10 Small Steps To Improve Your Health

Many of us make health-related resolutions, such as to lose weight, stop smoking or join the neighborhood health club. While it is common to set high goals, experts say that setting smaller goals could do more for our health. 

"Small steps are achievable and are easier to fit into your daily routine," says James O. Hill, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. "They are less overwhelming than a big, sudden change." 

Here are 10 to try:

1. Keep an eye on your weight and work on making sure you are not gaining extra lbs. Even if you gain just a pound or two every year, the extra weight adds up quickly. 

2. Take more small steps. Use a pedometer to count your daily steps; then add 2,000, the equivalent of one extra mile. Keep adding steps, 1,000 to 2,000 each month or so, until you take 10,000 steps on most days.

3. Eat breakfast. Breakfast eaters tend to weigh less and have better diets overall. For a filling and nutrition-packed breakfast, top Whole Grain Total® with fresh fruit slices and low-fat or fat-free milk. 

4. Switch three grain servings each day to whole grain. If you're like the average American, you eat less than one whole grain serving a day. 

5. Have at least one green salad every day. Eating a salad (with low-fat or fat-free dressing) is filling and may help you eat less during the meal. It also counts toward your five daily cups of vegetables and fruits.

6. Trim the fat. Fat has a lot of calories, and calories count. Purchase lean meats, eat poultry without the skin, switch to lower-fat cheeses, use a nonstick pan with only a dab of oil or butter.

7. Consider calcium by including two or three daily servings of low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt. Dairy calcium is good for bones and may also help you lose weight.

8. Downsize. The smaller the bag, bottle or bowl, the less you will eat. 

9. Lose just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight. The health benefits are huge-lower blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides.

10. Keep track of your eating. Write down what you eat over the next couple of days and look for problem spots. Often, just writing things down can help you eat less.

6 Tips to make meal prep simple

If meal prepping is holding you back from living your best life, here's some tips to make eating healthy simple.

 

1. Decide what type of meal prep best fits your lifestyle and preference.

2. Set aside and budget the time required to plan, gather, and prep your meals.

3. Invest in the right equipment, tools, and supplies required to make and store your meals.

4. Stock up on the cooking staples to ensure you minimize frequent grocery shopping.

5. Plan-ahead by preparing a weekly menu.

6. Minimize distractions while meal prepping.

 

 

What if I told you that you could quickly prepare a simple, healthy meal that fills nutritional gaps and saves you up to 25% of your time in meal preparation?

 

Replace one meal a day with Shakeology and get a delicious treat while getting all the daily recommended vitamins and minerals AND save time in the kitchen!

6 often overlooked steps toward a healthier weight

I recognize that weight is just one measure of overall health, but it is one that many of my clients are concerned with. If this describes you, then this article is for you.

 

Overweight and obesity are so common today that two-thirds of adults and one-third of children experience these in the United States right now. That’s hundreds of millions of people, so please don’t feel alone. Overweight and obesity can increase the risk of many health problems like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Achieving a healthy weight, eating nutritious foods, and being physically active can help improve your health and reduce your risks.

 

But as you know, there is so much more to the old adage: eat less, move more.

 

Weight loss is very challenging for many reasons:

 

●      There is an abundance of food available around most of us 24/7

●      Eating isn’t just something we do for sustenance; it’s gratification, a social activity, and sometimes even a reward

●      Computers and cars, etc. have contributed to a much more sedentary lifestyle—we don’t all need to be physically active farmers to survive anymore

●      Reducing calories voluntarily is really, really hard; it’s a huge challenge to change habits

●      Many diets work in the short term, but fail later on because they’re simply unsustainable

●      After losing weight, maintaining weight loss is extremely difficult (and this is particularly true for women after menopause or individuals recovering from a stroke or living with chronic disease)

 

Today, let’s go over some strategies to overcome the challenges of weight loss.

What is metabolism and how can I lose weight?

Your weight is based on several factors, some are controllable and others are not. For example, your genetics, family history, and hormones can impact your weight, but there’s not too much you can do to significantly change those. On the other hand, how much and what you eat, the medications you’re taking, the amount of stress you’re under, and how much sleep and physical activity you get also contribute to weight, and are a bit more controllable (albeit not completely controllable).

 

Here’s where metabolism fits with weight. There are so many things that your body does at rest: breathing, pumping blood, adjusting hormone levels, maintaining your body temperature, and growing and repairing cells. The amount of energy (calories) your body uses to perform these essential functions is called your “basal metabolic rate.” Overall, your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or metabolism, accounts for about two-thirds of the calories your body burns each and every day.

