We're Eating Too Much

Look around you and you'll see that America's putting on weight. Is it lack of physical activity or are we just plain eating too much? Well, it's a combination of both, but the European Congress on Obesity has proclaimed that increased food intake is the main culprit. You need to stay physically active to be fit and strong, keep body fat reined in, and have an optimal body shape.
But it's how much you're eating (healthy or junk food), that's really packin' on the pounds.

Actually, the scientists predicted that Americans would be about 24 pounds heavier than thirty years ago. But, instead, on average Americans carry an extra 19 pounds. The difference is that some people have picked up more physical activity which makes a real difference over time. Interestingly, if we want to get back to the slimmer weights of the 1970's, researchers recommend decreasing 350 calories per day for kids (a serving of French fries) and 500 calories for adults (a large burger). How do we accomplish this? If we used physical activity alone, children would have to walk 150 minutes per day and adults 110 minutes. Who's got that kind of time? Instead, how about just eliminating the fries and burger and bumping up the physical activity a little as well? The bottom line is that you need both.

Here's a recent posting from LadyPilot1998 on my weight management message board:

"Hi, I need some real HELP! I need to lose weight in order to keep my joints from hurting. I just have not been able to get this going and the several times I have got going... I just poop out. I live in hot, humid South Florida and need exercises that someone with limited range of motion can do inside. Frustration with myself is building and I am now at a real loss as to what to do. I would love to get any advice that could get me on the road to success. Thanks."

The road to success is paved with both healthy nutrition and physical activity. The key is not to launch into heavy duty running or lifting, especially if you have disabilities and perhaps have been sedentary for a long time. You'll get injured and, as LadyPilot noted, "poop out". When people want to drop weight, for many it's suddenly a crisis, and out of desperation, folks try to go too far too fast. There are better options.

For those with physical disabilities, there's nothing like water aerobics as well as strength training. The water carries your weight and your joints are protected so that you can engage in water based exercise classes. Good grief, there has to be a pool somewhere in LadyPilot's Florida locale. In addition, restorative yoga is wonderful. This movement therapy helps to build strength and flexibility. Walking to tolerance is a great exercise. The elliptical is kind to knees, while a recumbent bike is great for those with back issues. Tai Chi is a weight bearing movement that is gentle on the joints yet helps you with balance and flexibility. There are indeed many options. You also have to be realistic. If you cannot do intense training, it will take you longer to achieve your fitness goals. Time to take your patience pill.

The key to relieving those joints and getting into better shape is smart eating. Pay attention to quality- stick with whole foods, veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins. Eliminate processed foods and refined sugars. Next up, be mindful of quantity. Even if you're eating whole foods, eating mountains of them still packs on pounds. While to remove excess fat, most women do well sticking to about 1300-1500 calories a day. Read labels carefully and stick to serving sizes. And last up, frequency of meals and snacks is critical. Eating roughly every 3-4 hours from breakfast through dinner is the way to go. If you eat appropriate servings of balanced meals and snacks (lean proteins with high quality fat and carbohydrates), your hunger is better controlled, which helps you rein in your appetite as well.

LadyPilot and everyone out there needs to whip out a journal and keep track of what, when and how much you eat for just a week. It's usually an eye opener to see how much you're actually consuming. Clean it up and add creative ways to move your body and you've got the winning combination to get this weight removal journey going.

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Blast Your Back Fat

Back fat, muffin top, love handles, fat roll or spare tire - call it what you want, but it all adds up to that rather not-so-lovely vision of extra rolls of fat popping up all over your back, from your bra line to your belt line. It's the kind of fat that makes you rethink buying a skimpy top where the whole world can revel in your rolls. Have a look in the mirror at your back while wearing a form fitting blouse or sweater. There's that back fat poking out along your bra strap lines. And how about the rolls at your armpits, and the back fat shelf line above your waist? Not a pretty picture. And, as opposed to the menopot which is seen primarily after age 40 (see my blog post "Minimize Your Menopot"), back fat can occur at any age in men and women, but is worse after the age of 40. So where does it come from?

Back fat is an accumulation of excess fat that occurs due to one or any combination of factors including:

1. Being overweight or obese at any age (over eating and lack of physical activity);


2. Genetics in which even some slender people tend to distribute more of their fat to the back area;


3. Ethnicity plays a roll (pun intended) in which some groups tend to pack on back fat more than others;


4. Lack of weight training to bring down body fat and increase muscle tone;


5. Being over the age of 40 in which the decline of sex hormones affects distribution of fat throughout the body.

So what can you do about Back Fat? Plenty. Here are the "Rules of the Roll" to blast your back fat:

1. Make an Action Plan. Sit down and write out your goals. Take measurements throughout your body so you know where you're starting. Take pictures for the visual impact. Create realistic goals and expectations (dropping ½-2 pounds per week is the normal range). The heavier you are to start, the more excess fat you'll be removing. Write down your commitment to change. Journal your progress. Develop a support system to help guide you - like our wonderful weight management board on WebMD.


2. Be patient. Back fat is often one of those stubborn places that sometimes takes longer to reduce. Be persistent.


3. Get real. If you're over the age of 40, you may not be able to completely eliminate all of your back fat, but, like the menopot, your mission is to minimize back fat.


