This morning I did a keynote for a Childhood Obesity Conference at the Mesa Convention Center. One of the great thing about it was meeting people that are truly engaged and passionate about addressing the obesity problem in innovative ways in Arizona.

Here’s one innovative resource I think you’ll love: www.SpacesToPlay.org, a great website that provides links to play spaces throughout Maricopa County. Listings include parks, public golf courses, skateparks, dog parks, basketball courts, ball fields, tennis, swimming…well you get the idea.

Each listing includes maps, details, amenities - just about anything you need to know to play in Maricopa County. So what are you sitting around for???

Arizona, well known for its deserts and rapidly expanding population, is also home to some of the country’s most incredible hiking. There are over a hundred miles of trails within Phoenix’s city limits alone.

Literally in our back yard is South Mountain Park, the largest municipal park in the country. It would take almost all day to hike the 15 miles end to end. There are numerous shorter side trails that offer a variety of scenery, views and level of difficulty. There’s something for everybody.

For the last ten years I’ve hiked in South Mountain one to five times a week, mostly Telegraph Pass. I considered writing a description that would compel you to try it out for yourself but the truth is I’m just not all that sure I want all of you out there.

Suffice it to say, within just a few hundred steps, you’ll find yourself in the middle of the desert with only occasional glimpses of pink tiled roofs to remind you that you’re so close to home. Ok, ok. If you want more details and maps, you can look them up yourself. 

What you won’t find on that website is a description of the other hikers that have discovered this treasure. It isn’t a parade like some of the trails in the middle of Phoenix, but unless you’re the first one in or the last one out, you’re bound to cross paths with some of them. Many are regulars and though I don’t know their actual names, they are a familiar and welcome part of my hike.

First Timers: They carefully gaze at the map at the base of the trail. You’ll overhear them saying something like, “A mile and a half one way doesn’t sound too bad.” And it’s really not. The first mile is mostly flat - and the first half mile is even paved. It’s that last half mile that gets you. Skip it the first few times if you want.

Alone But Not Lonely: These hikers fall into two subtypes – those who appear deep in thought and those who scale the mountain to whatever beat their i-Pod is pumping out. Either way, they seem to be enjoying what may be the only hour to themselves all day.

Coffee Klatch: These women travel in twos and threes and hike early before work or after their kids are safely on the school bus. You’ll hear just snippets of their conversations as you pass, like “My boss was caught…”, “The entire cheer squad…”, and “…goes great with Sauvignon Blanc.” Beats spending four dollars at Starbucks.

Couples Connecting: Steeling away to plan the day or catch up when it is over, these pairs have found a great way to keep their bodies and their relationship in shape.  

Fitness Buffs: Easy to spot wearing sports bras and expensive heart rate monitors, these are runners rather than hikers. You’ll spot them gracefully flying down the mountain, barely skimming the rocks as they rush to make it to their 7 a.m. spin class.   

Melting Woman: It isn’t the heat. This woman seems to weigh another pound less every time I see her. I just had to tell her how much I admired her as we passed. She gave me a broad smile and tossed back, “Only another 30 to go!”   

Senior Warriors: These gray-haired marvels in wide-brimmed hats ward off advancing age with their weekly, and in some cases daily, treks up the mountain. They put most 30- and 40-somethings to shame. They always say hi and something about what a beautiful day it is. I silently promise myself that I’ll still hike when I’m their age too.

Doggy Bag Lady: This one is very rare. She doesn’t own a dog but takes ten or so doggie doo-doo bags from the stand and picks up other people’s dog poop as she walks. I thanked her one day and she simply said, “I’m just doing my little part to make the world a better place.” And a better place it is, indeed.

You’ll also pass photographers hoping for a smog-free view of the Valley from the top, backpackers training for a Grand Canyon rim to rim and mountain bikers that have to carry rather than ride their bikes up the steepest parts (I still haven’t figured that one out). You’ll see lots of dogs, a home-schooled child out for P.E. and an occasional cross country team. You probably won’t see a rattlesnake; I’ve only seen four in my hundreds of hikes - but I’m always on the lookout.