 

“Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. During this complex process, calories in food and beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

 

Your metabolism is influenced mostly by your body size and composition. This means that people who are bigger and/or have heavier bones and more muscle mass burn more calories at rest. Because men tend to be bigger and have more muscle, they naturally tend to have a higher metabolism than women. This also goes for younger people. Because bone and muscle mass naturally tend to decrease (and fat mass naturally tends to increase) with age, if you don’t take steps to maintain bone and muscle mass, your metabolism likely will decrease which results in increased weight.

 

Certain medical conditions can also affect your metabolism. For example, the hormonal conditions of Cushing’s syndrome, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can slow your metabolism down. These conditions often come with a range of other symptoms beyond just weight gain. If you suspect that you have an underlying medical condition, don’t hesitate to speak with your doctor or healthcare professional about tests to confirm these diagnoses.

 

A slow metabolism may be one factor that influences your weight, but it’s not the only one. How your body processes what you eat or drink and how active you are also play roles in your weight. The process of digesting food burns calories. About 10 percent of the calories in carbohydrates and protein are used to digest them. Plus, the amount of physical activity you do also accounts for some of the calories you burn every day.

 

While some people may gain or lose weight easier than others, in general, the balance of your “energy equation” counts for your weight. That is, the amount of energy (calories) you take in minus the amount of energy (calories) you burn can determine whether you gain or lose weight.

Weight loss/maintenance strategies

Before you start a weight-loss program, be sure to speak with your healthcare provider. Many weight-loss products or programs can be harmful depending on your current state of health and goals. Be particularly wary of products or programs that promise quick, long-lasting, or effortless weight loss.

 

Your behaviors and habits have a huge influence on your weight and you are empowered to adjust them as you see fit. It’s recommended that if you experience overweight or obesity and want to lose weight, try cutting 500 calories per day from what you eat. And, if you can add in some of these other strategies (including adding physical activity) you may be able to reach your weight-loss goals even faster.

 

Here are my top six strategies for weight loss/maintenance:

 

1 - Set specific, realistic, forgiving goals

 

●      Instead of a goal to “lose weight,” try smaller and more specific goals that you can attain.

●      Daily or weekly goals can be, for example, to cook a vegetable-rich meal on the weekend, decrease food cues (hiding cookies out of sight or disregarding food ads), or walk at least 30 minutes a day for at least 5 days a week.

●      Try to stick with a new habit for at least a week or two to start making it routine. Then when one habit becomes consistent, add another one.

●      Remember, it’s not uncommon to take 6 months to lose 5% of your body weight, so that may be a more realistic goal to aim for.

 

2 - Ditch the “diet” mentality and focus on making lasting improvements for sustainable health

 

●      Focus on improving your food choices for overall health, rather than “dieting” for weight loss.

●      Enjoy lots of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.

●      Replace saturated and trans fats with healthier choices such as olive oil, nut butters, avocadoes.

 

3 - Try eating a different way and see what works for you

 

●      Ideally, each meal should take at least 20 minutes to eat, so eat slower. Enjoy your food more and listen for fullness cues that subtly signal when you’re getting satisfied and it’s time to stop eating.

●      Eat more mindfully by focusing on and enjoying what you’re eating while you’re eating it. Pay attention to your food’s smell, taste, and texture as you’re eating it.

●      Try putting your fork down or sipping water between bites and thoroughly chewing before swallowing.

●      If you have a habit of snacking in front of the TV or computer screen, try getting used to replacing that with a glass of water or unsweetened beverage instead.

 

4 - You don’t have to do exercise to be more physically active (but you can)

 

●      Boost your activity; move for at least 30 minutes per day (even three 10 minute sessions can help); more movement can bring greater benefits.

●      Aerobic activity (e.g., walking, bicycling, etc.) is the most efficient way to burn calories.

●      Weight training (e.g., using weights or pushing your body against gravity) builds your muscles which increases your metabolic rate; ideally you’d include at least two weight training sessions per week.

●      Don’t forget you don’t have to do “exercise” to be physically active, you can take the stairs more often, park further away, walk a bit faster, or do housework or gardening—they all count toward your physical activity.

●      Fidgeting counts, too. Your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), like shaking a leg, tapping a foot, or even twirling a pen, also burns some calories.

●      Remember that any physical activity is better for your health (and weight loss goals) than none.

 

5 - Reward your successes

 

●      According to the National Institutes of Health, “frequent small rewards, earned for meeting smaller goals, are more effective than bigger rewards that require a long, difficult effort.”

