021 - The Power of the Pause

Hi friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

It’s December now, which means two things for most people 1.) They are in the thick of Christmas preparations and 2.) They are starting to reflect on this past year and think about the new year! I know I’ve found my thoughts wandering to planning for next year and goals I may want to set or things I may want to accomplish. I love goal planning and new beginnings - I just love all the potential that lies ahead! 

I’m going to spend the next couple weeks talking about goal setting and ways that we can set ourselves up for a healthy and successful 2020, and I want to start today by giving you a tool that can help you now, during the holiday season, as well as with your health-related goals in the new year. 

When I am starting a new coaching relationship with a client we will discuss their health goals and what they feel are the obstacles standing in their way and so often they say something like “I just can’t stop eating _______” or “I have such intense cravings for ______ and I can’t resist.” I think we can all relate to feeling this way and have experienced that at some point. 

So, let’s pretend that you and I are sitting across from each other, I would ask you if you are feeling this way now? Maybe you’re thinking about the goals you want to set for next year and know that you’d like to change something about your health - maybe lose weight, maybe regulate your blood pressure, blood sugar, or hormones - and as soon as that goal enters your mind, the next thought you have is “...but I can’t give up ____, so never mind.” Or maybe its “...but I’ve tried before and I make a little progress, but then I just go right back - it’s not worth it.” I want to challenge you to change the way you are thinking right now! You absolutely can overcome whatever food cravings, food addiction, or unhealthy habits you are struggling with and I’m going to give you a tip that has helped me so much! 

I like to call it the “Power of the Pause” but really it’s just the simple act of pausing and thinking before making a decision or continuing in an action. It sounds so simple, right? It is simple. But it’s not easy - at least not at first. 

Behavior change is part of any kind of personal growth - whether food-related or not - but especially when it comes to changing your eating habits and overcoming food cravings. You can’t change the behavior without first becoming aware of it, and in addition, I believe that in order to really change it, you also need to understand the root of where it’s coming from and be able to consider the effect it will have. 

Trace it back to the root

When it comes to emotional eating, addiction to foods or other substances, or even intense repetitive cravings there is usually something deeper going. When you do the work to identify where the desire is coming from, you can better understand what you are actually needing. Sometimes it’s physical - like maybe a type of nutrient or more sleep, and sometimes it’s emotional - like maybe you’re actually lonely, sad, or frustrated and need to talk to a friend or go for a walk. 

Consider the consequences

There is always cause and effect, right? Every decision we make has a consequence - whether good or bad. Taking a moment to pause gives us the opportunity to consider how an action or behavior will affect our health - physically and mentally. Eating that brownie at 10 pm or skipping your workout may make you feel good at the moment, but what about later? Are you going to be wired and unable to sleep well because your blood sugar was spiked right before bed? Are you going to be overwhelmed and anxious later because you didn’t move your body and get those endorphins flowing? This isn’t about punishment or guilting yourself into something, but rather in being intentional with your decisions and learning to listen to what your body needs. 

It’s worth noting that this is work. Good things always take work!  It’s much easier to just follow your impulses and cravings and enjoy the temporary high, but you and I both know that it won’t last. You will always need more and more, right? Also, using sugar or whatever the food or behavior is for you will only cover up what your body is trying to tell you that it actually needs - and you still won’t be fulfilled! It’s not worth it - the easy road rarely is! 

So practically, how do you do this? 

The next time that you have a craving for something that you know isn’t nourishing for your body - pause and think about why you are craving it - see if you can trace it back to the root. Are you trying to comfort yourself in some way - maybe after a bad day? Is there something that would actually nourish your soul rather than provide a temporary fix? Is your energy crashing and you feel like you need a pick-me-up? Should you maybe eat something with fat and protein, rather than sugar, a simple carb, or more caffeine, to stabilize your blood sugar so you can have more energy and be mentally alert? 

This can be applied to so many other areas of life as well, not just food. Whatever behavior or habit that comes to your mind that you’d like to change, take a minute to pause and think about what is at its root and what do you actually need instead? 