4. Hide it while you remove it. Let's not invite trouble in the form of super tight spandex tops. While you're shedding pounds and getting more fit, try to wear looser, comfortable clothes and toss the muffin topping skinny jeans. There are also great elasticized undergarments that help smooth out the rolls.


5. You must do both weight training and cardio to blast back fat. Don't think you can do this with cardio alone. You'll drop some weight, but you need to reshape and redistribute fat and only a combination of weight training and cardio will do that. Lift 2-3 x week and concentrate on building strength and perhaps boosting your muscle mass a bit. Check out my MUSCLE section in Body for Life for Women for easy ways to do this at home gym-free. Check out the WebMD fitness sites for creative ways to strengthen and tone.


6. Eat a back fat blasting diet. Physical activity is key, and equally so is what you put in your mouth. There is no one food or beverage that will magically remove Back Fat. Instead it's all about eating a variety of healthy foods every day. Quality: whole foods and lean proteins build the foundation for removing Back Fat. Quantity: watch your portion size. Almost everyone out there is eating too much relative to their age and gender. If you eat too much, you wear it. Read the USDA label and know what a serving size looks like. Frequency: eat every 3-4 hours from breakfast through dinner. Stop eating 2 hours before going to bed. Try to eat your dinner no later than 8-8:30 PM, and keep it lean (veggies, lean protein). Wake up in the morning feeling truly hungry. Check out my MOUTH section in Body for Life for Women for healthy, easy nutrition options. Scroll onto WebMD's wonderful nutrition sites for endless suggestions and recipes.


7. Get creative and cross train. No one specific exercise is the ultimate back fat cure. You need to draw from a variety of back strengthening and toning modalities. Mix and change it up every 6 weeks to keep it fresh and challenging. Have some fun and get adventuresome. Take up belly dancing, hip hop or twirl around a ballroom. Ballet is a terrific way to pinpoint back flexibility and strength. Don't forget martial arts, yoga and Pilates. Each uniquely singles out the back for a fat blaster workout.


8. Enjoy a win - win. The stronger the back the stronger the abs, and vice versa. You're working the core of the body and what you do for one, helps the other.

Back fat is a fact of life. Don't waste another moment fretting about it. Take action. And remember, here at WebMD, we've got your back!

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What do Veggies Have to Do with Weight Loss? Everything!

Natalie Maynor / CC BY 2.0

If you're looking to drop excess weight, look no further than the produce section of your grocer. Cruise around the fresh vegetable section and ask yourself, "Am I getting at least 3 servings of veggies every day?" If you answered "no", sadly you're not alone. According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 27% of adults meet that basic requirement, and just 33% eat at least two servings of fruit every day. It also depends upon your age. Veggie consumption begins to increase after the age of 45 as people start to make the veggie/fruit-better health connection. Just 14% of American adults meet both requirements. What's up with Americans not eating veggies? Here are the top four reasons you're not gobbling the broccoli:

1. Not everyone in the family likes the same veggies making it mission impossible to cook for the crowd and please everyone;


2. Many fruits and veggies are expensive, compared to buying a bag of chips or a cookie;


3. Fresh veggies are a pain to prepare and cook, making microwave or fast food more attractive;


4. Restaurants and fast food eateries don't offer enough veggie options.

Alright, it's a challenge to strive for five (3 servings of veggies and 2 fruits) every day, but come on, we can be more assertive and creative. This is your health we're talking about. If you do, you'll be rewarded with a slimmer and more fit body, as well as enhanced health. Here are some facts.

A candy bar or cookie does not fill you up. Veggies do. This is especially true if you combine them with some form of protein. That's why reduced fat peanut butter and celery is a hit, or an apple with a serving of low fat cheese. Or just eat a heap of steamed or grilled veggies. That's a low fat and fiber rich guarantee to help you feel full and satisfied. That protein-fiber combo kills carb cravings as well. Whether it's breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner, make sure you're adding veggies. That whole wheat pitta and turkey burger needs greens in the pitta pocket. Your omelet can be more filling with mushrooms, peppers and tomato. Start your dinner out with a big salad topped with a serving of shredded low fat cheese. Carrots and hummus make a terrific snack. How about a side of edamame to give you satisfying protein as well as fiber?

Don't forget that veggies and fruits are nature's medicine cabinet. You'll find vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that will boost immune function and help to prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. For that matter, the Harvard Nurses' Study combined with the Health Professionals Study concluded that the higher your daily intake of fruits and vegetables, the lower your risk of developing heart disease. Those men and women who averaged 8 or more servings daily were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke, compared to those folks who ate only 1.5 servings daily. Again, you're not only lower disease risk, but you're dropping weight as well.

What veggies seem to be the best options? Well, any fruit or veggie is great, but don't forget to include: deep green lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and mustard greens; cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale; and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit. You'll notice that white potatoes aren't included as they are considered starches. However, sweet potato is chock full of vitamin A and carotenes so go ahead and have a serving. Learn more by clicking onto www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov.

And, since veggies are so low in sodium, you'll drop that water weight you hold from eating so many salt-ridden processed foods. And, don't think that water weight is trivial. It can be up to five pounds in some individuals.

Make your lifestyle veggie and fruit centric. Here are some easy starters:

1. 

