LIFEstyle mini program - night 2 of 2

Greetings all!

Thanks for coming out and choosing LIFEstyle change over “Dancing With The Stars!”

If you apply some of the principles discussed during the mini program, in the weeks ahead you will be “dancing” to SUCCESS!

We discussed the importance of HOW to eat and exercise. Both turn out to be just as important (if not more) than WHAT to eat.

If one reduces 100 to 200 calories a day (strategic eating and some exercise) it all adds up to a “fitter and healthier” you at the end of the year! Slow and steady wins the race…

Lasting behaviour change takes time. The SUCCESS chart is a great way to visually encourage keeping on track…My challenge for November was to pick 3 small lifestyle changes (eating behaviour and some form of exercise)…Check out the Feb. 12th 2007, Week 6 blog entry for some ideas…

To help maintain some of the wonderful changes that you are making, you are invited to our monthly Lunch Club on Nov. 20th (3rd Tuesday of the month) in room B224 at NRGH. We discuss MOTIVATION and MAINTENANCE when it comes to healthy lifestyle choices (get your M+M’s!!!)…

Have a wonderful month!

Dr.P

P.S. If the feedback is favourable, we may offer another mini program in the spring.

LIFEstyle mini program

Hi all,

As promised, here is a quick synopsis of what we talked about last week...We talked about WHY we eat (it's all about DOPAMINE!) and WHAT to eat (can you say Canadian Food Guide?)...

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index_e.html

In that, we found out that FIBRE is the friend and FAT is the foe...In other words, a diet which is rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables will help you achieve your goals.

We started to discuss how environment plays a vital role with eating behavior. Dr. Brian Wansink's book "Mindless Eating" is a wonderful resource to help with positive change.

Next week we will be discussing HOW to eat and HOW to exercise for longterm success.

Take care,
Dr.P

Reminder: Last Lunch Club - Tuesday, August 14th?

Hi all,

Hope your summer continues to sizzle with healthier choices...

Just a reminder that we will be holding our Lunch Club one week earlier this month because of summer holidays...We will be meeting at noon on Tuesday the 14th in room B224 of the Ambulatory Care at NRGH...

It will be our last session discussing LIFEstyle and healthy food choices...week 7 of the program.

Next month, we will be back to the third Tuesday of the month at noon for both programs: "Quit Smoking For Good" and "Lose Weight For Life."

Hope to see you there!

Take care,
Dr.P

Reminder: Tuesday, July 17th Lunch Club

Hi LIFEstylers!

Happy 5 month anniversary(since graduation)!

Hope your summer is fun and fulfilling...

Just a quick reminder that we will be hosting our July Lunch Club in room B224 at NRGH at noon on Tuesday July 17th...At this session, we will be available to answer your questions as well as give you a dose of Motivation!

We will also be going over week#6 of the Lose Weight For Life program (if you missed it or need a boost)...E-mail me at dr.poteryko@cisic.ca, if you wish any other issue to be discussed.

See you there!

Take care,
Dr.P

Reminder: Tuesday, June 19th Lunch Club

Hi LIFEstylers!

Happy 4 month anniversary(since graduation)!

As we discussed in class, it is Maintenance and Motivation (M & M's) which are key with longstanding lifestyle change...Maintenance can be a challenge, but with certain tools it can be much easier to attain and maintain. Can anyone say "Success Chart?" That is why we have the ongoing support through the Lunch Clubs and e-mail access to help you stay "on your bike!"

We will be hosting our June Lunch Club in room B224 at NRGH at noon on Tuesday June 19th...At this session, we will be available to answer your questions as well as give you a dose of Motivation!

We will also be going over week#5 of the Lose Weight For Life program (if you missed it or need a boost)...This month, we will bring some dopamine-inducing "treats" to help with detachment.

E-mail me at dr.poteryko@cisic.ca, if you wish any other issue to be addressed.

Take care,
Dr.P

Reminder: Tuesday May 15th Lunch Club

Hi LIFEstylers!

Happy 3 month anniversary(since graduation)!

As we discussed in class, it is Maintenance and Motivation (M & M's) which are key with longstanding lifestyle change...Motivation comes from within... How will it feel when you achieve your goal? Really get into it...How will you look, what will you be thinking/hearing and how great will it finally feel?

To help with M & M's, we will be hosting our May Lunch Club in room B224 at NRGH at noon on Tuesday May 15th...At this session, we will be available to answer your questions as well as give you a dose of Motivation! We will also be going over week#4 of the Lose Weight For Life program (if you missed it or need a boost)...

E-mail me at dr.poteryko@cisic.ca, if you wish any other issue to be addressed.

Take care,
Dr.P

Reminder: Tuesday April 17th Lunch Club

Hi all,

Hope there is some spring in your Spring!

