Lose Weight by Harnessing the Power of Group Support

by: Maria Graft, Nutrition and Healthy Living Coach

Lose Weight by Harnessing the Power of Group Support
 
Are you someone who likes to work alone or with a group?  If you are a solo flier, listen up, because research shows that those who like to fly with a flock show more success with a weight loss program. According to an independent study conducted in Great Britain, Australia and Germany, overweight people who were referred to an accountability group by their doctors lost twice as much fat as those who received standard dieting and exercise advice from their physicians apart from a group.
 
Researchers, enthusiastic about the study’s results and the potential for replicating the methods used, deduced that an important factor was the support and influence of a group as opposed to “trying to go it alone.”
 
If you’re trying to lose weight, tapping into the power of peer group support may bring you the best results.
 
Putting Peer Group Support to Work For You

1.     Feel validated. For many people, the most important component of a peer support program is joining up with others who share their experiences and goals. It’s easier to empathize when you really know what someone is going through because you’ve lived through similar events.

 
2.     Develop a sense of community. Your weight loss buddies can become like a second family. You share each other’s struggles and victories. You can confide in each other.  You understand and can sympathize with each other.
 
3.     Address emotional issues. Being overweight can be more than a physical health issue. You may need support to overcome emotional eating habits or deal with social stigmas.  Sharing each other’s triggers and discussing them, can be helpful.  If you are close to your group members, you can reach out when you are feeling temptation.

4.     Get practical assistance. People who have reached their own weight loss goals are in an ideal position to advise you about what really works. Focus on improving your daily routine and locating helpful resources in your community. When you reach your weight loss goals, don’t abandon the group.  Your gained wisdom can benefit those who have yet to reach their goals


5.     Change your behavior. Losing significant weight and keeping it off involves choosing the right foods and much more. You’ll learn a broad range of behaviors for eating better, exercising and managing stress. Working with others and holding each other accountable can increase your success in changing your behavior because of the feeling that you are all in it together.

6.     Take a long term perspective. Maintaining a steady weight is more important than losing a couple of dress sizes for your wedding day.  Realizing that healthy habits are a lifestyle is a good way to look at things, instead of trying to lose weight quickly and recklessly.  Learn skills that will keep you fit for life.


7.     Remain flexible. Your body and living conditions will change at different times in your life. Be prepared to adapt your diet and workouts to your current needs.  Remember, also, to love your body.  Your body will change as you age.  Don’t be too hard on yourself.


8.     Discover the power of reciprocity. One of the most amazing benefits of peer support programs is the phenomena by which people help themselves by helping others. You become empowered and make more progress while you reach out to others.


Understanding the Limits of Peer Group Support


1.     Eat less and exercise more. Of course, diet and exercise are essential along with group support if you want to take off some pounds. Eat a balanced diet and try to get at least a half hour of exercise at least three days a week.


2.     Talk with your doctor. Peer support programs complement medical care rather than replace it. It’s especially important to follow your doctor’s recommendations if you have conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.


3.     Adapt successful techniques to your own needs. Not everything that your group may be right for you.  Make sure you take the best of any program and adapt it to your lifestyle and weight and nutrition goals.
 
4.     Consider online options. Of course, these days, the availability for online accountability groups is abundant.  This makes things extremely accessible and of course, convenient.  No need to drive from work to a meeting location.  No need to trudge through inclement weather, either.  And the ability to connect with people outside of your home town is very exciting and broadening
 
Losing weight the healthy way is a gradual process that needs to be sustained for life. Increase your chances of success by putting peer group support to work for you along with a sensible diet and regular exercise.  Remember to include your doctor, too.  She will probably be extremely proud that you have taken control of your health and are making some new friends, too!
 
I run a 30 Days to Healthy Living group! Being a part of it will grant you the accountability partners you’ve been looking for, nutrition information, workouts, recipes and so much more. You’ll learn sustainable life skills for losing the weight and keeping it off.  If you’d like to learn more about my 30 Days to Healthy Living Accountability Group, please email me at maria@mariagraft.com or comment below!

