foxfieldco
05-07-2004, 09:31 AM
hot Weight Watchers eTools article of the week:
Are You a Stress Eater?
De-Stress Without Dessert
"STRESSED" is "DESSERTS" spelled backwards, and it's no surprise.
Stress eating is a major problem for a lot of people, and it's a hard
one to swallow: If you're a stress eater, you probably know it.
You're just not sure what to do about it.
In fact, worrying about it is kind of stressing you out, right? Don't
worry. We can help.
Stress Right
You've probably heard your Leader or other Meetings Members talking
about Reframing, a powerful tool from Weight Watchers Tools For
Living. It's the perfect way to rework the way you react to stress.
Eating in response to an emotion is a behavior that can be changed.
And when you want to change a behavior, you can. Just remember that
you've been keeping that responsive behavior — eating — because you
don't want to give up what you get from it.
It's not the food you're after, it's the stress relief: Eating when
you're stressed out helps you calm down. The trick, then? Think about
some non-food ways you can let go of the tension and frustration of
stress. Then use the steps of Reframing to try them. Maybe you could:
Go for a walk.
Call a friend.
Work on a craft project.
Take a bath.
Write out a healthy grocery list.
Get out into your garden.
Remember, stress is everywhere. And overeating to respond to it only
makes it worse. It's worth it to come up with healthier ways to cope.
~~~~
7 Ways to Stop Stress Now
Someone once said, "A diamond is just a lump of coal that has
withstood a lot of pressure." If that were the case, we should all be
shining brightly by now.
Sure, stress can motivate us to get things done — that's the upside.
But the downside can be really ugly. Stress, according to a study in
the New England Journal of Medicine, can lead to physical problems
such as high blood pressure, and can accelerate some effects of
aging. And we all know that stress may contribute to emotional
upheaval — irritability, anger and even depression.
Here are seven easy strategies — one for each day of the week — to
help you meet stress head-on and conquer it:
Breathe. Yes! It's that simple. Breathe deeply, but don't
hyperventilate. Inhale as though you were sniffing a delightful
scent. Then stre-e-e-tch your arms high over your head as you slowly
and completely exhale.
Set boundaries. Just like the stressed-out mom who sat in the playpen
to keep away from the children, you can erect some barriers. Decide
what you will do — and when. Better still, decide what you won't do
and dare to say "no." Try to avoid anything, and anyone, who wastes
your time.
Clarify your goals. Decide exactly what needs to be done, and plan a
smart way of accomplishing each task. Oh, and give yourself a pat on
the back every time you achieve even one of your goals, no matter how
small.
Put yourself first. That's right! If you aren't functioning at your
peak, your work and your relationships will suffer. Find time for
yourself, and try to do at least one relaxing thing each day: Take a
bubble bath, or read a chapter of a favorite book.
Give yourself a break. It's okay to goof off, cancel a lunch date, or
miss a deadline now and then. In six months or 10 years, who will
remember?
Get spiritual. Get in touch with your spiritual values, and align
your plans and activities with them. For instance, read an inspiring
book, then figure out how to incorporate what you learned into your
day-to-day life.
Take five. Right now stop what you are doing to cherish the moment.
Savor whatever you're drinking or eating. Or go outside and smell the
air, the flowers and the trees. Feel the wind, sunshine or rain on
your face. Listen for tiny sounds. Take a moment every day to marvel
at the wonders all around you.
~~~~
How to Get Through Your Hardest Time of Day
Some people find prime-time television hours the hardest on their
weight-loss plan; others say midnight's the worst. Still others fall
off-track mid-afternoon. And for a smaller group, right after
breakfast is the most difficult time to stay away from snacks.
In a recent poll, we asked WeightWatchers.com users what the hardest
time of day was for them to stick to their diet plan. Two percent
said morning, 32 percent said mid-afternoon, 46 percent said evening,
and 18 percent said late at night. Which time zone do you fall in?
Whichever your "weak" time is, we can help. We asked Kimberly Glenn,
MS, RD, LD, of Northside Hospital's weight-reduction clinic in
Atlanta, Georgia, for some time-tested advice.
