Finding Little Victories

You’ve been so good about sticking to your physical activity and nutrition plan. You’ve shed some pounds, hurrah. Now, despite all your efforts, you have reached the dreaded “weight loss plateau”. You are not alone in your frustration. Join me this week in keeping your spirits up while you conquer this hurdle. An explanation of why your body reaches this state, how to kick start it again and some “little victories” to keep you going in a positive direction.

“Life's Little Victories are tiny little daily occurrences that make one quietly say "YES!!"
Keith Knight

I like to do this in my daily activities, look for “little victories”. Those small things that may pass us by if we are not paying attention, but once you notice them, they make you feel good, make you smile, give you a warm fuzzy feeling.

I know they give me something positive to focus on at the end of the day.

· Maybe it was as simple as finding a penny in the parking lot.
· You received a phone call from an old friend you haven’t heard from in a while.
· You got a pat on the back at work for solving a problem.
· Your child told you she/he loves you
· I live 15 miles outside of Helena, I was driving down our dirt road to work and I saw something lumbering over the fence. I slowed down, it was a huge bull elk, I savored the moment and it carried me all week.
· Another morning, the sunrise was so spectacular, I had to stop and watch, and it was truly breathtaking.
These moments don’t have to be big or cost anything. I urge you to open your eyes and pay attention.

How does this all relate to physical activity and weight loss? I will tell you, these little victories make you feel good and when you feel good, say it with me….you will be motivated to…say it with me again….stick with the program. You will feel energized and inspired.

Explanation of Weight Loss Plateau, otherwise known as, I stopped losing weight but I am still watching what I am eating and still getting my physical activity and why is this happening?

How calorie balance is related to weight loss.

“Your weight is determined by the balance between food (calories in) and activity
(calories out).
Let's look at four ways the calorie balance can work.
1. Your weight can stay the same. In this case, "calories in" from food equal
"calories out" from activity. Food and activity are at about the same level on both
sides of the scale.
2. Second, you can gain weight. In this case, "calories in" from food are higher than
"calories out" from activity. Either calories have increased or activity has
decreased or both. The balance has tipped this way [indicate direction of
balance].
3. You can lose weight. "Calories in" from food are lighter than "calories
out" from activity. You’ve eaten less food (by less I mean fewer calories, not less
in volume--remember, we said early in the program that you can actually eat more
food for the same number of calories by eating lower-fat foods), or you’ve done
more activity, or both. The best way to lose weight is to do both at the same time
and really tip the balance this way [indicate direction].
4. And finally, you can reach a new balance at a new weight. You have developed
new food habits and new activity habits and they are balanced again. This is what
happens when you lose weight and keep it off. You've reached a new balance
over time.

The important thing to remember is that:
• Food and activity work together to determine how much you weigh.
• To lose weight, it's best to eat less and be more active.
That way, you are changing both sides of the energy balance at once.
By TIPPING the balance, you can lose the weight you want.
• Then, over time, you can reach a new balance at a new, lower weight. We will
help you to make”
From Lifestyle Balance, NLB Coach’s Manual, www.hncp.org

You might simply need to change your physical activity to stimulate other muscle groups to become more active. Mix it up, if you’ve been doing yoga, try riding a bike. Doing aerobic exercise? Try strength training. Take a brisk walk. You get the idea. It might take a few days or weeks for things to get going again, be patient and be kind to yourself and the results will follow.

While you are waiting to get your weight loss kick started again, don’t give up. Look for your “small victories”, you worked hard to get where you are today.

· Your waist size got smaller
· You lost “inches”
· Your dress or pant size is down a size or more
· Your friends notice that you “look different”
· You have more energy
· You look G-O-O-D
· You feel G-O-O-D
· Your dog is wagging her tail and happy to see you when you come home, that means it’s time for a walk
· You know this is temporary and you have the support of your friends in the program
· Where would you be today if you didn’t even make it this far?

“To establish true self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.” Denis Waitly

Black Bean Dip and Baked Tortilla Chips

Black Bean Dip
8 servings

1 16 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 TBS chopped red onion
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 TBS fresh orange juice
1 medium size garlic clove, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
Cumin, to taste about ¼ to 1 tsp, caution-cumin has a strong taste!

