Resolutions and losing weight

How many times do we make the same resolutions year after year, the famous get healthy and lose weight resolutions.  January 1st comes around and were all motivated to start eating right and exercising and slowly we lose a few pounds but then it starts getting harder and harder and then we give into temptation.

You have to remember just because you have had one slip up, like eating that chocolate cake or not exercising in a week, that doesn't mean you should give up. I know I've been there, beating myself up thinking well you messed it up this week you might as well start again after Valentines day.
Then springtime comes around okay let me try again, then summer and Christmas then, what it can't be time for my New Years resolution already. It just seems to spiral out of control and me being an emotional eater it especially happens when I am under stress.

Ask yourself a few tough questions:


What is you why?

Who are you doing this for and why do you want to lose weight? Being healthy is a life time commitment not a daily one.  Do you really want to be on medication for the rest of your life? What about your family, are you going to be well enough to take care of them?

Healthy changes

When you take steps to change your life you will change you families lives, especially when you have young kids they are watching you, learning and copying what you do.  When you exercise they want to exercise and the same goes for eating, you might have to use your imagination with kids, but in the long run it will be worth it.


All or nothing

Don't think all or nothing but think Monday is a new start.  Just because your goals went a little off track doesn't mean your can't lose the weight.  A good way to keep track of you goal is to keep a journal, it really keeps you on track and when you write things down you can reread it and figure out what you need to change and find out why you didn't workout or ate the wrong foods that day. Most of the time you will see a pattern and correct it.


Happy New Year

Best of luck with your resolutions,  remember to think of losing weight as a lifelong journey. Love yourself and the process and don't forget to open your heart and mind to change.

The top 5 health numbers you need to know to stay healthy

Have you ever went to your doctor’s visit or got your blood work back and asked yourself, what do all of these numbers mean and what ones are really important to stay healthy? “There are five numbers that strongly correlate with aging, heart disease, stroke, memory loss, and sexual health,” says  Michael Roizen, MD.

Here is the top 5 list for optimal health:

1.    Blood pressure- Ideal number:  115/75, this level will lower your risk of disability and premature death. High blood pressure is called the "silent killer" because it often has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people don't realize they have it. That's why it's important to get your blood pressure checked regularly.

                                           

2.    Cholesterol- Ideal numbers:  LDL (“bad”) cholesterol under 100; HDL (“good”) over 50.   Particles called lipoproteins carry cholesterol in the blood. There are two kinds of lipoproteins you need to know about: LDL and HDL.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol makes up the majority of the body's cholesterol. LDL is known as "bad" cholesterol because having high levels can lead to a buildup in the arteries and result in heart disease.

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol absorbs cholesterol and carries it back to the liver, which flushes it from the body. High levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

You can take several steps to maintain a normal cholesterol level

Get a blood test

Eat a healthy diet

Maintain a healthy weight

Exercise regularly

Don't smoke

Treat high cholesterol


                                             

3.    C- Reactive Protein- Ideal number: less than 1 CRP,  rises when you have inflammation somewhere in your body, and chronic inflammation can mean trouble.

C-reactive protein is considered one of the best measures of the acute-phase response to an infectious disease or other cause of tissue damage and inflammation. It is used to correct the iron status measures, which are affected by inflammation. It can also be used to measure the body’s response to inflammation from chronic conditions, such as arthritis, and environmental exposures to agents such as tobacco smoke.

4.    HBA1C- Ideal number: 5.6% or lower. This test measures how much sugar is attached to your hemoglobin, an oxygen carrying protein in the blood.  The higher the number, the worse your blood sugar control and the more likely you are to develop diabetes or other problems.

5.    Waist Circumference- Ideal number:  half (or less) of your height in inches.  Wrap a tape measure around your middle at your belly button, and then suck in and measure.

So next time you go to the doctor take note of these numbers and stay healthy not only for yourself but your loved ones. You only have only one life, so just love it and it will love you back.

Be Well,

Stacey

Resources:

http://www.cdc.gov/

Michael Roizen, MD, chief wellness officer at Cleveland clinic