And you’ll probably see me. I’ll be the one with the dog, gabbing with my girlfriend, connecting with my husband, or by hiking myself deep in thought. If you say hi, I’ll say hi back.

Michelle

http://www.michellemaymd.com/meet-michelle.shtml

Like many of you, during August I tuned in nightly to watch Olympians compete on the world stage. As incredible as the events were, the stories of athletes who made personal sacrifices to train every day or who overcame daunting challenge to represent their countries inspired me most.

It didn’t motivate me to hurdle my dining room chairs or do a handstand from my roof into my pool. (I don’t usually dwell on limitations but there are just some things this 45 year old body was never meant to do.) Instead, the athletes’ accomplishments represented the daily to-do’s I sometimes slog through as well as the larger goals that I’ve set for my life.

I’d like to share a few great quotes from past Olympians and some of the take-home lessons I can apply each day (even without setting up a balance beam in my family room):

Change your Thoughts to Change your Results

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” -Scott Hamilton, figure skater

Realize that what you believe and think causes you to feel a certain way, which causes you to do certain things, which ultimately leads to specific results. In other words, your thoughts are self-fulfilling prophecies. Of course, your results usually reinforce your beliefs and thoughts, resulting in either a positive feedback loop or a vicious cycle. If you’ve taken an Am I Hungry? workshop, this will look familiar: Thoughts > Feelings > Actions > Results.

If you don’t like your results, become aware of what you’ve been thinking. With practice, you can change your thoughts about eating, physical activity, and anything else, to get the results you desire.

Mistakes are Just Lessons

“The worst thing is to be paralyzed by fear. It’s better to fall trying. Then you learn what to do so you don’t fall again.” -Brian Boitano, figure skater

Every mistake brings you one step closer to being an expert by discovering what’s most effective for you. Just do the best you can and learn from what didn’t work.

Advance the Ball

“Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve ever done before.” -Bonnie Blair, speed skater

Don’t get trapped into thinking you have to do something perfectly and nothing else will do. I like the football analogy of “advancing the ball.” Rarely is a football game won on 80 yard passes. Instead, think in terms of advancing down the field a few yards and first downs at a time. When the window of opportunity to reach your goal opens up, you’ll have the momentum and be in position to score.

Consistency and Repetition Win

“To be an Olympian you only have to work out twice; when you want to and when you don’t.” –Darn, I couldn’t find the name of the athlete that said this! Please post the answer (with a source) as a comment below.

Practice, practice, practice. Consistency and repetition are the keys to energizing new behaviors. Baby steps that you’re willing to practice consistently will help you gradually rewire what feels good to you. Encourage yourself to move forward toward your goals every day.

I’d love to hear your favorite Olympic quotes and how they inspired you too!

Copyright 2008 Michelle May, M.D.
(This is an excerpt from my monthly E-Newsletter; to read more, visit http://www.amihungry.com/enews.shtml.)

A new study called Prevention for a Healthier America by the Trust for America’s Health  showed that investments in disease prevention yeilds significant savings. This is an important report for communities and corporations deciding where to invest their limited resources. The bottom line: What is the return on investment (ROI) for increasing physical activity and eating healthier?

Even if you’re not a city planner or CEO, you still have to decide whether investing in getting healthier is worth your precious resources - your time, attention, money, and energy. If you already have a healthy lifestyle, I can safely assume that you’ve seen a significant pay-off which is why you continue to invest regularly. If you don’t, maybe it’s time to measure the ROI.

As the CEO of your body, approach this like any important investment decision. Take out a piece of paper and title it ”Getting More Active,” “Eating Healthier,” or some other decision you’ve been contemplating. Make two columns: “Costs” and “Benefits” and write down everything you can think of that may impact your decision and try to quantify them in measurable terms. You should even put a dollar amount on the value of your time.

For example, let’s say you’re considering whether to invest in a new exercise program. Your lists might look like this:

Costs
New tennis shoes = $60
4 hours a week - $40/hr = $160 per week
Less time to spend with family = priceless
New clothes when I lose weight = $500

Benefits
Get off blood pressure medicine = $80 per month
Increased energy and productivity (est. 1 hr/day) = $280 a week
Live longer = priceless

In this analysis, the cost of lost time spent with family as a result of the time spent exercising could be a deal breaker so you’ll need to address it up front. Possible solutions could include getting up earlier, exercising during the lunch hour, or including the kids in the activities - which of course will pay huge dividends in the long run. Bottom line: Exercise appears to be a good investment.

