The Perfection Perception

I have always described myself as a perfectionist.  A textbook Virgo, I have always aspired to be the perfect sister, daughter, friend, performer, student, and employee. I have a great number of vivid memories of when my quest for perfection and subsequent failure left me feeling quite disappointed.

Cut to a scene in my childhood, when I was in Kindergarten. I was drawing a picture…

…when suddenly, I had the urge to go potty.

NO, I MUSN’T GO, I thought. My picture is not perfectly polished! My crayons are not properly put away!

You bet I finished that picture AND I put the crayons away just so. I also ended up with wet pants, embarrassment, and a trip to the nurse’s office to find some dry (and ill-fitting) clothes for me to wear.

It was not until I was an adult, after earning a Master’s Degree in one year, and realizing that I was quite miserable, that I decided to reassess my idea of “perfection”. Why was it so important to me anyway? 

I finally realized that no one on this entire planet is perfect. Of course, I had heard that saying over and over again as a kid, but I guess I always thought that there were exceptions to the rule anyway. There were always those people that I perceived to be perfect at mostly everything; those who had the perfect house, the perfect kids, the perfect job, or the perfect life in general. Now I know that that was just a PERCEPTION and not a reality. There is a distinct difference. 

The minute I gave myself permission to stop striving for perfection was the minute that I began accepting myself.  I also began forgiving myself for the mistakes I had made and seeing those mistakes as learning experiences. I truly believe that we need to learn from all of our experiences, both  good and bad. We need to forgive ourselves, learn from those experiences, and carry on.

As I listen and talk to people who are struggling with losing weight, I can’t help but get the vibe that a lot of people are striving for perfection in their weight loss efforts. A lot of people adopt an all-or-nothing attitude. For example, many people are dead-set on sticking to their meal plan exactly, sticking to a regimented exercise schedule, and are not allowing for any flexibility. If they slip-up, I see many people giving up or calling themselves failures. They think, “Why bother? I will just fail at everything I try anyway.” 

My advice to myself and to everyone else is to be kind to yourself. If you overslept and missed your workout today, maybe you needed that sleep. Try to take a short walk instead. If you accidentally eat a piece of cake, don’t give up! Figure out how to set yourself up for success for the next time you’re in a tempting situation. 

Life is not black and white and neither is losing weight and getting healthy. Forget about following a certain plan perfectly and focus on adopting healthier habits into your life! Over time, you will reach your goals. If you believe that you can and treat yourself with kindness, you can achieve success!

Foodumentaries

“Have you seen Back to the Future?”

“No.”

“Star Wars?“

*Shakes head side to side*

“SERIOUSLY? The GODFATHER?“

“NO! I have, however, seen Homeward Bound 2:Lost in San Francisco? Does that count?”

(Listen, I went to the theater to see Happy Gilmore and the theater was full. Please don’t judge.)

This type of dialogue happens on a weekly basis with me. Listen, I’m not a big movie person. If the film has something to do with action, science fiction, or anything remotely suspenseful or far-fetched, I’m not going to watch it. If you try to make me watch it, I will fall asleep immediately in an act of protest!

I know, I know.  You’re probably wondering WHY anyone would have this attitude towards movies! The blasphemy!

I can explain. I am a realist. I also have a short attention span. Therefore, I need to watch something that is either going to be relative to my life (documentaries), or at least make me smile and laugh (comedies and rom-coms).

I am a complete sucker for documentaries. I must say that over the past few years, I have watched a large number of documentaries and they have, in fact, changed the way that I view food. In particular, I have watched a majority of the documentaries listed below:

http://www.insurancequotes.org/8-documentaries-that-will-change-the-way-you-look-at-food/

I am aware that with most documentaries, they are only showing one side of the story. However, there are a lot of stories about food that need to be told. Watch and then you can form your own opinions.

What are some documentaries that you have enjoyed or have changed the way that you look at food?

Until we meet again,

Meg

Using ‘Pinspiration’ to Meet your Weight Loss Goals

Have you heard of …

   ?

It’s one of the newest and hippest websites working its way up the popularity ranks. It has a social networking component to it like Facebook or Twitter, but ultimately, you create your own Pinboards. But what is a pinboard, you ask?

 

Remember the days when you spent hours with glue, scissors, and a stack of magazines, making collages? You made collages for school projects, to inspire yourself, or to display your love of Leonardo DiCaprio (okay, maybe that was the tween version of me, circa 1997). 

 

A pinboard is kind of like that, except there’s no mess or assembly required, since it’s done virtually. And in lieu of old magazines you have the whole web to use at your disposal. Sweet, right?