Morning Munchies
Helen of Dundurn, Saskatchewan, Canada, says: I eat breakfast each
morning (I know you aren't supposed to skip meals), but struggle
thereafter. I always crave something sweet. It's a vicious cycle.
Glenn says: First things first, start out with a healthy breakfast;
you can do it on the run. Make sure you include protein and fiber —
without them, you'll get hungry quicker. Try:
High-fiber cereal, milk and fruit.
Packets of oatmeal, made with milk.
A slice of high-fiber bread with peanut butter or cheese.
If you eat breakfast at 7 a.m. and feel hungry again at 10, don't be
distressed. If you're on a good schedule, you should feel hungry
every three or four hours. Have a healthy snack, maybe a piece of
fruit, just to tide you over. And if it's going to be a long time
until your next meal, include protein in your snack — maybe eat a
Luna or other protein bar.
Afternoon Appetite
Elaine of Cheyenne, Wyoming, says: As soon as I hit the door at home,
my hunger pangs go wild! I have to have something to curb my appetite
until dinner is ready. Usually I make smart choices, but sometimes I
fall into the "ugh" mode.
Glenn says: Most people have a hard time at this time of day. A lot
of people eat lunch between 11 and 1 and dinner at 6, so a snack in
between makes sense. Try:
An apple and peanut butter
Yogurt and cereal
Half a peanut butter sandwich
Cottage cheese and fruit
Avoid sugary, empty-calorie foods. If you eat things like that,
you'll still be hungry and you may overeat later. An afternoon snack
should give you energy and keep you full until dinner.
Evening Grazing
Jamie of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, says: After I've had my three
sensible meals during my busy day, [during the evenings] I simply
want to relax at home and snack. It's so easy to "throw in the towel"
after behaving well all day.
Glenn says: Where are you eating when you eat at this time? Do you
have a favorite chair that you eat and watch TV in? When you're in
a "comfort" place like that, you're likely to lose track of the
quantity you take in. The first step is to try to not eat in
your "happy place," but if you really want to, have a set snack —
don't graze. For example, try:
A Luna or other protein bar
Crackers and cheese
A Popsicle or frozen ice-cream sandwich
Try to stick with snacks that have built-in portion control. Low-fat
microwave popcorn is good in the evening, too, because it takes a
long time to eat. Last but not least, enjoy your snack: There's
nothing wrong with having one, just so long as you don't go
overboard.
Midnight Nibbling
Karen of Brooklyn, New York, says: My worst time is late at night. I
have trouble falling asleep, and tend to go in the kitchen and
nibble.
What Glenn says: You need to ask yourself, am I really hungry or am I
just bored? Am I eating because of stress or an emotional issue?
Close the kitchen — make it off-limits until the morning — or limit
yourself to sugar-free hot chocolate or hot tea. Have a snack planned
for a certain time: Limit yourself to that one snack and see if it
satisfies you. (And if you're having a serious problem with insomnia,
you might want to discuss it with your doctor.)
~~~~~
Are You Stressed Out?
To most of us, stress is an emotional reaction to an isolated
situation such as an overbooked schedule or a looming deadline, and
too little time to complete all that we have to get done. But stress
can also be all-consuming, especially when it relates to a tragedy
that awakens our most deep-rooted fears of vulnerability and loss of
control.
And stress can bring about more health problems than you might think.
The American Medical Association attributes three-quarters of all
doctor visits to stress-related illnesses such as fatigue, headaches
and insomnia.
In case you've never experienced stress (and that seems pretty
unlikely), stress occurs when the body is continually in a state
of "red alert." When you're late for a dentist appointment or your
toddler is toying with a shelf of glass figurines, your body starts
to pump adrenaline in preparation for either a confrontation or a
quick escape.
When you walk away without expending that extra energy, your body has
to cope with what amounts to a physical false alarm. If this happens
daily, your heart, internal organs and immune system will eventually
register the strain, heightening your vulnerability to everything
from the common cold to heart attacks.
What's considered stressful is completely personal. Short bursts of
adrenaline are common during a tennis match, a surprise party or a
sample sale of the hottest designer. And events that your best friend
might consider stressful (like giving a toast or bidding on an item
at an auction) might be exciting and enjoyable to you. An
individual's stressors are as unique as his fingerprints. A high-
energy person might consider taking a nap in a hammock to be
intolerably stressful because she craves activity.
