Archive for July, 2008
July 29th, 2008, 8:16 am by Michelle May, M.D.
A study from the University of Pittsburgh published in the July 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine finds that overweight and obese women need to to exercise 55 minutes per day, five days per week in order to sustain a 10 percent weight loss over two years.
Could recommendations like this trigger the “why bother” affect?
Although I am a huge proponent of regular exercise, I am very concerned that recommendations for 60 minutes of daily exercise overwhelm people that aren’t getting any. They may respond with “I can’t do that so why bother even trying.”
Based on my work with overweight and/or sedentary individuals over the last ten years, many already think of exercise as punishment for eating. I’ve found that rather than threatening them with failure if they don’t get enough exercise, they respond extremely well when the focus is on small, sustainable changes that allow them to adapt physically and mentally to a more active lifestyle.
What do you think? Do these recommendations motivate you…or trigger the “why bother” affect?
Michelle May MD
http://www.amihungry.com/
Posted in: Active Lifestyle • Healthy Attitudes • Uncategorized • exercise recommendations • July 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine • study from the University of Pittsburgh • The Why Bother Affect | 7 Comments »
July 22nd, 2008, 10:42 am by Michelle May, M.D.
Yesterday I confessed that I had become a bit of a wine snob. I’m not proud and I’m certainly no sommelier, just grateful that I’ve discovered the similarity between the enjoyment of both wine and food in moderation.
Here’s my take on the essence of wine tasting and the Mindful Eating Corollaries:
Step One
Wine Tasting: Pour your wine in a clear, stemmed glass, filling it only halfway or less so there’s room to swirl.
Mindful Eating: Serve your food on a plate rather than eating it out of cartons, bags, or other containers that are destined for the dump or that prevent you from fully seeing what you’re putting in your mouth. And if you’ve got too much food to see the plate, you’ve probably got more than you actually need.
Step Two
Wine Tasting: Notice the color and viscosity of the wine. Swirl it gently in the glass then put your nose in and sniff deeply to appreciate the aromas that hint about the terroir and winemaking process used.
Mindful Eating: Notice the colors, textures, and aromas of your food. Take a moment to express gratitude for the food on your plate and everything it took to get it there.
Step 3
Wine Tasting: Sip a small mouthful of wine. Swish the wine over your tongue and open your mouth slightly as you inhale, bringing the aromas into the back of your nose.
Mindful Eating: Put a small amount of food in your mouth and set your f ork down so you can focus on the bite that is in your mouth rather than the next one. Chew your food thoroughly as you breathe to bring the flavors up to the back of your nose where much of the “taste” of food actually comes from.
Step 4
Wine Tasting: Mentally describe the flavors, identifying subtleties, similarities to other familiar flavors, and noting how the wine complements or detracts from any food you’re eating.
Mindful Eating: Be aware of the flavors, textures, and temperatures of your food. See if you can identify the ingredients and notice how they layer to create new flavors.
Step 5
Wine Tasting: Spit out the wine if you’ll be tasting several wines in a row so you don’t dull your senses or cross that invisible line between enjoyment and intoxication.
Mindful Eating: DON’T spit out the food! Instead, take small servings and small bites to pace yourself so you don’t cross that invisible live between enjoyment and misery.
Food and Wine Lovers’ Tip: Taste and eat with attention and intention - attention to the experience and the intention of enjoyment without having to pay the price of excess.
Posted in: Healthy Attitudes • Healthy Travel Tips • Intuitive Eating • Mindful Eating • Uncategorized • • Mindful Eating • mindfulness • wine tasting | 4 Comments »
July 21st, 2008, 5:59 pm by Michelle May, M.D.
Wine Lovers’ Tip: Maintain a healthy weight by enjoying food MORE. Eat the same way you taste wine. (Open a bottle tonight and tell everyone you’re on a new diet!)
New Zealand and Australia are known for their outstanding “new world” wines. We weren’t in the heart of wine region in either country but we managed to find some interesting tasting rooms for a little ”practice.”
One tasting room was built in an old mortuary (I know, that should have been our first clue). They served old (I don’t mean aged) wine in little plastic communion-style cups. The wines had creepy names that bore no relation to the grapes that gave their life for us. The wine maker, a retired chemist, said, “Making wine is easy.” I whispered in my husband’s ear, “Making good wine - now that’s the hard part!”
