Carole Carson

Week 8: Happiness and Your Health—Dr. Kelly Traver’s Life-Changing 12-Week Program

This is the eighth week of a 12-week program where we are adapting and applying the principles outlined in Dr. Kelly Traver’s life-changing book, The Program. Those of you who are learning about this program are welcome to join. As a participant in this 12-week program, you will be expected to contribute as follows:

1. Show up and comment weekly.
2. Undertake the weekly exercises and report on your efforts. 
3. Playfully and enthusiastically encourage others who comment.

This week’s chapter on health, happiness, anxiety and depression is jam-packed with coping strategies. Here are the highlights of week 8:

Happiness and Your Health: Coping with Anxiety and Depression

Although depression and anxiety can keep all of us from enjoying life, twice as many women as men are affected by these conditions. In contrast, manic-depressive disorders are strongly linked to genes and strike both men and women equally. By explaining how the brain works, Dr. Traver reminds us that even though these conditions are “in our head,” they trigger a very real increase in the risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, immune dysfunction and obesity.

Individuals who suffer from anxiety and depression may benefit from counseling or prescription drugs or some combination of both. In addition, Dr. Traver recommends moderately intense physical exercise to treat anxiety. Besides boosting the calming, feel-good chemicals in the brain, exercise promotes a physical restructuring of the brain. Brainpower and neural patterns for coping are developed.

The most encouraging insight provided by Dr. Traver is that we can practice the following happiness strategies to cope with anxiety, depression and chronic pain:

1. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Count your blessings and appreciate what you have.
2. Practice optimism. Expect positive outcomes. See the best in people, situations and circumstances.
3. Focus on being the best you can be. Comparing yourself to others can trigger jealousy and resentment. But if you are happy and fulfilled with your own life, others’ achievements won’t matter.
4. Surround yourself with support. We humans are social animals who need each other. Make sure the people around you are positive and supportive.
5. Learn coping skills to deal with stress. Find healthful ways to relieve stress, such as exercise or relaxation routines.
6. Live in the present. Enjoy the moment. Savor the little moments in life.
7. Become a part of something bigger than yourself and volunteer. Work toward a goal that contributes to the larger community. We give meaning to our lives by contributing to others.
8. Learn to accept what you can’t change. Let go of anything over which you have no control. Life is never ideal, but it can be good.
9. Exercise daily. Of all the strategies, this one is the most essential in maintaining a positive outlook. And if you can, make your exercise green—that is, spend part of your day outdoors.

The concluding parts of chapter 8 focus on how to attend social events and how to eat out at restaurants without overindulging (pages 237-254). Dr. Traver also includes the healthiest options for the different ethnic cuisines and fast-food chains. Lastly, she provides guidance for sustaining high-level performance by providing tips on nutrition for athletes.

Exercise 1: Keep Track of Your Mood

Create a mood index and track your mood daily. Notice if exercise enhances your mood or if you are depressed or more anxious on days when you don’t exercise. Note if alcohol depresses your mood. Note the role fatigue plays. Note the impact of food on your mood. Do some foods make you energetic and others lethargic? Do you feel better after you walk outdoors?

Exercise 2: Create a Happiness and Gratitude Journal

Add a section to your food journal (or begin a diary) where you note daily a minimum of three items for which you are grateful. The events need not be earthshaking or global. Indeed, they may be small gifts that you note in the course of your day, such as an unexpected phone call from a friend or a beautiful robin that showed up in your front yard. As part of this assignment, write down what brought you happiness today and what future events, however large or small, you look forward to.

Exercise 3: Do Your Homework and Show Up

Review last week’s goals and decide on this week’s short-term goals. Leave a comment with your long-term and short-term goals in response to this blog post.

I look forward to reading this week’s comments from readers who are participating in this 12-week program.

Three Tips for Creating Family Meals, Memories and Ties That Bind

However satisfying the activities, busy schedules wreck havoc on family mealtime. To accommodate hectic lifestyles, the average family spends $2,668 each year on outside dining. Unless you are vigilant, family meals can easily disappear from your routine.

