Year
Today I’d like to further our journey a little bit more into “Label-Land.” Over the next few weeks we will be diving directly into the fine print of nutrition labels, but for now let’s talk a bit about Banner Labels and, shall we say, miscommunication, to be polite.
I’m sure they have caught your attention, sitting there in big bold letters across the front of the packaging promising “Fat Free,’ “Less Salt,” “0 Carbs,” “No Sugar Added,” and probably the greatest of all “No Trans Fat!”
Know this – seldom do the products that these banners emblazon live up to their hype.
When one demon is removed from a food, the other demons are frequently cranked up. For instance, if they have removed the fat from something, they have probably upped the salt -- for flavor. If they have removed the salt, then the fat/sugar/carb content has likely risen.
Be careful about believing all these claims. Did you know that a “non-fat” Latte contains 1 gram of fat? 1 Tablespoon, equaling 1 serving of “reduced fat” mayo or Miracle Whip carries 5 grams of fat. Yeah, when I think about all those tuna lunches I had at the coffee shop -- yikes! I thought I was being so good.
In order to understand the true meaning of “Less Salt” we have to first know what they are comparing themselves to. Ok, less salt than what? A salt shaker?
And “0 Carbs” does not mean there are no carbs in the food. It means that in 1 serving there is less than 1 carb. But when a single serving consists of 3 bites or 1 cookie and you eat a handful, those carbs can really add up! This same decoding process also applies to “Low Fat,” “low-salt,” and “low-sugar.”
Here’s another one. “No Sugar Added” goodies are usually very sweet to begin with. They likely started with fruit. Sounds healthy, but they can be packed with natural sugars. Pay attention to fructose, sucrose, syrup and syrup solids – all forms of sugar. And look for the hidden fat in those treats included to increase flavor.
Last week I saw a jar of Spaghetti sauce that screamed “0 Trans Fat!” Hmmmm, tempting until I looked closer and started comparing other like products and found that most of them had 0 trans fat, but at least 2 grams of other fat! The carbs ran the gamut as did the sugar content. It is so much safer and better tasting to make your own! Does anyone have a recipe they would like to share?
If your chosen product talks about cheese or cheese flavoring, be careful too, because it is likely full of salt and fat. And remember when you are going for All Natural or Organic: salt, fat, sugar and carbs ARE all natural, and may be organic, but they may not be so good for you.
My point is that like any successful advertising gimmick, what you see is not always what you get. And until we train our selves to flip that package over and read the fine print, we can’t know what we are getting. We are going to need a way to translate those ingredient labels and nutritional facts into English. As we travel down this road to better health, decoding skills will be an important tool to aid us in tossing away detrimental habits and developing new ones that will last a lifetime. Dr. Garrison and his associates agree that the pursuit of weight loss without solid lifestyle changes cannot result in long-term satisfaction. Just as it takes two to tango (us and food) it takes two (us and healthy habits) to prevail!
Today's Challenge
Find out what your personal Achilles heel is. If you haven’t already been advised by your doctor, then make an appointment and ASK. Are you hypertensive (need to avoid salt)? Diabetic (need to reduce sugars and carbs)? Maybe you need a diet of reduced fat or lower sugars. Maybe you don't have any of those needs, but should add more fresh vegetables and grains. Identify the top ways you could make your diet healthier.
Tip
Borrow some cookbooks from your friends or the library. Or, email your friends and family and ask them each to send a favorite healthy recipe. Look to replace things that you buy pre-made at the store like spaghetti sauce, frozen casseroles, stuffed poultry breasts or pork chops, and the biggie -- pizza! The goal is to find ways to improve what you are eating now and to try new exciting meals.
I’m sure they have caught your attention, sitting there in big bold letters across the front of the packaging promising “Fat Free,’ “Less Salt,” “0 Carbs,” “No Sugar Added,” and probably the greatest of all “No Trans Fat!”
Know this – seldom do the products that these banners emblazon live up to their hype.
When one demon is removed from a food, the other demons are frequently cranked up. For instance, if they have removed the fat from something, they have probably upped the salt -- for flavor. If they have removed the salt, then the fat/sugar/carb content has likely risen.
Be careful about believing all these claims. Did you know that a “non-fat” Latte contains 1 gram of fat? 1 Tablespoon, equaling 1 serving of “reduced fat” mayo or Miracle Whip carries 5 grams of fat. Yeah, when I think about all those tuna lunches I had at the coffee shop -- yikes! I thought I was being so good.
In order to understand the true meaning of “Less Salt” we have to first know what they are comparing themselves to. Ok, less salt than what? A salt shaker?