5 Ways You Can Step Up Your Nutrition to Optimize Your Body and Mind

by: Maria Graft, Nutrition and Healthy Living Coach

Everyone has heard the expression, “You are what you eat.” This very simple saying means more and more each day as we gain a greater understanding about how foods affect us. What you may not realize is that this is true on a much grander scale that we have ever thought before.

• The food you put into your body has an effect on your physical appearance, energy levels, bodily processes and how well your brain functions.

Your brain is a system of chemical connections firing off at each other so fast that it’s impossible to fathom. The  food you eat affects the chemical makeup of your brain, altering how it functions.

Feelings and emotions also affect your brain. Obviously, feelings are born in the brain, and, depending on the emotion, they can alter the brain chemistry. For example, some people with mental health issues do not produce certain chemicals in their brain, which radically changes their behavior patterns.

There are things you can do to regulate this chemical reaction on a daily basis, and it’s simpler than you may think! Eating certain foods can specifically affect different functions of the body, the chemicals in your brain, and your emotions.

Here are some healthy foods you can eat to help optimize both your body and mind:

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Eating foods high in Omega-3s has a great deal of health benefits, including improving your brain’s development and functions. The Omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, is an important polyunsaturated fat found in the brain.

• Fish is a great source of Omega-3 Fatty acids, including DHA.
• Quinoa and flaxseed are great sources of Omega-3, too!
• If you want a BIG bang for your buck, you can get your Omegas AND greens by using my favorite BeWell Superfood Greens!

2. Choline. Choline is a chemical building block of every cell in your body. Choline has also been shown to help with retaining information in your memory. The more choline your lifetime diet includes, the less likely you’ll be to face extreme memory loss as you grow older.

• Eggs yolks have a high concentration of choline in them.

3. Antioxidants. We all recognize the health benefits of antioxidants in fighting diseases, but did you know a cup of hot cocoa contains a nice concentration of antioxidants?  Of course, so does red wine and green tea. Antioxidants help your cells take away the free radicals that are swimming around in your body.  These free radicals interact with your cells and cause damage and have been thought to be at the root of many illnesses and health conditions.

• Serve a cup of green tea or rich dark hot cocoa after dinner, and know you’re actually taking good care of your health!
• Have that single glass of red wine—remember only 1!
• Or, have some of those BeWell Superfood Greens everyday!

4. Green Tea has so many wonderful properties. In addition to its antioxidant properties, you can have a cup of green tea every day to help keep the cognitive functions of your brain in tiptop shape.Studies have shown 70% of people who drank green tea showed an improvement in the functions of the brain.

5. Cranberry Juice. This beverage is not only good for your body, specifically, kidney and urinary functions, but it can also help prevent a stroke. Cranberry juice has also been shown to help reduce brain cell damage after a stroke.

Eating a well-balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, protein, and some fat is the best way to nourish both the body and mind. Our bodies are highly complicated machines requiring many different things to function properly, and what we eat determines how it functions. It is important for you to take care of your body and eat a balanced, healthy diet that limits processed foods full of sugar, salt and preservatives.

By taking simple steps to optimize your nutrition, you’ll also optimize your mind and body. Start making healthy, nutritious food choices today and enjoy looking, feeling, and thinking better.

If you want to know more about my 30 day healthy habits program, email me at maria@mariagraft.com or comment below with questions.  Let’s make you the healthiest you possible. 

Everyday Healthy Living Tips

by: Maria Graft, Nutrition and Healthy Living Coach

It may be easy to forget the importance of living a healthy life when we’re going through the daily grind. It may be even easier to get caught up in what’s convenient instead of what’s good for us. However, the benefits you can enjoy with a healthy lifestyle are worth making healthy living a priority! 

Here are three healthy living tips you can use to better your health, increase your happiness, and enjoy life to its fullest: 

1. Rest and rejuvenate. The biggest healthy living tip that many people overlook is the need for sleep. 

Life can get hectic. When we don’t have enough time to get things done, most of us opt to stay up late to make up for the lack of time. Or perhaps our busy minds prevent us from getting a restful sleep in the first place. However, getting less sleep is actually counterproductive to doing anything  efficiently, effectively, or well! 

