Behavior Modification

Taking a much needed break from my studying for finals. I wanted to talk about
Behavior Modifiation so here are 5 ideas to help with your eating healthy goals.
1. Chain Breaking- this involves breaking the link that encourages overeating (such as eating chips while watching TV either don't buy chips or don't watch TV :)
2. Stimulus Control- Alter your environment (ask your husband to hide the cookies and don't threaten him later to tell you where they are! I cleaned out all the junk food in our house...much to Jason's dismay, and it's much easier. I do however get pretty nasty when I need chocolate and there is none to be found.)
3. Cognitive Restructuring- Change your idea about food (try not to get in the habit of always rewarding yourself with food. Take a bath, paint your toe nails, eat some choc...no, call a friend, there is always another option than is healthier and most likely more rewarding. Though indulging yourself is important every once in a while.)
4. Contingency Management- Decide a reaction to problem foods (you know you will be offered a cookie or a piece of pie somewhere and everyone will be looking at you expectantly to accept so just think of a quick and polite reply usually people will admire you for trying to eat right and if you decide before hand, the decision is made and it isn't as hard to make it under pressure.)
5. Self-Monitoring- Track foods and your reactions to them (this one can be time consuming but also very enlightening. Take a day and write down what you ate, where you ate it, how you felt when you were done ect. then look over your day and decide how you can improve your diet. We had to do this for nutrition and I found I ate healthier because I had to write down and look at what I ate....I sure didn't want to confess eating 2 candy bars and a pop. It's good motivation!)

I challenge you to pick one of these and master it and keep going until you've done them all. I promise they will help in your quest for mind over body eating healthy!!

Stong Abs

These are the ab exercises that won't stress the low back but give a good workout to the abs. We learned in Kinesiology that tons of core strengthening exercises work the hip flexors more than the abs once the abs fatigue. Some major hip flexors hook to the lumbar vertebrae (low back) and when over worked can injure your back or intensify an already present problem. Some of these are tough and take working up to. Some also use an exercise ball which does take up alot of space in the house but I think they are totally worth it, I love mine! Most gyms do have them.

Plank- There are several variations that can be done- on a ball , with elbows bent and toes on the floor, or on the side. Try to keep your body straight from your head to your feet. Hold this exercise for 30 to 60 seconds, do 4 sets.
Crunch- This regular old exercise really works! You're getting the best work on your abs when you feel your lower back press into the floor, beyond that it's mostly your hip flexors working. There are also tons of variations for this exercise. Come up looking at the ceiling, and pause at the top of your crunch so there is no momentum from the movement and your abs are fully engaged and come down slowly.
- Lying leg raise and thrust- I don't have a picture for this one. Lie and your back with your legs at a 90 degree angle with your upper body and lift your hips off the ground pushing your feet towards the ceiling.
This collection is a work in progess but these will give a head start to a daily ab workout. Your abs are the only muscles that don't need a break (most of the exercises you work them out with don't use an external force) so you can work them out 4 times a day if you want....how dedicated are you???

Wheat

This is a wheat seed, in 100% whole wheat products all the parts of the seed are in the bread, in enriched white flour products usually only the endosperm is included which doesn't have many nutrients and is a simple carbohydrate (which means it is digested quickly and if not used goes to storage aka extra padding on your rear. My nutrition teacher recently taught us about recognizing when you buy bread whether it is truly whole wheat bread. It was so interesting and I was surprised by how much I learned since I thought I was an expert on buy whole wheat products. He told us his favorite kind of bread and I tried it, it's great! It might be an Idaho brand because I've never seen it before, it's called Harper's Homemade Honey Wheat Bread. Ingredients :100% Whole Wheat Flour, Water, Honey, Soybean Oil, Salt, and Yeast with 110 calories a slice, and to top it off it's really moist it's my new favorite and that's what I get when I don't have time on the weekends to make homemade. Oh ya it's only $2.19 a loaf! Here's a list of what to look for when buying whole wheat products.
-Whole grain or whole wheat (as the first ingredient)
-Multi-grain: Not necessarily whole grain
-7-grain: Not necessarily whole grain
-100% wheat: Not likely whole grain
-Cracked wheat: Not necessarily whole grain
-Stone ground: Not likely whole grain (processing
technique-course includes the germ, but not likely
the bran)
-Bran bread: Not necessarily whole grain
Lots of brands will say 100% whole wheat and another give away is looking to see how many grams of fiber are in the bread, the more fiber, the more wheat.

Fit for Life!

I am learning such amazing and wonderful things in school right now and I know that alot of my insights and things that I want to remember will get thrown away with my old notebooks and be lost in my returned books. This blog is actually mostly for me but I would love it if anyone else enjoyed learning with me about Exercise and Nutrition. I will be including healthy recipes that I find and experiement with and lots of exercise information. I hope this is hopeful and fun for whoever is interested!