It dawned on me that sometime during the 15 years since I quit drinking white zinfandel (not that there’s anything wrong with that), I had actually learned to appreciate good wine. I’m no expert but I know what I like (and it isn’t usually served in plastic). So how did I become a wine snob?
The same way I became a foodie: one taste at a time.
By simply deciding to be attentive to what I am eating (and drinking), I’ve become much more aware of the aromas, flavors, textures of food. More importantly, I’ve become much more connected to the experience and its affect on my body. Just as I know that there’s an invisible but very real line between enjoyment and abuse of wine, there’s a similar line that many people cross with food.
That is a simple but profound lesson that has allowed me to enjoy food more while eating less. I am no longer dazzled by large portion sizes or distracted by packaging, health claims or other attempts to lure me into eating marginal food (any more than the wine cellar viewed through the hole in the floor where they used to raise the casket could distract me into believing the wine was worth drinking!).
Tomorrow I’ll share the steps for wine tasting and the corollaries in Mindful Eating.
Posted in: Healthy Attitudes • Healthy Travel Tips • Intuitive Eating • Mindful Eating • Nutrition for Non-Dieters • Uncategorized • Mindful Eating • wine tasting | 5 Comments »
July 19th, 2008, 7:03 am by Michelle May, M.D.
Just over the halfway point, I’ve had a blast during this Blogathon with a dozen of my fellow authors and professional speakers. It has given me a reason to “virtually” move out of my surroundings to visit the sites of my fellow bloggers. Check them out and see what you discover on your expanded horizons!
Jackie Dishner, a travel writer, loves biking with “mental” components. Visit http://bikewithjackie.blogspot.com and her fabulous new travel blog, http://www/thephoenixtraveler.com
Susan Ratliff is a trade show expert who shares great ideas for entrepreneurs to increase their visibility at http://www.blingmybooth.com
Andrea Beaulieu teaches how to find your authentic voice and live life at its best at http://www.ConspiracyOfLove.net
Mimi Meredith inspires people to build better lives, workplaces, and communities at http://blog.thegoodnessgrows.com/
Beth Terry shares commonsense solutions to everyday work and life issues at http://corporatecowgirl.com
Vickie Mullins is a designer of logos and print collateral who shows her stuff at http://vickiemullins.wordpress.com
Stanley Bronstein, Mr. Achiever, motivates people to perform at their best. http://stanleybronstein.com
Suzanne Holman, a productivity coach, helps you earn the millions that you deserve at http://www.LessonsforYourMillionDollarLife.com
Suzy Graven, an inspiring speaker and life/business coach, offers a fresh perspective for women who feel stuck in their professional and personal lives at http://articles.secretsofthesavvywoman.com
Stephanie Angelo helps organizations raise productivity by reducing domestic violence at http://hressential.com/wordpress
Quinn McDonald is a trainer, speaker, and life/creativity coach who blogs at http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/
Arlene Rosenberg, a professional and personal development coach and consultant, provides tips and tools to help executives and entrepreneurs get to the next level in business at www.leadingachievers.com
Jean McFarland at http://bulliesamongus.blogspot.com does consulting and speaking on cross-cultural and conflict-oriented business behaviors
And of course, I’d love to have you come back here and visit regularly - better yet, tell me what you’d like to see me write about!
Michelle
Posted in: Uncategorized • blogathon | Post a Comment »
July 18th, 2008, 4:35 pm by Michelle May, M.D.
Yesterday I promised you a quick and easy recipe for grilled vegetables for your Tuscan Salad so check it out. These are great this time of year - especially here in Phoenix, Arizona where nobody wants to cook inside!
Today I had leftover grilled veggies in a panini for lunch - just spread a little pesto and sprinkle some cheese for an amazing grown-up version of grilled cheese sandwiches. Tomorrow we’ll buy whatever veggies look fresh and beautiful for grilling and serve them as a side dish to our dinner guests.
In health, ENJOY!
Michelle
Posted in: Healthy Recipes • Nutrition for Non-Dieters • Uncategorized • grilled vegetables | 2 Comments »
July 17th, 2008, 9:52 am by Michelle May, M.D.
Speaking of simple, we spent a lovely rainy day in the Hinterlands above Brisbane, Australia where we had a fabulous late lunch that has become a favorite at home now too.
Hungry and wet, we found a quaint Italian restaurant amid all the shops of trinkets, antiques, and art. Since it was only a few hours before dinner with my sister-in-law’s family, Owen and I decided to share a Tuscan salad. It was light yet satisfying and full of nutritious, delicious ingredients. In other words, perfect!