Happy 2 month anniversary(since graduation)!

The question of the month is:

How do I get "fitter, healthier and curvier/slimmer" and have FUN doing it?

Great questions give you great results! Think about it...Versus "Why can't I lose weight?"

As we discussed in class, it is Maintenance and Motivation (M & M's) which are key with longstanding lifestyle change...Motivation comes from within... How will it feel when you achieve your goal? Really get into it...How will you look, what will you be thinking/hearing and how great will it finally feel?

To help with M & M's, we will be hosting our April Lunch Club in room B224 at NRGH at noon on Tuesday April 17th...At this session, we will be available to answer your questions as well as give you a dose of Motivation! We will also be going over week#3 of the Lose Weight For Life program (if you missed it or need a boost)...E-mail me at dr.poteryko@cisic.ca, if you wish any other issue to be addressed.

Take care,
Dr.P

Reminder: Tuesday March 20th Lunch Club

Hi all!

Happy 1 month anniversary(since graduation)!

Hope everyone is well...and getting "fitter, healthier and curvier/slimmer."

As we discussed in class, it is Maintenance and Motivation (M & M's) which are key with longstanding lifestyle change...Can anyone say Success Chart?

To help with M & M's, we will be hosting our March Lunch Club in room B224 at NRGH at noon on Tuesday March 20th...At this session, we will be available to answer your questions as well as give you a dose of Motivation! We will also be going over week#2 of the Lose Weight For Life program (if you missed it or need a boost)...

E-mail me at dr.poteryko@cisic.ca, if you wish any other issue to be addressed.

Take care,
Dr.P

Parks and Rec. - week 7

Greetings all!

It's already week 7...where does all the time go? This may of been the last session, but it is truly the beginning of the FUN and wonderful journey of becoming "fitter, healthier and _____'er!"

Tonight we discussed "Love and Chocolate" and how dopamine plays a key role in both. It can sometimes be difficult to sort out something when it feels (and tastes) so good. Again, it is Mother Nature and our survival to blame. Does the behaviour harm or nurture us is the question to ask?

We talked about how values help with our behaviour. They become out "hot keys" to success because when our behaviours and our values are aligned - nothing can stop us. There are no right or wrong values. Our group was very noble, many ranked integrity, truth and honesty. Other high ranking values included health and family. The Decision Line brings it all together.

We also reviewed the CRAVED mnemonic again, which can be a useful tool when confronted with cravings, stress and other cues. Remember that deep breathing and visualizing can be powerful portable tools as well.

It is easier to change your environment than your mind and many of the "Short Snappers," we discussed tonight help with cutting 100 to 200 calories a day (which translates into 10 to 20 lbs a year!).

Lastly, we talked about negative self talk and how it can undermine success. At times, we can be our own worst enemy. We all deserve to be happy. It merely takes more nurturing self talk like how we would talk to your "best friend." Dr. David Burns and his approach to cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful.

You have made a wonderful DECISION with this journey. You are not alone. Please keep us posted (email dr.poteryko@cisic.ca) and remember that we have the free monthly group meeting on the third Tuesday of every month at noon in room B224 at NRGH. This can help with the M & M's - the Motivation and Maintenance. Remember, you cannot fail here...whether you take big steps or small steps, it's your choice. The Success Chart is another great visual tool to help.

Homework for week 7 and beyond:

1) 20+ minutes every day or 40-45 minutes every other day of brisk walking or any other physical activity (be sure to use your Parks and Rec. passes! Thank you Liz W. at Parks and Rec.!!)
2) Continue to deep breathe regularly.
3) Practice trying the tools: CRAVED mnemonic, Success Chart and Decision Line - they all can help make us more mindful of our choices and decisions.

Remember to gage your success (especially initially) with inches and not pounds.

Health and happiness always!

Dr.P

Parks and Rec. - week 6

Hi LIFEstylers!

We were having so much FUN tonight, we ran out of time (my apologies). With Valentine's Day coming, we will talk about "Love and Chocolate" next week.

Speaking of chocolate, we discussed M & M's tonight and the fact that we can change the way we look at things by changing how we perceive them. As said, M & M's can be seen as Motivation & Maintenance instead...so in the future, you can remember how to stay motivated and maintain the wonderful DECISION of becoming "fitter, healthier and _______'er."

We also reviewed some more strategies on HOW to eat including using the most successful strategy of maintaining weight change with your brand new "eating logs." Just by tracking what you eat, helps keep you on course. We also discussed that deprivation diets don't work. It's more important to enjoy food and not to eat with shame or guilt. It's better to become mindful and eat that "less than better choice" and release the feelings by saying "I know there are better choices, but this time I will eat this ______." Then you get on and walk and make healthier choices. This journey of self mastery should be one of FUN and enlightenment.