 

You can design a Pinboard about anything and name it yourself. People make pinboards about anything that interests them: recipes, weddings, party planning, photography. Sky’s the limit.  

 

You can even use pinboards to help you meet your health goals. 

 

It has been proven that setting concrete goals and visualizing them can help you to meet them. Search “healthy meals” or “exercise” in Pinterest, and you’re instantly flooded with images of toned bodies, tantalizing and healthy recipes, and suggestions for exercises to get the body that you’ve always wanted. It’s instant inspiration. 

 

Pinboards look something like this:

 

If you haven’t yet, meander over to Pinterest and start pinboard to help you meet your health and wellness goals! Transform the swirling ideas of what you want in your head into concrete, tangible, and inspiring pinboards.

Eating with our Ears

Yup, you heard me right.

Eating with our ears. Hear me out on this one.

The scenario:

We’ve all been there.

You get home from work after an hour in traffic and you’re starving. Straight to the fridge you march and POOF!, two cheese sticks, a turkey leg, AND half a pint of ice cream magically disappear into the abyss of your grumbling stomach. All before you’ve even had a chance to sit down!

We all need to train ourselves to eat more mindfully and let ourselves completely enjoy what we’re putting into our bodies (and mouths!).  Actually tasting your food, taking small bites, drinking water in between, and giving your brain the time to process the “I’M FULL” signals are ways to do so.

However, a lot of eating mindfully and with enjoyment is all about setting up our environment for success! Did you know that you can use music to contribute to that success?

Anyone who has known me for more than 5 minutes knows what a pivotal role music plays in my life. It’s in my work, it’s in my play; it’s in every bone in my body. I am the first one to organize who’s bringing music to the dinner party or kickball game. I believe that it is essential to set the mood with music in any given situation. If you’ve ruled out meal times for a time to listen to your new Spotify or Itunes playlist, think again.

This article that I stumbled upon explains research in a fine dining atmosphere. What they found is that to the subjects, ” food tasted nicest when served with quiet classical music and a hint of background ‘chatter’.”  While this was just one experiment performed in a fine restaurant, it still gives us cues for how to create this situation at home. Take a look:

http://realdoctorstu.com/2011/04/01/eating-through-your-ears-listening-to-music-makes-food-taste-better/

Next time you sit down to dinner, play some relaxing music to get you in the mood. Making a “dinner playlist” or using internet radio sites like Pandora are easy ways to simplify doing so. Whether it is Sinatra who gives you the warm-and-fuzzies or it’s Jay-Z that melts your butter, throw on those tunes and start eating with more enjoyment.

Do you eat with your ears? What are some musical selections that help you enjoy your meals and eat more mindfully?

Until next time,

Meg

Watch this video…

…and try to tell me that this 11-year-old boy does not have more insight about the food system in our country than a majority of adult Americans.

“Some people say that organic or local food is more expensive, but is it really?…It seems to me that we can either pay the farmer or we can pay the hospital.”

Not only is Birke Baehr smart, but he is a charming, confident,animated, and convincing public-speaker as well. The young man gives us a concise look at the abysmal state of our food system in the United States. He always tells us how to make better choices.

Aim Cupid’s Arrow…at Yourself

Above: Graffiti on the side of Jo’s Coffee in Austin, Texas. Can you smell the roses? The conversation hearts? The CHOCOLATE(Oh my!) and other temptations? Yep, Valentine’s Day is around the corner.

It’s been said that Love conquers all. While I believe that’s true, I obviously believe that Health conquers all as well. As far as I’m concerned, the two go hand in hand. If you love yourself, you’ll give your body the respect to treat it to a healthy lifestyle. If you are healthy, you will be able to love others and yourself fully and truly. This is a cycle and I don’t think that you can have one without the other. Love is wonderful, but if it’s not a HEALTHY love, what’s the point?

On a personal note, I have found love and respect for my body through various support systems and programs, including the one that I coach for. It has not not always been that way. Unfortunately, I didn’t always care that much about what I ate or how I treated my body. However, I found that once I started eating more healthfully, I was able to think more clearly, become more productive, and focus more on the things that matter most to me: my friends and family.

Cupid works in mysterious ways. Whether or not you have a Valentine this year, it is important to love yourself first, and the rest will follow. Work, kids, and everyday responsibilities can have a way of driving us nuts. Instead of dwelling on negative things in your life , count your valentines.Find those people in your life that bring love and light into your life and tell them just how much you love them.

How to exercise (without even realizing it).

