New Year’s Resolution: Weight Loss

Weight loss has to be at the top of the list for about 90% of those who make resolutions. After overindulging in the never-ending holiday cycle, most of us could stand to lose a couple of pounds. According to National Institutes of Health (NIH), the average American only gains about a pound during the holidays. That may not seem like a lot, but the problem is that we don’t lose that pound and it accumulates. In 10 years, you may have gained 10 lbs that can be attributed to holiday eating and may be a major contributor to obesity later in life.

If you are one the many people starting a new exercise program or weight loss program, read this and this for tips to keep your resolution. If you are having trouble with the weight loss, I always recommend starting with a gentle cleanse like Pathway Ultra Cleansing System or Renew Life First Cleanse. Cleanses, when done, properly, help detoxify the body and make weight loss easier. Both cleanses are gentle and safe, but if you have never done a cleanse, contact us to help you select the right one for you.

I personally hate the word “diet” and believe that you should eat in moderation and eat whole, organic foods, limiting processed and packaged foods as much as possible. Continue reading “New Year’s Resolution: Weight Loss”

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Holiday Mojo Series: How to Prevent Stress and Weight Gain

How can you get through the holidays stress and weight gain free? It starts with a plan and here it is:

Check back each day for the next few weeks for daily tips, ideas, strategies and solutions to have you looking, feeling and living your best in 2012!

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Is Your Workout Working?

I’ve found that many people have the best of intentions when it comes to exercise, but it’s one of the easiest ideas that we dismiss.

One reason why people often fall off track is because they feel guilty giving themselves any type of self care. They’ll only take care of themselves once everyone else is cared for and by that time they’ve lost their motivation because they’re exhausted, frustrated or at their wit’s end. Time for exercise easily gets replaced with extra chores or obligations which manage to be squeezed into our overly extended schedule.

Another reason why exercise isn’t part of a routine is because it’s done sporadically. Benefits aren’t felt or seen so motivation drops quickly.

Many people just haven’t found a routine that works for them. They either go for the “all or nothing,” join a club that’s inconvenient or begin a routine they don’t enjoy. Finding it too difficult to stay with, enjoy or get to is an easy reason to give up. Continue reading “Is Your Workout Working?”

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Creating Your Own Wellness Plan

Someone recently asked me, “What steps do I take to work towards better health?” Here’s what I said.

When someone realizes they want/need to work towards better health, there are certain steps to take in order to create lasting lifelong changes. The first step is figuring out what needs to change. Look at your lifestyle and determine where you need to improve. It can be in the areas of nutrition, fitness, emotional wellness, stress control, relationships and even spirituality. Determine which areas need work and start there.

The next step is to design a realistic plan with mini-goals. To overhaul your routine is temporary and can be destructive to your self-esteem and well-being. Setting a realistic goal (for example: drink more water, exercise 1 more day than the week before, no eating off of anyone else’s plates, etc.) and achieving it builds self-esteem and confidence to continue.

You know where your struggles and greatest obstacles lie. For some people, it’s finding time for fitness. For others it’s dealing with binge/emotional or mindless eating. For some it’s finding better outlets for stress control. Whatever you’re struggling with most is the first place to start because that’s what’s holding you back from looking, feeling and living your best.

The key is to determine what needs “tweaking” so that you put yourself on the road to better health. Believe it or not, even spending time with positive, optimistic people as opposed to negative, pessimistic people is a step in the right direction. Happy, upbeat people actually support and strengthen our immune system!

What change will you make today? Comment and share!

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10 Tips to Lose Weight

Weight loss can be a struggle for many people and popular shows like the Biggest Loser give us an idea how much of an issue weight is, here in the United States. We all know that a healthy diet and exercise would go a long way to reaching a healthy weight. But I also know that losing weight is one of the most difficult things anyone can do, and maintaining it can be even more difficult. So, the following tips are only meant to act as a guideline for weight loss and general good health.  Here are 10  tips to help with weight loss and maintenance.

1. Increase your fiber

It’s difficult to grasp, how something that actually slows digestion can also help to support healthy weight loss, but that is just the case with fiber. Fiber is very difficult for the digestive system to breakdown, but it tries none-the-less! In the process of trying to break down these hard to breakdown plant fibers, digestion slows. Fiber also slows the rate at which these sugars are being released into the bloodstream. This prevents spikes in blood glucose as well as large bursts of insulin, which inevitably will cause us to store fat. Because fiber slows things down a little, it helps us stave off hunger, leaving us feeling full longer, an added bonus to anyone looking to lose weight. High fiber diets include plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, and whole grain products Aim to get anywhere from 25-35 g of fiber/day. Increase fiber slowly and be sure to increase your water intake at the same time to help things move.

2. Eat more protein

Protein, combined with exercise, has a number of weight related benefits. When getting adequate protein, you maintain lean body mass while still shedding fat. You also build muscle faster because protein is a necessary building block for muscle. You may have heard that one pound of muscle burns 70 times more calories at rest than 1 pound of fat. So more muscle, more weight loss. (Make sure you are doing muscle building exercise: More on that later). Some healthy protein choices are fish and chicken, beans, and tofu. Whey protein in your morning smoothie is an easy and tasty way to start off a protein-rich day.

Continue reading “10 Tips to Lose Weight”

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Our Bloggers

  • Paula Gallagher
    Paula Gallagher
    Paula is a highly qualified and experienced nutrition counselor on the staff at Village Green.
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  • Margo Gladding
    Margo Gladding
    Margo's impressive knowledge base is the result of a unique blend of educational and professional experience.
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    Dr. Neal Barnard
    Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventive medicine, good nutrition, and higher ethical standards in research.
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    Dr. Joseph Pizzorno
    Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, ND is a pioneer of integrative medicine and a leading authority on science-based natural medicine.
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  • Debi Silber
    Debi Silber
    Debi is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition, a personal trainer, and whole health coach.
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    Teri Cochrane
    Teri is a is a Certified Coach Practitioner with extensive certifications and experience in holistic medicinal practices.
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    Dr. Rav Ivker
    Dr. Rav Ivker is a holistic family physician, health educator, and best-selling author.
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  • Susan Levin
    Susan Levin
    Susan writes about the connection between plant-based diets and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
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    Dr. Rob Brown
    Dr. Brown's blended perspective of healthcare includes a deeply rooted passion for wellness and spiritual exploration.
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