To define your own stress limits, think about whether you're in
control. If you feel like life is controlling you rather than the
other way around or nothing you do at work or home is ever enough,
you're stressed. Here are eight ideas for keeping stress at bay:
Accept that you can't do it all and delegate tasks to others.
Skip the multitasking and do one thing at a time.
Create a routine and set aside a couple of hours one evening a week
for must-do chores such as paying bills.
Tune out and schedule one TV- and phone-free night each week.
Plan ahead, figure out your weekly menus and shop in advance for
groceries.
Keep a to-do list and look at what has to be done that day and
whether anything can be postponed.
Stop worrying about other people's expectations.
Let it out — talk about what's stressing you with your friends and
family.
~~~~
Meditation and Weight Loss
Meditation is a centuries-old method for clearing the mind and
calming the body. A few decades ago, it was known only as an Eastern
religious practice or as mysteriously bohemian (the Beatles, for
example, were avid meditators). Now, meditation has gone mainstream.
Recommended as a stress-reducing technique by hospitals and doctors
across the country, its myriad benefits include reduced blood
pressure, healthier arteries and an enhanced sense of well-being.
With all these benefits going for it, meditation is an ideal tool for
relaxation and self-discovery on the way to your weight goal.
Breathing Your Way to Peace — and Thinner Thighs?
"The very core place to start is the breath," says Alison Shore
Gaines, a holistic counselor at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in
Lenox, Massachusetts. In her "Conscious Eating for Sacred
Nourishment" workshops, Gaines teaches students to take five deep
breaths before eating. "A lot of times when we eat habitually, we get
poised for action — we lean in and the tummy gets tight and we get
ready to shovel," she says. Taking five breaths relaxes the body and
clears the emotional palate. "This way people enjoy their food, they
really taste it, they really see it — and they eat less because
they're enjoying more and going slower," adds Gaines.
Before you get too excited, though, remember: Meditation is not a
quick fix. "You can't just magically sit down and meditate and
tomorrow have no weight on your body," says DeDe Lahman, a certified
yoga instructor and body image lecturer in New York City.
A Practice of Presence
Of course, a meditation practice involves more than a few deep
breaths. But it is simple — not easy, but simple. "Meditation is
about stopping and being present, that is all," writes Jon Kabat-
Zinn, Ph.D., in Wherever You Go, There You Are; Mindfulness
Meditation in Everyday Life (Hyperion, 1994). He adds, "Mostly we run
around doing. Are you able to come to a stop in your life, even for
one moment? Could it be this moment? What would happen if you did?"
What happens on the physical level is what Herbert Benson, M.D., the
Harvard doctor who initiated meditation studies in the 1970s, calls
the "Relaxation Response." He discovered that during meditation,
brain waves shift into a state similar to — and sometimes more
relaxed than — sleep. This level of relaxation lowers the amount of
stress hormones that cause pain and illness.
Meditation can also clear a foundation for healthier thinking and
feeling. "When you meditate, all the junk comes up, all the clutter,"
says Lahman. "The negative body images come up, the desires for
certain foods come up and the emotions that are attached to those
desires come up. The more they surface, the more you can put them in
your mental recycle bin and start with a clean slate," she adds.
Meditation Cheat Sheet
There are many types of meditation. Find one that resonates with your
beliefs, and make sure your instructor has plenty of experience. In
the meantime, you can try the following:
Sit straight in a comfortable, quiet place.
Close your eyes.
Relax your muscles.
Pay attention to your slow and natural breathing.
When distracting thoughts occur — and they will — simply notice them
and gently bring your attention back to the breath. You may have to
do this often at first.
Continue for 10 to 20 minutes.
Try to practice once or twice daily. With time meditation will "bring
a sense of relaxation, of coming to peace," says Gaines. "And from
that place of peace we make better choices."
Meditation is not a magic cure for weight issues, but it can help
curb emotional eating and pave the way for a healthier relationship
with food.
For Further Study
Web: www.dhamma.org (http://www.dhamma.org) (Vipassana Meditation Website)
Books: Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn (Hyperion,
1994); Meditation For Dummies by Stephan Bodian (For Dummies, 1999)
Are You a Stress Eater?
