Making Your Resolutions Come True- Part 1

December is the one month a year that doesn’t slow down. Family gatherings, friends parties, hours spent baking, shopping, wrapping, writing cards, and all the other activities that seem to fill all the boxes on our December calendars. It’s no wonder that when the next month rolls around we are ready to make big resolution statements in hopes of a happier New Year.

Cortisol is known as the stress hormone and is helping those cookies onto your waistline. Our ancestors faced life threatening situations and these were the only times the body was to be under stress and to release cortisol. Our body had two responses to these situations- fight or flight. This works great when you have a large animal running in your directions but not in 2011 when every situation seems to carry some level of stress. It is important to let cortisol levels live short lives as they can: suppress thyroid function, causes blood sugar imbalances, raise blood pressure, impair memory, lower our bodies immunity, and increase abdominal fat! Some estimates say that stress is related to 40-80% of all doctor visits! It causes things like depression, peptic ulcers, and headaches. It is thought by medical professionals that stress may be a factor in the formation of bigger diseases like cancer.

Here are some tips to lower your cortisol levels and lower the amount of stressful situations in your life:

1. Ask yourself- Will this matter in 1 month, in 1 year, in 2 years time?

2. Don’t resort to the chocolate- this is going to spike your blood sugar and you’re your body under, Guess what? MORE STRESS!!

3. Take a walk or do a workout! This is going to help lower stress and you will feel great after a good sweat.

4. Eat healthy! If you are a person that is getting stressed out often this is huge for you. Clean eating can make a difference in how you react to situations by keeping your mind sharp.

5. Regulate your metabolism. Don’t let hunger be a reason that you react poorly to a situation. Drink 2L+ per day and fuel your metabolism every 2-3 hours with complete meals (carbohydrates, proteins and fats)

6. Journal. Before bed write down things that you can’t get off your mind. This will give you time to think about them later and allow for a thought out solution.

7. Before you go to sleep make a list of everything you are thankful for. When I do this I include small gestures, people that are important and any other things that stood out that day. In the morning read these things and see how positive your day is.

8. Go to bed by 10:30 every night. Sleep deprivation can cause an increase in stress to your mind and body.

9. Make to do lists! Don’t expect yourself to do all your Christmas chores in one day. Split them up evenly amongst the remaining days. You will feel a sense of accomplishment when you check each item off and less stressed about getting everything done on time.

10. Meditate. You can do this one in the car going to work, before bed or when you have a break during the day. Put a song like this song on your ipod:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSgPDKG6bB0&feature=relmfu
It is 10 minutes long which is just enough time to get relaxed but not to long to take away from things you need to accomplish that day. Practice deep breathing. Breathe in the positive and out the negative. Try to focus on only the breath allowing your mind to completely relax.

Make lower cortisol levels one of your New Years Resolutions!

Stay tuned for my next article on achieving your 2012 New Years Resolutions

You’re Friend in Food and Fitness,
Sarah Rennick

Your Checklist For a Healthy Holiday

YOUR CHECKLIST FOR A HEALTHY HOLIDAY

1. ENSURE YOU ARE DRINKING AT LEAST 2L OF WATER EVERYDAY. WHEN YOU ARE DEHYDRATED YOUR BODY OFTEN MISTAKES THIRST FOR HUNGER.

2. TRY TO PICK 2 DAYS OUT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON TO INDULGE WITH FAMILY. DON'T GO OVERBOARD AT EVERY CHRISTMAS PARTY!! IF YOU HAVE 2 DAYS TO LOOK FORWARD TO YOU WILL NOT FEEL SO TEMPTED IN EVERY SITUATION.

3. TRY A 15 MINUTE LIGHT WALK AFTER YOUR TURKEY DINNER. THIS WILL AID IN DIGESTION AND MAKE YOU FEEL LESS GUILTY FOR A SPLURGE.

4. SAVE YOUR TURKEY!! THIS IS AN AMAZING SOURCE OF PROTEIN AND MAKES GREAT LEFTOVERS TO A HEALTHY START AFTER THE BIG DAY.

5. EAT 30 MINUTES BEFORE GOING TO A HOLIDAY PARTY. THIS WILL SAVE YOU FROM MINDLESS SNACKING ON THE APPETIZERS!

6. MONITOR YOUR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION! ALCOHOL IS POISON TO YOUR BODY AND WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON YOUR WORKOUT FOR THE WEEK FOLLOWING CONSUMPTION. SAVE THE DRINKS FOR SELECT SPECIAL OCCASIONS AND TRY TO KEEP IT AT 1-2 DRINKS!

7. GET MOVING! JUST BECAUSE IT IS THE HOLIDAY'S DOES NOT MEAN YOUR WORKOUTS SHOULD STOP.

8. EVERY BITE COUNTS! DON`T ASSUME YOU ARE BEING ``GOOD`` BY JUST HAVING ONE BITE. THOSE CALORIES ADD UP QUICKLY! SAVE THE TREATS FOR THOSE SPECIAL 2 DAYS WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO INDULGE.

9. SKATE! WHAT A GREAT CARDIO WORKOUT THAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR LOVED ONES OVER THE HOLIDAYS.

10. SWITCH ONE OF YOUR TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY DISHES TO A CLEAN HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE! YOUR FAMILY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THE DIFFERENCE ;)

MENTAL TOUGHNESS

"Mental toughness will take you straight to the top, mental weakness straight to the bottom”

The most important thing competing has taught me is mental toughness. In order to succeed physically this is something that needs to be present in your every day life. The two major obstacles in the way of gaining mental toughness are self doubt and your emotions. I call this the wall. This is something I have been experiencing since my last show in June. I didn’t place as high as I had expected and this made me doubt myself and what I could do. My emotions often times got the best of me and I lost my ability to be mentally tough.

If a craving arose I was not able to fight it, if I were too tired I wasn’t able to push myself to get to the gym my mind wasn’t in the game. I find it takes 3 full weeks of fighting those cravings, those doubts, those moments of giving up, 3 weeks of I can’s before you have broken the wall.
For me a big obstacle is peanut butter, yes I know it doesn’t sound that bad but it is! I have learned that this is a food I easily become addicted to, I don’t eat one tablespoon I eat five tablespoons. I tried to fight it but when that craving arose I found myself back into the jar. It was like an instinct if I wanted it I had it no ifs ands or buts!

When you are mentally tough you get this feeling of guilt, a choice and every time you fight it you become stronger than you were before. It’s having everything in your day done perfectly just as you had planned. You are disciplined and run like you are programmed to follow everything you have set out for yourself.

It has taken me 6 months to have these five perfect days. Those five days are the longest I have been mentally tough since my last show preparation.

Those days reminded me of how mentally tough I am and they didn’t happen until I was able to believe in myself. When you have self doubt you will never reach your full potential. Whatever goal you have don’t be scared to say it out loud. Say it every day, say it every time you fight a craving, or conquer a workout. You are as powerful as you allow yourself to be. Don’t let the challenges of life beat you down or stand in front of the road to your goal.

I have conquered the work week now I have to learn to do the same with the weekend. I’m not saying my diet has fallen off on those days I don’t call “perfect” They are simply days that my diet isn’t 100% the same as my meal plan on paper. I am mentally tough and will get those 7 perfect days this week.

I never said this was going to be easy, if it was I would have never lost my mental toughness. You might not be mentally tough every second of everyday but the more your resist the stronger you become. I have a quote on my mirror that says “Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you they are supposed to help you realize how strong you are”

YOUR FRIEND IN FOOD AND FITNESS,

SARAH RENNICK