And “0 Carbs” does not mean there are no carbs in the food. It means that in 1 serving there is less than 1 carb. But when a single serving consists of 3 bites or 1 cookie and you eat a handful, those carbs can really add up! This same decoding process also applies to “Low Fat,” “low-salt,” and “low-sugar.”
Here’s another one. “No Sugar Added” goodies are usually very sweet to begin with. They likely started with fruit. Sounds healthy, but they can be packed with natural sugars. Pay attention to fructose, sucrose, syrup and syrup solids – all forms of sugar. And look for the hidden fat in those treats included to increase flavor.
Last week I saw a jar of Spaghetti sauce that screamed “0 Trans Fat!” Hmmmm, tempting until I looked closer and started comparing other like products and found that most of them had 0 trans fat, but at least 2 grams of other fat! The carbs ran the gamut as did the sugar content. It is so much safer and better tasting to make your own! Does anyone have a recipe they would like to share?
If your chosen product talks about cheese or cheese flavoring, be careful too, because it is likely full of salt and fat. And remember when you are going for All Natural or Organic: salt, fat, sugar and carbs ARE all natural, and may be organic, but they may not be so good for you.
My point is that like any successful advertising gimmick, what you see is not always what you get. And until we train our selves to flip that package over and read the fine print, we can’t know what we are getting. We are going to need a way to translate those ingredient labels and nutritional facts into English. As we travel down this road to better health, decoding skills will be an important tool to aid us in tossing away detrimental habits and developing new ones that will last a lifetime. Dr. Garrison and his associates agree that the pursuit of weight loss without solid lifestyle changes cannot result in long-term satisfaction. Just as it takes two to tango (us and food) it takes two (us and healthy habits) to prevail!
Today's Challenge
Find out what your personal Achilles heel is. If you haven’t already been advised by your doctor, then make an appointment and ASK. Are you hypertensive (need to avoid salt)? Diabetic (need to reduce sugars and carbs)? Maybe you need a diet of reduced fat or lower sugars. Maybe you don't have any of those needs, but should add more fresh vegetables and grains. Identify the top ways you could make your diet healthier.
Tip
Borrow some cookbooks from your friends or the library. Or, email your friends and family and ask them each to send a favorite healthy recipe. Look to replace things that you buy pre-made at the store like spaghetti sauce, frozen casseroles, stuffed poultry breasts or pork chops, and the biggie -- pizza! The goal is to find ways to improve what you are eating now and to try new exciting meals.
Breaking Bread
Let’s talk about bread -- sliced, rolled, loafed, French toasted, bagels, English muffins, crunchy coating, pudding, tortilla, pita pockets -- well, you get the idea. Bread is something that some of us have grown up eating at every meal. But, for many off us, bread is a food we must eat oh, so sparingly, if not a complete no-no!
Think about it. Sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, fried chicken, breaded zucchini, hot pockets, it’s everywhere! Bread and bread products have become a major food staple in our culture and in many other cultures worldwide.
Bad news is, as part of this new journey we are on together, we will need to find ways to cut back on this “filler food.” Believe me, we don’t really need much bread, but some of us definitely crave bread. If you've already had weight loss surgery, you've already had to cut back considerably so you know all about it.
So, here are some suggestions I have come up with. I look forward to reading your creative ideas.
Season and broil or barbeque your favorite chicken pieces. Ask your server to kindly remove that bread basket from your table (no explanations are necessary) and play a game of hangman to pass the time until your real meal arrives. Eat a sliced apple with your morning omelets. Spread your peanut butter on celery or a banana instead of toast. Have a big taco salad instead of a burrito. If you're really brave, try stuffing your sandwich filling into a cabbage leaf. Be creative!
But if you want to have some bread, be aware that not all bread is created equal. Carefully chose only breads made OF whole grains, and not breads just made with whole grains. There is a big difference. Even some “whole wheat” breads that are supposedly good for you can be little more than white bread disguised with molasses or enriched wheat flour. These breads have very little fiber, protein, or nutritional value. You will need to read the list of ingredients, that dreaded fine print, to really know what you are sinking your teeth into. If you see the words “enriched flour” anywhere, or if it contains corn syrup or sugar, put the package down and walk away. Shoot for the breads that have high fiber, high protein, and the fewest sugars, corn syrups, or ingredients you can't pronounce.
Yes, bread is a filler food, a reminder of days past, a bad habit, a delicious waste of carbs, a demon you can do without. If you decide to contact Dr. Garrison and seriously consider weight loss surgery, breaking the bread habit now will aid you tremendously. In the meantime, breaking the bread habit could reward you with a healthier lifestyle and maybe even the loss of a few pounds!