●      Each time you reach a goal, however small, reward your success with a non-food activity or item.

●      For example, you may want to buy yourself that book, movie, music, or game that you’ve wanted for a while. Or re-read, re-watch, or re-listen to an old favorite.

●      Perhaps you can put a small amount of money away to save up for a larger reward.

●      Rewards don’t have to be monetary. You can take some time for yourself like have a bath, do your nails, or enjoy a craft or hobby you love (or try a new one).

●      Maybe you’d prefer some time to watch comedy skits or funny animal videos online.

 

6 - Persevere

 

●      Losing weight is very hard and most people have to keep trying before they find a way that works for them.

●      Every day is a new day. If you go off track, get back on track and try again.

●      Don’t give up. A study published in September 2020 found that trying to lose weight over and over again (also known as “weight cycling”) can significantly reduce your risk of dying. According to the National Institutes of Health, “repeatedly losing and regaining weight was better than giving up after one or two attempts or, worse still, never trying to lose weight at all.”

 

I have found that 2B Mindset is one of the simplest and effective ways of not only losing weight but also improving your relationship with food.

 

I also recommend 4 Week Gut Protocol, a program designed to help you discover and eliminate foods from your diet that causes you gastrointestinal discomfort or otherwise minimizes your healthy weight management efforts. It also helps you to add foods to your diet that supports your overall gut health.

 

Portion fix is another program that I highly recommend that focuses on portion control, the lack of which is a leading deterrent to weight control. This program uses portion control containers to determine how much of each macronutrient you should be eating each day according to your caloric needs.

 

Bottom line

While weight is but one measure of health, it is a big concern for many people. Losing weight is not easy. Your metabolism is influenced by many different factors—some you can’t control (e.g., your genes) and others you can (e.g., what and how you eat).

 

The fundamentals of weight loss include enjoying healthier, nutritious foods more often and being more physically active, but there are so many approaches that help you make this happen for you. The way you approach dieting and eating, the way you set your goals and reward yourself, and the way you persevere are all totally customizable so you can try and see what works for you.

 

For a nutritious approach to metabolism and your weight, consult a nutrition coach who can work with your concerns and dietary restrictions.

 

Is your metabolism causing issues?

Need help to lose weight or maintain weight loss?

Looking for ways to lose weight beyond “eat less, move more”?

 

I can help. Complete the Empowerment Zone Questionnaire to see if my comprehensive health and wellness program can help you.

References

Harvard Health. (2018, May). Burning calories without exercise. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/burning-calories-without-exercise

 

Harvard Health. (2018, July). Small tricks to help you shed pounds and keep them off. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/small-tricks-to-help-you-shed-pounds-and-keep-them-off

 

Harvard Health. (2019, March 19). The lowdown on thyroid slowdown. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-lowdown-on-thyroid-slowdown

 

Harvard Health. (2019, November 20). Building simple habits for healthy weight loss. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/building-simple-habits-for-healthy-weight-loss

 

Mayo Clinic Healthy Lifestyle. (2019, February 21). Is a slow metabolism the reason I'm overweight? Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/slow-metabolism/faq-20058480

 

Mayo Clinic Healthy Lifestyle. (2019, February 21). Can I boost my metabolism to lose weight? Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/metabolism/faq-20058346

 

Mayo Clinic Healthy Lifestyle. (2020, November 10). Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/metabolism/art-20046508

 

NIH Intramural Research Program. (2020, Dec 8). Attempting Weight Loss Linked to Reduced Risk of Death. Retrieved from https://irp.nih.gov/blog/post/2020/12/attempting-weight-loss-linked-to-reduced-risk-of-death

 

NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Healthy. (2017, September). Weight Control. Retrieved from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/weight-control

 

NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Aim for a healthy weight. Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/index.htm

 

NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Guide to Behavior Change. Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/behavior.htm

 

 

Take the time to say thanks!

When you have a mentor and a good friend or family member that is truly a 'ride or die', you gotta thank them from time to time. You really can't be great in this world without some loyal people behind you. So I'll go first… Shout out to my mentor who showed me that I could level up whenever I was ready. She never made me feel alone even when she reminded me that this is mine to build whenever I was ready. When I was ready to test the boundaries of what I was capable of, she’d be right there to support me. Since I began this journey, she has given me resources, got on calls, when I was confused she gave me clarity and most of all she was just THERE❣️ She never let me feel alone. 🤗 She always plugged me into the community of other women trying to do the same thing that I’m doing. I am now on pace to achieve my goals this year to help as many people as possible GET THEIR LIFE and prosper while doing it. So thankful to God 🙏🏽that he placed you in my path when I was looking for more. I’m so glad I said yes. 🙋🏽‍♀️ Are you a diamond in the rough? We should chat!

