Posts Tagged ‘Weight loss’

Wednesday Wellness: Improve your well being

By Tammy Parkinson | January 25th, 2012 0 Comments

“What do you have to gain by losing?”

I heard this slogan the other day, actually from a Kellogg’s commercial! Immediately though, I thought it was a brilliant way of saying so much about the true gift of weight loss.

When we go on a diet, we often think of the sacrifices we will be making, of the challenges to undoubtedly incur and the rough and hungry road ahead. “Diets” are painted out to be an arduous venture and often an unsuccessful one. When we jump in to weight loss with this mindset, it’s no wonder so many “fail”…the uphill battle has already started without the first pound behind us.

What if you wanted to get in better shape and/or become healthier through weight loss, better nutrition or better blood numbers? What if before you started, you thought about all that you will gain in your life by losing the weight and focusing on your health? Do you think you might look at the “project” a little differently? Quite possibly you could get enthusiastic about the goal…maybe even excited! Now that would be a change, wouldn’t it?

Here are some possible life changing experiences you might gain if you lost…

  • More energy
  • Sleeping better
  • Being able to do activities with friends
  • Feeling great in your clothes
  • Better mental focus
  • Keep up with your children
  • Longer life and one which feels better
  • Looking awesome
  • Picking up a new sport you never thought you could do
  • Influencing and inspiring others who need a little motivation to get healthy

These are just a few examples I have seen friends and clients GAIN when they chose to lose weight and improve their well being! How about you…do you have anything to gain?

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Wednesday Wellness: Fats in our diet

By Tammy Parkinson | January 18th, 2012 0 Comments

Often times when I work with a weight loss client I will look at many different factors of a program (caloric intake, lifestyle, age, activity, general health) and a common reoccurring theme for a large population is too many calories, not enough expenditure.

In reviewing what many clients eat, I find a high fat diet is a big factor. We will go over the dynamics of having more protein (again a common theme) as well as less fat and what I hear from several is “ok, I’ll eat more cheese and nuts.” Herein lies the problem for many…nuts and cheese are mostly fat…not protein! Many don’t really know what foods have fat in them!

Nuts and Cheese (two of the biggest culprits) DO have some protein in them, but calorically, nuts are about 80% fat (same with nut butters) and regular cheese is about 85% fat calorically! Since fat has 9 kcals per gram and protein and carbs have 4 kcals per gram, when we eat fats (even GOOD fats) they will add up calorically 2 and 1/2 x faster than their counterparts!

Now, everyone is different in their needs, (some really do need more fat) but if weight loss is important to you, getting in about 25% fat in your diet is great… but 50% is what I see in a great amount of clients! If these folks cut their fat a little (specifically saturated and trans fats), they will automatically cut calories. Again, however, I want to emphasize monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are essential, so we need to have fats in our diet, but not THAT much! :)

I thought it might be helpful to list some known and (for some) unknown fat foods: “Popular good fats”

  • Avocados
  • Olive oil, almond oil, sesame oil, etc
  • Nuts
  • Nut butters (almond butter, peanut butter)
  • Edamame (about 40-50% fat calorically)
  • Beans (about 40-50% fat calorically)
  • Tofu (about 40-50% fat calorically)
  • Fatty fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout)

“Popular bad fats” (saturated and trans fats)

  • High-fat cuts of meat (beef, lamb, pork)
  • Chicken with the skin
  • Whole-fat and 2% dairy products (milk and cream)
  • Butter
  • Cheese
  • Ice cream
  • Palm and coconut oil (controversial here)
  • Lard
  • Commercially-baked pastries, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pizza dough
  • Packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn, chips)
  • Stick margarine
  • Vegetable shortening
  • Fried foods (French fries, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, breaded fish)
  • Candy bars (sorry, Bummer, huh!)

Getting our food right is practically a full time job right at first, I know, but maybe if you take it just a little at a time, dividing your popular fat choices in half, you can take a small step towards reducing your fat intake (if that is what is needed for you) and creating a healthier body.  (Especially the “bad fats!”)

**If you’d like to dive a little deeper in to your nutrition, ask us about a nutrition accountability group we are doing with the Cupertino and Los Gatos offices! These start in late January!

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Wednesday Wellness: Enjoy the holidays without putting on the pounds

By Tammy Parkinson | December 1st, 2010 0 Comments

Here we go! The beginning of December and the start of the holiday season! This is such a fun time of the year but it can also be the most unhealthy…that is if we let it. Right now, we’re coming off of Thanksgiving weekend and although the best intentions for most of us was to eat light, avoid the gravy, and go light on desserts; most whom I’ve talked to did pretty well, but still over indulged a bit! Then there was the 2 days after Thanksgiving and we certainly don’t want to waste any of that hard labored food!

