Hello friends -
Is it really May already? Life at the Food Bank moves so quickly! It's time to update you on these past few months. Unfortunately, I personally have not had much success on my quest to weight-loss. That's part of the reason you haven't heard from me because there wasn't much to say.
A New YOU Resolution:
I realized last night that it's been about 6 years since I've done something good for myself. I think many women, especially moms, put everyone else in their lives first without realizing how important it is to make time for yourself. Estella Hayes reminded me of that back in January when we started the Pound for Pound Challenge.
As part of a "Lose Big" program, I joined a gym and have started a Zumba class for the first time in my life. And I started on May 1st, not January 1st! Estella has told me on many ocassions that Zumba is one of her favorite classes because it's so much fun. My instructor is amazingly positive and encouraging! This is a good thing because I must admit 10 minutes into the hour-long class I thought to myself, "Did I really PAY to do this to myself?" and "What was I thinking?" :) However, it is SO much fun to dance and know that you're doing something good for yourself. If you need to move more and like to dance, I recommend Zumba!
Life + Stress = Weight Gain
I was doing some research on how Stress affects the success or demise of your weight loss efforts. None of this is rocket science, of course, nor is it to be used as an excuse but it helps me to focus on what will help me on my journey.
So why does stress prevent you from losing weight?
A stressful situation triggers a shot of adrenaline followed by a surge of cortisol, which signals your body to replenish the calories you used. Too much cortisol causes the metabolism to slow down. This can explain weight gain even when you're not eating more than usual.
- A brief update on my life...my husband has been out of work for about a year, we have a five and a half year old, and I work full-time at NIFB. Being employed is a blessing!
- Surviving one day at a time is how I can describe the past year. This, of course, makes focusing time on ME incredibly difficult but when I think about Jerry and Estella Hayes and their journey to health and wellness, I am inspired to continue to make time for myself. None of us can be good for our families and friends if we don't realize the importance of taking care of ourselves.
"The production of cortisol interferes with the production of testosterone, the hormone responsible for building and maintaining muscle mass. A decrease in muscle mass leads to a slower metabolism, since a pound of muscle requires more energy to maintain than a pound of body fat. The good news is that exercise combats stress. Exercise gets the blood flowing, which helps flush the cortisol from your body. Studies have shown that walking just under 20 minutes, three times a week can lower cortisol levels by 13 percent."
Now doesn't a lunchtime walk sound appealing? We have a small group of ladies at work that do just this every chance they get. Of course, the sun MUST be shining to do this. But in a warehouse, you can finds an alternative if you really want to walk!
Be encouraged...do something good for yourself every day!
Shannon Thompson
Promotions Manager, NIFB
Some Tips from Jillian Michaels:
Balance Your Life
"Eating right and exercising are the key to losing weight, but if your life isn't in order, you'll have a much more difficult time pulling off those two keys. Not getting enough sleep can affect weight loss, as can stress. If weight loss is a priority, make it a priority by getting rid of external stresses and things that keep you from getting to the gym, such as laziness, friends who encourage you to go out instead of going to the gym, and even a job that doesn't give you enough time to get to the gym. Losing weight is...about changing your life, and that means making real changes."
Pay Attention to What You Eat
"Even the foods you think may be healthy aren't giving your body the best chance to lose weight, such as processed food and refined carbohydrates. Read the food labels of the items you buy in the grocery store. Focus on buying whole-wheat carbohydrates. White breads and pastas have been stripped of the essential nutrients your body needs such as vitamins, minerals and especially fiber. One of the keys to losing weight is knowing exactly what you're eating and how much of it (calories) you are eating. Knowing how many calories you eat and work off every day will help you know how much weight you can expect to lose."
About Zumba
Zumba is a dance fitness program created by dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez in Colombia during the 1990s. The program combines Latin and international music with dance in an effort to make exercise fun. It fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. Zumba classes are offered through licensed instructors in more than 50,000 fitness center locations in over 75 countries.
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