Whatever your goal may be for the new year, or even for tomorrow or next week, using this method of pausing can really help you learn to listen to your body and be intentional with your decisions. It can also help to open your eyes to other things that may be going on - be it a nutrient deficiency or buried feelings you need to deal with. This will also move you forward on your journey to better health! 

Remember, being healthy isn’t just about how you look or what you eat or how much you exercise. It’s your whole life and how it affects your overall health as a whole. So, friends, I encourage you to do the hard work - the heart work - it’s worth it!

Thank you for joining me today! If you put this tip into practice and give it a try, come back here and leave a review or leave me a comment on Instagram and let me know how it worked for you! I’d love to know!

017 - How To Regulate Your Blood Sugar Levels and Why It's Important!

Hi friends! I hope you all are having a great week so far! Today we are going to be talking about something that applies to every single human being out there - and that is blood sugar regulation. How to regulate our blood sugar levels and why that’s something we need to be paying attention to.

So for most of us, we hear the phrase “blood sugar” mostly in relation to diabetes. So it’s easy to think, well I don’t have diabetes, so I don’t need to worry about it. But in reality, blood sugar dysregulation is at the root of many common health concerns that we face on a day-to-day basis, as well as a lot of chronic diseases. 

Let’s talk about the science for a minute: 

When you hear someone say “blood-sugar” they are referring to the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. When we eat, the enzymes that help break down our food also release glucose into our intestines, where it is then absorbed into our bloodstream. Glucose is the primary source of energy for our bodies but our cells can’t absorb it on their own, they need a buddy to help them with that - and that is Insulin.

Insulin is a hormone made by the beta cells in the pancreas. These cells are continually monitoring our blood glucose levels and when an increase is detected, Insulin will then be released into the bloodstream. Insulin is like a key that unlocks our muscle, fat, and liver cells so that the glucose can get inside of them and be used or stored appropriately, which also lowers the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. 

Problems maintaining normal blood sugar levels can arise when: 

• Beta cells that release insulin no longer work as they should and too little or zero insulin is produced, leaving blood sugar elevated (Type 1 diabetes).

• Cells become desensitized to insulin, either due to over-exposure or inflammation, and can no longer absorb glucose properly (Insulin Resistance). 

• When blood sugar levels aren’t managed well, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can then occur as those levels rise and fall. These come with many side effects including fatigue and low energy, intense sugar cravings, changes in blood pressure, weight changes, nerve-ending issues, anxiety, and (for women) cycle irregularity.

• Cells stop receiving enough energy since insulin is no longer doing its job of bringing them enough glucose, which also means that blood glucose levels remain elevated. This can cause damage to the kidneys, heart, arteries, and nerves — which in turn affects the whole body negatively. (Prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes)

So, as you can see, when talking about “blood sugar”, Insulin is always going to be the star player. When there is a problem with insulin, blood glucose will always become dysregulated.

I could go on and on about the science part of things, but let’s talk about some practical ways that you can keep your blood sugar regulated.

Eat balanced meals 

You want your meals to consist of good amounts of clean protein (about the size of your palm), always 1-2 tbsp fat (size of your thumb), and high-fiber veggies at every meal (about two hand fulls). 

Don’t skip meals

Eating at regular intervals prevents your blood sugar levels from dipping too low, which makes your liver have to release stored glucose to keep you going. This can alter your insulin production and mess with the stability of your blood sugar overall. You want to aim for three balanced meals at regular intervals (usually 4-6 hours apart).

Eat a snack if needed

Make sure it is also balanced and includes protein and fat. So don’t just grab a bag of chips or even just an apple. Make sure you are pairing any carbohydrates with protein and fat. 

Keep the sugar and alcohol to a minimum

Both obviously raise blood sugar levels and also inflammation in the body. When choosing a sweetener for baking, etc. go for a more naturally occurring, low glycemic index option like raw honey, stevia, dates, or maple syrup. 