In a blender or food processor, combine beans, 1 TBS chopped onion, vinegar, orange juice and garlic and blend until smoothe. Season with salt, pepper, cumin to taste and blend again. Spoon into serving bowl and refrigerate before serving. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with fresh vegetable sticks, baked tortilla chips, pita triangles, low fat whole grain crackers.

Nutrition per serving
Calories 61.6 Total fat 0.2 g Sodium 1.8 mg Total Carbohydrate 11.2g Dietary fiber 3.8g
Sugars 0.7g Protein 3.9g


Baked Tortilla Chips
Number of Servings: 8

12 6 inch corn tortillas
1 TBS canola oil, or use cooking spray, may alter fat content
*salt to taste
Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees.Using a pastry brush, lightly coat both sides of each tortilla with oil. Stack the tortilla and cut them into quarters. Spread the chips in a single layer on cookie sheets. Season with salt. Bake until crisp and golden, about 12 to 16 minutes.
*Get creative and use other spices, chili powder, garlic powder, Mrs. Dash, lemon pepper, Italian seasoning
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BHBOGUE24.

Nutrition per serving
Calories: 100.5 Fat: 2.9g Carbohydrates: 17.4g Protein: 2.2g Sodium 36.9mg

Crustless Spinach, Onion and Feta Quiche

Technically crustless but the addition of flour makes for a delicious crusty bottom and sides to this quiche.

Number of Servings: 6
45 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
6-oz fresh baby spinach
2 large eggs
1/2 cup egg beaters (liquid substitute)** see below for substitutions
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/3 cups non fat milk
1/2 cup feta cheese

See below for some ideas to try, if you are adventurous, I say-“Go for it”.

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly grease a 10-inch quiche/tart pan (or a pie plate), or try a 9x13 pan for cutting into squares-bake time may need to be adjusted.
In a medium frying pan, cook diced onion with a bit of vegetable oil (or cooking spray) over medium-high heat until translucent and tender. Add in fresh spinach and cook until just wilted. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, then stir in spinach-onion mixture. Pour quiche base into prepared pan. Top with feta cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, or until center is set and the outside edge is golden brown.Let set for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

Goes great with a side salad, fresh fruit and crusty bread.

Nutritional Info

· Servings Per Recipe: 6
· Amount Per Serving
· Calories: 142.0
· Total Fat: 5.5 g
· Cholesterol: 83.3 mg
· Sodium: 248.8 mg
· Total Carbs: 13.5 g
· Dietary Fiber: 2.2 g
· Protein: 10.6 g

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user JENNLOVE.
These suggestions are from Sparkpeople members who did prepare the recipe-the nutritional information will vary slightly.

“Easy and yummy dish! I used 2 eggs and 4 egg whites as well as shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese instead of feta -- looking forward to trying it with feta. Also, would add a little spice to it in the future. Maybe sautee some garlic along with the onion.

I added some sun-dried tomatoes and a little green and red pepper. I also used Mrs Dash salt substitute...yummo! Thanks for sharing!

Instead of the egg beaters, which I did not have, I used 2 eggs and the whites of 3 eggs. My carnivorous, junk-eating husband LOVED this and has asked me to make it again. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!”
From sparkpeople.com

My own suggestions: It was easy to make and delicious.

Some variations I would try: Green chiles, artichoke hearts diced, use white cheddar cheese or swiss cheese instead of feta, I added sliced tomatoes with the spinach. I used 4 eggs since I didn’t have egg substitute.

Variations will change nutritional values.

Know Your Health Benefits

OK, let me start out by saying, I totally understand that trying to understand your health benefits (health insurance) is like asking you to learn a foreign language. I worked for the State benefits division for 4 years, I learned so much and there is still much I don’t know, and I was entrenched in benefits. I say this to let you know that I do understand what a daunting undertaking it is to try to get a grasp of your benefits.

It’s the beginning of a new year and for many company sponsored health plans, it is the start of a new plan year. Pay attention to any changes to your health benefits. Were things added to your plan that you can be using? Were things eliminated that you used to use? Are you missing out on something that will save you dollars? Don't forget your flexible spending plan is use it or lose it. Check to see the deadline for 2009 claims submissions, your participation in diabetes prevention program may be covered.

Let’s face it, there are many people working just to have health coverage, heck, it’s in the news on a daily basis anymore, we are all hearing about the health care crisis. Speaking of crisis, something I have seen over the years is this: people who have health insurance and don’t take the time to understand it and then have a health crisis in their life or that of a loved one and then under duress, have to figure out their coverage and how to navigate it coupled with the health issue at hand.