As foodies, my husband (who happens to be a chef, lucky me) and I have long urged people to keep simple ingredients on hand to throw together easy salads, pastas, stir frys, wraps, and other quick meals. When you know you can have a wonderful dinner within minutes by chopping a few veggies, opening a jar, tossing in some dressing or sauce, it’s a lot easier to drive right past the expensive, greasy, predictable fast food joint.
Try your own version of this salad by combining any of the following ingredients:
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be bland, tasteless, or complicated. Just keep key ingredients on hand and be creative! For other simple, healthy recipes, visit http://www.amihungry.com/nutrition.shtml
Michelle (along with Chef Owen May)
Posted in: Healthy Recipes • Nutrition for Non-Dieters • Uncategorized • grilled vegetables • Healthy Recipes • Hinterlands • Tuscan salad | 4 Comments »
July 16th, 2008, 2:28 pm by Michelle May, M.D.
While we were in Australia visiting my sister-in-law, I had the opportunity to observe her twin ten month old boys and three year old daughter. Here I am at a restaurant entertaining one of the twins who’d lost interest in eating once he was full:
The children affirmed my belief that the solution to resolving our weight problems is to go back to eating like we did when we were kids. Here are five things they did consistently:
- They only ate when they were hungry. On the occasion when they were eating simply for fun (a taste of mum’s scone), one or two bites was plenty.
- They stopped when they were full - even when mum tried to coax them into eating more.
- They only ate what they liked - and they liked a surprising variety of foods. How much less food would adults eat if we skipped the so-so stuff?
- They used up their energy playing, exploring, and growing. TV was just too boring to hold their attention compared to learning new things.
- When they were tired, they slept.
We’re making weight management too hard! It’s time to get back to the basics.
Michelle
Posted in: Healthy Attitudes • Healthy Families • Intuitive Eating • Uncategorized • feeding children • hunger • Intuitive Eating | 4 Comments »
July 14th, 2008, 7:47 am by Michelle May, M.D.
Today I need to take a quick side trip from my series on healthy eating while traveling. Over the weekend I read a blog about taking risks and it dawned on me that three years ago this week, I left my medical practice of 14 years. I loved my patients but I had developed a passion for helping people break free from yoyo dieting. This anniversary inspired me to look back at something I wrote right after I made that risky decision. I hope it will inspire you today.
It was scary to contemplate leaving the security of a successful career as a family physician to pursue my dream of creating resources for people done with dieting. Once I made the decision to step off into the unknown, I was flying! Instead of regret or fear, I felt grateful for the people and experiences I had to leave behind. Ahead of me I saw (and still see) infinite possibilities and the freedom to choose among them. As I soar (and sometimes drift), I continue to sense purpose and growth.
What is the view like from where you are flying—or standing? Are you content or afraid? Are you inspired or tired? Are you planning or paralyzed? Are you making a difference or making excuses?
These choices are yours to make. Whether it’s your health, your career, your environment, or your relationships, you cannot control everything that happens to you. But you can choose how you will respond. Fortunately most of your decisions won’t require you to leap from the security of your job or family. But they will require you to either change your attitude or take purposeful action to change your altitude.
Enough of the bird’s eye view. What will it take for you to make a change?
- First, take a look around. Perhaps your situation is good—but your attitude isn’t. It may be hard to tell the difference because what you expect is usually what you get. If you leave the circumstances but take your negative attitude with you, you won’t move forward. As trite as it may sound, when you look for the best in each person and each situation, you will usually find it. Perhaps you need to try that before you jump up and down in the same spot.
- Once you’re aware that you need to make a change, accept the path that brought you here. Getting lost in regret or stuck in the past will keep you from moving forward. Good or bad, every step along the way has meaning and significance.
- First consider your options. This is no time for “yeah buts.” Let your imagination explore the infinite possibilities, even those you wouldn’t ordinarily consider. As you look at each opportunity, what is the worst thing that could happen? What is the best thing that could happen? How do these outcomes line up with your values, your passions, and your purpose?
- Even when it’s necessary, change is difficult because there’s comfort and security in staying where you are. Beware of your internal resistance that will look for all of the reasons you should stay put. Remember the power of inertia. A body at rest stays at rest.
- If you choose change, empower yourself to take small meaningful steps. Do you want to rid yourself of a limiting habit or develop a new skill? Do you need to do some research or talk to an advisor? Is it time to test the waters or chart your course? Any action, no matter how small, will energize more action. A body in motion stays in motion.