Oven Baked Salmon

Remember the benefits of omega 3s to brain health I talked about last week?  Here's a delicious way to get those nutrients in your diet in less than 30 minutes. I'm excited to try this for dinner this week.

We all struggle with something

For many of us, gaining back full range of motion and strength after a health scare (stroke, multiple sclerosis or other illness that compromises mobility) is a goal that requires daily movement and practice. You can’t give in to despair. You can’t give up on yourself. You have to give yourself some grace when you have a bad day. You must remain relentless in your quest to be whole.

I do this through functional movement and retraining my brain to move in the way that most people take for granted. Like walking, talking, running, getting down to the floor from a standing position and getting up from the floor.

A huge part of my training is flexibility training. A muscle that is flexible has more capacity to become stronger and move as it was designed to move. I have found a program that I have done before and will be starting again and I am excited to see how far I’ve come since doing my first round.

I’m getting stronger every day so I know I will do well this time around🤩

Recovery comes in many forms. We all struggle with something. The goal should always be to give your best every day you are blessed to wake up❣️ Through prayer and supplication I found the courage to embark on this journey. May whatever you struggle with today not overwhelm you. Make it your runway for you to take off towards your new beginning🤗

Would you like to get started on a new program to strengthen not just your body but also your mind too? Check out some options here.

🤗 The Accountability Mirror🤗

I remember reading this for the first time and being like “Dang David! You didn’t have to come at me like dat!”

Buuuut...

He is 1000% right!

If you tryna do something big, i. e. accomplish great things and/or create an impact, and you’re not getting results or making the milestones toward your goal, then it’s time to take a looooooong look in the mirror and deal with some stuff. 

Connect with some people that will hold you accountable and give you courage to do big things. 

Simply put…

Clear the cobwebs out yo mind and spirit that keeping you from gettin the bag 💰 

If you're really trying to reach some crazy, scary, I can't believe I'm even thinking about this, kinda goals, I encourage you to get Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins

🥺Push. Past. Pain.🥺

 It really is all in your head. 

One thing I’m know I’m really good at is suffering😂but any success I’ve had in life has been because I pushed past pain (try saying that 5x fast😆) and I was relentless in achieving my desired outcome.  

After all, I raised a whole human for God’s sake! I don’t mind telling you that she is an amazing and fantastic human with the biggest heart I’ve ever known. I can’t take all the credit tho… I had a little help from the Almighty🙏🏽

It takes courage to put your trust in God! For me, that’s the pushing past the 40% that David is talking about in his book, Can’t Hurt Me. Anyone can push up until it hurts. But it takes a whisper in your soul to make you take action and push past pain to get to where you wanna go. It’s the mind, soul and spirit vs. the brain for me. 

Your brain is there to protect you. But your mind, soul and spirit will take you where you want to go❣️🧠🧐🙏🏽🤗

🎶if at first you don’t succeed…🎶

Shout out to Aaliyah when she told us to dust ourselves off and try again❣️ RIP 

You know I’ve been having a lot of conversations about health and wellness and taking care of your mind, body and soul. Some of us seem to think that it’s got to be all or nothing. 

NEWSFLASH 📰 

‘ALL IN’ doesn’t mean all or nothing. 

It means betting on you for positive change! 

All or nothing is the biggest misconception about the journey to getting healthier that I have ever heard. Like anything in life that you’re learning for the first time, there’s a process involved. 

Maybe you have to write it down several times so you remember new information. 

Maybe you have to hear it multiple times for you to understand the value of it. 

Nevertheless, it is a process that is meant to be embraced, a process for good change to happen in any area of your life. Whether it’s a new job, new motherhood, a new relationship…whatever it is…you have to learn it and practice it to be good at it. 

Would you throw your kid away the first time you made a mistake? 

Would you quit your job after the first day because you didn’t learn everything in one day? 

Would you stop seeing someone after the first date because they ate their salad with the wrong fork? 

No you wouldn’t! 

So why would you give up on YOU because the first day, the first week or the first month of learning what it is to take care of yourself for the first time doesn’t go as planned? 

It’s a process. 

Embrace it! 

Give yourself some time. 

Give yourself some grace! 

You won’t learn everything in one day just like you won’t lose 100 pounds in one day… it’s a process… one day at a time, one lesson at a time, one pound at a time, one meal at a time. 