I urge you to take advantage of presentations about your benefits. Read the information when it is sent. ASK QUESTIONS. There are no dumb questions. Well, there is one-“where is the ice cream? on the book shelf in the living room? Chances are, if you have a question, there is someone else wondering about the same thing.

So, what does all this have to do with you, the reader, who is simply trying to get through the 16 week Lifestyle Balance Program and make some healthy lifestyle changes? I will tell you. You may be missing out on ways to get reimbursed for your participation.

Things to look for If you, your spouse, adult child are covered under an employer’s health insurance:
· There may be benefits for preventive health.
· Does your employer offer a wellness program?
· If so, it’s worth looking into what is available to you-maybe there is a financial reimbursement for weight loss and/or physical activity participation.
· Need motivation to move? Are there walking programs through work? Are there exercise programs or a fitness room at your place of employment?
· You might be eligible for health club discounts through your employer.
· Perhaps you are eligible for free health coaching through your employee assistance program (EAP).
· Is there a program that covers nutritional counseling?
· Are you contributing to flexible spending? Check out the plan administrator website and see what is reimbursable. You’d be surprised at what you will find.
· Gee, this all sounds great. Who can I ask about this? Start with your Human Resources contact. If they cannot help you, they surely will be able to tell you who can help.

Another piece of free advice-Buy used exercise equipment. Check your local thrift shops, consignment shops and local newspaper ads (The Adit, Pennysaver, Thrifty Nickel), yard sales. People are always getting rid of those highly expensive “clothing racks”, you know, the treadmill that got used twice and now has a mound of clothing piled on it. Of course, if you go to the thrift store, you will want to make sure the equipment does work before you buy it. Check out bulletin boards at work, at the local supermarket for used exercise equipment. I scored an exercise bike for $80 from a bulletin board sign at work.

Be the FIRST to fill out the Survey Monkey Survey (link below) and win a Walking Your Way to Better Health Kit, includes pedometer and walking guide, include your e-mail in the comments section) https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NHYJ9FN

Carving out time for you

We tend to put ourselves at the bottom of the list of priorities. Work, kids, spouse, elderly parents, pets, errands, chores, whew, makes me tired just writing that.

This week is dedicated to helping you carve out some time to get your 150 minutes of physical activity.

“Dedicate 3% of your life to active living.There's 24 hours in a day. Three percent of 24 hours is 43 minutes. That still leaves you 23 hours and 17 minutes to work, sleep, and wash the dishes.”
Excerpted from Robert Sweetgall’s 10 Commandments of GOYAASMA, http://www.goyaasma.com/commandments.html

If 43 minutes seems too much, you simply cannot spare that much time, take a deep breath. For so many people, me included, carving out 10 minute increments is much less threatening to an already tight schedule. There’s lots of physical activity you can do in 10 minutes.

· I ride my exercise bike for 12 minutes and can ride 2 miles.
· Have some phone calls to make that don’t require a pen and paper? Get on a cell phone or portable phone and walk around the house and talk, this way, you are moving and checking off a task from your list.
· I have a stress inducing mother, so I will listen to her on the phone and ride my exercise bike and it’s dual purpose, exercise and a stress reliever!
· Walking the dog(s) is a great way to get family involved in some quality time together and certainly Fido enjoys the fresh air and the company. “If your dog is overweight you are not getting enough exercise.” Author unknown.
· Sitting and watching TV? Get some small hand weights and lift them or use an exercise band with handles. A one hour TV show has about 16 minutes of TV commercials, I think 10 minutes in a 30 minute show. Lifts weights or use the exercise band during commercials and you have about 16 minutes of physical activity logged.
· Use the stairs at work.
· Park the car a little further away from the door at the supermarket or mall.
· If you are like me and don’t write your shopping list in any particular order, you can get lots of walking accomplished around the super store going back and forth looking for your items.
· Put on music “to clean the house” to, you can dance and clean, it makes the task at hand fun.
· We heat our home with a wood pellet stove, 40 pound bags of pellets are in the garage. I have to walk across the house and up and down 6 steps, to get from the garage to the stove. When I have to schlep pellets, I take a minimum of 5 bags downstairs and sometimes more. Good exercise and I have a stock of pellets in the house.
· I have stairs in my house, on days where I haven’t moved as much as I like, I do some “stair laps”, I go up and down the stairs several times, just don’t let the dog trip you up!

