Battling Your Inner "Couch Potato" by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

With winter in full swing, my own inner “couch potato” surfaces, with the urge to stay indoors and hibernate! Who doesn’t love to go out for a stroll in warm, sunny weather? But what happens when it’s windy, freezing and icy outside?

While it’s great to go out to a gym, or a class, I’m always asked if you can stay active without those specific activities in the winter months, and if there are reasonable alternatives. In a word: YES. (Note: my hat goes off to those who bundle up with high tech waterproof shoes and thermal underwear to brave the cold – I’m trying!!).

We all have to work at consistent activity, for both good health and weight control. I have two words for you: “keep moving” – at least 30 minutes a day.
It’s a great foundation for lifelong physical activity.

Little things you can do every day add up – what I call “activity of daily living”. Once you put your mind to it, you’ll be surprised to see how easily the time accumulates. Here are some of my favorites:

• Take the stairs, even an extra floor or two counts.
• Park further away from the building entrance in a parking lot.
• Lose the TV remote and get up to change the channels.
• Walk around while talking on the phone.
• Taking an extra lap around the mall to “window shop”.
• Be “inefficient” at home, and make multiple trips around your house.

Try wearing a pedometer to chart your progress – every 2500 steps is about 1 mile, and burns roughly 100 calories. This takes about 15-30 minutes, depending on whether you’re moving at a brisk pace or a casual stroll. That’s about 10 pounds in a year.

What are some of your “activities of daily living” in the winter months? Drop me a line!

Remembering Jack LaLanne

by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

Before there were exercise DVDs, FitTV, and hot yoga, there was Jack LaLanne. A fitness legend since 1936, Jack LaLanne died Sunday at the age of 96. A true pioneer, he blazed a fitness trail, including healthy eating, for more than 70 years.

Many of us remember our mothers or grandmothers first watching “The Jack LaLanne Show” in the 60s on our black and white TVs. Armed with only a chair and a towel (no special equipment needed), you could get an effective home workout, and it was fun. That’s where I first learned to do jumping jacks – with Jack wearing his ever-present one-piece jumpsuit and jumping right along with us. His positive attitude and encouragement almost leaped right out of the television, and his personal engagement kept you glued to the show. A funny line he used early on was directed at kids who turned on the TV early in the morning (there weren’t a zillion channels then!), with Jack encouraging them to “get their Moms downstairs to exercise”. His TV shows aired for nearly 30 years.

A lesser known fact was his support of strength training for men who were athletes, and for women. Decades ago, it was thought that muscles would be “bulky” and slow men down, and women would look too masculine. He was also an inventor of some of the first exercise machines, many of which we still use today.

Later in life, many of us remember him as a major showman, performing such stunts as swimming a long distance, handcuffed and pulling boats. He was often seen promoting the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables, with his Jack LaLanne Juicer.

Much to his credit, Jack LaLanne did not expect people to be him, simply to value healthy living and physical activity – getting out and moving 3-4 days a week. Not that we could keep up with him! He exercised every day of his life; until his death he worked out for two hours daily: 90 minutes of weight lifting and a 30 minute swim.

Among his most famous lines?

"I can’t die, it would ruin my image."

Here’s to you, Jack LaLanne, inspiring several generations to eat right and get fit. Me? I’m going out for a walk right now!

What did Jack LaLanne mean to you?

Sleep More, Weigh Less by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

Did you know that one of the major factors connected to weight gain is the lack of sleep? With our crazy, busy lives, we’re sleeping less than ever before. Most people are getting six hours or less despite the 7 to 8 hours nightly that is recommended.

Why is this a problem? When you’re sleep deprived, there are two big factors that cause you to overeat:

- You eat for energy to fight fatigue
- You lose mental focus and can’t stick to your lifestyle plan.

Plus, natural variations in body hormones can get out of whack with sleep deprivation, sometimes contributing to an increase in food intake.

We all fall back on between-meal snacking to wake up – when a power-nap is really what’s needed.

Look at your sleep habits – and see where you can make some small changes for at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Consider your “sleep hygiene” and have a comfy mattress, pillows, and a cool, quiet, darkened environment to make falling asleep easier.

Talk to your doctor for chronic sleep issues (for falling asleep and staying asleep), and don’t rely on over-the-counter products for more than occasional use.

Adequate sleep is a major tool for your weight loss toolbox!

Is sleep an issue for you? Post a note and let me know!

Emotional Eating: STRESSED is DESSERTS spelled backwards!

Emotional Eating: STRESSED is DESSERTS spelled backwards!
Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

One of the biggest barriers we all face is how to manage stress and emotional eating. It’s the primary cause for almost all overeating! Simply put: it’s eating for a reason not related to hunger – and people are quick to admit that they are not hungry when they’re eating from stress, emotional issues, boredom, or anxiety.

The solution is not just learning more about eating. You need to also understand how to better manage the kinds of stress in your life and how you respond to this stress. So, while you can’t always control the stress you face, you CAN alter your response – which makes controlling your emotional eating a lot easier.