We also found that the new Canadian Food Guide has many similarities as the program with emphasis on whole grains (be careful of labels), vegetables and fruits as well as a deemphasis on dairy and meats. Although meat alternatives like beans, peas, nuts are better choices because of more fibre and less fat. Vitamin D supplementation is also important. The link:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index_e.html

It's free! You can make your very own food plan with portions for a day! Oh thank you Canadian government!

We also discussed sleep and how important it is for good health. We also found out that poor sleep can be a factor with weight gain. Can anybody say grehlin? If you or a loved one stops breathing at night or snores excessively then you may want to check with your family physician. Especially if your Epworth score is 10 or more. There are simple and effective treatments available. Good sleep hygiene can go a long way for good health.

We talk about a "Success Chart" to help give you emotional and physical traction to show you how far you have come to build and strengthen your self Confidence (a CRAVED letter) and self efficacy. Put how much you are walking (the Exercise in CRAVED) each day or every other day...even if it is 5 minutes, it's a start! Then put 3 other food behaviour choices down like choosing certain foods, beverages or even that you will track your eating log each day for a week...At the end of each day, check your Accountability (a CRAVED letter!)...


Success Chart (use lined paper on its side, each day is a line/column)

February 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 . . . 28
____________________________________________
Daily
walking
(minutes) 15 10 15 15 15 - 30 15 15 15 20 15 20
____________________________________________
Eat
something x x x x x - x x x x x x x . . . x
for
breakfast
____________________________________________
Drink water
(+lemon) x x x x x x x x x - x x x . . . x
with one
meal
____________________________________________
Eat 3
fruits per x - x x x x x x x x x x x . . . x
day
____________________________________________


The "Success Chart" will not be perfect (who is?). Also write on the back page by refreshing your memory of 5 different things that you were successful in in your life. It could be getting your driver's license, high school graduation, getting your first job/pay cheque, your wedding day or even registering for "Lose Weight For LIFE" :o)

This visual tool can help show you and Remind (another CRAVED word!) how far you have come! Put it on the fridge and at the end of the day review your accomplishments!

Just remember that we are learning new skills here and many of them will take time and practice to master. You are welcome to come out to NRGH on the third Tuesday of the month at noon in room B224 in Ambulatory Care to experience the "LIFEstyle Lunch Club" which will discuss any issues you may have on your road to self mastery. I will also be covering the program again with week 1 starting in February, week 2 in March and so on. Hope that you can make it!

Homework this included:

1) Make your own "Success Chart" and plot the wonderful gains (and soon to be losses of inches) you have made
2) Try out your brand new Eating Log and plot out your choices over the next week - have FUN with this one (see above)...Be kind to yourself!
3) Hourly deep breathing with a shoulder scrunch for the tension
4) walking 15 minutes alternating with 20 minutes or 35 minutes every other day...now that the days are getting longer and warmer this will be easier.

Next week is our final week, but really it is only the beginning of something fantastic...We might just have a surprise for graduation!

We will talk more about "Love and Chocolate," self confidence and purpose.

Have a great week, everyone!

Take care,
Dr.P

Parks and Rec. - week 5

Hi LIFEstylers,

The FUN continues! Just remember, healthy lifestyle and behaviour change is more a slow process. Slow (changes) and steady wins the race!

This week we discussed a number of things including more helpful hints about HOW to eat. Dr. Wansink's book, "Mindless Eating," is a wonderful resource. Other resources include the Canadian magazine, "Nutrition Action," which gives sensible advice around food and lifestyle. Another web-based site is: www.sparkpeople.com which over the year I have found to be helpful for motivation, calorie counting, recipes, etc and it is free!

We talked about the use of waist circumference as a better predictor for cardiac risk versus BMI. You can follow the inches with your new Heart and Stroke Foundation tape measure!

We also talked about stress and how the CRAVED mnemonic can be a useful tool to refocus your mind on becoming "fitter, healthier and curvier/slimmer." Deep breathing still can be a wonderful way of becoming more mindful of our behaviours.

Homework this week included:

1) 15 minutes everyday of walking or 30 minutes every other day
2) your Top 10 List of things you enjoy doing or make you happy (get in touch with the part of you that has/had FUN!)
3) practice the CRAVED mnemonic which include deep breathing. More on this next week!

Next week we'll talk more about how to improve relationships and sleep. Bring your show and tell to share.

Have a healthy week!

Take care,
Dr.P

P.S. Bev had a great resource which plots your walking progress across Canada at www.speakwell.com/ipedcanada/

Parks and Rec - week 4

Hi LIFEstyl'ers!

