Just a little football and family are enough to make any day a holiday for me, but Thanksgiving seems to be defined by turkey, casseroles, carbs, sugar, and overindulgence. We teach our children that the first Thanksgiving was a feast shared by the Pilgrims and the Natives in celebration of the bountiful harvest that followed a harsh winter. It may have partially been intended to build up stores of fat to help survive the approaching winter.
As modern day Americans, we do not have to be concerned about weather conditions making food unavailable. We have 24-hour grocery stores and shelves stocked with options. We can be thankful for this every day. As a result, our Thanksgiving celebrations can be more than feasts. This is particularly dangerous for those who are trying to alter their approach to food.
While overeating can make one sluggish, disappointed in one’s self, and unhappy with appearance, giving thanks will help you focus on the positive things in life and improve outlook and mood. This year, instead of recognizing the day by raising your fork, try one (or all) of these tips.
Have you ever had that moment when you look at your to do list, schedule or inbox and feel entirely overwhelmed? Have you ever had a project that you put off because of how long it would take to complete? Fitness and weight loss goals can often feel overwhelming because they are complicated tasks that require an investment of time. If you are like me, you prefer tasks that can be completed quickly and easily (which is likely why diet pills are so popular despite the risks and lack of long-term effectiveness).
Losing 20 pounds, being able to complete 10 pull ups, running a marathon, eliminating trans fats, or being able to terminate certain medications can seem like overwhelming tasks. It is not surprising that so few people actually make changes recommended by their doctors if they believe it would be too difficult. If you can break these tasks into smaller steps, they can seem more manageable.
When something doesn’t go quite right or as I had planned, I generally try to consider it a “lesson learned” rather than beating myself up over mistakes. By doing so, I can keep myself from getting too frustrated, keep my sense of humor, stay focused on creating a better me in a better future, and hopefully find a way to help someone else. Although, at times, I am more inclined to make up an example for the lesson than use my own experience. What you are about to hear is one of those things I probably wouldn’t normally share online (I didn’t even tell my co-workers).
One thing I have to guard against on a regular basis is doing too much and overpacking my schedule. As a result, I sometimes feel rushed even when I am not. This morning after assisting my friend to take his great dane to the vet and a quick drop off at doggy daycare, I jumped in my car to get to one of my weekly therapuetic client meetings. I could either get some breakfast on the way or run out for something in the 30 minutes between my client and staff meeting. Still debating my timing until I pulled in to my favorite brunch restaurant, I made the better choice of fresh, local ingredients to go. Dipping my fork into the syrup rather than dumping it on my cinnamon pear french toast was also a wise choice; trying to do so while driving was not…
Recent research conducted in the United Kingdom has shown that dietary choices can have a long term effect on your mental health. Researchers compared 3,486 civil servants in London based on surveys they completed about their eating habits and a follow-up survey on mood completed five years later. Participants were divided into two categories: the “whole food” group ate a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and fish, while the “processed food” group ate a high percentage of sweetened desserts, fried foods, processed meat, refined grains, and high-fat dairy products. The research also took into account other habits that effect overall health such as exercise and smoking.
The link between what we eat and mental health: The participants in the “processed food” group were 58 percent more likely to develop depression, while those with a “whole foods” diet were 26 percent less likely to develop depression. Interestingly, the researchers were cautious to draw any specific conclusions based on these correlations.
Admit it, you have not changed the number listed as your weight on your driver’s license since you were 16. It probably advertises a number that would be completely inappropriate for an adult. Most people never make the effort to update the weight listed on their driver’s license out of embarrassment or feeling like they have a positive advertisement, or to remember just how small we once were.
My friend Suzi stated on Twitter that she had not changed the number on her driver’s license when she had gained weight, not out of embarrassment but because she had hoped she would get back to that weight. She announced this on Twitter because she was celebrating that as she went to renew her driver’s license she is back at that weight.
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