• Getting enough sleep enables you to work and pursue your passions vigorously. It rejuvenates your body, mind, and attitude. You should have an ergonomically correct mattress and pillow to ensure you get the best sleep possible. 

2. Eat nutritious food. Another healthy living tip is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Many people believe that they don’t need to eat healthy or watch their diet because they don’t need to lose weight. This couldn’t be further from the truth! You should put only the best foods in your mouth no matter how much you weigh, what size you wear, or how fit you look. 

• What you eat affects your entire body, including your brain. You can think clearer, feel happier, enjoy more energy and avoid illness by eating nutritious foods. Strive to eat more raw vegetables and fruits instead of processed or packaged foods.  

3. Affirm the positive. Having a positive mindset is the key to living a fulfilling life. Many people don’t realize the importance of living and thinking positively. As a result, they inevitably find themselves allowing negative things to rule their mind and body. 

• Your attitude is one of the most important contributors to both your happiness and health. 

Like every other healthy living strategy mentioned, being positive all the time (or even most of the time) may take some effort. However, an easy way to incorporate positive thoughts into your everyday life is to use affirmations. 

Many people use affirmations to help them think more positively as they go about their daily life. Positive affirmations are simply statements you can use to replace the negative thoughts running through your head. 

• A good affirmation encourages you to live the healthiest lifestyle possible and be the best that you can be. 

Positive affirmations often remind you about how important it is to take care of yourself. An example could be, “I can neutralize bad habits with good food, exercise, and healthy living.” 

This is a simple way to be reminded of how important you are, how important your body is, and how important your mental health is. 

You have a whole toolbox and support system at your disposal to help make your life happier and healthier. All you have to do is take action! 

5 Ways to Lose 5 Pounds this Month

ing weight is always a challenge. Whether you’re preparing for a wedding, vacation, or if you just want to fit into your favorite pair of jeans again, kicking those couple of pounds will take time and dedication. For fast results, here are 5 ways you can lose 5 pounds this month!

1. HEALTHY FATS ONLY

Fat is an essential component in your diet.  Keep it to only about 20% of your daily intake of nutrients, because you can definitely ruin a good thing with too much of a bad thing. Eating a diet full of fast food and processed food leads to about 40% from fat and add all kinds of illness causing elements to your body. Limiting your fat intake—especially the UNHEALTHY FATS will give you a more wholesome approach to your diet.  Here are some examples of healthy fats:

2. Eat Protein AT EVERY MEAL

Consuming more protein is an easy way to help you feel full without storing excess weight. Protein is a macronutrient that is not stored in excess. Any additional protein that you eat is passed as waste – making it a very effective solution to weight loss. s. Carbohydrates are the dangerous culprit and turn into stored energy (a.k.a. fat) when not completely used up! Below is a list of healthy protein:

3. Start Exercising

Diet will take you pretty far, but the real kickstart will occur when you start exercising. Do the simple things like going on the treadmill, basic barbell exercises, or joining a new yoga class. You could also swim, enjoy neighborhood sports games, or play with your kids. The style of exercise doesn’t matter. Be patient, have fun, and you will lose weight. 

If you’d like some simple workouts, email maria@mariagraft.com for some simple, at home workouts!

4. Eat More Fiber

Fiber is an indigestible source of carbohydrates. Consuming it in larger quantities can help you to feel full. Fiber will also lower your net carbohydrate count, lower cholesterol, and lead to greater success in weight loss.

5. Eat Spicy Foods

Eating spicy foods like garlic, pepper, and cayenne will help to increase your metabolic rate in a very natural way. That’s because of an ingredient called capsaicin which can help to elevate the heart rate without having an effect on blood pressure – perfect for that extra kick in weight loss.

