A New Year's P.L.A.N.

Christmas calories have caught up with me. And I don’t want to carry them along in the New Year, especially not in the year I’m going to be the mother of the groom! Typically I eat too many sugary calories the last half of December. But unfortunately this year, I also ended up with a bad cold and sinus infection, which temporarily curtailed my exercise minutes. Yikes. I’m happy to say I’m slowly cutting back on the calories and today couldn’t resist adding a short run to my exercise walk.

This is the time of year when many people make a variety of resolutions, including weight and other health issues. What is your plan? Here is the P.L.A.N. I frequently use with my patients to help them succeed. Utilize this P.L.A.N. to help you get back on track, “flee from evil” and use the “magic bullet” to your advantage. Follow this PLAN towards success:

P: Portion control

*Smaller portion of food.

*Greater portion of exercise and activity.

Practically speaking, no foods are forbidden. However, portion sizes of all foods needs to be controlled.  In the land of “super-size” food servings, we need to eat smaller portions especially of high calorie, low nutrient-rich foods.  Typical “junk foods” such as potato chips, soda, candy bars, etc. have comparatively fewer nutrients and more calories than foods like apples, spinach, or grapes. If we take in more calories than we burn, we will carry that weight on our bodies. (Additionally, in a very complex hormone system in the body, eating carbohydrates triggers more eating. Eating more protein helps curb appetite.)

A Journal of the American Medical Association 11/2015 article declares, “Physical inactivity has been labeled pandemic due to its increasing global prevalence and its health, economic, environmental, and social consequences.  More than half of US adults fail to meet the 2008 physical activity recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise daily or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise weekly.” Unfortunately elevators, remote controls, and “automatic” almost everything have reduced our activity. Clearly most people need to increase the number of daily activity minutes. In what ways can you increase number of steps every day? Every step counts; it does not have to be in one chunk exercise session. Park farther away from the store or office. Set a rime for 60 minutes and walk a few minutes or climb a flight of stairs every time it goes off. Walk to the mailbox. Find little ways to add steps throughout the day.

L: Leave it. Flee from evil.  

*Leave it...high-calorie low-nutrient food sources.

*Leave it...couch, computer chair, & other sedentary circumstances.

Flee from anything that tempts you to eat too many calories. What are areas from which you need to flee? Drive home on a different route so McDonalds or Dairy Queen does not call your name?  Walk right past the break room at work or down a different hallway?  Push your grocery cart towards the fruit aisle and away from the snack aisle?  Avoid the all-you-can eat restaurants?

Turn the TV, computer or other electronics off so you avoid sedentary evenings on the couch, at least until after you have exercised? 

A:Accountability 

*Food diary

*Exercise diary

*Accountability partner

Repeatedly, research shows that keeping a food diary helps a person reduce the number of calories and increases the number of exercise minutes. Because of modern technology, multiple options are easily available for food and exercise diaries:online apps, calendar logs, or journals. 

A few years back, at an obesity conference, a renowned speaker declared, “We have the magic bullet for weight loss.” You could have heard a pin drop in that room as people listened expectantly. “Every research study has shown that if people keep food & exercise logs, they will lose weight!”

Pick a person to be your accountability partner. Identify your problem areas. Give your accountability partner 2-3 quantitative (yes or no, or specific number) questions to ask you each week. Examples might include: How many minutes did you exercise last week? How many evenings did you eat food past 8:00?  How many sodas did you drink? Did you eat vegetables every day last week?

N: Nurture

*Nurture in non-food ways. 

*Nurture yourself with exercise.

Unfortunately, our culture uses food to comfort, to calm, to celebrate.  Identify non-food ways to nurture yourself, your family, and your friends. Make a list. Have your ideas easily available so that you do not fall back to your usual source of food (and usually high-calorie, low-nutrient food.)  

Instead of cookies for the children after school, how about hugs, fruit, and cuddling on the couch reading a good book. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips, stroll around the block. Instead of eating candy, take a few moments to read or listen to God’s word. Other ideas include: listening to favorite music, taking a soothing bath, writing or drawing in a journal, golfing, playing the piano or another musical instrument, woodworking, talking with a friend, reading a fun book, or doing another favorite hobby. 

Exercise should not be unpleasant or a punishment, but instead exercise refreshes the body, soul, and mind.  As you exercise, focus your mind on fun memories, memorize a special bible verse, allow God’s Word to penetrate your mind and soul by listening to the Bible on a phone app, or just be mindful of the moment.  Or nurture yourself and a family member or friend by enjoying exercise time together.

Bask in God’s love and nurture for you!

 “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love He will exult over you with loud singing. “ Zephaniah 3:17

Our bodies are fueled by food, and exercise makes our bodies strong and functional. Psalm 139:14 declares, “ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Indeed our bodies are amazing -fearfully and wonderfully made!  However, In the unfriendly environment of too many calories and too few calorie burners, often it is difficult to maneuver towards healthy choices. A P.L.A.N. can enable a person to steer clear of obesity and associated diseases, and live a healthy, functional, vibrant life.