So, once again, here we go in to office parties, friendly get-togethers, homemade cookies, Sees candy and limited time for workouts. So the question is: Can you make it to January without gaining any weight?

Of course you can, but you’ll need to go into battle with a plan! (That is if you DO want to eliminate any excess weight gain.)

Here are some suggestions. You can make your own list, choose one of mine, or choose all of mine! Either way, right now, determine how you want to fit into your pants on January 1, 2011…today!

  • Exercise 5 or more days a week, getting your heart rate up each day! (30-60 minutes is optimal according to the American College of Sports Medicine).
  • Choose only sweets which are once a year treats vs. something you can pick up any time of the year and only have a taste.
  • If you have drinks, minimize to 2 and have water in between. Avoid the mixers too!
  • Stay clear of creamy, deep fried, buttery foods as much as possible.
  • When going to a party, eat something balanced before hand and you’ll have significantly more willpower.
  • Drink more water than usual this time of year.
  • Plan on wearing your year round pants or tops to parties, when appropriate, instead of hiding behind capes, scarves, and jackets “just in case” you put on a few pounds.
  • Have an accountability buddy to help keep you on track.
  • Join me in no sweets at all until January 1st!

These are only a few options you can use, or make up your own! Get honest with yourself, though. You CAN enjoy this season without putting on weight. That will help ensure you’ll also enjoy the season after this season!

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Wednesday Wellness: It’s never too late

By Tammy Parkinson | August 4th, 2010 0 Comments

How often have you heard, “I’m not going to change my habits, I’m too old, I’m too set in my ways.” Or how many times have you told yourself, “Ahhh, it’s just too much work, it doesn’t matter if I start changing my eating habits or exercising differently, I’m too old for it to make a difference anyway.”

From my chair, often I hear folks get defeated before they begin. They’ve already talked themselves into believing that no matter how hard they try, they can’t make much of a difference in their health. Really? How can “not that much” be a bad thing? Wouldn’t it be better to think you can make a small change (anything) every day, adding up to years of better health?

Well, enter two amazing clients I have had the pleasure to work with recently.  Dell and George. They are a married couple and wanted to become healthier; together. Dell wanted to lose a few pounds, know which foods are healthier as well as becoming more flexible and mobile. George wanted to “lose his pooch” (cutest thing I’ve heard in a long time) and eat foods to help his memory in addition to becoming more flexible and mobile. The kicker is George will be 90 in 2 months and Dell is young and vibrant at 86 years of age! What an inspiration to see people completely open to changing their health and knowing (not hoping) that improved fitness and nutrition will extend their lives and live with enhanced quality.

I’ve been working with them for just over a month. George has lost his pooch and Dell has lost several pounds as well, which has motivated her to continue not just with weight loss, but with adding vital nutrients and flexibility into their lives! In addition, they are exercising more frequently and are not just losing weight, but feeling better, moving more and making much much healthier and easier choices. They’ve motivated their children as well!

Whenever I think of them, I am completely inspired to continue on my own healthy path. We need more Dell’s and George’s in our lives to challenge our traditional boundaries and to open our minds to long and healthy mindsets!

Next time you feel you are “too old” remember that if George can lose his pooch at 90 and Dell has cut out her favorite fast food treats and replaced her menu with healthy low sodium choices; maybe you will realize you are quite young and change can be easily made!

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Wednesday Wellness: Rear View Mirror

By Tammy Parkinson | May 12th, 2010 0 Comments

Today, I was asked a question: “If in 30 years from now you were in the same shape you are today, would you be happy?”

How about, “If 20 years ago you saw the shape you are in today, would you be happy”?

I am fortunate enough to answer “yes” to both of these questions!  But, it’s not luck; it took and will continue to take work, every day, every week, every year.  The payoff is well worth it.  No question.

20 years ago I was trying hard to get in shape, but trying all the wrong ways.  I was fortunate enough to persevere and find the right way to get in shape…the healthy way and a way which would “stick” about 12 years ago.

As you ask yourself these questions, it’s obvious you can’t do anything about the past, but you can make sure that 20 and 30 years from now, you can look in the rear view mirror and be proud that you made consistent and committed decisions for your health and well being so that you are either in BETTER shape than you are today, or in the same shape as you are right here in the moment you are reading this.