Email me at maria@mariagraft.com or comment below for Spicy Recipes to Revv Up Your Metabolism

How to Overcome an Urge to Binge by Activating Your Neocortex

By: Maria Graft, Nutrition and Healthy Living Coach

Imagine the following scenario: You have been really good on your diet.  You’ve been making healthy choices for the past several weeks, but it’s your husband’s birthday and he really wants pizza and cake for his birthday.  You say to yourself you’ll fill your plate will mostly salad and just have one slice of pizza. You’ll finish off the night with a sliver of cake so your husband doesn’t feel bad.  You eat your salad and feel quite satisfied.  You’re not that hungry when you finally bite into that slice pizza, but man, does it taste good.  You finish it quickly—too quickly, actually and go for another slice, reminding yourself how “good” you’ve been for the last several weeks. Before you know it, though, you’ve eaten 5 slices and feel horrible about how the evening has turned out…

Urges to binge come in the form of overwhelming desires to eat large amounts of food in a short period of time. They are characterized by a sense of loss of control, excessive food consumption, and often followed by disappointment and shame.  This doesn’t mean you have a binge eating disorder or any eating disorder, per se, to be exposed to such urges.

Many people who’ve gone through a period of restrictive dieting experience at least one strong urge to binge. These powerful compulsions aren’t easy to resist. That’s why many of us, at some point in our diet, end up reaching for forbidden foods in larger amounts than what’s reasonable.

This is how we pave our road to ruin and give way to the well-known yo-yo effect.

As food consumption is an integral part of our daily lives, we don’t have the luxury to stay away from it, like in the case of cigarettes, alcohol, drugs or other addictive substances and behaviors.

So while food can’t and shouldn’t be eliminated from our lives, our thinking and acting around food can, indeed, be managed and optimized.

How can we rise above our constant desire to indulge in food that doesn’t serve us well in the long-term? What can support us in staying faithful to our initial intention for healthy nutrition? How can we make food choices that we won’t regret later?

The answer is already within you. To be more precise, it is located in the most recently developed region of your human brain called the neocortex.

This part of your brain, especially the prefrontal section, is responsible for:

• Planning and moderating complex behavior (including social behavior)
  
  
• Goal setting
  
  
• Expression of your personality
  
  
• Decision making

Your true self resides in this part of your brain. This is the self that doesn’t quickly lose control when exposed to animalistic desires such as an urge to binge.

Using Your Neocortex to Resist an Urge to Binge

How can we call on our neocortex when we want to make conscious food choices?

Follow these steps:

1. Consider your urge to be irrational. Before you take this step, ensure that you are consuming enough food. If you’re restricting your nourishment and starving yourself, then your urge to eat is a legit physiological need that should be met.
   If you’re eating enough and still have desires to indulge in fattening foods, consider that desire as brain junk. Tell yourself to ignore these messages.

2. Divert your attention. What you focus on grows. If you find yourself trying to fight your obsessive thoughts, they will only increase in strength and occupy even more of your precious mind space. What works better is to shift your focus to something more productive, self-care for example. Go outside for a walk, meditate, go work out, read a book, stretch…anything that is good for you that doesn’t involve food. Once you allow yourself to engage in a pleasant or meaningful activity, your neocortex will get engaged, and the urge will lessen until it leaves you entirely.

3. Reach out to others. Food can often be used for comfort. Many of us choose to deal with our emotional turmoil by indulging in short-lived pleasures provided by sugary, fattening treats. To keep this from happening, reach out to family, friends, or even strangers. Experience comfort from human connection. In doing so, you’re activating the part of your neocortex that regulates social behavior. Once you rise to this level of consciousness, your cravings will crumble down, letting you carry on with your day.

These tips are designed for those who have a relatively healthy relationship with food and experience occasional urges to binge. If you suffer from an eating disorder, you’ll find your best results in consulting professional support and recovery assistance.  As someone who has suffered from an eating disorder and has lost a niece to this terrible disease, I urge you get that help and seek support from family.  More on eating disorders in a future post

A Picky Eater’s Guide to Weight Loss and Eating Healthy

By Maria Graft, Nutrition and Healthy Living Coach

It’s natural for kids to be picky eaters, but over the course of a lifetime most adults manage to expand their diet. However, if you’re over 21 and still living on pizza and French fries, it may be taking a toll on your social life and your health.

Most picky eaters prefer bland comfort foods high in calories and low in nutrients. That makes it difficult to maintain a healthy weight and can put you at risk for other medical conditions.

Experts believe there are a number of reasons for being so selective. The origins of being a picky eater can go way back to your childhood. Family eating patters hold fast. You could also have a heightened sensitivity to certain food odors and textures. The most common complaints are about slippery and slimy sensations, as well as bitter and sour flavors.

