Here’s a round-up of some of our posts from the last few weeks. Be sure to follow us on Facebook so you don’t miss out on our best tips for living your best life!
What to Eat Before a Workout
Choosing to eat before or after a work-out is a personal decision and contingent on when you work out. If you work out in the mornings, you might not be as inclined to eat beforehand. If you are worried about decreased energy, try eating an apple, banana, or a handful of nuts. It’s a light snack, but it can give you an added boost of energy. If you are working out in the evenings or just have to have something substantial before a workout, I always recommend a smoothie. You get your good carbs, fats, and proteins in one place! My recommendation is to drink it a little over one hour before your workout. I personally eat after I work out because it is what my body responds best to. It is always important to listen to what your body is telling you. (But ignore it if it’s telling you that exercise isn’t for you!)
Read more.
3 Tips for Better Sleep
We have been discussing goals since the beginning of the new year that are centered around improving our health and wellness. We often think about health and wellness in terms of dieting, nutrition, and exercise, but it extends beyond that.
Last week, I wrote about mindfulness – what it means and why it’s important. We understand that being mindful means paying attention to our bodies and what they need. While it’s important to think about our bodies when we’re awake and navigating through our busy schedules, it’s also crucial that we consider how much sleep we’re getting and how important sleep is to how productive we are when we are awake.
Our nighttime routine might go something like this: put pajamas on, brush teeth, get into bed, read or peruse the internet on your cell phone or tablet. How many of you are staring at an electronic screen just before turning in? If this is part of your nightly routine, are you aware that the light your phone or tablet emits negatively affects your chances of a good night’s sleep? Read more for 3 Tips for better sleep.
Mindfulness and Focusing on Our Senses
Mindfulness: the buzz word of the moment. But what is it exactly? What does it mean to be mindful and why should it be important to us?
When we think of mindfulness, it is easy to conjure up images of sitting cross legged in our caftans, swaying gently in the intoxicating heady aroma of incense while AUMing on our path to Zen. I imagine this is what mindfulness means to some.
For many of us, however, taking time off or even a 30 minute break where we can really decompress is unheard of. Our free time is limited and our responsibilities are demanding, so we consider taking a moment to ourselves as self-indulgent. We have neither the time nor the inclination to pursue what we believe to be mindfulness. Keep reading.
How to Make Better Choices When Dining Out
There are many different philosophies when it comes to dining out and making changes to your eating habits, and many are valid. What you have to determine is what works for you. There are going to be some difficult changes if you are in the habit of dining out all the time, but you don’t have to sit at home either. I’ve compiled a list of what has helped some of my clients make better decisions when it comes to choosing menu items.
The comment I hear most is that friendships often revolve around food. You want to go out and hang out with your friends, and most of the time, they suggest dinner or the ever popular brunch. It’s hard to sit among your friends and eat a salad while they are enjoying their enchiladas. Who orders a salad at a Mexican restaurant anyway? Get some tips.
5 Tips for Keeping Within Your Portion Size
You’ve heard the term “serving size” before, but how familiar are you with what a typical serving size should be and how much you should consume of any given food?
A serving is a set amount of food that contains a specific quantity of calories and nutrients.
Servings normally are given in common units (cups, ounces, pieces, etc). For packaged food and drinks, the nutritional analysis is based on serving size found on the Nutrition Facts panel. You need to know a particular food’s serving size to tell how many servings you are consuming. People often have more than one serving at a time. To see how much fat, calories, etc. you really are taking in, multiply all the numbers in the nutrition information by the number of servings you have.
Detox Diets: How Intense Do They Really Need To Be?
The words “detoxing” or “detox diet” can evoke all sorts of terror. But detoxing can be as extensive or as light as you want it to be. An example of an intense detox is no sugar, no refined wheat, no dairy, and sometimes, no meat at all. You could add in all the fruits and veggies you can handle, but the withdraw some people will feel can be intense. When you come out the other side, it really is worth it, but all this eliminating is not always necessary. Limiting sugar, eliminating processed foods, and scaling down on meat can also work wonders!
The benefit of going on any type of detox can vary, but it tends to always be helpful. Your body is an amazing machine. It has a very efficient detoxification system. When you have spent a lifetime eating foods that may or may not be the most beneficial, your body might not be working as it should. The goal of detoxing your body is to help it return to its factory settings, so to speak. There are some practical suggestions to help you get started or just incorporate into your everyday habits. I believe that by incorporating some of my tips here, you will get on the road to a healthier life. Read more.
Physician’s Weight Control & Wellness Center believes in making healthy, lifelong changes to your daily eating and exercise patterns. Our programs are different from other weight loss programs in that they are specifically constructed by bariatric specialists to meet each patient’s individual needs based on their body chemistry, lifestyle, and weight loss goals. Our individualized programs focus on providing positive alternatives to unhealthy habits and targeting foods which provide your body with the specific nutrients it needs for optimal energy and fat metabolism. Practical exercise and hydration are also implemented into our overall program. Contact us to learn more!
