Review of "10 Habits that Mess Up a Woman's Diet" by Elizabeth Summer

Yesterday, I was reviewing my favorite books for our upcoming Emotional Eating class at Evergreen Hospital. I found some interesting facts in this book, and I will quote her.

• "If you're like most women, you probably rate your eating habits somewhere between "really good" and "pretty good". She then states that 90% of women polled think their diets are reasonably healthy and that almost all of them are delusional!
• 70% of Americans say they are eating "pretty much whatever they want," and the whatever is not the stuff of which healthy, trim bodies are made.
• We're eating more calories and moving less than we did 20 years ago.
• We are currently averaging 158 pounds of sugar eaten per year.
• Most of us eat 11 serving of grains per day, most of them highly refined and lacking nutrients.
• 40% of us are regularly eating fast food weekly.
• We are not eating enough healthy foods like fruits, veggies, and real foods.

Her book then has chapters on Mindless Eating, Your needs, Honesty, Healthy Eating, Planning, Excuses, Moods, Habits, Drinking, and All or Nothing Thinking. I would say that this book is the most practical one that I own for the person that does not want to diet, but wants to make healthy changes to their eating, work on mindless and emotional eating, and also change the way they look at the world. It is my favorite book and she makes it fun and easy to read!

This book is a must buy book for your library! Kerry

Another New Year

Wow Everyone,
It's another New Year and if you are like everyone else you are busy trying to live up to your New Year's resolutions! I saw a great comic where a guy goes into a gym and asks, "Do you have a membership deal that will last me just for the first couple weeks of the New Year, when I've fooled myself into believing that I can stick to my "Get in Shape" Resolution? Does that sound like most of us or what?

Let's make this year count and not be like the guy in the comic. Let's not diet, set unrealistic weight goals for ourselves or try to eat foods that we hate. Let's make some simple lifestyle habit changes that will help us become more healthy. I wanted to start the year going through some of my favorite ways to make some simple changes. I think that these changes basically fall into three categories. Our Habits, Emotional Eating and Food choices/Nutrition.

Our Habits are huge and it is in this area that most of us fail. You might need some changes with habits if you:

1. Eat and Watch television or multi-task
2. Skip breakfast
3. Eat straight from a container or bag
4. Eat at fast food often
5. Snack all day long
6. Eat in your car
7. Put your serving dishes on the table
8. Eat a lot of food that has a bar code on it.
9. Eat a lot of processed food
10. Buy a lot of processed food
11. Eat most of your calories after 6 PM
12. Have poor self talk and thoughts

Basically, you can see that I could keep writing indefinitely because there are so many areas in our lives that we have developed poor habits over time. Each of us is very different and has our own set of problem areas. There is no "one size fits all diet" or "diet advice" that works for everyone. I could make the same never ending list for healthy food choices or for Emotional Eating also, but you get the point. We all have different reasons for having weight problems. 

I want to take the blog and help you get started thinking about ways you can make some simple changes that will help you. Please make this year different by not dieting but by making lasting practical changes that will help you lose weight permanently. It is not rocket science like all of the diet books would like us to believe!

Don't be discouraged. There is much hope!

Kerry

Transparency

Hey Everyone,
Transparency is something that has been on my mind for the last few weeks. I am a leader with a Young Life Capernaum group of young adults. Capernaum works with students and young adults that are differently-abled. Many of them have become some of my very best friends. What I love about them is their insight and that they do not make life complicated, as I often do. It is so refreshing to me! I love their transparency! When they are struggling at work, they'll call and say "Hey, I am struggling at work and yelled at my boss today." When they are worried about their family Christmas party, they might say, "I am so nervous about the drama that revolves around Christmas at my house when the family gets together!" I love this transparency!

Most of us would admit that we are not transparent. The last thing we want to admit is our struggles. I have seen from my friends that facing your struggles and asking for help is not a bad way to live. When problems and struggles come during the holiday season, try reaching out to one of your friends or family and talking it out rather than reaching for food. Food is a temporary way to sooth your hurts and does not work long term. We all know this, yet we still try to eat to satisfy our emotions with food.

Join me during the holidays in practicing transparency with your friends and family. I have seen that most of my problems are not as big as I have made them in mind, when I share them with others. Sometimes a hug from a friend feels a whole lot better than eating lots of tortilla chips (my ultimate love/hate food). No guilt and shame but love and acceptance!

Blessings for the Holiday Season!

Kerry

Are You An Emotional Eater

These are a few questions you can ask yourself if you are not sure if emotional eating is a problem for you.

1. Do you think about food many times during the day?
2. Do you eat when you are worried, tense or upset?
3. Do you eat when you are feeling bored?
4. Do you often eat until you are stuffed or feel sick?
5. Do you eat when you are feeling anxious?
6. Do you mindlessly eat without thinking about it?
7. Do you sneak food because you are embarrassed by how much or what you eat?
8. Do you feel guilty after eating?
9. Do you eat small amounts in public but eat a lot when by yourself?
10. Do you have to clean your plate?
11. Can you limit yourself to one serving of your comfort foods?
12. Do you eat on impulse and feel unable to control yourself?
13. Do you eat when you are not physically hungry?
14. Do you lie to yourself about the quantity you ate?
15. Do you binge on huge quantities of food?
16. Do you spend your life on one diet after another?
17. Do you eat while watching television or reading?
18. Do you eat in the car?
19. Do you eat very quickly?
20. Do you hide the evidence that you ate, like your wrappers?
21. Do you feel out of control and distressed when you eat?
22. Do you use food to avoid uncomfortable feelings?
23. Do you miss work, school or social events because of your weight or eating habits?
24. Do you become moody all day long if you gained a pound?
25. Do you believe your weight is tied to your happiness?

Well if you are like most of us you answered yes to many of these questions. Diets are not successful long term because most of us do not work on our emotional eating. In the next few days we will look at some of the ways we can make some changes. Have a great weekend!

*Remember alcoholic drinks can be very caloric.