How can you can enjoy a balanced diet and dine out comfortably without going near a Brussels sprout? Try this gradual approach for picky eaters who want to lose weight and eat healthy.

Altering What You Eat:

1. Cook differently. You might like cauliflower if it were prepared differently. Give some of your rejects another try with recipes that involve methods like roasting or air frying.
   
2. Choose healthy substitutes. Discover wholesome swaps for your favorite dishes that have too many empty calories. Breakfast on toasted oats with cinnamon instead of sugary instant oatmeal. Bake your own tortilla chips rather than buying fried snacks.
   
3. Create new combinations. Introduce one or two healthy new foods into your diet at a time by pairing them with something you already like. Macaroni and cheese offer infinite opportunities for ingredients like peas and carrots or scallops and shallots.
   
4. Drink your vegetables. You can consume kale without even knowing it if you blend it into a smoothie. Pureeing food for soups and other dishes could help, too, if lumpy textures bother you.

Altering How You Eat:

1. Think positive. Do you feel left out when the Food Network covers the latest artisanal trends and your friends want to go to ethnic restaurants? Remember to give yourself credit for trying new things. Seek out supportive family and friends.
   
2. Slow down. Unfamiliar foods may be less scary if you avoid rushing into anything. For example, start out by taking a long look at an avocado. Watch others enjoy guacamole. Then, take a small bite with or without swallowing. Do your experimenting alone if that’s more comfortable.
   
3. Make it convenient. Reduce temptation by keeping the foods you want to avoid out of your house and stocking up on the ones you’re trying to warm up to. You’re more likely to cook a balanced meal if there’s no frozen pizza in your freezer.
   
4. Limit snacking. Hunger can increase your motivation to become more adventurous. Cut back on grazing if it’s interfering with your appetite.
   
5. Keep trying. It may take many attempts before you appreciate tofu or Greek yogurt. Be patient and track your progress so you’ll see what’s working for you.
   
6. Be a role model. Childhood experiences can have a big influence on eating habits. If you grew up with stressful mealtimes and forbidden foods, try to create a different environment for your own children.
   
7. Talk with your doctor. If you feel like your eating habits are beyond your control, seek professional help. Your doctor can help you find the resources you need.

Adult picky eaters can benefit from many of the same strategies that work for kids. Take small steps towards expanding your diet. See your doctor if you need more assistance with changing your eating habits so you can stay slim and healthy.

Classic Comfort Foods You Can Be Confident Eating and Still Stay Healthy

By: Maria Graft, Nutrition and Healthy Living Coach

Comfort foods are delicious, but are often high in calories, sugar or. Do you crave comfort foods on a regular basis—and especially in the winter? Do you wish you could have it more often during the week?

Well, there is good news! You can still enjoy comfort food on your diet with a few minor modifications:

Winter…and comfort foods.  They seem to go together.  In the past, we, as humans, had to eat foods that were dense in calories because winter sustenance was not predictable.  A nice little layer of fat would suit you well if the clan did not make a big kill and you had to rely on your stores of food that were slowly diminishing…Its is not like THAT anymore, but we are still deeply programmed in this manner.

Comfort food #1 French fries. French fries are a classic comfort food for many of us. However, they tend to be cooked in high-calorie fat or oils. The frying is dangerous to your health in many ways. I’ll discuss this in a future post. Plus, it’s often too salty. Additionally, regular potatoes are high in simple carbohydrates. You can still enjoy this comfort food, however by making some healthy changes:

• Try switching to sweet potatoes (a more complex carbohydrate that is rich in nutrients) instead of regular potatoes.
• Bake them or use an air fryer, instead.
• Use herbs and spices instead of a large amount of salt.

Comfort food #2: Mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are warm and go down easy. They’re also simple to dress up with sour cream, cheese, and other toppings. However, with that, comes a lot fat, especially if made with butter and other dairy products. They’re also high in simple carbohydrates.

