Hi everyone!
My apologies for the late blog, I was playing ice hockey with my brother and spent Father's Day with my Dad in Vancouver this weekend!!
As you can see, I was doing some of the things I VALUE, like exercise (ice hockey) and family.
This week, we talked about doing the things which we value as a way of helping with lifestyle change.
As it turns out, values are your hot keys and if you honour them while you make lifestyle changes then you are well on your way. Feelings of guilt, shame or regret are usually signs of not valuing your values!
We also talked about how certain eating behaviours can sometimes be viewed as an addiction (thanks for sharing SB!). Many of the same brain pathways and neurochemicals (can you say DOPAMINE!) are involved in both.
As with addiction recovery, it takes a VARIETY of strategies to help with lifelong healing.
We did some DEEP BREATHING (4-6-7 technique).
We talked about cleaning toilets and other things. We know that we have to do some things (i.e. EXERCISE for health), but the fun thing is to ADD something to it to help it
We DETACHED or DISTANCED from food by continuing to use food logs or take pictures of what we are eating (say cheese!)...
Lastly, we started to understand feelings and how important they are and to ACKNOWLEDGE them if one wants good EMOTION management.
HOMEWORK this week included:
1) continue to use a food log or take pictures of your food
2) DEEP BREATHE (use an hourly chime on a watch)
3) walk or do ACTIVITY of 15 minutes a day, and don't forget to ADD something to it to help (i.e. music, a friend, a small REWARD when done!)
4) keep an EMOTION log daily, figure out at any given time how you are feeling...try and identify the feeling (i.e. happy, at peace, sad, anxious, blah, etc.), ACKNOWLEDGE it and move on! Use your spiral notebooks!
5) have FUN!!
Take care,
Dr.P
BTW Here's a good website for organic vs safe foods:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Save-on-Sustainable-Gallery-44032808
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Walk With Your Doc Fridays - week 2
Hi everyone!
Another great walk!
This week we talked about WHAT to eat. The new (it's 2 years old) Canadian Food guide can help show you the way (including portion sizes)...and it's free!
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php
Again, choosing more whole fruits (fresh or frozen berries anyone?) and vegetables, whole grains and choosing less meat (more poultry and fish please!) and animal protein helps with healthy weight. We also talked about the importance of calcium and vitamin D.
In terms of resources, the Nutrition Action newsletter is great for healthy food information.
The IHN team has a dietitian (V), who would be happy to answer your questions. Let me know by e-mail if you wish a consult.
Today we also talked about goal setting and CHUNKING down the steps needed to achieve our goals. As said, even though we are in a group, we are all on our own separate journeys and hence we will do different things to achieve success. Thanks to SG for her thoughts and handout on personal goal setting.
With that, I want you to "Detach from the result," much like what BH was asking...we are NOT losing weight here...we are becoming fitter, healthier, slimmer, curvier (you pick the 'er)...forget about the weight loss stuff and concentrate on the steps for health, i.e daily physical activity, better food choices and better emotion management.
We handed out a VALUES list this week, they turn out to be the "hot keys" to behaviour change. There is no such thing as a right or wrong value, but when our behaviours and our values are aligned - nothing can stop us! Try and pick out your top 5 or 10...
HOMEWORK for this week includes:
1) At least 15 minutes of daily physical ACTIVITY, i.e. walking for the week. Go at your own pace.
2) DRINK at least 4 glasses of water (or herbal tea - try out the green/white blend!) a day.
3) Be more mindful of the Canada Food Guide and EAT more fruits, vegetables and whole grains...if you want the weekly checklist, let me know.
4) Value your VALUES and choose the 5 or 10 which are most important to you. Here's a challenge, try and find out what are the values of your partner/friend/family member.
5) Think of and VISUALIZE a COMPELLING FUTURE, ANTICIPATED EVENT or REWARD (VACATION anyone?) where you are healthier and having the time of your life!
6) Don't forget to DEEP BREATHE, a great way to slow down and refocus! 4-6-7 technique rules!
7) Keep on logging your food log or better yet, take pictures of what you are choosing...It's a great way to help DETACH like the "leaving something on your plate" exercise.
8) Don't forget to do the PHQ-9 health questionnaire. More on mood, EMOTIONS and feelings next week!
Another great walk!
This week we talked about WHAT to eat. The new (it's 2 years old) Canadian Food guide can help show you the way (including portion sizes)...and it's free!
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php
Again, choosing more whole fruits (fresh or frozen berries anyone?) and vegetables, whole grains and choosing less meat (more poultry and fish please!) and animal protein helps with healthy weight. We also talked about the importance of calcium and vitamin D.
In terms of resources, the Nutrition Action newsletter is great for healthy food information.
The IHN team has a dietitian (V), who would be happy to answer your questions. Let me know by e-mail if you wish a consult.