Multiple studies confirm that families who eat together enjoy better physical and mental health. In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, Steven Covey affirms the importance of eating together. The daily ritual benefits children nutritionally and emotionally. Because kids eat more healthfully, their weight is better managed. (Children typically consume twice as many calories eating a meal out than eating at home and may consume their daily allotment in one meal.) Portions are more likely to be monitored and snacking is minimized. Teens who enjoy family meals are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol or use marijuana and other drugs. Family meals also enhance academic performance—children who live in families where meals are a nightly tradition earn better grades.

In her book The Surprising Power of Family Meals: How Eating Together Makes us Smarter, Stronger, Mariam Weinstein asserts that children need family meals as a time-out from their busy lives—a time to build connections and recharge their emotional batteries in a safe setting.

But time to shop, prepare and clean up after meals is a scarce commodity, particularly when school starts. Yet creative planning for nightly suppers can trim your budget and enrich your family life. Here are three tips (FIT) to bring back family meals:

F: Fill your freezer with cooked-ahead meals and fill your cupboard with ready-made sauces or marinades. Double your entrée recipes so you have a freezer full of meals ready to serve with a minimum of effort. Take advantage of prepared, nutritious foods at the supermarket, such as roasted chicken or cooked prawns. Adding a baked potato or brown rice, green beans and a salad completes the meal.

I: Involve everyone in meal preparation. Let children help decide the menu, set the table, prepare the food and clean up. Let small children become tasters. Older kids can follow recipes and become chef for the evening. Invest in a slow cooker and a breadmaker. Slow cooking allows you to use less expensive cuts of meat, and a breadmaker will give your family wholesome bread for pennies. Swap recipes with neighbors and friends.

T: Take time to share the day’s events as you sit around the table. Make eating together each night a treasured family tradition. Turn off the television and connect with each other through a dynamic exchange of ideas and feelings. Take advantage of teachable moments to share your values and insights with your children. Begin each meal with a moment of appreciation—for the food, for family and for the cook’s efforts. Teach manners by saying please and thank you, passing serving bowls and waiting until everyone is seated to begin eating.

The family that eats together stays together. When we share a centuries-old tradition of breaking bread together, we nourish not only our bodies but our minds and spirits as well. Establishing a nightly ritual of sharing stories about the day’s events creates priceless memories and a valuable sense of belonging. Aren’t these benefits worth making time for?

Week 7: The Sleep Cure—Dr. Kelly Traver’s Life-Changing 12-Week Program

This is the seventh week of a 12-week program where we will adapt the principles outlined in Dr. Kelly Traver’s life-changing book, The Program.  Those of you who are learning about this program are welcome to join. As a participant in this 12-week program, you will be expected to contribute as follows:

1. Show up and comment weekly.
2. Undertake the weekly exercises and report on your efforts. 
3. Playfully and enthusiastically encourage others who comment.

This week’s chapter on the importance of sound sleep is jam-packed with practical strategies. Here are the highlights of week 7:

Sleep: The Golden Chain That Ties Health and Our Bodies Together

Enjoying good-quality sleep and getting a sufficient quantity of sleep are essential to our health, according to Dr. Traver. Yet achieving these goals becomes more difficult with age. Two-thirds of older adults struggle with insomnia. The bad news is that our bodies age, body temperature fluctuations that trigger deep sleep tend to flatten out. But the good news is that the fluctuations can be restored through exercise.

The average American adult spends 7 to 7 1/2 hours of sleep each night, a decrease of about 2 hours over the past 100 years. Yet the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine determined that 8 1/4 hours is the average amount of sleep needed to stay alert throughout the day.