Exercise ENCOURAGEMENT

Exercise Challenge ON update! Of course my husband knew he would win big brownie points with me by taking the Exercise ON Challenge!  Last week before going to work, he asked if I could walk with him for 10 minutes!?!?! Woo hoo!! I was so happy. Every bit adds up. And he even went swimming with my 17 year old son before going to work on Wednesday.  That's what I love about exercise challenges.  We say yes to activity and exercise instead of yes to couch potatoeing. :) This week I have 331 minutes of exercise! (When you are leading the challenge, the pressure is on!) My husband has 264 minutes. How about you?? Remember 150 minutes per week is the goal. Keep reading for some encouragement.

This blog post first appeared http://blog.cph.org/everyday-faith/exercise-on-challenge-encouragement/ on October 4, 2016:
Are you taking the Exercise ON Challenge with me for the months of October and November? In the almost-nine weeks (61 days) of October and November, can you exercise a total of 1,350 minutes? For added benefits, take the Exercise ON Challenge PLUS and add weight training two days per week. Keep track of your exercise minutes. Rally your family, co-workers, or church members to take the challenge with you. Hold one another accountable. Connect with your friends and family; download and listen to a CPH book; listen to your Bible on an app; memorize Scripture; give thanks; pray. 

At the beginning of each week, schedule your exercise time each day on your calendar, just like any other appointment. Plan and schedule exercise every day; invariably some conflict will arise that will interfere with your exercise. Plan for seven days of exercise, even though you may actually exercise five or six days per week.

Exercise Guidelines:

F=Frequency: Aerobic exercise (such as walking, biking, swimming) 5–6 days/week. Strength training (weights) 2–3 days/week.

I=Intensity: “Moderate”—exercise as intensely as possible while still carrying on a conversation. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), exercise at about 6–8.

T=Time: Initial goal is 150–180 minutes/week. Ultimate goal is 200–300 minutes/week.

Start with realistic goals! The “race” is for the long haul, not just for this week. Your starting point should be based on your current fitness level. If you are currently doing no exercise, start slowly with 10–15 minutes of exercise one or two times per day. Each day, gradually add a few minutes. Ideally, you will eventually reach a goal of at least 150–220 minutes per week of exercise. As you become more comfortable, you can also increase the intensity of your exercise.

Memory challenge:

“In Him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:28

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1–2

To more easily memorize a verse, write the Bible verse on an index card. Read it before and during exercise. Keep it with you and read it throughout the day.

May God’s presence permeate all of your day and life!

After you have this verse memorized, share it with your family and friends.

Autumn holds so many colorful days. HAPPY EXERCISING!

This blog post first appeared 

at http://blog.cph.org/uncategorized/exercise-on-challenge/ on September 27, 2016 

Written by Karen Sue Murdy

To encourage YOU to EXERCISE! 

Uncategorized

Exercise ON Challenge

Karen Sue Murdy

September 27, 2016

1

In 2016, we fall woefully short of the activity levels our bodies need to fully function. God “fearfully and wonderfully” designed our bodies to move! Unfortunately, our current environment promotes sedentary lifestyles.

Think about physical activity levels throughout history:

Consider Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with the trees and animals, no cars or any other machines.

Next think about Jesus and His disciples walking from town to town, the dusty feet, rowing the boats, and dragging the fish nets.

Jump forward to 1880s: Get up early in the morning to care for the animals. Walk to school uphill both ways :). Follow behind the plow.

Even think about the energy expenditure required for an eighth grader to write a report:

In 1980: Lift the garage door. Ride bicycle to the library. Walk over to library catalog. Find books. Carry books to check-out desk. Transport books home. Type the report on the typewriter.

In 2016: Sit at the computer to research topic. Type report on computer (which requires even less energy than a typewriter).

With modern technology, the amount of activity in the typical lifestyle of today falls far short of the typical lifestyle of the past. God created an amazing body that functions best with activity. “Use it or lose it” accurately describes the human body.

Currently, most major health and wellness organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Heart Association, American College of Sports Medicine, and more all concur on the following activity guidelines. Per health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/: “For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. . . . For additional and more extensive health benefits, adults should increase their aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity. . . . Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.”

Only about half of the American population meets the guidelines for aerobic activity and sadly only about 1 in 5 people meet the guidelines for aerobic plus muscle-strengthening activities. We are missing out on the blessings of so many health benefits, both physical and emotional, that God designed for our bodies.

So I entreat YOU to take the Exercise ON Challenge with me for the months of October and November. In the almost nine weeks (sixty-one days) of October and November, can you exercise a total of 1,350 minutes? Now that will provide substantial health benefits! That averages to about 22 minutes per day. Keep track of your exercise minutes on a calendar, app, or some sort of log sheet. Rally your family, co-workers, or church members to take the challenge with you. Hold one another accountable. While exercising, try one of these ideas: Connect with your friends and family. Download and listen to a CPH book. Listen to your Bible on an app. Memorize Scripture. Give thanks. Pray.