If you need to make some changes, what are you waiting for?  Do you think the laws of health, fitness, weight loss and energy are going to shift differently from what science has proven over the last few centuries?

If you love where you are at today, how can you create an environment in order to maintain what you’ve worked so hard for?

We do this in our financial portfolios, but rarely do we consider our future when it comes to our bodies.  Our health is an investment few of us prioritize.

Give this some thought this week and look down the road way ahead of you, but glance in the rear view too.  See what you’ve created in this moment and decide if this is where you want to be for your future.

As you might have read somewhere….Because your body is the coolest thing you will ever own!

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Wednesday Wellness: Carve Fresh Tracks

By Tammy Parkinson | February 3rd, 2010 0 Comments

For those of you who live in the Bay Area, this past weekend we were able to see the sun, blue sky and even the entire full moon AND stars at night!  It’s been raining and storming nearly nonstop for about 2 weeks.  (If you live on the East Coast or North West, I’m sure you don’t feel too sorry for us!)

When we get bad weather, we grumble, complain, and throw little tantrums about wanting to get outside and just feel “warm”!

Yesterday and today, I had the chance to ride my mountain bike for the first time in nearly 45 days (tragic).  As I was riding I was elated, not just from the simple fact that I was outside and it was sunny, but because the “dirt” was perfect!  We haven’t had rain for a few days so although (some of) the trails were drying up; they were still “soft” and made riding downhill a blast!

I started thinking about how Tahoe must be and how great the snow is due to the storms which transpired over the last couple of weeks.  I bet ski enthusiasts were carving fresh tracks and having the time of their lives.

It occurred to me that the skiers, boarder and mountain bikers wouldn’t feel these joys if the storms hadn’t have produced the perfect snow or the perfect trails conditions!

How many times have we endured challenges for days, weeks, even months, so that we can eventually relish in the reward because of the storm?

I think of so many nutrition clients I work with who struggle right at first, sometimes kicking and screaming about having to change their habits, just to find themselves ultimately enjoying new foods, seeing the weight loss and embracing new and healthy habits in their lives.

I think of personal training clients who are sore for the first several weeks of their routine, to see in time that they can run faster and easier, lift with greater power and finally see a 4 pack peek through!

What have you endured (maybe even in pain) which once you got through realized bliss because of the journey?

Enjoy life’s lessons when possible; ride your perfect trails, carve fresh tracks!

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Remodel Your Body

By Tammy Parkinson | November 4th, 2009 0 Comments

I wrote this wellness tip about a year ago, but recently, I have come up with situations which reminded me of when I was inspired to write this so I wanted to share it again!

 The other day as I was listening to the radio, there was a commercial about using your line of credit for home improvements.  Being involved with the Real Estate and Lending industry I though: that’s a great idea.  However, what really intrigued me was the concept of  how easily we embrace the idea of “fixing up our homes, cars and yards” because we have the equity to invest in our “objects” or something which will give us value. 

What I mean by this, is, let’s say you have a leaky roof – you’d patch it, right?  Or, you have a sink and toilet which is leaking – you’d fix it, right?  How about a flat tire or an engine overhaul – you’d deal with it, right?  Imagine if you saw the leaky roof, toilet, flat tires, blown engine and just decided to “deal with it another day” (when it’s the “right time”).  Most likely you wouldn’t do that, because your cars and your home(s) are objects in which you have invested.   You wouldn’t wait for the roof to collapse or the car to blow up; you would find a way to keep your investments running smoothly.

 Why then, when we ARE our bodies and live with our bodies every moment of our life we don’t deal with the “leaks”, the “flat tires”, “blown engines”, etc.  We put it off to the next week, month or year.  It’s something that apparently we don’t value as much as we do our vehicles (which eventually get used for scrap metal)!  If we could put the value into ourselves and find proactive ways to fix our little warning signs, we would help our bodies appreciate…not depreciate! 

Some of these warning signs would be:

  • Fatigue
  • Lack of sleep
  • Lack of strength
  • Weight gain
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes
  • Osteopenia (precursor to Osteoporosis)
  • Stress
  • Weight loss (severe)
  • Back aches

These are just a few warning signs that our bodies need a remodel or at least a minor investment!  Think about this the next time you will run out and buy a new faucet, but won’t go to a workout because it “can wait”.    It really can’t wait…and you won’t know this until your house “collapses”.  

I work with some of the busiest men and women around and they find the time to “invest” in their health.  Literally, these individuals have grown younger by creating this investment as a priority!  Give this some thought, you can’t afford NOT to!

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