7 Tips to Prevent Stress and Maintain Your Waistline this Holiday Season

Justine SanFilippo

by Justine SanFilippo, MS, CHC

The holidays can be stressful… but they shouldn’t be!  Dealing with crazy traffic, last-minute gift shopping with it seems like millions of people, juggling holiday parties, traveling, dealing with long lines at the airport, seeing family members we haven’t seen in forever…. The list goes on and on.

There are a few reasons why we should avoid stress or greatly reduce it.  Not only is it not good for our health, but it’s not good for our waistline.

When a person feels “stressed,” the fight-or-flight response kicks in.  This response came from when we had to hunt and gather our food.  So, if we were running from a tiger, we would survive.  This means that the body releases adrenaline and cortisol.  If a person is constantly stressed, then there is constantly extra cortisol, which can lead to belly fat.

Stress can also cause headaches, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety.  It can lead to respiratory issues like asthma, cardiovascular issues like elevated cholesterol and the narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.  Stress can cause reproductive issues, digestive issues, and can lower the immune system.

Since the holidays are supposed to be a time of fun, family and celebration, let’s leave the stress behind, shall we?  Here are some tips to reduce stress and enjoy the holidays more this season:

1)     Plan Ahead – Nobody likes doing things last-minute, which causes unnecessary stress.  Start planning now so you don’t have to do so much later.

2)     Ask for help – Delegating is a great stress-reducer.  Ask your friends or family members to help you with some tasks.  You don’t have to be Super-Mom or Super Dad, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how eager they are to help.

3)     Shop During the Week – Most people will shop on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, so aim to get your shopping done during the week.

4)     Exercise – We all know that exercise can help reduce stress, but if you’re in a tense situation or a family member is driving you crazy, exercise is probably the last thing on your mind.  Be sure to get in your daily exercise, especially if you’ll be in a normally stressful situation later.  Those endorphins will help!

5)     Stick to a Budget – The holidays are no reason to break the bank.  Stick to a budget or even plan a “Secret Santa” in which everyone draws a name and just gets one gift.  The holidays aren’t about who gets what – it’s about being grateful and spending quality time with the people you care most about.

6)     Learn to Say No – It’s okay if you can’t attend every function or party you are invited to.  If they are truly your friends, they will understand.  Putting yourself and your needs first will reduce stress.

7)     Remember the Reason for the Season - The purpose of the holiday season is to have fun, relax, and spend time with family and friends – not stress out.

Justine SanFilippo is a certified health coach, nutritionist, and author of the book Lose Your Inches Without Losing Your Mind!  To purchase the book and for more free resources to lose your inches, check out her website at www.happyhealthypeople.com

Follow these steps to lose weight

I have lost 45 pounds since February 24 using Unicity's Balance and following some simple guidelines. Here they are:

1. Follow a 4-4-12 schedule. I drink a protein drink for breakfast and then 4 hours later have

   

   UNICITY Balance

   Balance and eat lunch. I wait another four hours and drink Balance before eating dinner. Then I fast 12 hours before eating breakfast again.  Research suggests we should eat within an 8-hour window; and never at night.
2. Don't snack between meals. Balance regulates your glucose and insulin so that you have no spikes and go into fat burning mode an hour after eating.
3. Eat a low glycemic index diet.  See Dr. Ray Strand's writings on the topic. Great recipes can be found in the many low GI cookbooks.  I also recommend eliminating processed sugar and flour from your diet entirely. 
4. Drink lots of water. I drink water instead of snacking.  Unicity has an energy drink called Macha that can be stirred into water.
5. Watch serving sizes. While Balance will give you a full and satisfied feeling, you should learn to measure your serving sizes and not go back for seconds. A plate might be 1/3 protein, 2/3 fruit and vegetables. 
6. Eat good fats and cook with olive oil, grape oil, coconut oil, etc. Eat raw nuts rather than salted nuts and limit the amount of nuts you eat daily.  They are a great source of good fat but add calories quickly. 
7. Plan your meals, including one meal a week where you will indulge your food fantasies.  This would be a good meal to eat out at a favorite restaurant. My wife and I always share restaurant meals and begin with Balance. Never take home leftovers. 
8. Exercise daily for 30 minutes.  Unicityvideos on YouTube has a number of exercise suggestions. 