For added benefits, take the Exercise ON Challenge PLUS and add weight training two days per week.

Thank God for your body and take care of it by using it actively. Take the Exercise ON Challenge!

“I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.”(Psalm 139:14 ESV)

February Fine Tuning!

This post first appeared on CPH.org blog on Feb. 18, 2006
https://www.cph.org/b-296-february-finetuning-for-new-years-resolutions.aspx

 Back to Everyday Faith

February Fine-Tuning for New Year’s Resolutions

Karen Sue Murdy

Feb 18, 2016

Everyday Faith

Comments (0)

How are your New Year’s resolutions?  In need of some fine-tuning? Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” As you diligently plan for action, may you have abundance of success in making changes for a healthy lifestyle. Here are some suggestions for diligent planning.

Although many people make New Year’s resolutions, not everyone has success. By fine-turning resolutions into goals with an action plan, you can and will be more successful. Goals succeed when they meet three criteria: realistic, reasonable to your starting point, and flexible. Goals need an action plan. Goals such as “losing weight,” “exercising,” or “changing eating habits” do not really address a specific plan. However, setting goals with several realistic, reasonable, and flexible action plans turns resolutions into reality.

Let’s take a look at how this can be done. For example, how can “losing weight” be turned into a realistic, reasonable, flexible action plan?  What specific actions are needed?  Here are several possibilities:

Goal: Increase fruits and vegetables.

• Action: Buy some fruits and vegetables while grocery shopping each week.
• Action: Plan fruits and vegetables into most meals.
• Action: Take fruits and vegetables to work as snacks.
• Action: Make fruits easily available (baby carrots, washed grapes, etc.).

Is this realistic? Yes, fruits and vegetables are readily available, and you can use coupons and sales to help stretch the budget.
Is this reasonable? Yes. If you are currently not eating any fruits or vegetables, you can begin the process by eating even one or two per day and gradually increase the amount.

Is this flexible? Yes. You can pick from a great variety. You can eat them at various times of the day.

Monitor: By using a food diary, you can keep track of how many fruits and vegetables you eat each day. After a week, you can check the diary and see if your action plan is working. If not, revise. Perhaps you need to buy different fruits and vegetables that are more palatable to you. Maybe you need to buy sandwich bags so it is convenient to take veggies and fruits to work. Or try researching different options for cooking vegetables.

Goal: Eliminate high-calorie eating at nighttime. (It is very common for overweight people to struggle with this problem. Often, nighttime eating habits have been formed since childhood. You can help your own children and grandchildren by developing healthier habits.)

• Action: Establish a stop-eating-after-supper routine. Here’s an example: Wash the dishes. Turn out the kitchen lights. Drink a tall glass of water. Brush your teeth. Walk once around the block. Begin to train your mind and body that this cue means eating is finished for the evening.
• Action: Choose to eat evening snacks only two nights per week. Save those two nights for special times, such as Friday night card party or movie night.
• Action: Plan a low-calorie evening snack. Eat a clementine or two (35 calories each) if you are a sweet eater or an individual bag of prepopped popcorn (such as Skinny Pop brand, 100 calories per bag) if you are a salty person.
• Action: Develop a list of alternative activities to hang on your mirror or refrigerator door. Include hobbies such as crocheting, woodworking, playing piano, doing jigsaw or crossword puzzles, reading (a delightful, laugh-out-loud read is Katie Schuermann’sHouse of Living Stones), painting your or your daughter’s toenails, golfing, journaling, or calling a friend. Put only fun ideas on your list!

Goal: Increase exercise.

• Action: Schedule exercise most days of the week. Over the weekend, look at your calendar for the following week. Schedule exercise time on your calendar just as if it were an appointment.
• Action: Plan 120–150 minutes of exercise per week. The number of minutes needs to be reasonable based on your current exercise level. If you are not doing any exercise, start with 15–20 minutes per day. You may even start with 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon. Ultimately, exercising at least 200 minutes per week is ideal. Having a weekly goal allows you to make adjustments for the days. Some days may be 40 minute days; on a really busy day, you may get only 20 minutes. But you begin to get a sense of how every exercise minute benefits your weekly total.
• Action: Buy and wear an exercise tracker, such as a Fitbit. Keep track of how many steps you get each day. After a week, average your daily number of steps. Try to increase your daily goal each week by about 1,000 steps per day until you get to 10,000 steps per day. 
• Action: Arrange activity “dates.” Walk with your husband. Ride bikes with a friend. Lift weights with your teen at the gym. Play with your grandkids at the park. Go dancing.

Each time you set a goal with an action plan, ask these questions: Is this reasonable? realistic? flexible?

Monitor your behavior. If the plan works, continue. If not, revise!

As an added bonus, many health-care plans give reimbursements for healthy lifestyle monitoring. Check with your health-care provider.

Diligent plans lead to abundant results!