Listening to your Body in 2011

No worries.  I am not going to do a blog on New Year’s resolutions.  Personally I like to think through what I would like to accomplish each year.  Putting together a long list of “to do’s” gives me more anxiety than encouragement to move forward and accomplish my goals.

So how do I make changes that are important and support my health?  I listen to my body.  I frequently ask clients:  “if your body could speak, what would it say to you?”  This may sound silly to some but it works.

The Voices in your Head…

The parent voice says “avoid this food” while the child voice may say “but I don’t care and I want it?” Have you ever listened to what does adult or healthy voice is saying?

In general, people ask why I exercise most days of the week.  I jokingly say “because I need to look like my job.” Joking aside, I really go to the gym each morning because I like HOW it makes me feel.  I want to focus on what my clients say to me and how to help them.  If I don’t exercise my brain is foggy and I’m falling asleep.

If I don’t exercise my back hurts, my knee aches and I feel a sluggish metabolism and quickly start to gain weight.  My body feels like it is decompensating.  Yes – I have pretty horrible genes – but….I’m changing how I respond to those genes.  I’m choosing to expert power over the negative predisposition to health.

Those Carb LOVING GENES

How about food?  My Italian genes want bread, cookies, and carbs.  Sometimes I can eat a serving or two here and there but beyond that I feel bloated, sluggish, unfocused and uncomfortable in my clothes.  And…I feel much hungrier and think about food all day.   My temptation control button starts to deteriorate.

So exercising and eating healthfully are really dictated by my body.  I want to feel energy, focused, satisfied with my food and pain free.  I remember the goal.  I want the endpoint to be health and happiness at the end of the day and each year.

If you want to change something about your health in the New Year ask your body how it wants to feel.  It might be a little bit of struggle with the voices in your head but if you’re reading this blog it’s likely your healthy voice wants to win the race.

No matter what the challenges are during the race at the end you want a healthier satisfied body for your next year.

Health for the New Year

Many people start the New Year off with a rigorous eating or lifestyle plan only to be back to old habits by the end of January.  How do you sustain change with your eating and lifestyle throughout the year?

The answer to that question is different for each person, but here are a few tips to start off 2010.

1.  Have reasonable expectations – many of us start with harsh plans only to be pulling out our hair by day 3 and then doing nothing.  Ask yourself:  “what do I expect of myself and is that reasonable?”  If not, what is a reasonable expectation for eating, exercise, sleep or other lifestyle changes?

2.  Think of what to ADD to your life rather than what to delete.  This approach is friendlier and allows you to feel in control.  Incorporating more protein at meals helps even out your blood sugars and can keep you from eating everything that crosses your path.  Adding omega-3 –fats helps lower inflammation in the body.  A small serving of a dark green leafy and orange/yellow/red vegetable can do wonders for increasing disease-fighting vitamins and minerals in your body.  AND a square or two of dark chocolate adds important phytochemicals essential for health.

3.  Change ONE thing at a time.  One week focus on one or two things you want to add to your diet.  The next week add 15-20 minutes of walking several times per week.  Change what is most reasonable and doable over a years’ time.  It does not matter what you weigh today – it matters more what you weight a year from today.

Having a lifestyle that works does not happen overnight: it evolves over time.  Keep your expectations for 2010 reasonable and slowly add one thing at a time till you are in the health you desire.  Your body will thank you as 2011 turns the corner.