   David Penny / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Get out a beautiful fruit bowl and keep it filled each week. If it's front and center in the kitchen, you'll see it and use it.


2. Be constantly mindful of the need for them in your daily life. As you plan every meal and snack, always ask "where are the veggies and fruit?"


3. Strive for five colors of veggies and fruits in your daily diet. The deeper the color, the higher the level of antioxidants. Butter lettuce, squash, tomato, spinach and blueberries will get you there!


4. Find a farmer's market and experiment with local and a diverse selection of fruits and veggies.

Just remember that when you fill up on produce, you don't fill out. And the bonus is a leaner, healthier you.

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This Is Not A Diet

Whenever I read the postings on my weight management board, inevitably there's one from someone who has had an awakening and is desperately seeking help to reverse obesity. Here's one I received recently from offby40:

"I HAVE JUST SIGNED UP FOR THIS IN HOPES OF FINDING SUPPORT IN STARTING A NEW DIET. I HAVE TRIED MANY DIETS BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH COMPLETING THE DIETS. NOW I AM GOING TO FOCUS ON CALORIE INTAKE AND EXERCISE. I AM 300 LBS AND ABOUT 5FT9 AND MY BMI IS REGISTERING AT SEVERELY OBESE. IS THERE ANYONE THAT CAN GIVE ME SOME POINTERS ON HOW TO GET STARTED, AND HOW TO KEEP IT GOING. I REALLY NEED HELP."

First, I congratulate her for taking herself on to begin the journey to achieve health and wellness. Second, I want to set the record straight for everyone. Throughout this posting, the theme seemed to be "diet"- starting one, failed diets. This is not a diet! Instead, I suggest you say "I'm going to clean up my lifestyle, get healthy and become more mentally and physically fit." This is about healthy living, and developing better lifestyle habits. When you do, you'll find it so much easier to shed excess body fat, feel energized and increase your sense of self esteem. You want to be fit to live your life to the fullest. That's why I called my most recent book Fit to Live.

I'll bet many of you are in the same place as the person who posted this on the board. OK, here's how you start out. First, remember that WebMD has so many wonderful resources throughout our lifestyle channel to help with calorie counting, fitness tips and recipe suggestions. Next, if you're going to change lifestyle habits, that means everything from mental and nutritional behaviors, to financial (is health a priority in your spending), physical activity and environmental (clutter, lack of organization, getting outdoors) components. No need to feel overwhelmed. In my book, I address the key pillars of lifestyle: Mind, Mouth, Muscle, Money and Macrocosm (the environment).

Always start with low hanging fruit- the simplest, smallest steps you can take to get the ball rolling. Before beginning any program, please consult your physician and medical team. Know what your baseline health status is and if there are any restrictions on your program. Here are tips and tools to get started:

MIND: Get a clear vision of why you want to change your lifestyle. It has to be powerful enough to get you through challenging times when you're tempted to revert to old habits. Being fit enough to play with your kids or grandkids? Healthy and attractive enough to get out there and find a partner in life or new friends? Becoming a runner, biker, hiker and hanging out with like-minded folks? Want to prevent or reverse medical conditions that plague you? Anything goes here. Sit down and really think this out. Come up with a mantra to remind you why you need to stay on track- "Sick and tired versus Fit and Fab." Say to yourself "I choose fit and fab." This is a conscious, mindful, deliberate choice. Finally, create realistic expectations. Progress, not perfection, will get you there.

MOUTH: Quality, quantity and frequency are key. Whole foods, lean proteins, and whole grains become the staple of your nutrition. Read the USDA labels on all foods to know what a true serving size is. When in doubt at restaurants, eat ½ of what's in front of you. Eat smaller meals and snacks every 3-4 hours beginning with breakfast and ending with dinner. Remember to include protein and fiber throughout the day, as that combo will curb carb cravings as well as increase your sense of fullness. Try to finish dinner no later than 8:00 - 8:30 PM and leave 2 hours without eating before you sleep.

MUSCLE: Get up and move more throughout the day. Buy a pedometer and crank out 10,000 steps (roughly 4 miles) per day walking. Work up to this goal. Be creative about finding ways to move more. At 300 pounds, you need to protect your knees so avoid any jumping, running, squats or lunges.

MONEY: Invest in a great pair of sneakers with plenty of cushion. Get socks that do the same. If you're a gym type, scope out a good deal on a membership where you can cross train on different cardio equipment (ellipticals are knee friendly and burn calories efficiently) and where you can learn to begin safe and guided weight training, stretching and core work.

MACROCOSM: Look around at your living and working spaces. Does it look like a bomb went off? How can you develop a new healthier lifestyle when you're buried under miles of piles? You need to clean up your environment and get organized. You can't take a walk if you can't find your sneakers and you can't pay for that jazzersize class if you can't locate your checkbook. Be patient, and schedule an hour here and there over time to get this done. Also, get outdoors more. Walking, biking, and hiking in nature are such wonderful, healing experiences. Do it alone, with a friend or in a group. Just do it.

Whip out a journal and keep track of your daily progress. You don't have to write the great American novel. Just monitor what counts- your baseline lifestyle elements, challenges and triumphs. You'll need your starting status: medical issues (what you want to change like blood pressure, blood sugar, any medical conditions); make a note of overall weight, body fat percentage, BMI and waist size (across the belly button); and, clothing size including jeans, pants, dress, belt.