Exercise regularly

Both cardio and strength training exercises help your muscles to be able to take up more glucose, which decreases the amount in the bloodstream. Also, strength-training specifically has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity in our cells. Exercise also helps to lower overall inflammation which helps to protect our cells and keep them functioning optimally. 

Manage stress

As we’ve talked about before, chronic stress has a negative effect on just about every part of our health, and our blood sugar level is no exception. High levels of cortisol in the body (which we know we produce when under stress) cause the liver to release some of it’s stored glucose back into the bloodstream. It also increases overall inflammation in the body, which can damage your cells and make them resistant to insulin. Over time this is like a double assault on your body and can lead to serious health complications. 

Get quality sleep

Again, this is something we talk about often because it is so important. Studies show that having disturbed circadian rhythms and not getting enough sleep both can cause stress and hunger hormones to be released in the body. This not only raises inflammation in the body but will also make it much harder to resist foods that will only raise your blood sugar levels further. We’ve got to make this a priority and make sure we are getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night. 

Take quality supplements*

• A good whole-food multivitamin will help make sure you aren’t deficient in any key nutrients (also, additional Vit D if needed)

• Omega-3 fatty acids can help increase insulin sensitivity

• Magnesium can help activate your cell’s insulin receptors

• Alpha-lipoic acid can increase your body’s use of glucose

• Cinnamon can decreases the rise in glucose after a meal

*Always consult your physician before adding any supplements or medications.

The good news is that for most of us, we can maintain a healthy blood sugar level by practicing a healthy lifestyle. And if this is something that you are currently struggling with - maybe you already have insulin resistance or prediabetes, you can manage and possibly reverse the condition with lifestyle change as well. I know that it’s possible because I did it! (I’ll share more about that another day!)

As always, if you have questions or feel that you need support in this area, reach out to me! I’d love to help you!

009 - How To Tame Your Sugar Dragon!

Hey hey, friends! After spending the last few weeks talking about topics that applied mostly to women, I thought I would switch it up today and talk about something that applies to pretty much everyone everywhere - how to tame your sugar dragon! 

You know the one I’m talking about… the one that fills your mind with thoughts of chocolate chip cookies or ice cream as soon as you sit down after a long day or the one that makes it impossible to walk by the donuts sitting on the break room table. We all have one and the majority of us, at least at some point, has felt like the dragon has gotten out of control!

One of the questions I’ve gotten a lot is “how do I stop eating so many sweets?” This is an especially common struggle because sweets are everywhere! You’ll find them at work, at church, and at every single get-together! So, what do you do if you are trying to reduce your sugar intake? 

You have to tame the dragon… you have to regain control! As we talked about in Episode 4 - Deconstructing Cravings, food (including sugary foods) isn’t just something that keeps us from being hungry, it’s information - it causes a biological reaction. Consuming sugary foods results in a dopamine release in our brains and so now every time we see the cupcakes or donuts, our brain sees an opportunity for more dopamine.  The problem is that dopamine doesn’t actually make us happy or satisfied, it just motivates us toward the reward of feeling happy. So basically every time you or I consume sugar, we’re just training our brains to continue to pursue consuming more sugar. 

Since most of us aren’t interested in absolutely never consuming sugar again (um..no thanks!), how can we stay in control of these cravings rather than letting them control and motivate us? 

Try an Elimination Diet

The first tip I have for taming your sugar dragon is the most extreme, but it is also the most effective - and that is to starve it. Which means to not feed it any sugar at all for a period of time. Most people refer to this as an elimination diet where you basically do just that - you eliminate certain foods, usually inflammatory or addictive foods, for a certain period of time, usually 2-4 weeks. As I mentioned, this option will definitely give the best results, but it is also the most difficult and you will most likely experience withdrawal symptoms like headaches, irritability, lack of energy, etc. for a few days.  There are several programs out there that can lead you through an elimination diet, something like the Whole30 or the 21-day sugar detox.