Thanks for the comments Rika and Christine...

As we all become "fitter, healthier and (curvier, slimmer, sexier, happier, etc.)" - you pick the "_____'er"... We now know WHY we eat, WHAT to eat and last night we discussed HOW to eat...As said, the HOW is a very important part of the equation for a healthy lifestyle...In the weeks to come, we will discuss how mood, stress, sleep and relationships play a key role in this process...

As said, lifestyle change is a process...be patient, if you add in new foods and change your activity level slowly and gradually, it will be FUN...and FUN is what all this is about.

To one of our LIFEstylers who is very busy and finding the 10 minutes a day walking challenging...Try parking your car 5 minutes away from work in the morning and you'll get the 10 minutes needed...We would much rather see you do the activity daily for less time regularly than moving up to 15 minutes and doing it every third or fourth day... Go slow and you will definitely see, feel and hear the results!!!

For motivation, we talked about the only constant in life is change...just like the Swiss watch makers, if we do not change with the times...we may fade...We have hopefully been helping you think outside the comfort zone to help with internal growth...With time, you'll be amazed with your results! We talked about emotional traction and how important it is to make a date with destiny...Your new blue DECISION bands can be a symbol for some of the changes that you are making...

Homework this week was:

1) increase walking or any other activity (now that you have a Parks and Rec pass!) to 15 minutes alternating with 10 minutes or 25 minutes every other day
2) deep breathing, just can't get enough of it
3) BELIEVE! Think of yourself in 3 months, 6 months and a year from now already feeling the success you will have, NOW...In other words, bathe yourself with the feelings of success of becoming fitter and healthier today...How will you feel when you have reached your goal? Think about it.
4) walk away or detach yourself from media (tv, computer, video games) once a day...There are recommendations that media should be limited to 2 hours a day or less. So after reading this blog, go out and walk, jump or dance!

Next week we will talk about stress and cravings...

Have a wonderful week!

Take care,
Dr.P

Parks and Rec. - week 3

Hi LIFEstylers!

Are we having FUN yet?...The road to self mastery is always an adventure! This week we discussed WHAT to eat...We reviewed some of the latest food choices which help to maintain a healthy weight. Increasing 1) whole grains, 2) vegetables, 3) whole fruits and 4) legumes, beans, peas and lentils (soy). Dr. Niel Barnard has a number of publications on this topic: http://www.nealbarnard.org/pubs.htm

Remember healthy living is a process...Slow and steady wins the race!

As noted in the first session, I am not a dietitian, and if you wish further dietary information the free Dial a Dietitian is available at 1-800-667-3438.

Next week we will talk about HOW to eat.

Homework for week 3 included:

1) walking 10 minutes a day or 20 minutes every other day
2) deep breathing hourly, we discussed thinking of a focus word as you exhale like PEACE, POWER or STRENGTH.
3) we wanted to value your values, by choosing the top 5 values. As noted, there is no such thing as a right or wrong value. With behaviour change values become your "hot keys" for change!
4) food diary in advance, for one day plan your meals instead and eat to the schedule as much as possible. It appears a number of you have work situations which prohibit regular snacks. My challenge to you is to find a way to snack and do good work at the same time. It can be done! You are human.

Have a wonderful week.

Take care,
Dr.P

Parks and Rec. - week 2

Hi Gang,

This week we discussed WHY we eat, including some of the other reasons we eat (stress, social, boredom, low mood, etc.)...We learned about DOPAMINE, the little neurotransmitter which causes all sorts of "good" things...How it is involved with eating and procreating...How it can be misused and overused in addictions.

Homework included:
1) deep breathing hourly if possible
2) beginning to BELIEVE and VISUALIZE your success in 3 months, 6 months and 1 year from now
3) leave something on your plate with every meal
4) walking 10 minutes alternating with 5 minutes every other day using your new PEDOMETERS! Enjoy!

Have a healthy week. Next week, we will discuss WHAT to eat...

Take care,
Dr.P

Welcome! Parks and Rec - week 1

Greetings LIFEstylers,

It was nice to meet you all!

As promised, we have developed a blog to help with your journey of becoming fitter, healthier and curvier (pick any ___er!)...

We will give a brief overview of what we discussed in class as well as list your homework for the week ahead.

For the first week, we discussed some of the principles of neurolinguistic programming (nlp) and how they apply to weight loss. The program is to be FUN and not fear-based...

Homework for week 1 was:

1) 2 day food log
2) walk 5 minutes a day or 10 minutes every other day (make sure you do it daily or every other day). Parking the car further from work or the mall can be helpful.
3) do your baseline measurements (waist, hip and weight)
4) practice some deep breathing

Have a wonderful week!

Take care,
Dr.P