Finally, don't forget to create a support system. This could be your mother, best friend, a mentor, or your dog. It includes keeping up with us on the WebMD weight management board for online support, as well as any helpful books or DVD's that resonate with you. You're assembling your "A" team to help you through thick and thin (ahem!).

OK, there's your foundation. Now hop to it and don't call this a diet!

Rules for Reinventing Your Body After Forty

On October 5th, I was the health and fitness keynoter for More magazine's annual "Reinvention Convention" in New York City. Five hundred women showed up to explore how to reinvent their lives once they crossed that 40 year old milestone. From new careers, financial challenges, to broken relationships and physical shape shifting, women came to the conference to get help understand it all and to regroup. In my packed session, women were anxious and enthusiastic, eagerly jotting down every tip, tool and technique I could offer. I decided to make this easy by creating a simple acronym- AFTER FORTY - to help women remember 10 important tips to help them optimize their bodies after the age of forty.

A: Adapt and adjust to life's constant daily stresses and challenges. Charles Darwin said that it isn't the smartest or strongest who survive, but those who can adapt. Throughout my book Body for Life for Women, I emphasize the fact that women need to practice how to become mentally flexible and rise up to the occasion when life throws you curve balls. After the age of forty, your mind and body begin to change significantly. Women often feel helpless, hopeless and defeated when weight packs on and you forget where you put your keys. Don't go there. Regroup and optimize your mental and physical well-being and you'll navigate these changing waters well.

F: Fight for the right to take care of yourself. No one is going to show up and schedule time in your day for self care. Only you can do that. Be assertive and get used to saying "I'm sorry, but I am busy at that time" when people try to erode the special moments you've set aside to have a healthy meal, to take that walk or to soak in the tub. This is one of the most important appointments you'll make for yourself each day.

T: Try lean protein to increase a sense of fullness and satiety, to rein in appetite, to curb carb cravings, and to maintain muscles. Women tend to under eat this wonderful macronutrient. Lean poultry, skim or low fat dairy, or vegetarian options will all help to quell hunger, rein in runaway appetites and keep your muscles in top form.

E: Exercise regularly, do it with intensity and make sure to cross train. Too many women are doing the same old cardio and weight lifting and are mystified as to why they stopped seeing real positive changes in their bodies. Come on ladies, get a fitness professional to mix it up in both your cardio and lifting for you so you can use more muscles and shake them out of complacency. As well, you need to ramp it up with intervals of intensity to keep your muscles challenged. Most importantly, this will help you release more fat fuel efficiently so that you can shed that extra fat. Try integrating some yoga, Pilates and even martial arts. How about dancing? Get outdoors and challenge yourself with fun and enjoyment. Just get up and move more throughout the day. This is what it takes to keep your over forty body alive and powerful.

R: Redefine normal. You aren't 20 or 30 anymore. Your body is undergoing significant changes, from fading eyesight to widening waistline. Stop looking backwards and obsessing about what doesn't work anymore. Instead, wake up every day and celebrate what does work. Hey, you're still here and you'll make do with whatever anatomical parts you can use to propel you through each day. This is integral to adapting and adjusting.

F: Fat, not weight, needs to be monitored. Buy a body fat scale and aim to get your body fat in the range of 20-28%, with a good average being 25%. If you're postmenopausal and over the age of 60, body fat ranges can increase to 32% due to aging related loss of muscle (especially true after the seventh decade of life).

O: Organize and plan your self care routines. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Sit down and make a plan. Whether it's stress management classes, gym memberships or shopping for healthier options, You need a strategy that meets your needs. If you want to drop body fat and increase muscle strength and mass, get together the team that you need to make this happen. WebMD's got your back with endless information about how to get the ball rolling. Check out my weight management board to share your experiences and ask questions with other like minded folks.

R: Rein in evening eating. After the age of forty, you don't need the same number of calories as you did when you were younger and more physically active and metabolically hotter. Most women don't realize that they are over eating throughout the day. But, the evening is a real problem. So many women kick back and consider this their time to reward and relax. Unfortunately, this includes plowing through sweets and grazing until bedtime. If you want to remove that excess belly fat, you need to eat smarter. Eat every 3-4 hours throughout the day through dinner, try to finish dinner (veggies and lean protein) no later than 8-8:30 PM, and try not to have anything to eat for 2 hours prior to retiring. You'll wake up hungry and feeling lighter, and ready to break that fast: breakfast.

T: Take time to just "be". Try to stop "doing" and take time for "being". Find a quiet place to read, close your eyes, listen to music, take a walk, say a prayer, or do some yoga stretches. Your mind needs these mental recesses. You have to practice mental aerobics to stop the deluge of thoughts - the incessant "to do's" that inhabit our feminine brains. Visualize a stop sign. Then, move into a peaceful place. This is a precious gift you give yourself.

Y: You deserve joy, happiness and fulfillment. Go ahead and feel entitled to be all of these things and more. Live, love and laugh every day. Embrace every waking moment with exuberance. Feel powerful. Choose to do this for yourself. Your reward is having the mind and body you deserve, to help you realize your dreams.

