Holiday Eating

I want to take a moment to refresh your memory, just in time for Thanksgiving, about some tips for holiday eating. Then you can take what you learn at Thanksgiving into the rest of the holiday season.

This time of year can be a little taxing, if you’re trying to eat right and all the holiday goodies are staring at you, vying for attention. I want you to enjoy the holidays, enjoy the food, but be good to yourself in the process. What follows are a few tips to help you come through the holidays feeling renewed and full of joy, not wishing you hadn’t eaten a third piece of pumpkin pie & collapsed on the couch feeling gorged.


All foods can be included in healthy living, as long as we pay attention to portion sizes and frequency. Fortunately, many traditional Thanksgiving dishes are fairly healthy and adjustments to preparation methods can increase their nutritional value.

If you are unsure of the proper portion size, then try serving yourself like you would serve a 4-year-old child -- very small amount of each item.

Traditional Dishes:
1. Turkey – low fat, good source of protein
2. Stuffing – contains healthy fat, if prepared with olive oil vs. butter or margarine. Try enjoying only 1/4 cup.
3. Cranberry Sauce – fresh recipes are best, good source of vitamin C.
4. Mashed Potatoes – depends what you put in or on them, watch serving size if you’re eating stuffing also.
5. Sweet Potatoes – generally a better carbohydrate source than white potatoes, good source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fiber.  Again, it depends what you put in or on them, try truly enjoying a small portion, like 1/4 cup.


Quick Tips:
 Be conscious of portion sizes.
 Eat a light snack (high fiber, fruit, veggies) before you go. If you arrive hungry, it will be very tempting to overindulge.
 Eat only your favorite dishes. Don’t feel obligated to try everything.
 Take your time when eating.
 Drink plenty of water.
 If you have to try multiple desserts, take bite-size portions.
 Balance your intake over several days. When you’re not at a holiday celebration, eat lighter, lower-fat meals and snacks.

Along with calorie intake, you also need to be aware of your physical activity level. Don’t forgo your workouts. Remember, they’re not only good for the body, but also the mind and spirit. If you can’t fit in the entire workout, break it into smaller increments or rearrange items in your schedule, but don’t skip it. Even a few extra walks can help. That said, if you are sick, please do not force a workout. Give your body some extra rest so that it can heal and you can get back to your exercise program sooner.

I wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season.  Please post any questions or suggestions you may have.  I would love to hear what eating, exercise, and mindful practices work for you!

Source: American Council on Exercise and Walter Willlett M.D.,D.P.H - Professor of medicine at Havard medical School, Chairman of nutrition dept. at Harvard School of Public Health

The Most Exotic Place on Earth

"Because I am so rarely there, the most exotic place on Earth is where I am right now."

Where are you?  Are you here right now?  Close your eyes and listen.  Then open them and look around.  Whenever you can today, remember to be where you are.

-- A Year of Living Your Yoga by Judith Hanson Lasater

New Website Design

When you have time, please take a look at my new website design and give me some feedback.
http://www.nancescott.com/
Thanks and Happy Friday!

Stress Can Kill You

Stress can kill you...

...this is not a metaphor or hyperbole, stress, unchecked is hurting you mentally, physically, and spiritually.  Stress makes you anxious, sick, and tired.  Upwards of 60% of all doctor visits are stress related ailments...digestive problems, muscular tension, headaches, heart palpitations, fatigue, etc.  Then our stress overflows onto our family, friends, and co-workers, and into every crevice of our lives.

You're all very smart and informed people, so I'm sure most of this is not news to you.  You've also probably heard that exercise, meditation, relaxation, eating more nutritious food, getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night, deep breathing, and stretching all help release and ward off the build up of stress hormones.

And it's because we all have built up stress and we all need to release it that these next 6-week yoga and pilates sessions will be focused on that topic.  As we transition into a new schedule, class location, fall season, we'll practice letting go of our resistance to change and opening up to the new things to come.

I look forward to seeing you next week!

As always feel free to contact me and leave a comment on the blog with your thoughts and experiences.

Namaste

Second Week

Happy Saturday Morning!
For me this week went well, however, I totally bailed on meditation and reading on Friday.  At the time it seemed so necessary to skip, but when I did finally start the morning I realized that I really missed it!  I missed out on the time in the morning, when the house is completely quiet and still and no one needs or expects anything from me.  I'm going to try and remember how much I enjoy it (and miss it when it doesn't happen) the next time I think I "have to" skip it.
The food journaling is also going well and is helping me be aware of the times when I would normally reach for food out of stress/overwhelm/underwhelm....

This upcoming week, I'm going to continue with the meditation/reading time and food journal, but my new focus will be writing down 5 "accomplishments" at the end of each day.

I hope everything is going well for each of you.  Please keep me up to date.  I love reading your posts and staying connected!

Wishing you a blessing of a relaxing Labor Day Weekend.
Nance

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Inspire and Be Inspired

Hi all! So many changes happening that I haven't taken the time to update this blog, but more on that in future posts. Today I'm writing about an idea that came to me while working with a living wellness program (www.hillaryrubin.com/livingwellness)

So many times, in looking for support and accountability, we try to find friends who are working on the same things, but it can be hard because people have different goals. Instead of worrying about finding some one or group of some ones working on the exact same topic, we need to remember, although we're all at different starting points, we're moving on the same journey, toward a balanced, healthy life.

Instead of trying to find support among friends based on one short term goal, let's find common ground admist all types of wellness goals, building on the one thing we all have in common, the desire to become more aware of and connected to our whole & healthy self.

To participate, simply decide what your goal(s) is for the week. Be specific.
You may be committed to making better food choices (ie: no over processed food this week, 1 less soda pop/day, 2 more servings of fruit & veggies/day), maybe you're adding 2 days more/week of 30 min of exercise, or focusing on getting to bed an hour earlier each night to get some needed rest or to make time for your morning meditation. You see it doesn't matter what your weekly goal is, just be specific, so you can support yourself & be supported by others.

Next, post your goal as a comment on this blog. Then, throughout the week or at the end of the week drop a quick note on what you experienced, highs & lows, changes made, and whether you're continuing focus on the same goals for the next week or choosing new ones. While you're posting take a moment to look at what others have experienced and maybe offer insight.

I really believe we will all benefit from the sharing and knowing there are others moving through this life with wellness, balance, and health as their ultimate goal. Plus, I think it will be fun!

Well, I'm in, so here's what I'm working on this week....
*waking up earlier to give myself the time & space to meditate for 10-20min & read (15-20 min) each morning.
*eating mindfully all week. This involves keeping a food journal, so I am aware of each piece of food I put in my mouth. Not to berate myself over calories, but because I've noticed a tendancy to eat from a place of stress lately.

I'll let you know how it goes, and I look forward to hearing all of your stories!

Namaste,
Nance