REAL TALK 

Whenever you’re trying to do something good, the enemy will rear its ugly head and try to throw a monkey wrench in your plans. 

If you know what I’m talking about, holla at ya girl! 

You gotta be better than the enemy and stronger than the enemy and have a little bit more faith in your Creator to get up when you’re knocked down and try again. 

This week is an opportunity to try again. Since the Lord blessed you to wake up this morning, what are you going to do with the new opportunities to TRY AGAIN this week?

Feeling under represented in the wellness space? Here's how to overcome it!

This delightful young lady wrote in an article in Cosmopolitan magazine about not being represented in the “wellness” niche. I know how she feels on so many fronts and I am sure I am not alone. Nevertheless, she, like me, was not afraid to try new things (many new things) to discover what works for her and what makes her feel good in pursuit of her own wellness goals. She discovered that listening to her body was the most effective way to achieve her weight loss and wellness goals. At the end of the day, that's what being healthy is all about, isn't it?

Here is what she had to say about her discoveries along her journey into her new wellness lifestyle:

“After a week of experimenting with surprisingly attainable recipes, the superfood-phobe in me realised it is possible to give your body and mind proper attention without necessarily resorting to fancy foods I can’t pronounce. It might sound obvious, but actual[ly] living, [it] has done confidence-boosting wonders for someone who felt a little excluded from the wellness zeitgeist”.

I agree that some of the wellness or “fitness” images that we see on our timeline has been, in the best of terms, somewhat deceiving. I believe it's because a lot of so-called diets and workouts are designed to be a “one-size-fits-all” type of solution to achieving wellness. However, we know that’s not true.

I’ve always believed that you should run experiments on yourself (be your own guinea pig) in your quest to achieve wellness. Try new things and give them time to work (30 days is a good benchmark) to see if the system you've chosen is sustainable to your lifestyle. That means listening to your own body and truly studying what works for you. This is the secret sauce to wellness, fitness and weight loss.

Source:‘How I reworked #WhatIEatInADay to improve my wellbeing’

3 things folks often overlook during their weight loss journey

What you eat

Hey let’s face it what you eat matters. If you’re not getting enough protein, fiber and carbs (yes, I said it, carbs) you are going to experience plateaus and weight gain. 

Examples of the types of protein you should consider are:

Lean beef such as flank steak, sirloin 90% lean ground beef

Fresh tuna, albacore or chunk light tuna fish in the can ( in water)

Chicken thighs (trimmed) chicken breast

Salmon

Cod

If you can get you chicken and beef organic or grass fed and your fish wild caught, all the better. 

Examples of the types of fiber you should consider are:

Green leafy greens like spinach, kale, spring greens (for salads)

broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini

Examples of the types of carbs you should consider are:

Sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole grain pasta, green beans, green peas, carrots, turnips

Although some of these are typically in the veggie category, they are also a great source of carbohydrates that don’t do a ton of damage to the waistline. 

When you eat

I can’t stress this enough.  When you eat is just as important as what you eat in my humble opinion.  Frankly, practicing intermittent fasting is a very effective way to manage your weight. Intermittent fasting is when you choose an eating window in your day.  For example, my eating window is typically 12p - 8p eating the largest meal of the day first. Throughout the eating window, I decrease the portions proportionately at each meal.  The last meal of the day is the lightest, usually a superfood shake which I have found boosts my metabolism and makes for a more restful night’s sleep.

A good night’s sleep

Speaking of sleep, it should never be underestimated how much a good night’s sleep contributes to weight management. The more sound sleep you get, the deeper the rejuvenation of your bodily functions and the healthier your metabolism will be.  We all know that your metabolism contributes significantly to achieving a healthy weight. A good night’s sleep will almost guarantee your weight loss goals once you make how much you sleep and your quality of sleep a priority.

Bonus Tip!

Movement

How much you move is definitely related to healthy weight management.  While diet and sleep account for about 90% of your weight loss goals, movement and exercise give you an edge.  Even walking can get the heart rate up, help you break a sweat and get the blood flowing.  All of that contribute to the commonly accepted and basic concept of calories in calories out that is essential to effective weight loss. Thirty minutes a day is all you need.  So take that walk at lunch time. Taking a walk does wonders for your digestion and it’ll do you good to enjoy the sunshine (on a nice day) and get some vitamin D as well as clear your mind from the stresses of the day.

So there you have it. My tips for healthy weight loss. If you want to begin your weight loss journey but don’t know where start, start here.