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Night Shifts and Your Weight

On September 10th, I wrote a blog entitled "If You Eat Late, You'll Gain Weight." Boy, did I hit a nerve. There are lots of you doing the nocturnal foraging in your fridge. A number of the postings on my weight management board came from frustrated folks from the night shift crowd. Here's an example from gangstakitty:

"After reading your blog, what you say makes sense. But what advice do you have to someone (me) who works nights (7p-7a) 3 days a week? On my days off (the other 4) I often find myself wanting to eat at the same times I get a chance to eat at work. Since I work in a hospital, sometimes when I eat "dinner" varies with my workload, but I usually a snack to hold me over around 5pm and don't eat anything substantial until 1am. At home I find myself doing the same thing which can't be good, but I can't seem to break the habit."

This reminds me of the alternating night shifts I spent during my years in training. It is a definite challenge to keep regrouping every time you start or end a series of night shift work hours. Let's look at how night shift work affects your health and weight, and some tips on how you can address this challenge.

First, if you're a night shift worker, you're in good company. Over 8.6 million Americans work outside of the standard 9AM-5PM work hours including police, fire fighters, nurses, pilots, factory workers and truck drivers. What impact do these late night working hours have on your health? Typically, night shift workers have long complained about fatigue and sleep problems. Medical problems that have been noted include an increased risk of: colds, cancers of the breast and prostate, higher cholesterol levels; heart attacks; and, obesity. Investigators have suggested that there might be an association between night shifts and changes in stress hormone (cortisol), weight regulation hormones (leptin, ghrelin, insulin) as well as melatonin (regulates sleep and affects immune function) leading to an overall increased risk for disease.

Harvard sleep researcher Dr. Frank Scheer published a March 2, 2009 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in which he found that working night shifts can cause hormonal and metabolic changes that can lead to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. The reason for these alterations is that your innate sleep-wake clock, known as your circadian rhythm, is taking a hammering from the constant change up in your schedule. Scheer and his colleagues found that alternating night shift schedules cause what he refers to as a "circadian misalignment" resulting in:

1. Plummeting levels of the hormone leptin which regulates body weight;


2. Increased day time blood pressures;


3. Decreased insulin sensitivity and impaired glucose tolerance;


4. Increased blood sugar levels.

The researchers were very careful to note that their study involved only 10 people (5 men and women), and was done as a controlled in-lab experiment. The results of this limited study are important, but clearly more research in a real time and life environment is needed to fully understand which night shift workers are at highest risk. Also, I'll wager that these findings also apply to other groups of people, including people who suffer from poor sleep (e.g. sleep apnea), as well as those who travel for extensive periods (e.g. overnight to Europe, Asia, Africa).

Here are suggestions to help you stay healthy and manage your weight if you're a night shift worker:

1. Become a smart sleeper. Don't dally around. Get right to sleep when you get home. When you do sleep, make it the best sleep possible. Because you're sleeping during daylight, make sure the room is as dark as possible (blackout drapes work well); a sleep eye mask can help; sound proof your room (ear plugs and white noise machines are options); control the temperature (65 degrees); and, make sure family and friends don't interrupt your sleep for any reason other than an emergency.


2. Include a nap if you can. Fire fighters sitting around waiting for a call can nap, but most people don't have the kind of job where that's possible. However, if you're tired and you have an opportunity to take a 15-20 minute snooze, do it. It can refresh and energize you.


3. Don't drink alcohol or caffeine before going to bed. Both disrupt normal your sleep rhythm and decrease the quality of your sleep. You might try drinking tea during your night shift. It has about a fourth of the caffeine found in coffee but it still packs a punch. As well, you'll also get an antioxidant benefit from tea's bioflavinoids. Stop drinking the tea or any caffeine at least 4 hours prior to sleep.


4. Stay active. Physical activity helps improve the quality of your sleep. Slip it in during your shift whenever you can. Once you've slept at home, make sure to get in some kind of exercise before you have to get to the next shift. If you're coming off nights, exercise helps to tire you out, making it easier to get to sleep. Clearly, it's great to keep manage weight as well.


5. Stick to an eating plan. Eat every 3-4 hours from breakfast through dinner. Eat a healthy, balanced meal of lean protein, veggies and whole grains before you start work. Then, bring with you healthy snacks that you'll have every 3-4 hours. Some are portable and easy to grab (12 nuts in a 2 oz ziplock). How about an apple and a serving of low fat cheese? One of my favorites (kept me going throughout my residency training) is reduced fat peanut butter on a multigrain cracker. Doesn't require the fridge and it occupied a small area in a desk drawer. A key to eating on the night shift is to keep it lean and light. Soup and salad with protein works. Lean protein with veggies is great. Minimize any heavy complex carbs (bread, pasta, rice, potato) unless you've got a job that requires lots of physical challenge (construction or factory work). Finally, don't eat a big meal right before going to sleep.


6. Steer clear of refined sugars and fats. Sweets and munchies are all over the place- vending machines, the cafeteria and employee kitchen as well as candy jars on people's desks. Remember the stress-fat connection (see my books Fight Fat after Forty or Body for Life for Women). Night shift work can be stressful, ramping up your appetite for something to numb you. Take a breath and realize you're not hungry but just overwhelmed. Remember that boredom is a form of stress and leads to mindless eating. Get up and stretch or move around. If it's time to eat, grab the food you brought. Just stay away from the sugar-fat combo that will throw your precious hormones into chaos and pack on the pounds. Here's where having a plan and bringing your own food is a life saver.