What happens when we regularly short ourselves on sleep? Blood pressure and blood sugar levels rise, and the risk of heart attacks increases. Severe sleep deprivation can kill off brain cells. And people who get insufficient sleep (or too much sleep) gain weight. Insufficient sleep triggers the production of cortisol, ghrelin, galanin and neuropeptide Y, all of which stimulate the appetite.

Dr. Traver provides guidelines that can help us get a good night’s rest:

 

1. Exercise and get out in the sun on a daily basis.
2. Stick to a schedule with a bedtime ritual. Avoid daytime naps.
3. Do not eat for three hours or drink fluids for two hours before retiring. Avoid alcohol at night and don’t smoke.
4. Limit caffeine to two cups of coffee before noon.
5. Reserve your bedroom for sleeping and sex. Keep the room dark, quiet and cool. If you can’t sleep, get up.
6. Get rid of night worries. To relax, try slow, deep breathing.
7. Check your medications to avoid stimulants. Manage pain that would otherwise disrupt sleep. Limit fluids and diuretics before retiring.

Eat Protein to Help Manage Appetite

Besides getting adequate rest, protein also aids in appetite management. “When you eat protein,” Dr. Traver says, “your stomach empties more slowly, so it leaves you feeling full longer.” Dr. Traver includes a list of healthy sources of protein, including alternatives to meat (beans, eggs, nuts, seeds, tofu), and preparation options to minimize unneeded calories (pages 209-210).

Stretch Yourself

Stretching exercises are also provided (pages 211-219) with drawings demonstrating postures and movement. Dr. Traver reminds us that staying flexible enables our joints to move freely so our body can move more efficiently. She also emphasizes that stretching should not be painful—we should feel a gentle stretch. Stretch positions should be held for 30 seconds and repeated twice. And remember to breathe!

Exercise 1: Review Your Sleep Habits

Review the checklist for getting a sound night’s sleep. See where you might make changes that would improve the quality of your sleep. Keep track of your hours of sleep for one week and note your personal pattern. What time do you like to retire? How many times do you awaken in the night? What is your optimum rising time? What factors detract you from a good night’s sleep? Becoming aware of our sleep needs can enable us to engineer our environment so we get the rest we need.

Exercise 2: Add Daily Flexibility Exercises to Your Routine

Identify eight stretching exercises that you can work into your day or perform in one 15- to 20-minute period. If you need ideas on flexibility and stretching exercises beyond those suggested by Dr. Traver, you’ll find basic ideas here.

Exercise 3: Do Your Homework and Show Up

Review last week’s goals and decide on this week’s short-term goals. Leave a comment with your long-term and short-term goals in response to this blog post.

I look forward to reading this week’s comments from readers who are participating in this 12-week program.

What Is the Relationship between Spiritual Well-Being and Physical Well-Being?

A delightful part of my job as coach for the AARP Fat 2 Fit Community is interviewing experts who share their insight on issues involving fitness. One such expert is Dr. Judith Rich, a well-known teacher in the field of transformation and consciousness who guides individuals and organizations into discovering and fulfilling their destinies. (See her full biography below.)

My own experience in losing weight piqued my curiosity about Dr. Rich’s ideas was. I found that once I had dropped the surplus pounds that were encasing me, I discovered my life’s work. Given my experience, I posed questions to Dr. Rich about the relationship between spiritual and physical well-being:

Q. Does caring for our physical bodies, including becoming more fit and losing weight if needed, help us address and care for our deepest longings? Can we keep the spiritual person and physical being completely separated?

A. As we become more attuned to the deepest longings of our spirit, we’ll be more likely to manifest those longings through caring for our body. We’ll want our body to be an accurate representation of how we’ve come to honor our spirit.

Most Eastern spiritual traditions teach that the body, mind and spirit are but one entity, whole and united. Here in the West, we tend to think of body, mind and spirit as three distinct entities. We think of the mind as the seat of thought that resides in the head and functions separately from the rest of the body. Yet Eastern traditions teach that the body is the mind and vice versa. I tend to see the concept of self this way.

