Write it out

You've probably heard it a million times, but one of the keys to successful weight-loss is self-awareness. Instead of mindless eating and thinking that you just worked out, "like, yesterday, or was it Sunday...," really examine your habits and figure out your patterns.

I recommend to all my clients that they keep a "health diary." My version of a health diary is a little bit different than the traditional food diary, where you write down what you eat and the calorie counts for each. In a health diary, I've found it's easier to stick to better eating and exercise habits if you have a plan in place. Before your week starts, write down a week's worth of meals and snacks. Consult your schedule for the week and make sure you are planning your meals to accommodate that schedule. (If you know you'll be traveling all day on Thursday, plan meals and foods that will be conducive to travel.) In addition to meal-planning, write down appointments (yes, appointments) for exercise and what you'll be doing during each session.

As you write down your plans, fold your paper in half length-wise (the hot-dog way) and keep your plans on one side of the paper running down the paper instead of across. The reason for this is that next to it, you can write down what you actually ate. This will help you review your week with your plan and your actual eating habits side by side. (If you like to keep your information electronic, use columns to split the "plan" and "actual" columns.)

Keep track of your actual food consumption as you go along if you can. This will not only make sure you don't forget to write down that afternoon snack, but it will also help you see how your day is shaping up. If you feel like you've overindulged at lunch, you know that dinner should be a little lighter.

Lastly I recommend, mostly to my female clients, that they keep track of their emotions throughout the week. If you have some trouble with emotional eating, whether it is when you are bored, lonely, sad, stressed, etc.; writing down how you were feeling when you ate an enormous piece of cake, will help you target what triggers an unhealthy overindulgence or binge. You can make a third column for this, or just write it just next to the "actual" food entry.

This truthful look into your eating habits, exercise habits and a look at how you deal with your emotions, can really help you put your healthy intentions to action. I've seen tremendous success with people when they've really embraced self-awareness. As we review their "health diary" we can see patterns and can address areas of weakness.

Once you are aware of whether or not your emotions are sabotaging your healthy eating, you can decide whether or not to continue the "emotion" column. Pre-planning is key though. You'll eat much better if you have it written down and know you have the groceries to support your plan. It will also help with the age-old question, "What's for dinner tonight?"

Survive a vacation without packing on the pounds

I've found that the excuse, "I'm on vacation," has been uttered about 151 times this last week. This excuse has been used to eat loads of fat-laden and high-calorie foods at nearly every meal, hit the snooze button instead of going for a morning run and used as an excuse to go to bed at an unearthly hour each night. Why is it that when our schedule or routine is shattered, even with something as fun as a vacation, our healthy habits get conveniently discarded? I'm going to nail it down to poor-planning. You don't have to gain 5-10 pounds every time you go on vacation if you spend a little time beforehand exploring your options. Think of it as part of the research and packing process.

Before you go: 

1) Find out if you'll have workout facilities available to you. Does the hotel you are staying at have a gym or pool? Are there walking/jogging paths nearby? Is there a park where you could do some outdoor exercises? (If you are planning to exercise outdoors, make sure you do some research and find some helpful exercise routines so you don't just wander around wasting your vacation time.)

2) Try to plan some heart-pumping activities during your vacation. Is there a nice mountain hike you could take? A scuba or snorkeling class? Could you rent some bikes and sight-see that way? Get creative, you'll be surprised how much your vacation could be enhanced by adding these activities in. The calorie-burning effects will just be an added bonus.

3) Don't forget to pack your exercise clothes! Make sure you bring all the necessary equipment that you'll need to work up a good sweat. Don't let this become your new excuse!

While on your vacation:

1) You don't need to get drinks, appetizers, a huge fatty entree and dessert at every meal. Of course there will be local cuisine that will be worth the calorie-splurge, but try to eat sensibly during the rest of your meals. 

2) Try to find some local produce or a farmer's market and stock up on some healthy snacks. Not only will the local food be healthier, but it will taste so much better than groceries that have been shipped from across the country.

3) Plan out your workouts. Usually early mornings work out best for me during a vacation (while the rest of my family sleeps in), but look over your schedule and make a plan. Write it down and keep these appointments as you would any other.

4) Have fun, but remember to keep your health in mind. Not only will you feel better and have more energy to enjoy your time away, but you won't get back with an extra five pounds as a souvenir.