The bottom line is that night shift work is a real biological challenge. Some people have this down to a fine science and do quite well. Through trial and error, along with patience and focus, you too can succeed.

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Don't Relapse, Just Regroup

Getting fit and healthy is not a destination. It's a journey filled with trials that test our abilities to live healthfully. Both turbulent and joyous, it's one that everyone has to come to embrace by learning the fine art of regrouping. Let's look at this posting from Blueeyes23 on my weight management board:

"I am trying to get back to my diet of eating healthy foods. I used to weigh 250 lbs. I started exercising and running. My diet consisted of counting calories and eating lots of veggies, pasta and some chicken or tuna (I don't normally eat meat). I stayed with this diet as well as counting the calories and staying within that limit. I started running from a couple miles to 5 miles now I'm up to 7 miles a day, 3 to 4 days a week. I went from 250lbs to 197 (currently). My goal is to be 175 which is where I need to be. Well, I went on vacation for a week and treated myself to "splurging" as I was soo good dieting and losing weight. That was in July. I am now eating more unhealthy food (donuts, candy bars, Pizza Hut pizza) and my body will sometimes just super crave sweets. I try my best to watch what I eat but it's hard. I still run 7 miles a day up to 4 days a week. Any suggestions, tricks that I could use or what I need to do to get back on track with my diet?"

Does this sound familiar to anyone out there? You bet it does. Here are some tips and tools to help manage this problem.

1. Don't use the word relapse. I don't like it because it's too negative. It leads to guilt and shame and ultimately to self destruction. Instead, look at these kinds of events as opportunities to learn how to take better care of yourself. That's the essence of learning how to regroup. Take a breath, examine what happened, see the patterns, adapt and adjust, and then move on.


2. Avoid "vacation mind"- where you let it all go and revert back to your old habits, thinking you can just pop right back into healthy eating after "splurging" for a week. Nope, that doesn't work. This is a lifelong journey and you're now mentally and physically different than the 250 person who started this. Chowing down on heavy calories for seven days is what got Blueeyes to 250 pounds. She can still go on vacation and have a great time, but with a brand new mindset- the mind of someone who shed over 50 pounds and needs to sustain that. Having some treats in appropriate servings is what someone who is healthier and more fit now does.


3. Beware awakening the refined sugar addiction demons. Apparently she's got the sweet tooth and carb craving demons on board. The solution is to immediately clean up her work and home environment, get rid of all of these foods, and to go into a 72 hour cold turkey on all of this. It really works. The key is not to over think this, but to just do it. Get right back to fresh, whole foods and don't look back. Keep physically active, avoid places that may tempt you (pizza parlors, the candy aisle at the grocers) and get to bed early. Trust me, this works.


4. Realize that exercising can NOT cancel out all of your over eating. Thank heavens she is still active or she would have gained a lot of weight back. Both reining in the calories and keeping physically active is the way to go.


5. Become a master at regrouping. Expect many challenges to your healthy lifestyle. Come up with Plan A and B all the way to Z if that's what it takes to learn how to adapt, adjust and regroup when life changes up on you. Get macho about it. "Go ahead and kick another challenge my way. Watch me regroup!" Now, that's a winning attitude!

So, if you're like Bueeyes, don't waste another moment stressing. Instead, celebrate the fact that you turned this speed bump into a valuable lesson that you're going to run with, starting right now.

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Genetics May Load the Obesity Gun, but Environment Pulls the Trigger

Ever wonder how powerful genetics are when it comes to your chance of becoming obese? Take a moment and look at your own family tree. Going back as far as you can, think about the people in your family who might have been obese. You're obese if you have a Body Mass Index (your weight relative to your height) of 30 or more. BMI is closely correlated with body fat, with the following two exceptions: 1) a true very muscular athlete where body fat is overestimated; and, 2) the elderly where body fat is underestimated due to their loss of muscle. Check out the WebMD BMI calculator to see what your BMI is.

Many people can see some clear patterns of obesity in the family. Does it appear obesity is your genetic destiny? As it turns out, the answer is more hopeful than you might have originally thought. There is indeed a well known obesity gene, the FTO gene that is associated with increased intake of food, especially fat. It's been thought that people who carry the gene just don't feel as full and satisfied after eating normal portions of fat. There seems to be a fat-satiety disconnect. If you carry double copies of this obesity gene (one from each of your parents) your risk of becoming obese is 2.5 times higher than someone who doesn't. 17 percent of the general population has double obesity genes, and another 40 percent have a single copy. Don't despair. Your genetics will only activate if you give them a comfortable environment to do so - like eating a high fat diet and being sedentary. That's the perfect recipe for the obesity genes to emerge and wreak havoc with your body as well as your life.

New research has shown that a low fat diet can keep the obesity gene under control. Physical activity seals the deal. So, the deal breaker here is not your genetic legacy, but what you eat. The researchers compiled comprehensive data on the eating habits of people who do have the double gene copies. Only when the men and women were eating a high fat diet did you see the expected obesity. How much fat is acceptable? It's higher than you think. The actual number was 41% fat in the diet. Obesity was less common in those who ate less than that. It's recommended that you try to keep your fat intake in the range of 20-30% for optimal nutrition.