I am the first person to tell you that I don’t like “working out”. Who does, anyway? We first need to change our language. “Working out” sure sounds like WORK, doesn’t it?

Here’s a fact: Exercising can be hard. It can be frightening to think about!

[Here’s an even better secret]: It doesn’t have to be. In fact, you can burn calories while having fun and boosting endorphins. Here are some suggestions for how to do so.

• Have a Party (guests optional)

Do you or does a friend have a Wii or Xbox Kinect? These consoles are incredible and the games to go with them are fun, exciting, and sweat-inducing. Try Just Dance, Wii Sports, Dance Central, or any other game that keeps you active. What an awesome way to compete against your friends (or yourself) while movin’ your body!

• Bowl ‘O’ Rama

Have you bowled lately? You haven’t? Well, why not?

Bowling is an easy and fun way to burn cals. Try the cosmic bowling at your local alley and dance to the music without feel self-conscious (it gets nice and dark in there). Try not to use this as an excuse to drink white russians all night (Big Lebowski fans, anyone?) ;). If you do, you’ll be taking in way more than you are burning off.

Concerned about price? Check your local bowling alley for specials on certain off-weekend nights. My local joint has awesome unlimited bowling deals on Tuesdays and Sundays.

• Try a Class

Yoga, Zumba, BodyPump, Pilates, Kickboxing, Water Aerobics, Spinning. Do any of those classes sound interesting or fun to you? Yes, most of these classes cost money, but you can most likely take any these for a free test spin.

Gyms such as Gold’s Gym and 24 Hour Fitness let you try their clubs free of charge, which can really give you an idea of which classes, if any, are a good fit for you. If neither of these gyms are near you, check out the local gyms in your area for their trials and class offerings.

Gold’s offers free 7-day passes for new members. Find a location near you at:

http://www.goldsgym.com/find-gym/

24 Hour Fitness offers free 3-day passes for new members. Find a location near you at:

http://www.24hourfitness.com/health_clubs/find_a_club/interactive.html#Learn_More

• Join a club or a league

Were you the star of your little league soccer team in elementary school? Do you get excited about the thought of hurling balls at an opponent and in dodgeball? Check out your local sports clubs and organizations. I personally have made countless friends and memories playing in an adult kickball league. Not to mention that it actually takes athleticism and practice!

• Pumped up Kicks

If you’re like me, the thought of running is intimidating. If that’s true, walk, don’t run. Put on those walking shoes and your favorite tunes and get out the door. Walk the dog, walk the cat, walk yourself. Punch in a tune that gets you groovin’ into the Pandora app on your phone or make an exercising playlist with Spotify. If he weather is cold or rainy, wear layers and start moving. You will be warm in no time and that much closer to your fitness goals!

I hope that this helps. Feel free to e-mail me at healthcoachmeg@gmail.com.

Meg

H-Two-Oh

It’s probably one of the first words that you learned as a child: Water. Whether you call it “wawa” like the 2-year-old version of yourself, “H2O”, or just plain “water”, you know it’s good for you. It aids in digestion, keeps your skin supple, and we’re mostly made up of it anyway. Yet, sometimes is just seems so bland or hard to drink.  As a society we continue to shy away from it in lieu of high-calorie, sugar-ridden fruit juices and sodas. I challenge you to drink more water, starting today. Here are some tips to help you:

• Get a water filter.

Filters come in various shapes and sizes, but they all do the same thing. They make your water taste more pure and remove chlorine and other heavy metals from your tap water. Whether on your faucet or in your fridge, filters are an economical way to know that your water is safe. PUR even makes flavored filters in case you need a boost of flavor.

• Know your temperature preference.

For me, I’m a room-temperature kind of chick. I’ve found that in situations where I’m forced to drink ice-cold water, I drink way less of it. That brings me to my next point:

• Plan ahead

If you don’t know how much water you’ve had, how do you know how much more you should drink? Planning ahead allows me to make drinking water easily. Invest in some sturdy BPA-free waterbottles with the oz. clearly marked. Fill them up to the amount that you need (I’ll address this next) and “VOILA!”, you’ve taken the guesswork out of the whole thing. Planning ahead also allows me to let my cold water from my fridge cool down to my temperature preference (see above).

• Know your needs

The amount of water that you need per day is dependent upon a number of factors. If you’re not sure where to start, try taking this simple quiz to find out:

http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm

• Liven it up with Citrus

Fresh lemons and limes are perfect calorie-free additions to water. Go bold, go big, go citrus.

Hopefully this helps all of you water-loathers out there. Raise your glass (or a BPA-free bottle) and drink up!