De-Stress Without Dessert
"STRESSED" is "DESSERTS" spelled backwards, and it's no surprise.
Stress eating is a major problem for a lot of people, and it's a hard
one to swallow: If you're a stress eater, you probably know it.
You're just not sure what to do about it.
In fact, worrying about it is kind of stressing you out, right? Don't
worry. We can help.
Stress Right
You've probably heard your Leader or other Meetings Members talking
about Reframing, a powerful tool from Weight Watchers Tools For
Living. It's the perfect way to rework the way you react to stress.
Eating in response to an emotion is a behavior that can be changed.
And when you want to change a behavior, you can. Just remember that
you've been keeping that responsive behavior — eating — because you
don't want to give up what you get from it.
It's not the food you're after, it's the stress relief: Eating when
you're stressed out helps you calm down. The trick, then? Think about
some non-food ways you can let go of the tension and frustration of
stress. Then use the steps of Reframing to try them. Maybe you could:
Go for a walk.
Call a friend.
Work on a craft project.
Take a bath.
Write out a healthy grocery list.
Get out into your garden.
Remember, stress is everywhere. And overeating to respond to it only
makes it worse. It's worth it to come up with healthier ways to cope.
~~~~
7 Ways to Stop Stress Now
Someone once said, "A diamond is just a lump of coal that has
withstood a lot of pressure." If that were the case, we should all be
shining brightly by now.
Sure, stress can motivate us to get things done — that's the upside.
But the downside can be really ugly. Stress, according to a study in
the New England Journal of Medicine, can lead to physical problems
such as high blood pressure, and can accelerate some effects of
aging. And we all know that stress may contribute to emotional
upheaval — irritability, anger and even depression.
Here are seven easy strategies — one for each day of the week — to
help you meet stress head-on and conquer it:
Breathe. Yes! It's that simple. Breathe deeply, but don't
hyperventilate. Inhale as though you were sniffing a delightful
scent. Then stre-e-e-tch your arms high over your head as you slowly
and completely exhale.
Set boundaries. Just like the stressed-out mom who sat in the playpen
to keep away from the children, you can erect some barriers. Decide
what you will do — and when. Better still, decide what you won't do
and dare to say "no." Try to avoid anything, and anyone, who wastes
your time.
Clarify your goals. Decide exactly what needs to be done, and plan a
smart way of accomplishing each task. Oh, and give yourself a pat on
the back every time you achieve even one of your goals, no matter how
small.
Put yourself first. That's right! If you aren't functioning at your
peak, your work and your relationships will suffer. Find time for
yourself, and try to do at least one relaxing thing each day: Take a
bubble bath, or read a chapter of a favorite book.
Give yourself a break. It's okay to goof off, cancel a lunch date, or
miss a deadline now and then. In six months or 10 years, who will
remember?
Get spiritual. Get in touch with your spiritual values, and align
your plans and activities with them. For instance, read an inspiring
book, then figure out how to incorporate what you learned into your
day-to-day life.
Take five. Right now stop what you are doing to cherish the moment.
Savor whatever you're drinking or eating. Or go outside and smell the
air, the flowers and the trees. Feel the wind, sunshine or rain on
your face. Listen for tiny sounds. Take a moment every day to marvel
at the wonders all around you.
~~~~
How to Get Through Your Hardest Time of Day
Some people find prime-time television hours the hardest on their
weight-loss plan; others say midnight's the worst. Still others fall
off-track mid-afternoon. And for a smaller group, right after
breakfast is the most difficult time to stay away from snacks.
In a recent poll, we asked WeightWatchers.com users what the hardest
time of day was for them to stick to their diet plan. Two percent
said morning, 32 percent said mid-afternoon, 46 percent said evening,
and 18 percent said late at night. Which time zone do you fall in?
Whichever your "weak" time is, we can help. We asked Kimberly Glenn,
MS, RD, LD, of Northside Hospital's weight-reduction clinic in
Atlanta, Georgia, for some time-tested advice.
Morning Munchies
Helen of Dundurn, Saskatchewan, Canada, says: I eat breakfast each
morning (I know you aren't supposed to skip meals), but struggle
thereafter. I always crave something sweet. It's a vicious cycle.