Whether you carry this gene or not, all of you - from over-eaters of fat to sugaraholics - need to pay attention to what you're eating. This medical study provides an important and a very positive and hopeful lesson. You don't have to be a prisoner of your own genes. Create a lifestyle of healthy eating and activity, and you'll keep harmful genes at bay. I've always said that genetics may load the gun, but environment pulls the trigger. Take a moment and study your own living and working places. What can you do right now to clean up and reorganize these spaces so that everything - from the food you keep in your fridge and cabinets to your walking or running shoes you keep by the front door - is all there to support your healthy lifestyle and keep you out of harm's way? Get rid of the junk food and choose the produce section of your grocery store over the pastry aisle. Hang out with like-minded people as well. Doing all of this will guarantee you'll be pulling that lifestyle trigger your way.

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Believe, Achieve and Succeed

This week I watched with fascination as a 5'6" Georgia teen, ranked 70th in the world, triumphed over her six foot Russian opponent at the US Open Tennis event. That was the fourth top seeded Russian she's summarily dismissed since her debut at Wimbledon this year. Known as the Georgia "spark plug", Melanie Oudin is a wonder to watch. But what caught my eye were her shoes. It wasn't the neon rainbow colors, but the area on the side of her shoe at her heel that grabbed my attention. On each shoe, she had one word printed like a billboard of motivation -"Believe". When questioned about it, she simply declared, "I know I can succeed because I really believe it." Observing her is a lesson in what it takes to succeed. She's not perfect and actually capitalizes on that. Actually, her other title is "the comeback kid". She will often lose fairly miserably in the first set, and then come storming back. She notes the first set gives her time to learn the feel of her opponent. She appears impervious to any emotion of defeat or frustration. She learns, adapts, adjusts and moves on to success.

How does this apply to all of you who are seriously trying to improve your lifestyle habits? Here's the lesson - all success starts with the mind. Not some diet craze or exercise boot camp. This laser focus mindset is something I call The Power Mind, which I describe in detail in Body for Life for Women and Fit to Live. One of the biggest mistakes I have observed when men and women embark on their journey to shed excess fat and get more fit, is that without really thinking about it, they hop onto the next "diet" or fitness craze thinking they've found the answer to their girth control problems. You know the drill. It's always short lived and then you're either back to square one or you really blow it and end up in worse shape.

The problem is that you can't just approach your eating and exercise as though you're a robot implementing technical commands. Your mind drives you. You need your head screwed on right to start with. So many people just launch into their well intentioned programs without being very clear about why they need to do this in the first place. Getting to the bottom of that "why" is often tougher than you think. Saying you just want to be "healthy" doesn't work. Go deep and get personal about what drives you. You need to have a very clear vision, passion, strategy, accountability and measurable outcomes. Once you identify the meaning behind your desire to change, then you work on believing you can achieve your healthy lifestyle goal.

The great Olympic sprinter Florence Joyner ("Flo Jo") once noted she used three words to power her through grueling training and competition: "Believe. Achieve. Succeed". Watching Oudin I can see that put into action. How about you? I love those three words and regularly use them in my writing and teaching. If you believe then you lay down the path to be able to achieve and thus succeed. Stop right now and say to yourself "I believe I can patiently and persistently create a healthier lifestyle". Write it down and keep copies of that one line commitment everywhere to get you through tough and challenging times. Be your own best coach and say it to yourself throughout the day. You can do this. Believe it!

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If You Eat Late, You'll Gain Weight

Long ago, while writing my first book, Fight Fat after Forty, I wrote a silly little poem to drive home the point that eating too late and too much each night can contribute to weight gain - "If you eat after eight, you'll gain a lot of weight". OK, so there's no real magic with eight o'clock per se, but it rhymed with weight so I went with it. I was just trying to emphasize that meals need to be carefully spread out over the day, and that it was optimal not to eat at least 1-2 hours before going to bed. Also, it was my clinical observation that when people overate, the evening hours were more potent in packing on the pounds in comparison to the daytime hours. Over the years, studies have supported my experience. Happily, a new study from a Northwestern University team has added further fuel to the fire by showing that overeating in the nighttime does indeed appear to significantly increase your risk for putting on the weight.

Specifically, these researchers found that the time of day you eat is a powerful predictor for weight gain. In a novel experiment, two groups of mice were fed the same high fat diet, which was deliberately intended to cause weight gain. One group of mice ate the diet during the night hours when rodents tend to naturally forage for food. The other group was only allowed access to the food during the daytime hours, when mice classically rested and slept. Extrapolating to humans, this is analogous to overeating the same number of high fat calories either before or after 6:00 PM. The investigators were shocked by the remarkable difference in weight gain between the two groups of mice. The group that simply overate during their typical eating schedule had a 20% weight gain. But the mice who overate the same number of calories during what would have been their sleep time, had a whopping 48% increase in weight. That's over twice the weight gain of the other group. This is an eye opening discovery.