In this context then, taking care of the body is one way of expressing love for one’s higher or spiritual self. However, if I take care of my body because I want attention or recognition from others, or if I’m motivated by concern about what other people think of me, I’m responding to ego desires and, therefore, I’m not aligned with my higher self. This approach isn’t going to feed my deepest longings, since they emanate from my higher self, not my ego.

Q. Can we be in tune with our purpose in life and be out of tune with our bodies? Can we hear the inner messages about our mission and simultaneously ignore the body’s messages?

A. Even though my response seems to contradict my answer to the previous question, oddly enough, yes, I think it’s possible to be attuned with an inner calling ignoring the physical. In fact, sometimes people can be so purpose driven that they overcome the limitations imposed by the body.
 
If you look at some of the world’s greatest athletes, you’ll often find this dynamic. Take Lance Armstrong as an example. A testicular cancer survivor, he went on to win the Tour de France competition seven consecutive times. Gymnast Kerri Strug completed the vault competition despite a sprained ankle and two torn ligaments and helped her team win the gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

The Special Olympics is about people overcoming physical limitations to fulfill a sense of purpose and a higher calling. Artists, writers and other people associated with the arts often are so attuned to their calling that they ignore the body’s need for sleep and nutrition.

Ignoring the body’s messages, however, comes at a price. Even those who are in service to their calling will eventually pay the price. One can operate over the top of a compromised body for only so long before something gives out.

Q. Do we have a calling to realize our personal physical best? Do we have a custodial responsibility to our bodies? Do we have an obligation to be an example to others? If so, how can we live our lives in alignment with our desire to take care of our bodies and realize our personal best?

A. I believe the answer to all these questions is absolutely yes, but I might change the language a bit.

We have a responsibility to care for ourselves, including the body, in such a way that we optimize our ability to create and fulfill our purpose.

However, let me define what I mean by responsibility. I hold self-care not as a duty or an obligation but as an honor. We have the honor of caring for our bodies and being an example to others. If you see this challenge as an honor rather than as a duty, would you feel differently about caring for your body? I believe that you would.

Taking care of our bodies becomes a get to rather than a have to. “I get to exercise for 30 minutes every day” and “I have to exercise” are two distinctly different views. Holding the exercise as an honor or a privilege to take care of myself frames my choices in a way that points directly to the deeper longings of the spirit. “I can’t wait to exercise” becomes my daily mantra.

The body, after all, is our mechanism for navigating the world. If the body is compromised, so are our health and our capacity for self-expression.
If we’re committed to fulfilling our potential—to realizing and optimizing our ability to make the most of our lives—ultimately, we need to honor the body’s needs for care.

Q. What is the role of addiction, whether it involves alcohol, drugs or food? What is the role of overconsumption, whether it is food or the acquisition of items we can ill-afford?

A. Addictive behavior emanates from a wound in the connection with our spirit and is a misguided attempt to return to a state of wholeness by medicating that wound with something external. A person gets high from drinking alcohol or using drugs—or even from shopping excessively or overeating—as a way to numb the pain of this separation.

In all cases, we’re seeking to fill a hole left by the absence of wholeness. We know, of course, this behavior never works. Nothing can substitute for what we’re really seeking—the realization and acceptance of who we truly are. Focusing on this awareness is why Alcoholics Anonymous has been so successful in treating addictions: it addresses alcoholism as a crisis of the spirit. 

Q. Is getting fit and losing weight a challenge and difficulty that we can use to help us grow?

A. Undoubtedly! Anytime we stretch ourselves beyond our expectations, we grow. In the process, we empower ourselves by building courage, gaining self-confidence and learning to trust in our ability to manifest our word.
To know that you set a goal, encountered and overcame difficulties, persevered and achieved your goal sets you up to be even more successful going forward. Personal growth is a positive feedback loop that is self-reinforcing. It brings you to a greater level of commitment to your health and wellness.