Glenn says: First things first, start out with a healthy breakfast;
you can do it on the run. Make sure you include protein and fiber —
without them, you'll get hungry quicker. Try:
High-fiber cereal, milk and fruit.
Packets of oatmeal, made with milk.
A slice of high-fiber bread with peanut butter or cheese.
If you eat breakfast at 7 a.m. and feel hungry again at 10, don't be
distressed. If you're on a good schedule, you should feel hungry
every three or four hours. Have a healthy snack, maybe a piece of
fruit, just to tide you over. And if it's going to be a long time
until your next meal, include protein in your snack — maybe eat a
Luna or other protein bar.
Afternoon Appetite
Elaine of Cheyenne, Wyoming, says: As soon as I hit the door at home,
my hunger pangs go wild! I have to have something to curb my appetite
until dinner is ready. Usually I make smart choices, but sometimes I
fall into the "ugh" mode.
Glenn says: Most people have a hard time at this time of day. A lot
of people eat lunch between 11 and 1 and dinner at 6, so a snack in
between makes sense. Try:
An apple and peanut butter
Yogurt and cereal
Half a peanut butter sandwich
Cottage cheese and fruit
Avoid sugary, empty-calorie foods. If you eat things like that,
you'll still be hungry and you may overeat later. An afternoon snack
should give you energy and keep you full until dinner.
Evening Grazing
Jamie of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, says: After I've had my three
sensible meals during my busy day, [during the evenings] I simply
want to relax at home and snack. It's so easy to "throw in the towel"
after behaving well all day.
Glenn says: Where are you eating when you eat at this time? Do you
have a favorite chair that you eat and watch TV in? When you're in
a "comfort" place like that, you're likely to lose track of the
quantity you take in. The first step is to try to not eat in
your "happy place," but if you really want to, have a set snack —
don't graze. For example, try:
A Luna or other protein bar
Crackers and cheese
A Popsicle or frozen ice-cream sandwich
Try to stick with snacks that have built-in portion control. Low-fat
microwave popcorn is good in the evening, too, because it takes a
long time to eat. Last but not least, enjoy your snack: There's
nothing wrong with having one, just so long as you don't go
overboard.
Midnight Nibbling
Karen of Brooklyn, New York, says: My worst time is late at night. I
have trouble falling asleep, and tend to go in the kitchen and
nibble.
What Glenn says: You need to ask yourself, am I really hungry or am I
just bored? Am I eating because of stress or an emotional issue?
Close the kitchen — make it off-limits until the morning — or limit
yourself to sugar-free hot chocolate or hot tea. Have a snack planned
for a certain time: Limit yourself to that one snack and see if it
satisfies you. (And if you're having a serious problem with insomnia,
you might want to discuss it with your doctor.)
~~~~~
Are You Stressed Out?
To most of us, stress is an emotional reaction to an isolated
situation such as an overbooked schedule or a looming deadline, and
too little time to complete all that we have to get done. But stress
can also be all-consuming, especially when it relates to a tragedy
that awakens our most deep-rooted fears of vulnerability and loss of
control.
And stress can bring about more health problems than you might think.
The American Medical Association attributes three-quarters of all
doctor visits to stress-related illnesses such as fatigue, headaches
and insomnia.
In case you've never experienced stress (and that seems pretty
unlikely), stress occurs when the body is continually in a state
of "red alert." When you're late for a dentist appointment or your
toddler is toying with a shelf of glass figurines, your body starts
to pump adrenaline in preparation for either a confrontation or a
quick escape.
When you walk away without expending that extra energy, your body has
to cope with what amounts to a physical false alarm. If this happens
daily, your heart, internal organs and immune system will eventually
register the strain, heightening your vulnerability to everything
from the common cold to heart attacks.
What's considered stressful is completely personal. Short bursts of
adrenaline are common during a tennis match, a surprise party or a
sample sale of the hottest designer. And events that your best friend
might consider stressful (like giving a toast or bidding on an item
at an auction) might be exciting and enjoyable to you. An
individual's stressors are as unique as his fingerprints. A high-
energy person might consider taking a nap in a hammock to be
intolerably stressful because she craves activity.