• So here is a great hack that tastes great, too! Instead of using traditional potatoes, you can mash cauliflower. You simply have to cook it until it’s soft and mash it into a delicious consistency. Mashed cauliflower is so much healthier and can taste great this way. Here’s a great recipe that’s even dairy free from AllRecipes.com!

Comfort food #3: Fried chicken. The frying of fried chicken is it’s own demise, but as our taste buds have determined, knock the socks off of our taste buds. It’s not, however, worth the cancer risks from fried foods and the cardiac conditions that can result from its frequent consumption.

Instead of frying, try cooking your chicken (and other foods) in the oven until they are crispy. Crispy, oven-baked chicken tastes great, is healthier, and still feels like the comfort food you crave. You can also invest in an air fryer.  I love mine.  You have to look carefully that you DON’T get one where the pan is coated with nonstick material that can contaminate food when it comes in contact with it while cooking.  I got mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  Here’s the link, if you want to take a look.

Comfort food #4: Chicken noodle soup. This classic comfort food isn’t just for colds. Chicken noodle soup can be a great way to get some protein into your diet. To keep it healthy and allowable for your diet:

Avoid using bouillon cubes that contain preservatives and too much salt. Try to avoid pre made, canned soup as it is high in preservatives and sodium, as well.

• Instead, try making your own chicken noodle soup by cooking a fresh chicken and adding noodles. I love using AllRecipes.com for simple to follow recipes.  Here’s their Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe.  Make it gluten free by adding gluten free noodles and make sure your chicken is organic and your chicken broth is also organic and in a box, not a can.

How to handle your other favorite comfort foods. These foods can still be part of your life with some changes and simple adjustments. The key is to modify them, so they fit your diet right now.

• If they’re normally a fried food, try using the oven or an air fryer, instead of frying them.
• Add flavor with herbs and spices and only use Himalayan or Sea Salt.
• In your recipes, substitute ingredients, so you get a similar texture with healthier items. Have fun an experiment with different ingredients until you find something that works for you.

Comfort food can be hard to resist because you associate it with warm memories of the past. However, you don’t have to let it destroy your diet or make you susceptible to dangerous health conditions. Instead, modify it with slightly different ingredients to make it healthier. Then, enjoy!

How is Your Relationship with FOOD?

by: Maria Graft, Healthy Living Coach

You might be a little or a lot like me. I am a former yo-yo dieter, recovered anorexic (in college), former binge eater and past militant calorie restrictor. I’ve had to work REALLY HARD on this over the years. If you have the slightest in common with my sordid past relationship with food, then you may want to see where you CURRENTLY stand in regards to your relationship with food.

Food should be beautiful and nourishing; delicious and healthy. It is meant to sustain us and entertain us, within reason. Take this assessment and, depending on where you land, you may need anywhere from a little tweaking to a major overhaul. Don’t worry, though, change is not out of reach and, with the right attitude, anything is possible!

Ready? Here we go! Give yourself one point for every answer that is true for you!

1. I eat when I am not hungry
2. I eat beyond the point fo satiety or fullness.
3. I eat when I am stressed out.
4. I eat to celebrate, console myself, etc.
5. I eat foods that I know are unhealthy.
6. I rarely eat foods that are healthy.
7. I drink more than 2 sodas daily.
8. I am a sugar addict.
9. I use food to soothe myself when I am upset or feel deprived in any way.
10. There are certain foods/drinks that I can’t live without.
11. I have a history of yo-yo dieting (lose weight only to gain it back again.)
12. I have binge foods that I always overeat.
13. Others in my family struggle with food/weight issues.
14. I have tried, unsuccessfully, to diet and/or exercise many times.
15. I have spent money on many weight loss pills, short cuts and fad diets.

Ok. Where did you land?

1-4 points: Means you may have some habits or behaviors to tweak.

5-9 points: This means your relationship with food probably needs work–CALL ME!

10+ I’m not kidding, here. This means you need help—let’s talk ASAP!!

Your relationship with food determines your eating habits. Your eating habits will determine what you are going to look like, health wise, 5, 10, 15, 20 years down the line.

If this assessment gave you pause, comment below. If you have questions and concerns about your relationship with food, contact me ASAP!

Be well!

Maria

© Maria Graft, Healthy Living Coach