- Change won’t always come easily so be gentle with yourself. You are bound to have false starts and make many mistakes along the way. I do. Just remember that there are no failures, only lessons.
The hardest part for me was walking to the edge and looking out. After that, a little nudge was all it took. The risky leap has paid off in personal happiness and the ability to control my own destiny. Now I’m able to serve many others in a way that wasn’t possible while I stayed on deck. Risky - but well worth it!
When was the last time you looked beyond your comfort zone to see the possibilities? What are you waiting for?
Michelle
http://www.michellemaymd.com/
Posted in: Healthy Attitudes • Uncategorized • Changing careers • Positive attitude • power of thought • risk taking | 6 Comments »
July 11th, 2008, 7:58 am by Michelle May, M.D.
We flew to Brisbane, Australia then drove to Maroochy River where we rented a fully furnished apartment in the house next door to my sister-in-law’s home. It was great to have a kitchenette so we could fix our own breakfast and the snacks of our choice and a private space to relax between activities.
The houses were about halfway up a steep road with a “yield for kangaroos” sign at the bottom. Though I never saw a kangaroo on that road, my two+ mile morning walks revealed incredible views of the Maroochy River, the Pacific Ocean and the farmland far below.
Even when I’m staying at a hotel in the middle of a city for more than a day or two, I ask the concierge for a walking map. I have a lot of friends that hit the hotel treadmill but when possible, I prefer to get my exercise while I explore the area outside on foot. I always feel more connected and refreshed for my presentations or meetings.
Travelers’ Fitness Tip: A vacation or travel for work is a good time to take a break from your usual exercise routine. Walking, jogging, or hiking will give you a flavor for the area while bumping up your stamina and calming your mind. If that’s not possible (because of safety, weather or time constraints), try a new piece of equipment in the hotel fitness facility, find a nearby yoga studio, or do a few minutes of floor exercises in your room. The return on your investment will be huge.
Posted in: Active Lifestyle • Healthy Travel Tips • Uncategorized • exercise • Fitness while traveling • Maroochy River • staying fit while traveling | 1 Comment »
July 10th, 2008, 9:22 am by Michelle May, M.D.
Our culture’s obsession with weight has led to an unhealthy attitude about exercise. This attitude is often self-defeating because most people have been taught to think of exercise in terms of how many calories they’ll burn to make up for the food they eat.
When you use exercise to earn the right to eat or punish yourself for eating, it leads to negative feelings about exercise. This interferes with your ability to truly enjoy your food, knowing that you’ll have a price to pay. This is also why many people find it difficult to discover and maintain an enjoyable, sustainable exercise habit.
I feel so strongly about this that when I speak to health care professionals about effectively promoting healthy lifestyles, I urge them to never talk about weight and exercise in the same appointment. I want them to send a clear, positive message to their patients and clients about the value of fitness no matter what they weigh!
As part of breaking free from yoyo dieting a decade ago, I stopped exercising to manage my weight. Now I live an active lifestyle because I can and because it feels good. Our trip demonstrated just a few of the reasons exercise has become such a natural part of my life.
- I had major surgery just two weeks before our trip but I recovered quickly and easily. Other than being unable to lift anything over 10 pounds for eight weeks, I didn’t need to change any of our plans.
- Not being allowed to lift anything heavy made me realize how much I usually appreciate being self-sufficient when I travel – hauling suitcases out of the trunk, jogging through the airport with my carry-on to make a tight connection, and lifting bags into the overhead bin without asking for help from some guy.
- I didn’t think twice about walking through airport terminals, hotels, restaurants, or malls.
- I loved seeing the entire Australia Zoo on foot without feeling exhausted at the end of the day
- I’m no Steve Irwin (The Crocodile Hunter) but at least I could easily crawl around in the grass to pet the kangaroos.
- When the 16 hour time difference affected my sleep, 15 minutes of yoga before bed relaxed my body and my mind.
Travelers’ Fitness Tip: Take an honest look at why you exercise—or more importantly, why you don’t. If you have negative feelings or associations about it, focus on the benefits – increased energy, stamina, strength and flexibility. Then do something active that feels good, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Do it again most days of the week until you begin to crave the good feelings you get and start noticing how much easier it is to do everything you want.
Posted in: Active Lifestyle • Healthy Travel Tips • attitudes about exercise • Australia Zoo • exercising while traveling • Staying active while traveling | Post a Comment »
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