Challenge
Go through you home, cupboards, fridge, pantry, bread box and make a list of all the different bread products you have. How many of these can you switch to whole grain, cut back on, or eliminate completely? Next time you go shopping schedule an extra half hour, take your list, and take your time learning about your alternatives.
Tip #1
Most anything you put in, on, or between your bread can also do great as a salad topping! Well, maybe not peanut butter…
Tip #2: If you want to enjoy healthy bread, buy a breadmaker and bake it yourself (they can often be found at garage sales and thrift stores for cheap!). When you make it yourself, you can use healthy, fiber-rich flours, nuts and seeds, and you can eliminate artificial ingredients, sugars, and other unhealthy additives found in most store-bought breads. But be forewarned, the smell of fresh bread is more than most of us can resist, so you might end up eating more of it than you want to! In addition to being healthier for you, baking your own bread is less expensive than store-bought bread.
Think about it. Sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, fried chicken, breaded zucchini, hot pockets, it’s everywhere! Bread and bread products have become a major food staple in our culture and in many other cultures worldwide.
Bad news is, as part of this new journey we are on together, we will need to find ways to cut back on this “filler food.” Believe me, we don’t really need much bread, but some of us definitely crave bread. If you've already had weight loss surgery, you've already had to cut back considerably so you know all about it.
So, here are some suggestions I have come up with. I look forward to reading your creative ideas.
Season and broil or barbeque your favorite chicken pieces. Ask your server to kindly remove that bread basket from your table (no explanations are necessary) and play a game of hangman to pass the time until your real meal arrives. Eat a sliced apple with your morning omelets. Spread your peanut butter on celery or a banana instead of toast. Have a big taco salad instead of a burrito. If you're really brave, try stuffing your sandwich filling into a cabbage leaf. Be creative!
But if you want to have some bread, be aware that not all bread is created equal. Carefully chose only breads made OF whole grains, and not breads just made with whole grains. There is a big difference. Even some “whole wheat” breads that are supposedly good for you can be little more than white bread disguised with molasses or enriched wheat flour. These breads have very little fiber, protein, or nutritional value. You will need to read the list of ingredients, that dreaded fine print, to really know what you are sinking your teeth into. If you see the words “enriched flour” anywhere, or if it contains corn syrup or sugar, put the package down and walk away. Shoot for the breads that have high fiber, high protein, and the fewest sugars, corn syrups, or ingredients you can't pronounce.
Yes, bread is a filler food, a reminder of days past, a bad habit, a delicious waste of carbs, a demon you can do without. If you decide to contact Dr. Garrison and seriously consider weight loss surgery, breaking the bread habit now will aid you tremendously. In the meantime, breaking the bread habit could reward you with a healthier lifestyle and maybe even the loss of a few pounds!
Challenge
Go through you home, cupboards, fridge, pantry, bread box and make a list of all the different bread products you have. How many of these can you switch to whole grain, cut back on, or eliminate completely? Next time you go shopping schedule an extra half hour, take your list, and take your time learning about your alternatives.
Tip #1
Most anything you put in, on, or between your bread can also do great as a salad topping! Well, maybe not peanut butter…
Tip #2: If you want to enjoy healthy bread, buy a breadmaker and bake it yourself (they can often be found at garage sales and thrift stores for cheap!). When you make it yourself, you can use healthy, fiber-rich flours, nuts and seeds, and you can eliminate artificial ingredients, sugars, and other unhealthy additives found in most store-bought breads. But be forewarned, the smell of fresh bread is more than most of us can resist, so you might end up eating more of it than you want to! In addition to being healthier for you, baking your own bread is less expensive than store-bought bread.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
I'd like to share with you a bad habit of mine that I recently discovered by accident - and it's all your fault! You see, my computers crashed. Both of them. Within the same week. OK, that's not your fault. I blame the death of my computers on my teenagers. Both of them. But after they crashed I got the offer to participate in this Garrison Center blog! So it was off to the library for me. I love the libraries. Whenever I get some alone time I don't spend it shoe shopping or at the movies, I head to the nearest library! It is quiet and calming and there is so much to do -- the books, the classes, the wise and friendly librarians!
Ok, so I settle myself in to start writing and I find that something is just not right. The next time and the time after that were the same. I don't get it. The chairs fit, the monitors are nice and big, the keyboard sits at a perfect height for me and the computers themselves are very user friendly, so what's wrong (have you figured it out)?
Thinking that it may have something to do with my organizational skills (or lack thereof) I came home and began to reconfigure things to make my transition from home to library office a bit smoother.
