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The Heart of Health
Article Directory
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Stop Wasting Money -
Take Control of Your Health
| 23 Aug 2008 |
Eating Breakfast Equals Weight Loss
Don’t have time to eat breakfast? Don’t feel hungry in the morning? You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again – breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There’s just no way around it. Maybe it’ll be easier to make breakfast a priority if you understand the physical reasons why it’s so important.
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| 9 Aug 2008 |
Boost Physical Activity - Part 1
You want to be more physically active, but how do you find the time? And just how much activity do you have to do?
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| 26 Jul 2008 |
Omega 3’s – How much to lower cholesterol?
Are you using omega 3 fatty acids to lower cholesterol? Do you know how much you need to be effective? Read on and I’ll tell you.
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| 5 Jul 2008 |
Dietay Fiber - Use Fiber to Lose Weight and Lower Cholesterol
Do you know how dietary fiber can lower cholesterol? I give you 4 tips on how to use dietary fiber to work for you, so you can be heart healthy and lose weight!
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| 28 Jun 2008 |
Lower Cholesterol - Top 5 Omega 3 Sources to Lower Cholesterol
Are you struggling to lower cholesterol? Use omega 3 fatty acids to help win the battle. Here are the top 5 sources you can choose from.
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| 14 Jun 2008 |
Blood Pressure -- 9 Steps to Rein in Skyrocketing Numbers
Are you struggling with high blood pressure? Fortunately, you don’t always need medications to lower your blood pressure. Here are 9 steps you can take towards blood pressure control and avoid or reduce your need for medication.
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| 31 May 2008 |
Lower Cholesterol -- Get a Grip on Fatty Acids
Do you know how to make the right fats work for you? Get ready to clear up the confusion on how to use omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids for your heart health.
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| 17 May 2008 |
Lose 9 Pounds Every 11 Days?
Have you ever been sucked in by a headline screaming - "LOSE 9 POUNDS EVERY 11 DAYS!"? Losing weight is not easy, so when you see a headline like this you want to believe it can be done. Let me give you some tips on how to spot the real deal . . .or a scam.
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| 3 May 2008 |
Corn - The root of all evil?
I recently listened to an interesting conversation related to corn. It was more a debate on corns' status as a vegetable, lack of nutritional value, and link to health problems (specifically diabetes and obesity). It was proposed that corn should be banned from production. The debate went on to suggest a comparison between corn and tobacco production and their similar impact on our society. Now, I am hoping some of this was argument just for arguments sake. What did this little yellow kernel ever do? I am stepping up in its' defense.
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| 27 Mar 2008 |
Soda - The Triple Threat
Soda affects tooth decay, tooth discoloration, and for those that do not choose diet, weight gain.
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| 14 Mar 2008 |
The Butter versus Margarine Debate
Do you know which is the better choice - margarine or butter? I'll shed some light on the better choice.
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| 29 Feb 2008 |
Nutrition Inventory - Are you on the right path?
Did you know that every March since the 1970’s we have been celebrating National Nutrition Month? Every March provides you an opportunity to take an annual inventory of your nutrition habits. Are you “fueling” your body the way you want to ensure weight loss and heart health?
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| 12 Feb 2008 |
Flaxseed - Whole Seed vs. Ground
Are you getting all the benefits you can from your flaxseed? Read on to get the most from your supplement.
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| 20 Nov 2007 |
Magnesium - Critical Player in Your Health
Magnesium is not a mineral that tops discussions very often; however, magnesium is critical to over 300 bodily functions. Magnesium maintains normal muscle and nerve function, helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure and heart rhythm, maintains bone strength, and supports a healthy immune system. Read on to learn about magnesium's role in your health and how much magnesium you should be receiving daily.
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| 17 Oct 2007 |
Boost Weight Loss and Physical Activity with Twist on Daily Routine
Is being more active a constant struggle for you? How can you find the time? Just how much activity do you have to do? Here are some simple tips to boost your fitness and weight loss when at home, work, traveling, running errands, and caring for children.