Q. How can we best prepare ourselves to care for our bodies at a time when we are bombarded with messages to indulge ourselves with tempting fast food and simultaneously lulled by sedentary activities, such as riding to work and sitting at a computer?

A. I hate to give this answer because it sounds too simple: turn off the television. Seriously, ask yourself these questions: What kind of life do you want to live? What kind of person do you want to be?

Do you want to be a passive passenger as you travel through life and live at the effect of others? Or do you want to be in the driver’s seat?
At every point along the way, you have a choice. You can make choices that are consistent with someone who is a passenger and allow others to determine where your life goes and how it unfolds.

Recall the phrase “asleep at the wheel.” Eating fast food and living a sedentary lifestyle happen when you’re asleep at the wheel. These choices might look like the easier ones; however, the long-term costs to health and well-being far outweigh the short-term benefits that primarily involve convenience. 

Or you can choose to sit in the driver’s seat and consciously point your life in the direction toward what serves to realize your full potential. Obviously, this choice requires a different level of awareness. How awake and aware do you want to be in your life? Are you willing to lead an “inconvenient life” in order to reach your personal best?

Q. Can people experience their deepest joy, passion and sense of freedom while imprisoned in a body that they despise or dislike because of surplus pounds?

A. If one views his or her body as a source of pain and suffering, there is no freedom. If one looks in the mirror and is disgusted by what he or she sees, there is no joy. If one feels trapped in a body that is carrying surplus pounds, it’s difficult to feel passion. In the presence of self-hatred, feelings of joy, passion and freedom are numbed and suppressed.
 
Negative feelings become concretized and stuck in the body. Take shame, for example. Women who have been sexually abused often carry extra weight around the abdomen and hips. They often blame themselves or feel dirty. Layers of fat serve as a security blanket to protect one's self from feeling the full impact of self-hatred or shame. Lose the shame and lose the fat. Lose the self-hatred and gain back joy and passion. 

Self-love is the best “diet” there is!

Q. What healthful lifestyle practices support individuals in realizing their personal best?

A. Eating healthy, whole foods, drinking plenty of liquids and getting enough sleep are the obvious ways.

Get plenty of exercise. In my younger days, I was a runner, but my joints can no longer take the impact, so I walk 30 minutes each day. Spending time in the fresh air and sunlight revitalizes your body, mind and spirit. I also recommend doing yoga or some form of stretching to keep the body flexible.

Meditation is a lifesaver for me. It’s an oasis from the continuous input of life. Meditation is an opportunity to step off the wheel of activity, rest in the silence and allow the body and mind to be quiet and peaceful. Twenty minutes of meditation refreshes and recharges my body, mind and spirit and makes me feel like a new person. 

Plant a garden. Gardening is good for the body, mind, spirit and soul. Even if you don’t have a yard, put out some pots and plant some seeds. Watch a miracle grow in your window.

One of the biggest challenges of aging is the issue of isolation. No matter your age, surround yourself with a community of friends and family who loves and supports you. No one is an island.

Make time for fun! We’ve become a workaholic, 24/7 society. Remember, all work and no play makes Jack and Jane dull people. Let your hair down, go dancing or do what brings you joy. Give yourself an inner child break.

Lastly, be of service to something greater than yourself.  Volunteer with a community organization or help to clean up the environment. Fulfillment comes when one is connected to the whole by making a difference in the lives of others.

Dr. Rich’s ideas are reflected in the concepts undergirding the Fat 2 Fit community—that we can have fun getting fit together and that we are our brother’s keeper. That is, we know our example influences those around us. By setting a powerful example of a person who adopts a healthful lifestyle, we not only honor our own body but we make a difference in the lives of everyone we encounter. Being of service to something greater than ourselves gives meaning to our task.

About Dr. Judith Rich

For nearly 40 years, Dr. Rich has focused on the awakening of one’s dormant inner resources and has facilitated profound personal and professional breakthroughs for individuals and organizations throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and South America.
 