Today we also talked about goal setting and CHUNKING down the steps needed to achieve our goals. As said, even though we are in a group, we are all on our own separate journeys and hence we will do different things to achieve success. Thanks to SG for her thoughts and handout on personal goal setting.
With that, I want you to "Detach from the result," much like what BH was asking...we are NOT losing weight here...we are becoming fitter, healthier, slimmer, curvier (you pick the 'er)...forget about the weight loss stuff and concentrate on the steps for health, i.e daily physical activity, better food choices and better emotion management.
We handed out a VALUES list this week, they turn out to be the "hot keys" to behaviour change. There is no such thing as a right or wrong value, but when our behaviours and our values are aligned - nothing can stop us! Try and pick out your top 5 or 10...
HOMEWORK for this week includes:
1) At least 15 minutes of daily physical ACTIVITY, i.e. walking for the week. Go at your own pace.
2) DRINK at least 4 glasses of water (or herbal tea - try out the green/white blend!) a day.
3) Be more mindful of the Canada Food Guide and EAT more fruits, vegetables and whole grains...if you want the weekly checklist, let me know.
4) Value your VALUES and choose the 5 or 10 which are most important to you. Here's a challenge, try and find out what are the values of your partner/friend/family member.
5) Think of and VISUALIZE a COMPELLING FUTURE, ANTICIPATED EVENT or REWARD (VACATION anyone?) where you are healthier and having the time of your life!
6) Don't forget to DEEP BREATHE, a great way to slow down and refocus! 4-6-7 technique rules!
7) Keep on logging your food log or better yet, take pictures of what you are choosing...It's a great way to help DETACH like the "leaving something on your plate" exercise.
8) Don't forget to do the PHQ-9 health questionnaire. More on mood, EMOTIONS and feelings next week!
Make sure you use your spankin' new spiral notebooks for these activities...
Have a healthy week!
Dr.P
Friday, June 5, 2009
Walk With Your Doc Fridays
Hi gang!
It was great seeing and walking with everyone today!
As said, we will use this blog as a resource; a place to see what we covered this week and check the HOMEWORK exercises. Remember with the exercises and this program, it's like a smorgasbord, give something a try and see if you like it!
This program is a pilot and would not be possible without the involvement of our team from the Integrated Health Network (DH, WB and SG)! Also special thanks to SW from the Practice Support Program for helping us with the initial concepts!
You are all pioneers with this new kind of medical practice and we appreciate your time and interest!
Remember, we are not losing weight anymore. We are becoming fitter, healthier and curvier/slimmer/happier (pick any ___er!)...
The program is to be FUN and not fear-based...This week we discussed WHY we eat (besides for survival)…some other reasons included pleasure, stress, social, boredom, low mood, environment, our family...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 this week includes:
1) write out 1 day food log (everything you eat in a day and why)
2) try and leave something on your plate or glass at 1 meal a day
3) be more mindful of water intake (this includes green/white tea)
4) think of 3 to 5 of your most Accomplished or Powerful Moments (it can be anything, anything that you feel good about like when you learned how to ride a bike, getting your driver's license, graduation, getting your first paycheque, getting married, having children...you get the idea).
5) daily Appreciation (every day think of three moments or people you appreciate and are grateful for)
And don't forget to write them down in your spankin' new notebooks!!
See you next Friday at 1PM at Anchor to walk about to NRGH!
Take care,
Dr.P
It was great seeing and walking with everyone today!
As said, we will use this blog as a resource; a place to see what we covered this week and check the HOMEWORK exercises. Remember with the exercises and this program, it's like a smorgasbord, give something a try and see if you like it!
This program is a pilot and would not be possible without the involvement of our team from the Integrated Health Network (DH, WB and SG)! Also special thanks to SW from the Practice Support Program for helping us with the initial concepts!
You are all pioneers with this new kind of medical practice and we appreciate your time and interest!
Remember, we are not losing weight anymore. We are becoming fitter, healthier and curvier/slimmer/happier (pick any ___er!)...
The program is to be FUN and not fear-based...This week we discussed WHY we eat (besides for survival)…some other reasons included pleasure, stress, social, boredom, low mood, environment, our family...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 this week includes:
1) write out 1 day food log (everything you eat in a day and why)
2) try and leave something on your plate or glass at 1 meal a day
3) be more mindful of water intake (this includes green/white tea)
4) think of 3 to 5 of your most Accomplished or Powerful Moments (it can be anything, anything that you feel good about like when you learned how to ride a bike, getting your driver's license, graduation, getting your first paycheque, getting married, having children...you get the idea).
5) daily Appreciation (every day think of three moments or people you appreciate and are grateful for)
And don't forget to write them down in your spankin' new notebooks!!
See you next Friday at 1PM at Anchor to walk about to NRGH!
Take care,
Dr.P
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