You want to find other ways to change that hand-to-mouth stress eating behavior – and avoid food as the immediate go-to for soothing yourself. Try a shower, a short walk, brushing your teeth, cleaning a drawer, or a 10-minute time out for a social phone call.

If you’re an “oral” person and need to keep your mouth occupied, try some of these low/non calorie strategies like sugarless gum and sugar-free mints. Crunch is a good stress-reliever, but skip the salt/fat chip combos and stick with raw veggies or 100-cal popcorn packs. Low/non calorie liquids like seltzer, water (flavored or plain), herbal teas, and low-cal sodas and drinks can help get you though these stressful periods. And read the labels – clear doesn’t always mean low calorie!

When it comes to stress eating, think before you eat. It doesn’t mean don’t eat, it means make a better choice. This easy strategy can prevent diet derailing!

My bottom line? Managing emotional eating is a two-step process.

Step 1: get in touch with your feelings, and identify your reasons for stress.

Step 2: figure out ways to self-soothe either without food, or using low/non-calorie options.

Please share your own thoughts on managing stress eating. We all need as much advice as we can get!

Your Diet Personality

Did you ever feel like your diet plan didn’t “match up” with your eating style? Feeling like your food choices just aren’t working and you’re having trouble sticking to it? I think it’s time to take a closer look at what I call your diet personality.

The good news is that ALL diet plans that trim calories result in weight loss. It’s finding the right one that can be tricky. When you connect with the right eating plan for YOU, it puts the “life” back in lifestyle, and helps you stay on track.

I’ve spent a lot of time figuring this out, and here are some of the most popular diet personalities. Take this quiz to figure out your personal eating style. Your next step is to make small changes, based on the kinds of foods you prefer, as well as when and where you eat. When you can accept the kind of eater you are, it’s a lot easier to develop an eating plan around it. You want to work with not against your natural habits. When it comes to losing weight, one size does not fit all!!

Are you……
-a grazer or a 3 meal a day eater?
-a protein-lover or a carb-lover?
-a day eater or a night eater?
-a home cook or a restaurant eater?
-an intense taster or a volume eater?

Do you recognize yourself here? Post a response and let me know. I’d love to hear how you work with your own diet personality!

Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

Diet Personalities by Madelyn Fernstrom by UPMChealthplan

Are Your Scared of Your Scale?

We all have a love/hate relationship with the scale. How many times have you had a good day or a bad day, based on the number on the scale? I’ve been there hundreds, no, thousands of times! We have to work against that – and make the scale just one of the tools to help us with weight management. And “management” includes both losing weight, and just not gaining (staying even).

When it comes to “weighing in,” I have to share one of my favorite stories with you. Whenever I talk about the Weight Watchers program or weekly weigh in programs, I get two distinct responses from people: (1) I LOVE it, because you get weighed every week or (2) I HATE it, because you get weighed every week. So, fellow strugglers, read on!

Studies show that it IS important to chart your body weight, but how do you translate that to your own lifestyle? While the gold standard is weekly (recently updated to daily!), using the scale as only ONE index of your progress takes a lot of that “weight anxiety” away. Your clothes, fitted jeans, and belt notches are all equally helpful. Look for patterns in your weight, to help understand fluid shifts that alter the number of the scale (think Chinese food the night before a weigh in, or premenstrual days); You’ll learn to separate water weight (fluid shifts) from true weight – either up or down. Weigh yourself at the same time of day on an accurate scale (good news for those of you in the Weight Race!). If you can’t remember when you last bought your home scale, buy a new (economical) digital scale for consistency.

It’s time to make friends with your scale. Use it to help validate your long-term progress. Trust your personal comfort level for either a daily or weekly weight as one part of your tracking. And remember…when the scale doesn’t move UP, it’s still a successful effort:not gaining weight still takes a lot of work!

Welcome to the UPMC MyHealth Matters Blog!

The UPMC MyHealth Matters blog is for UPMC Health Plan members only. This blog is designed to engage, inform, and interact with you, our members, on health and wellness initiatives. Whether you are participating in the UPMC Weight Race 2011 or looking for guidance on tips and tools for staying active, UPMC MyHealth Matters will help you get on the right path to better health.

Our featured blogger is Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, CNS. She is the Director of Nutrition and Weight Management for the UPMC Health Plan and is a nationally recognized expert in the field of appetite, weight control, and wellness. She is also a favorite of the media, most notably the NBC Today Show Diet and Nutrition Editor. You can read her bio under our About the Blog tab.

We will also offer video clips, podcasts, and polls to keep you motivated and engaged.

So, join in on the conversation.

The 2011 MyHealth Weight Race

Weight Race veterans talk about their motivation and experiences with the MyHealth Weight Race and encourage other members to join. Have a question about the Weight Race? Have an online chat with a Member Services representative or call 1-888-876-2756.