Tag Archives: behavior

How the Gift of Presence Can Help You Lose Weight This Season

Holidays can be challenging, especially when it comes to the variety and amount of food you encounter at gatherings. That’s why this can be a time of year you look forward to, and yet dread. If you struggle with your weight, should you do your best to make peace with the scale? Or should you avoid it all together; after all, you can always start again with the new year, right? Instead, we say plan accordingly.

Remaining present can be a challenge. Knowing what to expect this time of year and planning to approach it a bit differently can make a big difference in maintaining your weight and experiencing more peace, love, and joy (with yourself) this time of year.

christmas eating

Retrofit offers a personalized approach to weight loss and a sustainable, healthy lifestyle by identifying the key challenge(s) individuals face when trying to lose weight anytime of year. Each client takes a Lifestyle Patterns Assessment (LPA) developed by Dr. Robert Kushner, a weight-loss physician with decades of experience. The pattern(s) identified for each individual allows the Behavior Coach (or Weight Loss Coach) and client to work on the area(s) keeping him or her from being successful at losing the weight for good.

Clients are rarely surprised by their LPA results; they usually know what they should do to lose weight and make healthier choices. We use the patterns identified to build successful strategies. In short, the Behavior Coach helps clients close the gap between what they know and what they actually do, providing encouragement along the way. (more…)

Posted on December 5, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Find the Right Diet for Your Personality in “Who Are You Meant To Be”

Every year, more new diets pop up claiming to be revolutionary and suitable for everyone. And every year, millions try them out, hoping that they’ll finally find the solution to losing weight.

Dr. Anne Dranitsaris, PhD and Heather Dranitsaris-Hilliard believe that this model is not how weight loss should be approached. In their new book, Who Are You Meant to Be?, released January 1, 2024, they outline how an individual’s personality affects their behavior and, in turn, their dieting styles.

“We’re looking at [dieting] through a different lens than most. What is it that’s driving our behaviors? Why do we people behave like we do around food?” said Dranitsaris-Hilliard.

The mother-and-daughter team’s book is not a diet guide, but it may be applied toward eating styles as part of an integrated look at human behavior. Through their research, they have identified eight different “striving styles” and find most individuals fall under one of these. (more…)

Posted on January 21, 2024 by SarahS

Yoga Etiquette to Avoid an In-Class Faux Pas

Just like anything in life, there are always general parameters to follow in order to maintain a healthy status quo. Deviations from acceptable behavior usually get us in trouble, or worse, land us in jail.

You might not think that taking a yoga class would require any guidelines, as everyone is always encouraged to be who they are. But, while you won’t go to jail for a yoga faux pas, you will meet some resistance in finding inner peace if you ignore the following suggestions.

Practice appropriate yoga etiquette so you and everyone around you can have an enjoyable experience in class.

Don’t be late
Some teachers will not let you in the door if you are more than five or 10 minutes late. If you happen to be lateand are still allowed into class, time your entrance either before or after the invocation. If the class is chanting or quietly setting their intentions, wait by the door. Only enter when the teacher leads participants into the first pose. By doing this, you will not disrupt the peaceful energy that is being created in class. (more…)

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Jill

Troublemaker Kids May Just be Sleep Deprived

Eradicating the ever-present problem of bullies may lie in establishing proper sleeping habits for children. The New York Times reported that a new study of over 300 elementary students in Michigan revealed a correlation between sleep-disturbances and behavioral instability. Louise O’brien, the study’s lead author, cautions that the findings don’t prove lack of sleep causes bullying but it certainly implies a relationship between the two.

Other studies have yielded similar findings. We’ve known for a long time now that proper sleep habits affect both mental and physical health. Fatigue, mood swings, weight gain, weakened concentration, memory loss,  and impaired immunity can all be caused by insufficient sleep. What to do if your child isn’t sleeping well:

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Posted on June 10, 2023 by Theresa

Lose Weight in 2024 by Breaking Away From Unhealthy Habits

By Beth Casey Gold, MS, RD, and Director of Corporate Programming at Vtrim Online

The Vtrim Weight Management Program was developed by Jean Harvey-Berino, Ph.D., R.D., a nationally recognized weight-loss researcher at the University of Vermont. Dr. Harvey-Berino’s concept is based on behavior changes: a systematic shaping of daily habits to help people move more and eat less.