If you have questions or suggestions, comment below. Eating healthy requires a lifestyle change; it's not a fad diet.

Unicity 90-day challenge

Monday, Feb. 24-My friend, Andre, invited me to a day long introduction to Unicity products at their headquarters in Orem, Utah.  Andre has lost 37 pounds in 30 days using Unicity products.  In addition to learning about the 90-day challenge, I had an opportunity to taste Balance, a fiber based drink that keeps glucose levels in balance with insulin and encourages fat burning.  Andre has had a coach from Unicity who helps keep him on track to reaching his goals. 

Wednesday, Feb. 26-I ordered a basic kit from Unicity that also includes coaching.  Added cleanse. 

Monday, March 3-Jay, my Unicity coach, called to introduce himself. 

Wednesday, March 5-Received my Unicity products.  The predicts were sent from Nevada. I had expected them to get to me earlier but found out that UPS couldn't find my address in my zip code. The postal service wouldn't have had that problem.

Thursday, March 6-First full day taking Unicity.  I took Balance then mixed LiFiber and Complete for breakfast. I found out later from my coach that I didn't need to double up on fiber so should only take the LiFiber and Complete for breakfast.  I had Balance and then a half hour later ate a large salad for lunch. Then had Balance and a Complete protein drink for dinner. 

Friday, March 7-I flew to Missouri today. I drank my protein drink and fiber before getting on the plane at 8:05 am. Then I drank Balance and my second protein drink after arriving at the Kansas City airport while waiting for my wife to pick me up.  She picked me up at 5 pm and we got on the road to travel to Dallas to visit with our daughter and her family. We waited until we got on the toll highway in Kansas before having balance and then stopping to eat a sandwich, a salad, and raw vegetables. Arrived In Dallas about 2 am.  

Sunday, March 16-I got up at 9 am and my vitamins.  Then showered and drank protein drink and fiber before going to church meetings.  During church I drank Matcha focus to keep me awake and focused. After church friends invited us for Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage with new potatoes and asparagus. Fifteen minutes before dinner I drank Balance.  Rather than having seconds I felt satisfied and while I ate a hardy meal it was not too much.  Without Balance I would have had two helpings and left feeling uncomfortable. I avoided eating bread and said no to ice cream. In the afternoon I explained my 90-day challenge and shared some Matcha with our friends.  About 7 p.m. I had Balance and then a half an hour later drank a protein drink and took my vitamins.  Went to bed after watching tv at 10 pm. My weight going to bed was 209.5 lbs. 

6 secrets to weight loss

Created for Courthouse Clinics by Elena Manighetti

Eat This, Not That! 5 Healthier Alternatives To Valentine's Day Food Favorites

By Dr. Larry Deutsch and Dr. Jeff Schweitzer

1. Instead of: A box of chocolates
 Try: An edible fruit arrangement
 Here's why: Still a thoughtful gift for your loved one, most fruits are low in calories per gram because they have high water and fiber content. Chocolate is empty nutrition, a high energy density food, meaning the calories are more densely packed into the sweet than a piece of fruit.

 2. Instead of: Chocolate covered strawberries
 Try: Strawberries with light whipped cream
 Here's why: When you're eating whipped cream, most of what you are eating is air. One or two tablespoons of light whipped cream typically has less than 30 calories and little to no fat. A little dollop on strawberries is a delicious alternative to dipping them in high-calorie, high-fat chocolate.

 3. Instead of: Eating out at a restaurant
 Try: Cooking dinner at home
 Here's why: At home you can control your portion sizes and what goes into your meals. At a restaurant, most people have more difficulty avoiding high-caloric food and giant sized portions.

 4. Instead of: A cocktail
 Try: Red wine
 Here's why: Although alcohol itself doesn't contain fat, it is loaded with calories. And when you add in mixers, juice, sugar, and other ingredients, the calories can really add up. A glass of red wine, in moderation, is lower in calories and has been shown to increase levels of "good" cholesterol and protect against artery damage.