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Special Report - Article Excerpt
Stop Wasting Money - Take Control of Your Health
Ensure your success with lowering
cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure,
and weight loss by knowing how to achieve change.
Did you come across a treadmill for a great discount price and decide – I need to exercise more; I’m not going to find a better price, why not? So, you now have this piece of equipment in a corner of your living room or bedroom collecting dust or acting as an expensive clothes rack.
Why is it that your good intentions led no where? Sure, that first week or two you hopped on several times, but then your progress came to a screeching halt. Well, you may not have had everything in place to be successful. You need to make sure all your “ducks are in a row” to ensure your success. If you jump from Contemplation into Action, you are skipping the critical Preparation phase. Huh? You will begin to understand what I mean as you read on.
For the purpose of this article, I will focus on the critical action step. The goal I use is increasing physical activity. You can use the Stages of Change model to work on any area you are trying to change, such as eating habits to lose weight, lowering cholesterol levels, and/or controlling high blood pressure.
The Stages of Change model was first developed by psychologists James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente in the late 1970’s. They focused on changing addictive behaviors, specifically smoking. The Stages of Change model identifies the phases we go through when we change our habits. The five stages are called – 1. Pre-contemplation, 2. Contemplation, 3. Preparation, 4. Action and 5. Maintenance. Tailoring your actions based on the stage you are in will propel you forward.
No need to waste time dwelling on the science behind the method. Just know it has been proven a useful tool. Now, let’s dive into how you can use it to your benefit.
Action
In this stage, you are performing the behavior regularly, but for less than 6 months. This means you have established a plan of action and have implemented that plan. You are actively modifying your behaviors, experiences, and environment to overcome obstacles and achieve success. The action phase is the most difficult and requires a considerable commitment of time and energy. Change does not happen overnight. It will take persistence for a new behavior to become an established habit.
The following four strategies are used to move through this stage of change:
Counter-conditioning
Substitute alternate positive behaviors for the negative behavior. It can take up to 30 days for a new behavior to become a habit. Be aware of this and put safety guards in place. Stick with your action plan and continue to replace old sedentary behaviors with new physically active ones. You may feel some loss. You actually miss your old behaviors. These behaviors are like old friends you felt comfortable with and change moves you out of your comfort zone. Review your reasons for wanting to be physically active and the long-term benefits you will gain if you stick with your plan.
Reinforcement Management
Change the events that determine or sustain the problem behavior. Reward yourself for achieving your goals, such as a new outfit, book, or running shoes. Recognize your progress and reward yourself. This will provide you with an incentive to stick with your new plan.
Helping Relationships
Turn to your support system. Don’t get overconfident and think you do not need family and friends behind you. Keep them in the loop with the progress you’ve made and identify new ways they can help you move towards your goals. Now is a time to consider signing a “contract” with yourself to reinforce your commitment to change. Have your family and friends be witnesses!
Stimulus Control
Be aware of triggers for reverting to your old habits. What safety mechanisms can you put in place to negate these triggers? Start replacing old behavior triggers with something positive. For example, place your goals where you will see them daily – like the refrigerator. Keep gym shoes by the front door. Create reminders at work, such as tennis shoes under your desk for a lunch time walk. Always be on the lookout for stumbling blocks and be prepared to brainstorm ways to overcome the hurdles.
You are doing great! Maintenance is just around the corner.
Bottom Line:
During the action phase, you make your goals a reality. Now is not a time to get cocky. Hurdles will frequently pop up and you need to be ready with strategies to overcome them. You will have some bad weeks. Step back, evaluate what is keeping you from regular activity, and figure out a solution. It may take some trial and error before you find the right solution for you. Now about that treadmill – you have it and it is dust-free!
Tackling change is hard and determining exactly what steps you need to take can be confusing. By recognizing that change has identifiable steps and strategies, you can use this knowledge to move forward and achieve your goals!
© 2008 eNutritionServices, All Rights Reserved.
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©2007-2008 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
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