As a public speaker, corporate consultant, writer and performance coach, Judith brings insight, passion, humor and sensitivity to empower individuals to awake to the brilliance of who they are. 

Dr. Rich writes a weekly blog in the Living section of the Huffington Post.  Her writing can also be found on her own site, Rx for the Soul (www.judithrich.com).

Week 6: Diminishing Diabetes—Dr. Kelly Traver’s Life-Changing 12-Week Program

This is the sixth week of a 12-week program where we will adapt the principles outlined in Dr. Kelly Traver’s life-changing book, “The Program.”  Those of you who are learning about this program are welcome to join. As a participant in this 12-week program, you will be expected to contribute as follows:

1. Show up and comment weekly.
2. Undertake the weekly exercises and report on your efforts.
3. Playfully and enthusiastically encourage others who comment.

This week’s chapter on diminishing your risk of diabetes is jam-packed with practical strategies. Here are the highlights of week 6:

Diabetes Is Every Body’s Concern

Diabetes is a condition in which a person has a higher-than-normal blood sugar level (also called blood glucose level). Diabetes is diagnosed when a person’s fasting blood sugar level is over 125 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter) Prediabetes is diagnosed when the blood sugar level is 100 to 125 mg/dl. According to Dr. Traver, type 2 diabetes has reached the point of a worldwide epidemic, and the number of people with diabetes in this country is expected to double by 2025.

Excessive insulin raises blood pressure, reduces the protective (good) HDL cholesterol level and promotes fat deposits around the waist (which are bad for your heart). And untreated diabetes is serious—it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and blindness.

How can we reduce our risk? Two factors can’t be altered. We can’t change a genetic predisposition if we come from a family with a history of diabetes. And we can’t avoid getting older. But we can take these steps to minimize the risk:

1. Maintain an appropriate weight.
2. Exercise on a regular basis.
3. Eat high-fiber, unprocessed complex carbohydrates combined with protein and avoid processed foods.

Dr. Traver also reminds us that not all carbohydrates are created equal and suggests several tips for incorporating healthy carbohydrates in your daily diet:

1. Include a high-fiber cereal for breakfast. Enjoy low-fat popcorn for a snack.
2. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Eat whole fruit instead of juice. Throw vegetables into your food while cooking casseroles to add volume and bulk. Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add them to soups, salads and side dishes.
3. Blend fruit and nonfat yogurt in a blender for a healthy breakfast or snack. Add dried fruit to oatmeal, cereal, muffins and yogurt.
4. Eat bread and pasta containing whole grains. Eat brown rice instead of white, and add bulgur wheat to salads, stews and casseroles. Add wheat germ to yogurt or cereal. Add crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to muffins, breads or casseroles.

Dr. Traver also spotlights the importance of maintaining our flexibility as we age. People with type 2 diabetes and poor blood sugar control may experience limited blood flow to the tendons, which can lead to chronic tendinitis. Lack of sufficient hydration, stress and inadequate sleep can also lead to stiff and painful joints. Healthful nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep and stress management are essential not only to preventing type 2 diabetes but also for maintaining flexibility as our body ages.

Exercise 1: Review Your Diet

Check your cupboard, refrigerator and shopping list to make sure you have an adequate supply of healthful fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Identify the types of carbohydrates in your diet. If you haven’t already done so, begin reducing the refined and processed carbohydrates, particularly sugar, in whatever form, contained in soft drinks, baked goods, snacks, treats and ice cream. Switch from white flour and white rice to whole-grain products and brown rice. Track your daily fiber grams this week to see if you are getting 25 to 35 grams a day.

Exercise 2: Add Flexibility Exercise to Your Routine

Walking is a simple exercise that can increase your flexibility. You can also ride a recumbent bike to limber up your muscles. If you need more ideas on flexibility and stretching exercises, you’ll find basic ideas here.

Exercise 3: Do Your Homework and Show Up

Review last week’s goals and decide on this week’s short-term goals. Leave a comment with your long-term and short-term goals in response to this blog post.

