The Great Race, Pittsburgh, PA 9-28-08

Chris Rasmussen, (Dead-Eye Marketing) did a great job today and I am proud of him!

He trained and used strategies he learned along the way!  He wrote:

Thanks for your support as I prepared for and ran the Great Race! This year I took on training for the race in under a month, and to complete the course in under an hour.

Although it looked bleak for me at the 3-mile mark, I did some “breaths of fire” (way of breathing) that Deborah Barr of Whole Health Resources taught me, and I got re-energized. I was “on fumes” the last quarter-mile, but I managed to keep on going. Diana Fletcher, LifeCoach and TotalHealth coach, told me what I had to do to make sure I was “on track” for a safe, healthy race, even while being able to push myself.

My time was 59:20, so I hit my goal! (My time last year was over 61 minutes.)

Thanks again.

–Chris

Just goes to show you—set your mind to something, plan how to go for it, get support, and you can do AMAZING things!!

Diets Don’t Work!

First of all I don’t think diets work.  You are setting yourself up for disaster when you settle on an eating plan that limits the kinds of foods you can eat to only a few categories.

Eating should be fun and nourishing and not boring.  That being said, we do have to control ourselves sometimes with the amounts, and the foods we eat.  We cannot eat everything we want to, but there are ways of working fun stuff into a healthy diet.

Being realistic is how you will lose weight, and how you will maintain a healthy weight for life.

We know we have to eat less, and exercise more.  That’s a fact.  We know we have to limit our amounts sometimes, but we need to realize that it is ok to have treats once in awhile, and here’s the important point–truly enjoy the treats!

I believe that we can eat foods we like within moderation and teach ourselves the habit of eating healthy foods.  We can develop the habit just like any other habit, of choosing healthier alternatives, cutting down on portions, and limiting sweets and treats to a couple times a week.

When you allow yourself to enjoy some treats, you eliminate the certainty that it is just a matter of time before you binge.

I work with clients on this stuff all the time, and it works.  Being realistic, watching portions, planning ahead for special treats—these are some of the ways that you will never have to diet again!

Pennsylvania Smoking Ban Becomes Law Today

I know this will annoy a lot of people but I am so happy about this ban.  I am so tired of sitting in the no smoking section, but being near the smoking section in a restaurant, and having my meal ruined by the smell of smoke.

I used to be a smoker a lifetime ago, and I know how much fun it is before you are addicted.  It was one of the most difficult things I ever did when I quit.  But it is really stupid to smoke.  I have done stupid things, and I have witnessed stupid things.  This rates up there near the top!

I have lost many people because of their smoking.  People I loved and will always miss.  That’s what smokers don’t realize when they say, “It’s none of your business!”  It is the business of other people. There are the strangers who have to put up with the dangerous smoke and disgusting ashtrays, and the people who care about the smoker–children, lovers, friends… They are affected and in a Huge way!

I wish no one could smoke.  I know, I know, freedom of choice and all that…but, I still wish no one smoked.

Autumn and Comfort Foods

This is such a great time of year to get outside and see a whole new side of nature.  I love the air already getting a little crisper, and even though I will miss hot weather, the change is nice.

This is a good time of year for cooking and thinking about comfort food.  We can make some changes and have our comfort food be less “dangerous” for us.  Everyone likes warm foods as the weather gets chilly, but we forget that soups, and warm dishes don’t have to be loaded up with butter and fats that comfort for a short while, then cease to, when the jeans don’t fit!

Think about homemade soups with a tomato base and a whole lot of vegetables.  Make some on the weekend and have it waiting for you all week when you get home.  A baked potato can be a welcome warm item, as long as you don’t load up with too many extras.

Make your own spaghetti sauce and try some whole wheat pasta.  Try some different breads and eat them slowly and mindfully.  Truly enjoy one piece of warm bread and savor it.  You will find you don’t have to eat as much if you truly try to enjoy what you are eating.

Warm apple cider or some wonderful tea can comfort just as much as apple pie if you truly savor the flavors and aroma.  Take your time and think about what you really want.  It doesn’t have to be fattening to be comforting!