First, I cleaned all the stuff off my desktop, including the old mail, my kids' progress reports, my bags of Triscuit Rye, cashews and whole wheat fig bars. Then I moved to getting rid of duplicate bills, old sticky notes, and the bag I keep for my apple and pear cores (we always toss these out for the deer). Finally I put the fruit bowl back out at the kitchen table where it belongs (you got it, yet?).
Suddenly (BINGO) I realized what had been bugging me about the library - you cannot snack there! Wow, I had gotten so used to feeding my face at my home computer that I hadn't a clue I was doing it until it was gone! When I looked back at the food journal I had began with all of you, I discovered this habit had become so ingrained I had never logged in the snacks I consumed at the computer. Granted, it's not chocolate cake or ice cream sundaes, but it is absolutely intake and I should have been aware of it.
I have you people to (blame) thank for giving me this heads up. Thank you.
So, what about YOU? Do you have a stash in your desk drawer, back pack or car console? When you latch on to the phone for those longer calls do you also grab a soda pop, popsicle, or licorice stick? During TV time how much popcorn do you really eat? Whether you are counting calories, carbs or fat grams, it all counts. Bummer. But hey, it's a part of the process of understanding yourself better. And understanding your individual needs and habits are a very important part of this journey.
TODAYS CHALLENGE
Get a pad of sticky notes and a pen. Now on a few of them write:
HUNGRY
OR
HABIT?
Then post these in places you feel you could use that moment of pause and reflection. Try putting them on your stashes or favorite foods; put one inside your briefcase, your wallet attached to your cash, maybe next to the fridge door handle or the lampshade near your favorite chair. Don't forget to come back and tell us your funny stories!
TODAY'S TIP
You may have heard this one before, but try it, it works!
Order or prepare most of your foods with the dressings, sauces and gravies on the side. Then dip the tines of your fork or the tip of your spoon into these often overloaded favorites, and then fork your lettuce or veggies or what have you -- and enjoy! Odds are you will find that you use much less than half of these delicious, but calorie laden, toppings and still enjoy your food!
To the Journey,
Toni A. Tripp
Tripptales Fable & Allegory
Ok, so I settle myself in to start writing and I find that something is just not right. The next time and the time after that were the same. I don't get it. The chairs fit, the monitors are nice and big, the keyboard sits at a perfect height for me and the computers themselves are very user friendly, so what's wrong (have you figured it out)?
Thinking that it may have something to do with my organizational skills (or lack thereof) I came home and began to reconfigure things to make my transition from home to library office a bit smoother.
First, I cleaned all the stuff off my desktop, including the old mail, my kids' progress reports, my bags of Triscuit Rye, cashews and whole wheat fig bars. Then I moved to getting rid of duplicate bills, old sticky notes, and the bag I keep for my apple and pear cores (we always toss these out for the deer). Finally I put the fruit bowl back out at the kitchen table where it belongs (you got it, yet?).
Suddenly (BINGO) I realized what had been bugging me about the library - you cannot snack there! Wow, I had gotten so used to feeding my face at my home computer that I hadn't a clue I was doing it until it was gone! When I looked back at the food journal I had began with all of you, I discovered this habit had become so ingrained I had never logged in the snacks I consumed at the computer. Granted, it's not chocolate cake or ice cream sundaes, but it is absolutely intake and I should have been aware of it.
I have you people to (blame) thank for giving me this heads up. Thank you.
So, what about YOU? Do you have a stash in your desk drawer, back pack or car console? When you latch on to the phone for those longer calls do you also grab a soda pop, popsicle, or licorice stick? During TV time how much popcorn do you really eat? Whether you are counting calories, carbs or fat grams, it all counts. Bummer. But hey, it's a part of the process of understanding yourself better. And understanding your individual needs and habits are a very important part of this journey.
TODAYS CHALLENGE
Get a pad of sticky notes and a pen. Now on a few of them write:
HUNGRY
OR
HABIT?
Then post these in places you feel you could use that moment of pause and reflection. Try putting them on your stashes or favorite foods; put one inside your briefcase, your wallet attached to your cash, maybe next to the fridge door handle or the lampshade near your favorite chair. Don't forget to come back and tell us your funny stories!
TODAY'S TIP
You may have heard this one before, but try it, it works!
Order or prepare most of your foods with the dressings, sauces and gravies on the side. Then dip the tines of your fork or the tip of your spoon into these often overloaded favorites, and then fork your lettuce or veggies or what have you -- and enjoy! Odds are you will find that you use much less than half of these delicious, but calorie laden, toppings and still enjoy your food!
To the Journey,
Toni A. Tripp
Tripptales Fable & Allegory
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