I look forward to reading this week’s comments from readers who are participating in this 12-week program.

Put Down the Fork and Pick Up a Pen

When it comes to achieving your fitness and weight loss goals, the pen may be the most powerful (and inexpensive) tool you can find. Keeping a journal in which you record what you eat, what and how much you exercise and the state of your outlook and mood will keep you conscious and aware of your progress, setbacks and patterns.

If you need more reasons to keep a journal, check out the 10 benefits listed by Jacqueline D. Stanley, Chief Encouragement Officer for Lettuce is Not Enough: The Place to Learn How to Live Well and Lose Weight.

You can purchase a ready-made journal, or you can create your own using a simple notebook. You can write notes by hand (my preference), or you can create an online journal. If you go online, you can decide if you want the entries to be public or private. Whatever means you choose, be sure to include the act of journaling in your arsenal of weapons as part of your campaign to achieve optimum health and fitness.

Photo courtesy of Elisa Nobe

Location: www.sxc.hu

Week 5: Preventing Heart Disease—Dr. Kelly Traver’s Life-Changing 12-Week Program

This is the fifth week of a 12-week program where we will adapt the principles outlined in Dr. Kelly Traver’s life-changing book, “The Program.” Those of you who are learning about this program are welcome to join. As a participant in this 12-week program, you will be expected to contribute as follows:

1. Show up and comment weekly.
2. Undertake the weekly exercises and report on your efforts. 
3. Playfully and enthusiastically encourage others who comment.

This week’s chapter on keeping our heart healthy is jam-packed with practical strategies. Here are the highlights of week 5:

Heart Disease Is Preventable—If You Take Action

Heart disease is the number-one killer of men and women. According to Dr. Traver, however, leading a healthy lifestyle by following these guidelines can help prevent the development of heart disease:

1. Don’t smoke.
2. Keep your blood pressure less than 130/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury)—the lower the better.
3. Keep your blood sugar level in the normal range.
4. Keep your LDL cholesterol level (the bad one) less than 130 mg/dl (milligrams per decileter), preferably less than 100 mg/dl.
5. Keep your HDL cholesterol level (the good one) above 40 mg/dl if you are a man and above 50 mg/dl if you are a woman.
6. Keep your triglycerides low.
7. Maintain a normal weight, stay physically active and eat a healthy diet.
8. Develop good coping and stress management skills.

Dr. Traver also reminds us that while cardiovascular disease is associated with heart attacks, the brain may also be involved. She explains that a stroke is essentially a heart attack of the brain and describes the symptoms of both heart attacks and strokes, since quick medical attention is essential. 

Because exercise is a key component of prevention, Dr. Traver concludes her chapter on prevention of cardiovascular disease by recommending that we incorporate resistance exercise into our weekly workouts. From pages 155 through 165, Dr. Traver outlines how to perform squats, modified lunges, standing single-leg calf raises, push-ups, the “row,” overhead presses, lateral pulls and basic crunches. If you haven’t purchased the book, you can find basic resistance exercises online here.

Exercise 1: Find Out and Record Your Key Health Measures

Find out and record your key health measures—your blood pressure, blood sugar level, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels and triglyceride level—so you will have a baseline against which you can measure your progress.

Exercise 2: Add Resistance Training to Your Workout

About three times a week on alternating days, set aside 15 to 20 minutes to engage in resistance training. Begin with 2 or 3 repetitions of each exercise until you can comfortably do 15 repetitions. When you can complete 15 repetitions of an exercise, begin to work toward completing 2 sets of 15 repetitions. Begin with light weights (1, 3 or 5-pound weights, depending upon you current level of strength) and gradually work your way higher in small increments as your strength increases.

Exercise 3: Do Your Homework and Show Up

Review last week’s goals and decide on this week’s short-term goals. Leave a comment with your long-term and short-term goals in response to this blog post.

