Moving the Mat

Yesterday, when I entered my Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday vinyasa flow class, my teacher noted someone had taken my usual spot. I glanced over with a small amount of apprehension. Would I be able to flow through downward dog, chataranga, upward facing dog, and get to my eventual shavasanah from some other vantage point in the studio?

In full disclosure, I've never been a "routine" girl, outside of my regular workouts and some temporary dietary obsessions like when I ate Oprah's personal chef's variation of Caesar salad for two weeks straight.

Yet, with some trepidition, I moved my mat to the "clock" side of the room. I glanced longingly at my usual spot. I noticed the adjacent space was free! Perhaps, my fellow yogis has repositioned their mats to accomodate me or maybe I just hadn't noticed. So, I moved my mat.

As I walked towards the "retreat" aka locker room after the 90-minute class, I reflected. The practice of yoga leads us to join our bodies and minds, to trust our instincts, to embrace our emotions and experiences. Yoga also makes us more flexibile, in body and in our spirit. So, why was I so reluctant to reposition my mat?

Repitition and routine are the comfort foods of behaviors. In our often chaotic and stressful lives, we need to count on a monthly game night, our morning latte or even our spot in the yoga studio. Of course, when these behaviors no longer serve us, maybe it's time to let go or find a better option than the daily burger, fries, and XL Diet Coke.

Making changes is easier when you can count on support. E-mail me at info@bethckramer.com to set up a complimentary health history consultation to find out how to get started.

And Happy Birthday, Chaz! xo

Spring Cleaning

March 20. First day of spring.  Depending on where you live, you're filling the Space Bags with heavy sweaters or shifting your body-covering clothes to the back of the closet.  Spring is all about renewal and preparing for the "baring" of arms and legs. 

Instead of downloading the latest trend in diet books from Amazon or buying the magazine at the checkout that tells you how to lose ten pounds in five days, clean your diet and your pantry of the unhealthy foods.  I'll share my list of the dietary offenders, which when eaten on a regular basis, give us more muffin tops than the local bakery!

1. Sugar:  Cane sugar, beet sugar, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, agave, the blue, yellow, or pink stuff.  A rose is a rose is rose.  Sugar is the suspect for countless diseases and conditions, from Type 2 Diabetes and obesity to heart disease and increased LDL or "bad" cholesterol. Sugar consumption  may play a role in promoting the growth of insulin-receptive tumors.  The pastel packets  are responsible for additional mischief.

2. Artificial Colors: The chemicals that give mac & cheese or Cheeto's their bright orange hue may also contribute to hyperactivity in children and a host of other problems.  A recent Change.org petition asked Kraft to remove the colorant from the boxed favorite. 

3. BHA and BHT: This pair of additives are used to prevent oxidation of fats and oils in processed foods.  The verdict is still out on their safety. The Center for Science in the Public Interest places BHT on its watch list and recommends avoiding BHA.

4. GMOs: The safety of genetically modified organisms or GMOs is a dubious proposition at best.  Whole Foods will be labeling all foods containing genetically modified ingredients by 2018.  Check my previous blogs about GMOs for more information.  In the meantime, avoid the following ingredients.

5: Non-organic Corn, Soy, Beet Sugar, Canola Oil: The who's who of the processed food lineup.  An estimated 97% of domestic soy crops are genetically modified.  In addition to the questionable safety of GMO crops, habitual consumption of any food can present risks.  Since virtually all processed and fast foods contain derivatives of corn and soy, walk on the safe side.

6. Soy:  Few other foods have shared equal time on both sides of the Most Wanted List.  Not so long ago, the medical community and food processors were lauding the health benefits of the fuzzy green bean with presumptive heart disease and cancer protection.  Not so fast.  Studies have been inconclusive and processed soy as in soy milk, soy protein isolates, lechitin, texturized vegetable protein and the rest may cause hormone and endocrine disruption, which may lead  to a multitude of diseases and conditions, including infertility, cancer, and thyroid problems.

7. Vegetable Oils: Canola, Mazola. An excessive amount of Omega-6 oils may lead to a variety of health problems, especially when heated to smoking point.  Our per capita consumption of Omega-6 oils has increased from one pound at turn of century to 75 pounds today. 

8: Trans fats: Food processors add hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make the oils solid at room temperature to increase shelf life. Trans fats throw a one-two punch on cholesterol levels, raising your LDL or "bad cholesterol" while lowering your HDL or "good" cholesterol.  Trans fats are found in crackers, cookies, baked goods, snack foods, frozen dinners, and shortening.

Cleaning our your pantry means more than checking the expiration dates or near empty containers.

Need some assistance to switch out your pantry with healthy options? Contact me at info@bethckramer.com to find out about April's Clean Your Pantry Special.

A Mom, A Daughter, A Healthy Eating Plan

Over the past few months, my New Jersey cousin has cleaned up her seven-year old's diet. leading to a five pound weight loss.  Dieting among the playground set has its share of critics.  Any of us who were given a copy of "The Scarsdale Diet" or the latest regime clipped from a women's magazine as a preadolescent are likely cringing at the memories of half a grapefruit and dry protein toast. 

Vogue writer Dara-Lynn Weiss, author of The Heavy, A Mom, A Daughter, A Diet,  took more heat than a plate of Szechwan string beans when she penned about her seven-year old daughter Bea's weight loss diet, accompanied by a photoshoot chronicling the girl's sixteen-pound weight loss.  The fashion writer recounted her own lifelong issues as a high-mileage dieter who had gone everywhere from Atkins and Jenny Craig to Weight Watchers and raw food.  Weiss also detailed how she'd grab a salad away from her daughter who'd already eaten and penciled in every Oreo that would pass her daughter's lips.  As a former compulsive dieter who's logged as many weight loss journeys as Weiss, I'll share it's tough work balancing our own food and body image issues with raising healthy daughters.

Yet, in my cousin's case, job well done!

By tossing out the sugared cereals and making healthy food and activity choices, weight loss is a  bonus and not the "main event."  For those of us who spent our adolescent  through young adult years cycling between popular diets and fitness routines to fit into our skinny jeans, the link between body image and food choices often became an unyielding connection to break, requiring years of self-reflection along with a small fortune in therapy.

When we shift our attention away from pounds lost per week to changing our behaviors, we experience healthier outcomes.  We're not as tempted to skip two meals a day to save calories for a margarita and chips or to spend an hour on the treadmill at the highest setting to burn off that birthday cupcake.  Instead, we eat clean, unprocessed foods, choose exercise activities for enjoyment, and allow for occasional indulgences.

When my aunt shared her grandaughter's fitting room kvelling moment, I did a little victory dance inside.  I'm so proud of my cousin and her parents for cleaning out the cupboards and making healthy food choices!

Whether you need support to shift from years of compulsive dieting to intuitive eating or guidance to help your children or entire family, email me to set up a complimentary health history at info@bethckramer.com. 

Beth