The fall is officially here, and as the days get shorter and the TV lineup gets stronger, many of us will find ourselves “couch potato-ing” more than we’d like to. In the spirit of keeping us all on a healthy track, I thought I’d give you more mental ammunition to stay in action.
Here are the top 5 reasons why being a couch potato makes anyone more tired over the long run (and why you should stay as active as you can despite the pull of the couch!):
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I recently had an interesting conversation with a man who had just lost 30 pounds. Surprised to see him all thinned out and very curious about his strategy, I asked how he did it. In a very matter of fact tone, he said, “Simple. I stopped believing in all that small change nonsense. If all you take is small steps, all you’ll get is small results, and then you’ll get discouraged. To lose 30 pounds, you have to change your life in big ways.”
While his philosophy has merit, I’d like to differ for 2 main reasons.
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A growing body of research shows that our food, mood, and exercise habits are strongly influenced by the behavior of other people in our networks. I bet that our sleep habits are too, although as far as I know, there is little research on that subject. Our weight is thus strongly influenced by the habits of those around us. So we’re quite right to say we’re having an obesity epidemic: obesity indeed spreads from one person to the next, just as other diseases do. But what can we do about it?
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My friend Christa Smedile, RD, LDN had been telling me for a long time how much she loves her morning green smoothie. The idea seemed intriguing. I mean, starting your day with 2 servings of fruits and 1 serving of greens sounded very appealing to the health nut in me. But come on! A green smoothie? It just didn’t sound sexy.
After hearing a few testimonials from her clients, who raved about increased energy, nicer skin, reduced need for caffeine, and fewer cravings throughout the day, I just had to give it a try. I guess that’s one of the bitter-sweet things about being a health coach. I feel driven to try every plausible strategy to really know how it feels. Also keeping in the best possible shape is part of the job description. So I have a little extra motivation to do things that I might otherwise find excuses not to do. 
I am now totally hooked! If you’d like to learn how to seriously crave the been goodness, here’s how to get started.
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One of my coaching clients once asked me what I thought of using positive affirmations to lose weight. Will repeating “I am losing weight every day” to herself and posting “I love to eat healthy” on her fridge help her drop a jeans size? My answer? Yes, but mostly no.
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“How can I stop snacking in the afternoon?” That’s a question I get asked quite often. If you feel tired, a little sugar or caffeine may seem like an easy way to get that extra oomph you need. But let’s put it this way: with over 2/3 of the adult population being sleep deprived in the US (and if you are in Australia, Canada, France or England, my bet is that your stats are very similar), and with ever-increasing obesity rates everywhere, most of us would benefit more from fitting in a few extra Zzzzs per 24-hour cycle than we would eating a few extra calories.
Napping will not only help boost your energy, but it will also slow down your production of cortisol, the stress hormone that drives you to want more high-sugar, high-fat foods. So what may seem like an over-the-top indulgence may actually keep you away from needless decadence! Ready to give it a try? Here are some basic rules to get the most out of a nap.
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I promise. This 5-min video is worth your time. Do yourself a favor, and watch it. Then do your friends a favor, and share it. Seriously.
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In your future, you see holiday meals and potluck buffets. All that traditional, tempting holiday food! This year, you’ve resolved to eat reasonably, but when you face the delicious spread, you are afraid that your will-power will melt faster than the candles illuminating the table.
So what do you do? Here are 10 strategies for enjoying the holiday food in moderation.
Read moreIf you know me, you know that my thing is connecting sleep, food, mood and exercise. I love to discuss how these four groups of habits are connected and make each other easier. But improving one habit is already a challenge, never mind improving habits in 4 categories! Agreed, doing so can sound daunting and effortful (if you don’t know my full process, that is ;0), so today I’d like to share ways that will improve your health and simultaneously save your energy.
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For those of us living in the US, this Thursday will be Thanksgiving or National Turkey Day. According to the Department of Agriculture, 45 million turkeys will be cooked and eaten this week alone in the country. Assuming a conservative average of 15 pounds per turkey, I figure that there will be some leftovers from that 675 pounds of bird meat!
Here’s how to turn those leftovers into the healthiest and tastiest option: turn them into soup, starting by making your own homemade stock.
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Marie-Josée Shaar received her undergrad at McGill University in Organizational Behavior, followed by a Master of Applied Positive Psychology at University of Pennsylvania. She's certified as a Wellness Culture Coach, a Personal Trainer, and a Nutrition and Wellness Consultant. She has spent the last 13 years studying, testing, coaching and teaching smart health habits, both nationally and internationally.