Now for the $60,000 question - why does it matter when you eat those calories? Scientists are just beginning to piece together this puzzle. Many of us agree that part of the answer lies in understanding how this overeating interacts with a disruption of the normal sleep-wake cycle. During this cycle, it's believed that there is a complex interplay of brain and body hormones and chemicals that maintain a delicate balance of appetite, hunger and satiety. These, as well as other factors involving daily changes in core body temperature, energy levels and sleep, also play integral roles in metabolism and storage of the food we eat. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize how much 21st century living has disrupted normal sleep-wake cycles. Electricity prolonged our awake hours, and what I refer to as our "weapons of mass distraction" - TV, phone, computers, blackberries - are obliterating any attempts to rest or sleep. You see the problem. Our normal nocturnal biology has been thrown into chaos. And we're wearing the consequences of these nighttime trips to the fridge.

There are two patterns of nighttime overeating. The first involves "saving up" your calories by skipping meals and snacks and eating the majority of your calories in the evening. The second is to eat above and beyond your calorie budget (with either healthy and/or unhealthy foods) and to do this primarily in the evening. This can take place in a number of ways - grazing all the way to bedtime; eating a large dinner with or without after dinner grazing; eating an average dinner and then overeating after dinner. Do any of these patterns sound familiar? Regardless how you do it, the end result is weight gain.

What's the solution? For either pattern, the blueprint is the same. Starting with breakfast, eat every 3-4 hours through dinner. Try not to finish dinner later than 8:30PM. I know, life's challenging, so just do the best you can. Try not to eat anything for at least an hour (ideally two) before going to bed. If you ate dinner early (e.g. 6:00 PM) and you're not going to bed until 11:00 PM, have a 100-150 healthy snack (e.g. yogurt) say around 9:00 PM, which leaves two hours before you go to bed. Or, you can opt to have a treat at this time (e.g. 100 calorie chocolate mousse bar), understanding that it doesn't contain much protein and may not be as filling. Use trial and error to see what works best. You can mix them up throughout the week.

If you're coming home late, just remember that you need to keep up with your healthy snacks to tide you over (grab those nuts you packed in your purse or brief case) so you don't overeat when you do have dinner. Here's another one of my sayings: "The later you eat, the lighter you eat". If you're stuck eating later, opt for lots of filling veggies and 4 (women) -6-8 (men) ounces of lean protein. That'll satisfy you and not pack on extra weight. The key is to try not to let more than 4 hours go by without having a balanced meal or snack. Timing is so important in helping you stave off raging hunger and appetite.

Hey, and don't forget to get enough sleep! Studies show that folks who don't get 7-8 hours of sleep tend to have much more difficulty eating and exercising appropriately. Do whatever you can to get those zzz's.

The bottom line is that excellent nutrition is about quality, quantity and frequency of eating. Now we have new respect for the power of those evening hours to either make or break our attempts to finally shed that weight... and keep it off.


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Eating Like the Folks You Hang Out With

Photo: Phillie Casablanca / CC BY 2.0

Have you ever wondered if your eating habits are truly affected by the people in your life? Well, wonder no more. Researchers from the State University of New York at Buffalo have found that kids and teens tend to eat more when they are having a meal or snack with someone they know, rather than with a stranger. That makes sense as people are more self-conscious around someone they don't know. But, check this out. The study also found that overweight kids will eat much more with another overweight friend than with an average-weighted friend. For that matter, the difference is over 300 calories. This study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows how folks you eat with can affect your overall weight management.

If you're overweight or obese and you're eating with someone else who is the same, and especially if they're a friend, you'll eat more than if you were dining or snacking with a thinner person. The researchers call this "permission giving". That means that eating more than is necessary is the acceptable norm. What's interesting to note is that in studies of children, a normal-weighted kid consumes on average about 500 calories and it doesn't matter if the child he's eating with is a normal-weighted or an overweight friend. It's the overweight kids who are most influenced by the presence of a "permission giver" (another overweight kid).

Studies of adults have found that when men and women are followed for three decades, people tended to put on more weight if their same-sex friends were overweight or obese. This is the power of the social network. It's viral. The people you live, play and work with can indeed exert a powerful influence on your lifestyle habits.

Here's the good news. It's viral both ways. If you want to improve your current eating or exercise habits, start hanging out with people who are already doing that. Let them infect you with their good habits. Choose your mentors and do what it takes to be with like-minded individuals. Join a walking, hiking or biking club. It really works. This is true whether you're trying to quit smoking, drinking alcohol or over eating. Take a moment and think about who you tend to be with throughout the day.

A rule of thumb when you want to change any lifestyle habit is that you need to change the environment to support your new habit. Part of that environment is not just where you're living or working, but who you're doing that with. Everyone is on their own life journey, and they're also in various states of readiness to make change. There are plenty of people in your life who may not be ready for change and are still living an unhealthy lifestyle. That's OK. Just balance time you spend with them, with time being with more fit and healthy folks. It can often be a tricky balance, but keep working at it.

The bottom line is that if you want to become healthier, find other people who support that through their own lifestyle habits and hang out with them and learn and enjoy their encouragement. Then, one day, after you've succeeded in doing well, guess what? Someone's going to eyeball you and say "Wow, I want to be like you. Can we hang out together?" You see? It's a wonderful, viral process. So, what are you waiting for? Seek out your mentors and get started today.

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