Plot out those 10 minutes throughout the day and evening, be creative, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Keep current with your journaling. This will not only help with eating and physical activity but also with your feelings.

From: Spark People Blog: "If you got a traffic ticket would you break every traffic law the rest of the day? Then why toss the whole day over a slice of pizza?" The same goes for your exercise plan. If you can't fit in your full session, why does it make sense to do nothing instead? Wouldn't you want to be 50 or 100 calories instead of zero? Or lose half a pound instead of none?”

Quick and easy healthy meals

Let me say, I have a love affair with my freezer. There is a great bounty of foodstuff in there to be able to throw together something delicious and nutritious that won’t have us eating dinner at 9 PM. A little creativity can go a long way at mealtime.

Staples to have:
· Frozen vegetables - For a quick meal –use frozen stir fry vegetables, add some low fat protein and brown rice and you have a good meal.
· Ha, brown rice you say, that takes at least an hour to cook, yes I know, but did you know you can freeze it? Make a big batch and measure out portions to meet your needs and freeze it in zip lock bags or plastic containers.
· Keep cooked shredded chicken breast or shredded beef in the freezer. It’s a great way to make use of leftovers and it’s handy, cuts down on cooking time.
· While I don’t like eating fish, a childhood trauma, my husband does and I always keep canned tuna in the house. I do make a mean tuna salad, so I hear!
· Low fat chicken broth, beef broth
· Canned beans-black, kidney, pinto, garbanzos with some chicken or beef and lettuce and you have a taco salad.
· Canned tomatoes-very versatile for soups, sauces, side dishes.
· Tortillas are a must in my house and they freeze well. You can buy them lard free.

Miscellaneous tips:
· Make enough salad for 2 or 3 meals, make sure the lettuce is dried off or the salad will get soggy.
· Chopping an onion or open a can or jar and only need half? Don’t throw it away, put it in a zip lock bag or container and freeze it, you will be glad you did when you need a tablespoon of something.
· Breakfast for dinner is always easy. Substitute turkey sausage for bacon or pork sausage if you want a meat. Instead of potatoes and toast, substitute sliced tomatoes or vegetable sticks for one of the starches.

I hope this helps you carve out much needed “me” time, time to care for yourself.

Post your thoughts on the “Comments” section of this blog or contact me directly, Diane Arave, darave2@mt.gov or 406-444-0593


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Winter Squash Soup

This recipe is “souper” easy to make and tasty. It is thick enough to use as a sauce for another dish.

6 servings

2 10 oz packages frozen squash or 2 cans of squash puree
2 cups fat free chicken broth
1 can Ro-tel
-or-
1 14 ½ oz can chopped stewed tomatoes AND
1 4 oz can mild chopped green chiles (can use entire can or use to taste, 1-2 TBS)
½ tsp – 1 tsp ground cumin (to taste)

Place all ingredients in a pot on low heat and cover. Stir as frozen squash thaws. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes and serve.
For your protein, serve with low fat cheese, crackers and a salad

Per serving: 45.4 Calories (kcal); 0.4g Total Fat; 1.4 g Protein; 10.8 g Carbohydrate; 1.7 mg Cholesterol; 520.2 mg Sodium

First, a little humor to begin 2010

Twas the month after Christmas,
and all through the house,
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The cookies I'd nibbled, the chocolate I'd taste
At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber),
I'd remember the marvellous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."

As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt...
I said to myself, as I only can,
"You can't spend a Summer, disguised as a man!"
So, away with the last of the sour cream dip.
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie, not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie.
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore...
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good diet.

North African Vegetable Stew

Yield: 4 ServingsIngredients

2 tsp canola oil
1 med onion; chopped
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 med tomatoes; chopped
1 med sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1" chunks
1/4 c water
2 tbs lemon juice
8 1/2 oz cooked garbanzo beans; drained and rinsed
1 small zucchini, cut into 1" chunks
1/2 cup parsley; chopped –OR-1tbs + 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/4 cup raisins
1 dash hot pepper sauce to taste

Instructions: Heat oil in large non-stick pot or Dutch oven. Add onion and spices; cook 10 minutes or until onion is limp, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, sweet potatoes, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Add garbanzo beans, zucchini, parsley and raisins. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, until zucchini is tender. Season with hot pepper sauce to taste.