 5. Instead of: cookies or cupcakes for the little valentine in your life
 Try: a lower energy version of their favorite treat or simply reduce portion size by ten percent
Here's why: Putting your little one on the road to healthy eating can never start too early. Indulging them in a sweet every now and then is ok, but consider substituting in healthier ingredients. Instead of oil, substitute for applesauce, instead of whole eggs, consider using egg beaters. Their treat will still be just as delicious but a little healthier and that is the best gift you can give them this Valentine's Day!

Bottom line, follow these four simple rules:  eat less, choose well, be active and restructure your relationship. You will enjoy Valentines Day without adding unwanted pounds!

DR. LARRY DEUTSCH is a family physician and hypnotherapist with over 35 years of experience. A leader in the area of hypnosis in medicine, Dr. Deutsch is a frequent speaker on the role of hypnotherapy in health and medical seminars throughout the world. For more information, please visit http://www.drlarry.com/.

DR. JEFF SCHWEITZER is a biologist, consultant and internationally recognized authority in ethics, conservation and development. He served at the White House during the Clinton Administration as Assistant Director for International Affairs in the Office of Science and Technology. For more information, please visit http://www.jeffschweitzer.com/.

They are the authors of Calorie Wars: Fat, Fact and Fiction.

Nature’s Nurse: The Secret Power of Sleep

By – Dr.Wayne Scott Andersen

In today’s time-starved world, a good night’s sleep can seem like a frill. It’s not. In fact, sleep is one of the most critical—and most overlooked—components of health and well-being.  You’ve probably spent enough sleepless nights to know that lack of sleep can lead to irritability, mental fuzziness and decreased productivity. What you may not know is that chronic sleep deprivation is linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, inflammation, and now cancer.
In an alarming new study, researchers at Case Western found that people who averaged fewer than six hours of sleep a night were 50% more likely to develop colorectal adenomas, the precursors to colon cancer. That’s an increase in risk comparable to having a parent or sibling with colon cancer, or eating too much red meat.
Too little sleep, defined as less than seven hours a night, can cause anxiety, moodiness, depression and alcohol abuse. It can increase the inflammatory activators that raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, and disturb appetite regulation by causing your body to secrete less leptin, a hormone that tells you to stop eating.
So how can you get on track? Here are some tips I give my patients:

• Keep a sleep journal to help you identify which activities (watching television or drinking coffee or alcohol, for example) are interfering with your sleep.
• Set a bedtime and waking time to help regulate your body’s melatonin level. This is especially important as we age and our bodies produce less of this sleep-inducing substance.
• Develop a nightly ritual that includes dimming the lights, taking a hot bath or shower, and changing into comfortable pajamas that don’t overheat you.
• Make sure the television and computers are off a half hour before bed.
• Avoid caffeine after noon, don’t eat large meals within three hours of bedtime, and stay away from alcohol within 90 minutes of bedtime.
• Don’t alter your bedtime or waking time on the weekend. If you need more sleep on your days off, it means you’re not getting enough during the week.
• If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing, like reading or breathing exercises. But keep to your scheduled waking time.

Sleep is one of the most important gifts you can give yourself. When your body is restored and replenished, it can work the way nature intended it to, making you happier, healthier and better prepared to face whatever comes your way.
Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen is the author of Dr.A’s Habits of Health – The Path to Permanent Weight Control and Optimal Health. His website and blog can be viewed at http://www.drwayneandersen.com/.
Dr. Andersen has been seen recently on Fox and Friends, Good Morning America’s Health and ABC’s, Talk of the Town in DC discussing his approach which allows for individuality and long-term sustainability of personal target weights and health goals.  He is the co-founder of Take Shape for Life and Executive Director of the Health Institute, training and certification organization in the emerging field of health coaching. He also serves as a reviewer for Critical Care Medicine Journal in the area of nutrition. He has been a keynote speaker and presenter at medical and nutrition conferences across the United States and has been featured on numerous affiliate-based morning shows across the United States.