I look forward to reading this week’s comments from readers who are participating in this 12-week program.

Exercise Is Its Own Reward

After finishing my workout at a neighborhood gym, I frequently treated myself to iced tea at a nearby coffee shop. A couple of my classmates almost always beat me there, and by the time I arrived they would be settled in with their pastries and soft drinks.

When I stopped by their table to chat one day, they told me that this was their reward for an hour of exercise. I've made this mistake as well. That is, I've allowed myself some extra treats because, as I tell myself in the moment, I exercised especially hard earlier in the day. 

Exercise is wonderful for our bodies in many ways. But the truth is that even an hour of doubles' tennis doesn't burn that many calories, and if I indulge in treats, I'll sabotage my weight loss efforts.

Although it isn’t an exact science, the Mayo Clinic has fairly good estimates, and you may be surprised at how much exercise it takes to burn off even one donut. For example, given my weight and walking speed, I’d need to walk at least an hour to burn off a plain donut. A sugared-donut would be even more!

I'm sharing this fitness tip so you won't make this common mistake.

Photo courtesy of Rodrigo Roveri

Location: www.sxc.hu

Week 4: Dr. Kelly Traver’s Life-Changing 12-Week Program

This is the fourth week of a 12-week program where we will adapt the principles outlined in Dr. Kelly Traver’s life-changing book, “The Program.” Those of you who are learning about this program are welcome to join. As a participant in this 12-week program, you will be expected to contribute as follows:

1. Show up and comment weekly.
2. Undertake the weekly exercises and report on your efforts. 
3. Playfully and enthusiastically encourage others who comment.

This week’s chapter on maximizing energy is jam-packed with practical strategies. Here are the highlights of week 4:

Maximizing Energy Is Every Body’s Business

According to Dr. Traver, fatigue is a chronic problem for many individuals, and an underlying condition, such as diabetes, anemia or an infection, could be the cause. But if tests show no medical cause, Dr. Traver suggests we answer five questions to identify the source of our fatigue:

1. Are we trying to do too much?
2. Are we eating right?
3. Are we getting enough sleep?
4. Are we feeling depressed, stressed or anxious?
5. Are we suffering from chronic inflammation?

Dr. Traver suggests specific strategies for maximizing energy: cut back on commitments, exercise daily, keep your weight in the normal range, eat healthful foods that fight inflammation, get adequate rest and pay attention to your own daily natural biorhythms.

Dr. Traver also provides a list of 20 proven weight-loss strategies (pages 128-132) that range from eating breakfast to practicing portion control and gives suggestions on how to modify recipes to shave calories. And she encourages readers to build muscle and core strength to boost metabolism.

Here are this week’s homework assignments:

Exercise 1: Pick One or Two Weight-Loss Strategies to Try

Review the 20 weight-loss strategies that Dr. Traver recommends. You may already be practicing some of the strategies, so pick one or two new ones that you are willing to experiment with. During the week, practice these strategies and see if you can make them work for you. Once the practices become habitual, add others to your list.

Exercise 2: Take Some Time for Self-Reflection

According to Dr. Traver, each of us possesses a believing brain. Our believing brain listens to the stories we tell ourselves and turns them into reality. As Henry Ford said, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”

What stories do you tell yourself? Are they negative stories? Do you view yourself as undisciplined? Then notice areas of your life where you exercise discipline so you can begin to alter the story you tell yourself into a more positive one. Do you view yourself as clumsy and lacking in athletic skills? Then notice the motor skills you have mastered, whether they involve something as simple as folding laundry or as complex as dancing.

When you change the stories you tell yourself about yourself, your believing brain will begin to change your behavior. So your exercise this week is to notice a negative story you tell yourself and replace it with a positive one.

Exercise 3: Do Your Homework and Show Up

Review last week’s goals and decide on this week’s short-term goals. Leave a comment with your long-term and short-term goals in response to this blog post.

I look forward to reading this week’s comments from readers who are participating in this 12-week program.