All of a sudden the weather is changing. It’s warming up and we’re all taking our shorts, sleeveless tops and (gasp) bathing suits out of moth balls. This can be a rude awakening. That little bit of extra Christmas cheer we were going to shed in January with our New Year’s resolutions is still there. We need a plan of action and we need it fast. Following is an excerpt from my new book, The Wine and Chocolate Workout, that should help us get back to the common sense basics of weight management.

There are three things needed to change your life and your waistline; moderation, meditation, and acceleration. Real food isn’t bad. It’s just some foods have to be eaten in moderation, like wine and chocolate. Your meditations about yourself and your life are more critical to reaching your goals than how much wine and chocolate you ingest. You have to get up off the couch and move to reach your dreams. Wine and chocolate can provide the energy you need for that acceleration. So, you see, wine and chocolate, far from being forbidden fruit, can actually be critical to your success! You just have to get the right perspective.

Here are three practical tips from my book to get you started:

Moderation Exercise – I strongly suggest doing a food and exercise diary for the next three weeks. If you went to a financial planner and did not present that person with accurate accounting records it would be very difficult for them to help you.  It’s the same thing with a food and activity diary. I don’t suggest you live this way forever but you need a real picture of what is going on. I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve worked with that tell me that they eat “really healthy” so they can’t understand why they are continuing to gain weight. After doing a food diary for a month, a picture would emerge that would help them to see the ways in which they were sabotaging themselves. There are several smart phone applications and free websites that will assist you in this process.  These programs ask for some basic statistics and then will let you know how many calories you need to maintain or to lose weight.  It is almost universally true that people think they are eating less calories than they are.  You have to face the truth to change the facts. If you are trying to lose weight, don’t aim for more than 1 to 2 pounds a week. 

Meditation exercise – Find a pair of jeans that are too tight that you would like to fit into.  Then, I want you to close your eyes and vividly imagine fitting comfortably in those jeans. What does it feel like to zip them up easily; to bend over or squat to pick something up without them pinching and pulling, to look in the mirror and like what you see? Revive this picture in your mind every day. In fact, don’t spend too much time examining your thighs or your belly in their present condition. Instead, focus on the future so it can become the now. If you have an old photograph of yourself looking hot in these jeans, put it somewhere you can look at daily. If you can’t imagine yourself accomplishing a goal you never will.

Acceleration exercise – A really helpful tool to give you a handle on how much you are, or are not, moving is a pedometer.  They are relatively cheap and will record how many steps a day that you take.  A study was recently done with an Amish community* who live the way most lived before obesity was epidemic in our country.  The Amish, by the way, have an obesity rate of 4%, compared with 30.9% for the rest of the country.  The men walked, on average, 18,000 steps and the women 14,000 per day.  Most Americans find it difficult to get to 10,000 steps.  Aim for at least 10,000 steps a day.  Record those steps, or other exercise for the next three weeks.

I’ll see you at the beach!

Greta Boris

www.fitnessinsideoutoc.com

* This study was published in the January, 2004 “Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,” and conducted by David R. Bassett, Jr. and associates of the University of Tennessee.

I can’t be young forever but I want to look that way! I know I’m not alone in this because the Plastic Surgery business in Orange County is alive and thriving even in an economic downturn. For those of us who can’t afford the high price tag or are terrified of knives and needles (I pass out if I get a blood test and I’m not lying down being told a bedtime story) is there anything we can do to keep up appearances? Health and wellness experts say, “yes”.

Oxidation on a cellular level is apparently the primary cause of the sags, bags, dull skin tones and wits that occur as we age. Oxidation is akin to rust on the frame of a car. Following that analogy, antioxidants are like Rust-Oleum to our bodies. Consuming foods that are high in these micronutrients while maintaining a healthy lifestyle can add years to your life and take years from your appearance. Here are some food highlights:

Citrus fruits, dark leafy greens, broccoli and berries all have a lot of vitamin C which aids in collagen production for great skin elasticity. Instead of injecting, try ingesting.

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which works like a natural sun block protecting skin from the aging effects of the sun and it also increases collagen production.

Dark Chocolate contains flavonoids which make skin softer, smoother, and better hydrated. Another great perk is that it increases brain function so you can remember how to put your make up on. The key is to have some every day. I know this is a lot to ask, but try and make the best of it.

Finally, red grapes are high in resveratrol which has been shown to promote longevity. I personally think one of the best ways to ingest them is wine, but that’s just me.

So, get your car out of the garage (exercise), keep it waxed (sun block) and use Rust-Oleum regularly. Classic cars are very valuable when they’re in mint condition.

Wondering what to serve for Valentine’s day that will fit the “I’m trying to lose my holiday pounds” but still be romantic theme? Luckily, many foods purported to be aphrodisiacs are really good for you and your waistline. So, here’s my suggested menu for the evening:

Appetizer:

Oysters on the half shell – 9.5 calories each

Oysters are loaded with Zinc which helps prevent certain, ahem, kinds of dysfunction. All shellfish, in fact, contain compounds that release testosterone and estrogen.

Dry Champagne – about 100 calories for a 5 ounce glass

Although champagne can’t be actually touted as a health food it does hit the blood stream quickly due to the bubbles which will make you happy, relaxed and less inhibited. The smell of dry champagne is said to be very similar to the smell of female pheromones which creates arousal in males.

Main Course:

Wild Atlantic Salmon – 51 calories per ounce

Salmon is noted for super healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and fatty acids assist in hormone production.

Asparagus – 6 calories per ounce

Asparagus was used as an aphrodisiac as far back as the 17th century; in some cultures it is a traditional wedding food for this reason. The vitamin E in asparagus also assists in the production of those Valentine’s Day happy hormones.

Red Wine – about 125 calories for a 5 ounce glass

Red wine has the same relaxing effects as champagne and it also contains resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that increases blood flow to all essential parts of the body.

Dessert:

Dark Chocolate – 25 calories per square

My favorite dessert has so many great compounds I don’t know where to start.  Cacao contains tryptophan, a key component in serotonin which promotes a sense of well-being and relaxation. It also contains anandamide, the psychoactive  feel-good chemical, and phenylethylamine nicknamed  the “love chemical,” because it  releases dopamine in the pleasure centers of the brain.

Fresh Figs – 37 calories in a medium fig

I can’t find any actual science to back up the fig’s arousal properties. I think Adam and Eve gave them a reputation when they covered up with fig leaves in the garden, so if you’re not a fan of the fig any berry would be a nice, healthy accompaniment to chocolate and all are packed with antioxidants and other healthful substances.

Finally, looking and feeling attractive is probably one of the most important components in romance. So, pamper yourself with a spa, salon or aesthetics treatment before the big day and enjoy!