Appetite Control

I was listening to an ad yesterday for appetite control pills. I don't know whether these pills are healthy or not, (my guess is-not) but I wonder whether hunger is the issue when most people overeat. There are so many reasons we overeat. We eat more at social gatherings, on vacations, to reward ourselves, to fill an emotional hole, even in some cases, to punish ourselves. Hunger is rarely the reason when I eat too much. I think it is a habit during certain times of the day and other times, it is out of boredom.

I think we should examine the reasons for our overeating before we determine how we are going to change our behavior. We might need to show more restraint when eating out or when we are at parties or on vacations. We can do this by ordering less, and spending more time in conversation than actually eating. If we are going to reward ourselves, a nice bubble-bath, a trip to the salon, a walk through the park, a new accessory or journal or book, would be better than a piece of cake. Well, healthier, anyway. If we are sad, lonely, or having a pity party, it might work to get out of the house and visit a friend or see a funny movie or go window shopping. My reasons for overeating- habit during certain times of the day and out of boredom- are easily fixed if I take the time to think about what I am doing. New habits are not too difficult to pick up and surely I can find something better to do than eat!

I have a list for my children called the "Mom, I'm bored" list. It lists every game in the house; the outside toys, bikes, balls, etc. we have to play with; suggestions of things to do, like reading a book, playing with the dogs, etc. I need to make one for myself, I think, because my to-do list isn't much incentive not run to the pantry when I have time to myself.

Another time I do eat when I'm not hungry is during our movie nights. I finally settled this by putting a pair of 2 pound weights by the tv. If my arms are busy lifting, they can't be shoveling food. Now that's not to say that I lift weights for 2 hours while I watch a movie, but I do pick them up when I have the urge to eat when I am full.

I don't believe in appetite control pills is because I don't think too many overeat because of hunger. I think that taking these pills, or eating anything that claims to "fill us up" only messes with our natural ability to feel hungry when we need food and to be able to tell when we are full. Maybe, for some of us, we have lost the ability to recognize when we are hungry or full and we need to pay close attention to our bodies and re-learn the natural cues that tell us when to eat and when to stop.

I read about a situation in the book "Body Clutter" that made me cry. Apparently, a woman observed a mom and her little children ordering at McDonald's. The children were little- six and under. They wanted cheeseburgers. The mom told them that the double cheeseburger was only a few cents more and, therefore, the better value. The kids replied that they were not hungry enough for the double cheeseburger (what six year old needs a double cheeseburger, anyway) and they just wanted the regular cheeseburger. The mother argued, and, in the end, bought all the children double cheeseburgers because it was the better deal. Well, as you might expect, the children could not finish the sandwiches. (Great value, right?) The mother then proceeds to tell the children not to waste food and informs them that if they do not finish their sandwiches, they will not be getting ice cream cones. So, these precious little children crammed the rest of their sandwiches down their throats and then got their ice cream. Is it any wonder that so many children are obese? And is it any wonder that we, ourselves, have learned to ignore our own body's cues in favor of cleaning our plates and getting the better deal?

Today, think about what triggers your eating when you are not hungry. Think about the times of day when you have the most trouble avoiding unneeded food. Try to create strategies to use during these times. Write them in your journal and see if they don't help over the next week or two.

Clean Your House and Burn Calories

I spend a lot of my time sitting. I work on the computer, read books, or sit with the kids, teaching or correcting. This has caused me to look for ways to maximize the amount of time I spend moving through my day. There are some simple ways to strengthen your body while doing everyday activities.

I now stand at my kitchen counter to cut coupons. I would like to place my computer somewhere on a counter so I can stand a bit more during the day. I sit in the rocker and use my calf muscles to move me instead of sitting on the sofa or a chair. Whether you are sitting or standing still, be sure that your posture is correct to strengthen your core muscles. If you have been slouching a while, this is going to hurt! But it will be worth the work when your back muscles are beautifully sculpted and you are able to take long, deep breaths instead of the shallow ones bad posture encourages. Pick things up by bending deeply at the knee. This is much more productive than doing a set of squats.

I also weigh the benefits of efficient cleaning vs. cleaning with a focus on movement. Sometimes the two are compatible. For example, seeing how quickly I can windex all the glass and mirrors in my home. Sometimes, being an inefficient housekeeper is more beneficial to my body. When I have the time, I might bring laundry up and down the stairs with more frequency than needed. (I could just run up and down the stairs for exercise, but that's not much fun. I get nothing accomplished but creating a not-so-nice wear pattern in my carpet, so I figure that taking my time with the laundry is worth it when I can.)

If you can put on some fast music while doing your chores, this usually speeds up the rate at which you move. It also makes cleaning more fun.

Weeding the garden and other lawn work is very good strength conditioning. Jeff and I find it funny that people will hire out lawn work and then pay for gym membership. We never work harder than when we are out doing the lawn. Another great thing about yard work, is that there is something for everyone to do, so the whole family is working together. Jeff mows, Connor edges, Mary and I weed and sweep. It can actually be pretty fun sometimes (when we get out there before the summer heat gets terrible in the afternoons.)

You might be interested to know just how many calories you can burn by doing ordinary things. Here's a list of everyday activities and the calories they burn:

sleeping: 60 calories per hour
sitting on the couch: 75 calories per hour (the number goes down if you are watching t.v.)
grocery shopping: 90 calories per hour (though I'm convinced the number goes up dramatically when you shop with kids.)
light household chores: 95 calories per hour
standing in line: 100 calories per hour
playing with your dog: 110 calories per hour
playing with kids (not rigorous): 120 calories per hour
driving: 120 calories per hour
walking: 130 calories per hour
shopping: 135 calories per hour
eating: 140 calories per hour
household chores (vacuuming, scrubbing): 225 per hour
gardening: 230 calories per hour
brisk walking: 250 calories per hour
mowing the lawn: 295 calories per hour
lifting weights: 300 calories per hour (I wonder if this includes laundry baskets and homeschool books?)

So, be encouraged! You are probably accomplishing more than you think

New Beginnings

Hello to all my friends.

When we started on this quest for healthy living, I was trying to renew some habits I had formed earlier, but lost during the holiday period. Because I was getting back to old habits, it was relatively easy for me to add new habits and routines daily. It was not so easy for anyone just starting out. I would like to change format and simply give helpful tips and encouragement in the many areas of living a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Would you please consider participating in the poll to the right so I can gear my posts to help you all where you most need it?

Now that we have this avenue to speak to and encourage each other, I want to invite you to create your own goals and share with us what you are working on and the progress you make. Please, also share any information you happen upon as well.

Many of you have been journaling, and I think that is key to success. Please continue to use your journals to write out your goals, the steps you are going to take to reach those goals, and mark your progress as you go. Journals are also great for keeping track of exercise, finances, wishlists (use these to reward yourself after you have reached a goal) and eating habits. Let's use those journals!

Feel free to share your goals once you have decided on them.