I have done this method myself and while the first 3-5 days were really tough, I do feel like it made a drastic difference in the number of cravings I was having as well as my ability to stay in control. I also felt so good after finishing the elimination diet! So, I highly recommend this method if you’re serious about it and up for the challenge.

Make Intentional Decisions 

The second tip I have for taming your sugar dragon is something that you need to do whether you do the elimination diet or not, and that is to start being deliberate with your food choices. You will never feel in control of your health or of any type of cravings if you allow what you eat to be determined by your feelings. Now, I know that this is hard and not something that I have mastered 100% of the time either, but it is something that I’ve become very aware of. Take the time to slow down and be aware of how you’re feeling and give your brain a second to think through the decision before you just automatically say “yes” and indulge. It’s not that indulging is a bad thing or that you always need to say no to sweets,  but not thinking through your decisions and eating impulsively will always leave you feeling out of control and regretful. You will 100% feel better about eating dessert if it was a conscious choice and something you really want than you will if you only eat because it is there or because everyone else is. 

We also need to talk about the mentality of using food as a reward or a treat - and that goes for any food. It’s this mentality that we’ve slipped into as a society and it starts when we are little kids - that I don’t even know if we are aware of. We give them sweets as rewards for good behavior or for eating all their dinner, and while the intention is obviously harmless, the result is not. Food is fuel and we’ve got to change the way that we look at it or else every time we have a bad day we’re going to tell ourselves that we deserve a “treat” on the way home to help us cope and friends, food is not a healthy coping mechanism! This is a difficult mindset to shift (for me as well) but it starts with being aware and becoming more intentional in our decisions! 

Create Some Distance

The third tip to help tame your sugar dragon is to create some distance! There are a number of ways that you can do this, but my favorite way is to just not keep tempting sugary foods in the house! It becomes so much more difficult to resist the candy if it's in your pantry or your desk drawer at work. If you are going to eat it, you will have to make the conscious decision to leave where you are to go get it and most often, that extra effort alone will be enough of a deterrent. And if not, it at least provided you with time to really consider your decision. 

You can also implement a rule of time, maybe 15 minutes, maybe an hour - whatever works best for you. When you get a craving for something sweet, you wait that amount of time, and if you still want it after that amount of time passes (and maybe a glass of water) then you go eat it. This sounds so simple but it really is effective! It again helps to reduce the number of impulsive decisions and automatic eating while allowing you to become more intentional with your food decisions

Choose a Healthier Alternative

The last tip I have to help tame your sugar dragon for today is to go with a healthier version of what you’re craving. This one isn’t nearly as effective at actually taming the cravings, but it at least isn’t as bad for your body as the processed sugary option would be. Choosing an option like a small handful of clean-ingredient chocolate chips and a spoon full of almond butter or an energy ball with chocolate chips or honey in it will help satisfy your craving without spiking your blood sugar or stirring up inflammation in your gut. 

I also want to remind you that we crave what we eat! So if you’re eating processed, sugary foods often, that is what you will crave! As you start to make some of these changes, either through the elimination diet or by choosing healthier alternatives, your craving will also start to change. I don’t crave the same kinds of things that I used to - I still have cravings but much less frequently and typically for healthier options because that is what I eat most often. I just don’t want you to think that this is a never-ending uphill battle! It does get easier, but you will have to do some work on the front end to get there!

Ultimately, when you do make the conscious decision to celebrate with the dessert or have the donut on Sunday morning, enjoy it. Do so without guilt or regret because you know that your body can handle this indulgence because you choose to take care of it and fuel it well with nutritious and nourishing foods most of the time! 

Guys, it’s all about balance and making the best decisions you can - it’s not about perfection! No one is perfect and no one expects you to be! You just want to do your best to take care of your body well so that it can continue to serve you well and allow you to live the life you want to live!

I hope that you will apply a few of these tips and as always if you have questions, feel free to reach out! Enjoy the rest of your day and I’ll see you back here next week!