To define your own stress limits, think about whether you're in
control. If you feel like life is controlling you rather than the
other way around or nothing you do at work or home is ever enough,
you're stressed. Here are eight ideas for keeping stress at bay:
Accept that you can't do it all and delegate tasks to others.
Skip the multitasking and do one thing at a time.
Create a routine and set aside a couple of hours one evening a week
for must-do chores such as paying bills.
Tune out and schedule one TV- and phone-free night each week.
Plan ahead, figure out your weekly menus and shop in advance for
groceries.
Keep a to-do list and look at what has to be done that day and
whether anything can be postponed.
Stop worrying about other people's expectations.
Let it out — talk about what's stressing you with your friends and
family.
~~~~
Meditation and Weight Loss
Meditation is a centuries-old method for clearing the mind and
calming the body. A few decades ago, it was known only as an Eastern
religious practice or as mysteriously bohemian (the Beatles, for
example, were avid meditators). Now, meditation has gone mainstream.
Recommended as a stress-reducing technique by hospitals and doctors
across the country, its myriad benefits include reduced blood
pressure, healthier arteries and an enhanced sense of well-being.
With all these benefits going for it, meditation is an ideal tool for
relaxation and self-discovery on the way to your weight goal.
Breathing Your Way to Peace — and Thinner Thighs?
"The very core place to start is the breath," says Alison Shore
Gaines, a holistic counselor at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in
Lenox, Massachusetts. In her "Conscious Eating for Sacred
Nourishment" workshops, Gaines teaches students to take five deep
breaths before eating. "A lot of times when we eat habitually, we get
poised for action — we lean in and the tummy gets tight and we get
ready to shovel," she says. Taking five breaths relaxes the body and
clears the emotional palate. "This way people enjoy their food, they
really taste it, they really see it — and they eat less because
they're enjoying more and going slower," adds Gaines.
Before you get too excited, though, remember: Meditation is not a
quick fix. "You can't just magically sit down and meditate and
tomorrow have no weight on your body," says DeDe Lahman, a certified
yoga instructor and body image lecturer in New York City.
A Practice of Presence
Of course, a meditation practice involves more than a few deep
breaths. But it is simple — not easy, but simple. "Meditation is
about stopping and being present, that is all," writes Jon Kabat-
Zinn, Ph.D., in Wherever You Go, There You Are; Mindfulness
Meditation in Everyday Life (Hyperion, 1994). He adds, "Mostly we run
around doing. Are you able to come to a stop in your life, even for
one moment? Could it be this moment? What would happen if you did?"
What happens on the physical level is what Herbert Benson, M.D., the
Harvard doctor who initiated meditation studies in the 1970s, calls
the "Relaxation Response." He discovered that during meditation,
brain waves shift into a state similar to — and sometimes more
relaxed than — sleep. This level of relaxation lowers the amount of
stress hormones that cause pain and illness.
Meditation can also clear a foundation for healthier thinking and
feeling. "When you meditate, all the junk comes up, all the clutter,"
says Lahman. "The negative body images come up, the desires for
certain foods come up and the emotions that are attached to those
desires come up. The more they surface, the more you can put them in
your mental recycle bin and start with a clean slate," she adds.
Meditation Cheat Sheet
There are many types of meditation. Find one that resonates with your
beliefs, and make sure your instructor has plenty of experience. In
the meantime, you can try the following:
Sit straight in a comfortable, quiet place.
Close your eyes.
Relax your muscles.
Pay attention to your slow and natural breathing.
When distracting thoughts occur — and they will — simply notice them
and gently bring your attention back to the breath. You may have to
do this often at first.
Continue for 10 to 20 minutes.
Try to practice once or twice daily. With time meditation will "bring
a sense of relaxation, of coming to peace," says Gaines. "And from
that place of peace we make better choices."
Meditation is not a magic cure for weight issues, but it can help
curb emotional eating and pave the way for a healthier relationship
with food.
For Further Study
Web: www.dhamma.org (http://www.dhamma.org) (Vipassana Meditation Website)
Books: Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn (Hyperion,
1994); Meditation For Dummies by Stephan Bodian (For Dummies, 1999)