When the clock strikes midnight on December 31, millions of Americans will make a resolution to lose weight in 2024. The experts at the Vtrim Online Behavioral Weight Management Program can help make that resolution a reality.

The Vtrim philosophy is simple: eat less, move more. Our approach is based on behavior change. We have proven in clinical research that people can successfully lose weight by trading in unhealthy habits for new, healthy habits. This year, vow to change your habits, and lose weight as a benefit of changing your lifestyle.

Here is my advice on changing your behaviors to lose weight and feel great in 2024.

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Posted on December 30, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Healthy Lifestyle Trumps Genetics

If you think that your weight and health is predetermined by your family genetics, think again. Two large studies from Northwestern Medicine have found that a healthy lifestyle is the most important factor on cardiovascular health. Hooray!

In the first study, researchers found that the majority of people who adopted healthy lifestyle behaviors in young adulthood maintained a low cardiovascular risk profile as they aged into their 30s. A high cardiovascular risk profile can result in a higher incidence of heart attack and high blood pressure, among other health problems.

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Posted on November 24, 2023 by Jennipher

How to Motivate Behavior Changes in Someone You Love

women hugFebruary is American Heart Month. It’s a time to bring awareness to heart disease and stroke, the number one killer in the United States, so you and people you love don’t become a statistic. I’ve been blogging about important topics like lowering your cholesterol, reducing heart disease risk and identifying heart healthy foods all month, and I want to continue the conversation with you by discussing how you can influence change in those you love.

My mom has heart disease and I’ve spent countless hours helping her with nutrition and exercise. So I’m coming at this post as a daughter with experience in trying to get a loved one to change more so than rattling off “book smarts.”

First, let me just say one important thing: it doesn’t matter how much you want someone to change, they have to want it too. Make no mistake. Change is not easy for many people. But I’m concerned that too many well-intentioned people are struggling and frustrated that their loved one doesn’t seem to be able to change. Above all else, they have to want it and secondly, they need support… and that’s where you can come in and can be successful.

So, if you aren’t sure if your loved one wants to change, you need to start there. Here are some tips to help you out. (more…)

Posted on February 18, 2024 by Rebecca

Biggest Loser At Home: Changing Behaviors That Matter

bob harper at biggest loserIt’s almost time for another season of The Biggest Loser. In anticipation, I am dedicating my blogs this week to tips for how you can get The Biggest Loser experience at home. As the experts behind the show explain, one of the reasons the people lose so much weight consistently is because of their new environment. But you can change your environment at home, too. Biggest Loser success is within everyone’s reach. Earlier this week, I blogged about how you can change your nutrition and exercise environments, today I’m going to review a series of important behavior changes that will help you lose weight with the contestants.

Since the first season, experts behind the scenes of the show found the contestants shared many characteristics, which I listed below along with tips for changes you can make along with the contestants: (more…)

Posted on September 11, 2023 by Rebecca

Five Ways to Indulge Wisely on a Diet

Oreo cheesecakeFor the majority of your meals, you are the veritable poster child for healthy eating: You easily get in your veggie quota for the day, you always eat breakfast and you exercise on most days of the week. But when it comes to certain foods, all willpower seems to go down the drain. Take for instance McDonald’s new line of Angus Burgers. There is no disputing that these three burgers contain some pretty dismal nutrition facts.

But every now and then, even the most healthy of nutrition experts believe in the benefits of indulging in your favorite eats in order to keep feelings of deprivation at bay.

Here are five ways to indulge without letting it completely sideline your health and diet goals. (more…)

Posted on July 30, 2023 by heather

Obesity Linked to Familial Behavior

healthy familyThere are many reasons why people avoid the assistance of a professional therapist. One common misconception (for which we can thank Mr. Frued) is that the counselor will always blame your mother for whatever difficulties you may be experiencing. There are many other factors that have influenced your current life; however, weight may be highly influenced by what you observe in your parents. (more…)

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

Positive Reinforecement Supports Positive Habit Changes

When explaining the formation of a habit, I mentioned reinforcing behavior that you want to encourage. Our behavior is shaped by the consequences of our choices. Behaviorism discusses positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment as the major ways to shape behavior. In this theory, positive means adding something to a situation, negative means removing something from a situation, reinforcement is used to encourage a behavior, and punishment is used to discourage a behavior. (more…)

Posted on October 23, 2023 by Brooke Randolph