Love Yourself

Lately I have been reading a lot of marriage/family books... maybe because that is the point in my life where I am at right now, but they are also really interesting. I borrowed one from my mother-in-law and as soon as I started reading in one of the chapters I knew I had to write a post. It's taken me a while to finally write this, but better late than never.

In the book Married for Better, Not for Worse the Gary and Joy Lundberg give you an exercise to do that I feel can be applied to wellness. They say,

When you step out of the shower look at yourself in a full-length mirror. Really do this--it's the beginning of being able to be comfortable with seeing and being with yourself as you are. The first time you do it just look yourself in the eye and say, "Hi," then get dressed. Do this again a few more times and don't look for imperfections and pick yourself apart. Soon you will be more comfortable looking at your whole body and will be able to accept yourself as you are. This exercise is to get you beyond being critical of your body and getting to the point when you can say, " I like me. I'm glad I've got a body and I'm glad that, for the most part, it works. I'm just fine the way I am." That doesn't mean you may not work on making a few changes if you need to, but that is not the main focus here. It means you can accept yourself and are happy to be you, just as you are.

I really feel that this is one of the underlying causes that our society feels we need quick fixes--plastic surgery, fad diets, lap band surgery, etc... We are not truly comfortable with who we really are so we try to be like everyone else or how people are portrayed in the media. When you love yourself, you are more likely to have confidence, go out there are follow your dreams, make new friends, and serve and love others. I'm not saying that there may not be things that you want to change; there is always room for improvement! Whether you need to lose 5 lbs or 100 lbs or just want to be more fit, we need to love ourselves as we go through the process. If we don't love ourselves, then where is the motivation going to come from when our other motives fail us? Love you for you and enjoy the journey!

Challenge: Next time you shower do the exercise the Lundberg's suggest. Really look at yourself and love  who you really are.

Thanksgiving!!

With Thanksgiving coming up this week, I just wanted to post something that may help you keep off those extra pounds we tend to gain during the holiday season.

First, what is your motive for eating? Is it because it is there? Because you want it? Figuring out why you are eating the food, will help you become more aware of what you are eating. Here is a chart that I received in my nutrition class that you can follow:

A	Availability—It was there
B	Convenient—Able to prepare and consume within time allotment
C	Cost—The food cost fits in my budget
D	Nutritional value of food—It is nutrient dense and healthy
E	Personal preference—It sounded good, I liked it
F	Mood/emotion—I was bored, stressed, tired, excited, angry, etc...
G	Social—It was offered and I couldn’t refuse
H	Habbit/Tradition—I usually eat it, it is familiar

The next thing you need to take into consideration is the Hunger Scale. I went to a forum a few weeks ago and learned about this. Here's how it works:

1-Empty: You have no energy and you may have a headache
2-Ravenous: You are very hungry and may be irratable and cranky.
3-Set: Your urge to eat is strong.
4-Pangs: You are a little hungry and you start to think about food.
5-Neutral: Your body has enough fuel to keep you going physically and mentally.
6-Satisfied: Just what it says.
7-Full: You can still find room to eat because your mind says yes, but you body is saying no.
8-Stuffed: You may start to hurt and you feel uncomfortable.
9-Sick: You may have to leave the room or go lay down.

You want to be about a 5 or 6. If you go beyond that, that is when you will either need to do more work or you will start packing on the pounds. How do you know when you are satisfied? Well the first thing you need to do is set your fork down and actually chew your food. After each bite, ask yourself if that one tasted as good as the last. If not, why are you eating it? The big key is just listen to your body--it knows what you need!

Challenge: Enjoy your Thanksgiving feast! Listen to your body and get your family/friends out to do something active. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!