**Can serve with cous cous. For added protein, add shredded chicken breast or tofu cut in small chunks. Can add 1 large or 2 medium carrots cut in chunks.

**Not included in nutrition information below.
Each of the 4 1-cup servings contains 218 calories and 4 grams of fat, 6grams fiber.Per serving: 218 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat; (17% calories from fat); 8gProtein; 40g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 23mg SodiumFood Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

Lifestyle Balance -What motivates you to keep with the program?

After much thought and on-line research I still haven’t come up with any magical answers on motivation. I did realize that motivation is a very individual thing. What motivates one person will not motivate the next. To quote Paul Simon, “one man’s ceiling is another man’s floor”.

We had a friend who lost his lucrative job when the company closed its doors. He took many odd jobs to keep money coming in. He ended up selling aluminum siding in Denver, CO. His territory was vast. He got a call to drive to Casper, WY to do a sales presentation only to find the homeowners not home. That’s quite a long round trip for one call. This happened to him frequently. The company used incentives, in addition to commissions, to motivate the sales crew. Would I drive to Casper, WY for one sales call, nope. Would a trip to Las Vegas motivate me to make that trip for one sales call, nope. It did keep him schlepping up to Wyoming and he never did win a trip, but he might have and that kept him going on those calls.

People don’t go to the dentist for various reasons. Do I love going to the dentist, no. BUT, I am totally motivated by having healthy teeth into my old age, teeth that are my own. I am motivated by my fear of having rotten teeth, so I go to the dentist.

A woman I know lost over 200 pounds. She had bariatric surgery. Here is a direct quote from her note to me on why she had the surgery and works so hard to keep off the weight “Scared to die young - and it be my fault - for not taking care of me”. She goes to regular support meetings, exercises regularly and has given up pasta, despite her love of it; she knows it is not her friend. “Scared to go back to the way I was..... I never want to be put into that situation again! I could hardly walk! I couldn't fit into a plane or a booth - a bathroom stall..... very embarrassing to me!”

A “SparkPeople” member gives her friends $5 each. They buy her a little gift and wrap it. She stores them in a box and when she loses 10 pounds, she is allowed to pick one gift. What a great way to gain support from friends and family and stay on track with your program. Let your friends know what you like or let them surprise you. There are fun finds for men at the local sporting goods store or hardware store. Get family members involved, with a voucher for getting chores done for Mom or Dad, boy, wouldn’t that be a great gift. Let them know what you like and ask them, please, no fattening food treats.

These two stories are from the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program

“With the money that this participant and his wife are saving by quitting smoking, they are now excited to be planning a vacation. It has been over one month since he smoked a cigarette and says he said that he feels great being smoke-free. With new ideas he’s developed to deal with stress and alcohol, believes that he’ll be able to stay smoke-free.

This single father in Montana quit smoking both to maintain good health and to set a better example for his son. He’s glad to be past the one month mark in his quit and said that he used Chantix for the first month. He is very motivated to remain tobacco-free and does not see anything getting in the way of his smoke-free status.”

Four hundred plus Montana employers responded to a recent survey about worksite wellness programs. Those employers reported that 53% of employees participate in the wellness programs. Does your employer offer to pay for a gym membership, pay you to exercise, lose weight? Again, what motivates you to take care of yourself?

"If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself."
Mickey Mantle

I am giving you permission to ask for help if you need some. Do you need help getting started? Do you need assistance to manage your schedule to make time for physical activity or how about time to prepare a wholesome meal? Maybe finding a different physical activity is what you need to keep you moving. Ask your Lifestyle Coach for some ideas. There are plenty of healthy recipes that don’t take a half day to prepare.

I challenge you, the reader, to make a list. What motivates you to take charge of your health? What will motivate you to keep going? Maintain your level of physical activity? Continue eating healthy? Maintain your weight or do you want to lose a few more pounds? You are either in the midst of the 16 week Diabetes Prevention Program or you finished the 16 weeks and now working on the 6 month follow-up program.

What motivates you to continue attending classes? Maybe you aren’t going, why not? The Diabetes Prevention Program wants your feedback. We want to help you succeed and reach your goals of good health.

“In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” Abraham Lincoln

Do you have a story to share with others? Please contact Diane Arave,
406-444-0593 or darave2@mt.gov

Please take a moment to fill out this quick and confidential survey.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NHYJ9FN