You are the CEO of yourself. Do your job!

Michelle May MD
More weight management articles: http://www.amihungry.com/weight-management-articles.shtml

Copyright Michelle May MD. For permission to reprint go to http://www.amihungry.com/.

A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that 51% of  overweight and 32% of obese people had mostly normal blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and blood sugar - all risk factors for heart disease, while nearly 24% of normal weight individuals had two or more of these risk factors. Those with normal weight but two or more risk factors were more likely to be older, less active, and have a larger waist circumference.

What are the take-home messages?

It’s possible to be overweight and have a low risk for heart disease.

• This can be interpreted in a couple of ways: 1) Some people are just genetically lucky and 2) A healthy diet and exercise are important no matter what you weigh.
• Therefore, since you can’t do much about your gene pool, eat healthy and exercise no matter what your jean size!

It’s possible to be a normal weight but have risk factors for heart disease.

• In other words, don’t assume you get a free pass just because you still fit in your jeans.
• See your family doctor and find out your personal risk profile. Be sure to have your waist circumference measured too. (Waist circumference may be a better measure than just BMI).
• Follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly so your insides are as healthy as your outsides might look.

Here’s to breaking more stereotypes!
Michelle May MD
http://www.amihungry.com/

In my last post I talked about the Why bother? Affect that often occurs when exercise advice is too far from a person’s current reality. One reader mentioned how helpful a pedometer had been for becoming more active. 

A pedometer is a fun way to measure your activity level throughout the day, both during routine activities and while exercising. It is a small device that is worn on your waist to measure the number of steps you take making it easy to set realistic goals for yourself. It’s really motivating to see those steps add up—and see your energy level rise as your fitness improves. 

How do you use a pedometer?

• Wear your pedometer on your waist, attached to your belt, skirt or pants (even your underclothes as long as it fits snugly against your body.)
• Place it in line with the seam of your slacks or over the center of your kneecap, parallel to the ground. It will not give accurate readings if it is tilted to one side.
• Try it out in different positions along the waist; count the number of steps you take and compare that to what the pedometer actually reads.   
• Put your pedometer on when you first get up and wear it all day long.
• At the end of the day, record the number of steps you took then press the reset button to return the step counts back to “0” for the next day.

One Step at a Time

• Get an idea of your baseline activity level by recording the number of steps you take without changing your normal routine.
• Once you know your baseline, set specific goals for increasing the number of steps you take each day or week. You can pick a number or a percent increase to shoot for.   
• Watch the steps add up when you pace while you talk on the phone, walk a flight of stairs, skip a half hour TV program and walk the dog (add about 2000 steps!), stroll instead of sit at the airport, park further, or window shop with friends instead of sitting to talk.
• Of course not all activities can be counted in steps (for example, swimming or yoga) but they still count toward your fitness. 

I think you’ll find that using a pedometer for simple, accurate feedback will motivate you to take a few more steps in the right direction. 

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/

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.

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.

We’re talking about how to use your thoughts to draw what you want into your life - in this case, reaching and maintaining a healthier weight without chronic dieting. Here is some food for thought about living an active lifestyle:

Food for Thought: I am a healthy, active person.

Let go of your negative messages about exercise like, “I don’t have time,” “I’m too tired,” or “I have to follow the plan perfectly or not at all” that keep you stuck in ineffective behavior patterns. As you picture yourself as fit and energetic, you will see the stairs instead of the elevator.

Food for Thought: I live an abundant, fulfilling life. 

Despite this food and diet-crazed culture, remember the real reason you eat is to fuel your life and give you the energy to do whatever you need and want to do. 

The secret to weight management isn’t about finding the right diet or finding the willpower to resist eating foods you love. The secret is to recognize your old counterproductive thought patterns then change the way you think and feel about how food fits into your life and create the results you truly desire.

Visit http://www.amihungry.com/ for tools to help.