Lose Weight with Ruth: Happy Valentine's Day!

Lose Weight with Ruth: Happy Valentine's Day!: Happy Valentine's Day Roses are red; Violets are blue. Sugar is sweet; Watch how much you eat. When I think of Valentin...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day

Roses are red;

Violets are blue.

Sugar is sweet;

Watch how much you eat.

When I think of Valentine’s Day, I think of chocolate. Maybe because I am a fan of it. As a professional loser, a person who helps people lose weight, I say that no foods should be excluded from the diet.

For many people, when you tell them that they can’t eat chocolate or pizza or pasta, it’s all they want. And feeling deprived often leads to overeating, even bingeing. This leads to frustration and a reason to quit a "diet".

So how much is just right?  - Not too little and not too much.

The new USDA Dietary Guidelines take out the guesswork. They recommend limiting calories from added sugars to 10% of the total calories. The average person consumes 2,000 calories a day. Therefore, a sugary treat of 200 calories is reasonable. It’s enough to be satisfying. The festive mini cupcake in the picture is about 200 calories. Let's just say, the picture below is sugar on steroids.

Limit calories from Added Sugars to 200 calories a day

Tip: If a serving of food contains 5 grams of "added sugars", multiply 5x4. There are 20 calories from sugar.

It‘s very easy to eat too much, especially when there’s lots of temptations on holidays. For help, check out Day 22 - Rethinking Special Occasions in The Food Is My Friend Diet.

Lose Weight with Ruth: Healthy New Year!

Lose Weight with Ruth: Healthy New Year!: Happy New Year Is January your favorite month? The start of a new year is always a great time forget the past and to begin fresh. ...

Healthy New Year!

Happy New Year

Is January your favorite month? The start of a new year is always a great time forget the past and to begin fresh.

Remember what it was like to embark on a new relationship? There’s so much potential to build a long and happy future with the person you love.

If your "fresh start" is to lose weight, follow this tips!

• To meet your weight loss goals, act like you are building a positive and trustworthy relationship with another person. Become your best friend. Allow yourself to love and comfort yourself as well as having the willpower to set limits and say no.
• Set goals. Life is a process. Don’t expect to lose 10 pounds in a week and keep it off. Set reasonable goals. Perhaps decide to completely give up sweets. For many people, it’s all or nothing. This one change will allow you to save a lot of calories and begin your weight loss journey. 
• No excuses. Just do it. Walk a mile a day. You don’t have to be perfect. If it's cold and rainy, get back on track as soon as possible. The more calories that you burn, the quicker you will lose weight.

Change is necessary. Otherwise, everything will stay the same. Right? Things will be different but also better.

Best of luck to make it happen. You got this!

Have the Happiest, Healthiest New Year yet!

Lose Weight with Ruth: How to Avoid Gaining Weight on the Campaign Trail

Lose Weight with Ruth: How to Avoid Gaining Weight on the Campaign Trail: Hit the Campaign Trail Without Gaining Weight For presidential candidates, zigzagging across the country month after month can be...

How to Stay Healthy on the Campaign Trail

Hit the Campaign Trail Without Gaining Weight

For presidential candidates, zigzagging across the country month after month can be mentally, physically and emotionally draining. The last thing candidates need is to gain weight and increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer after the election.

Getting votes is a priority but preventing health problems should be a concern. Here are five helpful tips for candidates who want to look and feel their best and have loads of energy to bring in the votes.

1)      Avoid gaining weight, because it’s much harder to lose weight than to gain it. Who could resist the juicy, slow-cooked barbecue ribs in Memphis? Or a 12-layer dark chocolate cake in Seattle? It seems like there’s some type of deep-fried food offered in every city. Unfortunately, an extra 100 calories a day will add ten pounds in a year! Once the weight is gained, most people don’t lose it. Older adults need to eat less just to maintain their weight. To be consistent, bring along a small bathroom scale and weigh in 2-3 times a week. Steps should be taken immediately if extra weight starts creeping up.

2)      Stick to a routine with similar amounts of calories per meal. As an example, choose oatmeal, fruit and nuts for breakfast; a salad with some type of protein for lunch; dinner can include a small amount of protein and carbohydrate and fill half the plate with fruits and/or vegetables. Limit fried foods, creamy sauces or decedent desserts for a special splurge. When eating at restaurants, it’s common to consume too much sodium and saturated fat. Find ways to fill up on fruits and veggies!

3)      Watch the calories from alcohol. After a stressful day of speaking, relaxing with a few cocktails can quickly and easily add excess weight. To reduce the risk of cancer, moderation for women is no more than one drink a day and no more than two drinks a day for men. Keep in mind, alcohol is metabolized straight to fat.

4)      Balance a hectic schedule with exercise. It’s important to make time for exercise, which also helps reduce excess weight. If walking around town or working out in the hotel gym is not realistic, bring along resistance bands for strength training and a jump rope for cardio. A few stretches can be invigorating. Physical activity relieves stress, anxiety and improves sleep. There are no excuses for not exercising. Make physical activity part of the daily routine.

5)      Steer clear of emotional eating. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” Ha! Human hearts are not carved out of stone. Day after day of hurtful verbal assaults will inevitably take its toll on emotional well-being. It’s important to remember that food may be an escape but doesn’t solve problems. To avoid emotional eating, keep it REAL:

·         Recognize emotions and the triggers. “When I am exhausted, eating toasted sourdough bread with butter is comforting.”

·         Express emotions. “When people insult me and call me names, I feel angry.”

·         Accept the emotions. Accepting and acknowledging emotions relieves the pressure. “I am stressed and that’s okay. I can deal with this.”

·         Love yourself. Tell yourself what you want to hear. “I am a good person and doing a great job.”

Not many people can eat or drink whatever they want without accumulating unwanted weight. To prevent the extra bites from adding up, hit the campaign trail with moderation and a little discipline. The real winning candidate not only beats the opposition but also stays healthy.