A Positive Body Image

Body Image Exercises

• Remind yourself of all the things you are besides a body. "I am … caring, worthwhile, growing wiser,"etc.
• Stop thinking that a smaller size pair of pants, a flatter stomach, thinner thighs, etc. is the answer to all life's problems. Deal with and set goals about real issues in your life…maintaining good emotional and physical health, relationships, job.
• Make a list of things you are waiting to get thin to do (wearing a belt, eating at a special restaurant, buying clothes, visiting an old friend or family). Start doing things on the list now.
• Begin by doing two things per day that you would have done in the past if only you were thinner. It may be the same things that you repeat each day for a while, and then try riskier activities. Behave like a person that is comfortable with her body. Watch what happens to how you walk, interact and eat.
• Give up judgments about your body. If you find yourself critical of fat thighs, counter the thought with "the sky is blue" or "I have everything I need", a neutral thought to break emotional reaction to the negative one.
• Make friends with your body. You've tried wishing or hating body parts away. Try a tender massage.
• Get rid of all clothes that don't fit. Wearing tight clothes or ill fitting undergarments only emphasizes to yourself how "not right" your body is.
• Spend 5 minutes daily looking at your body in a mirror -- don't judge. Notice curves, length of arms, long waist, firmness etc.
• Compliment yourself.
• Find ways to "nourish yourself", reward yourself other than by eating.
• Don't forget to boost up others. Help other individuals to have realistic expectations of themselves and others. Encourage friends and family to take ownership of their accomplishments and talents. Encourage and affirm personally and socially responsible behavior.

~author unknown

"Only yourself can heal you, Only yourself can lead you" ~Sara Teasdale

Protein

The meat and bean group includes all foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts and seeds.

Foods from meat and beans group provide nutrients that are important to staying healthy, such as building muscle. These nutrients include protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

• Buy lean cuts of meat such as sirloin, tenderloin, and top round (cuts of meat that have "loin or round in the name)
• Buy frozen chicken and turkey breast
• Buy fat-free or low-fat sandwich meats (avoid meats high in fat, such as hot dogs and bologna)
• Choose dry beans or peas as a main dish or as part of a meal several times a week.
• Choose fish, nuts and seeds a couple of times a week in place of meat because they contain healthy oils that are good for us.
• Buy turkey bacon
• Buy turkey or chicken hamburger

Serving a meatless meal can also be a way to cut costs.

Fiber is the One!

Fiber

When looking at your labels fiber is included in the carbohydrate grams and percentage. Fiber helps to regulate your bowels; it makes you feel full, and reduces your risk of certain cancers.

Recommendations

1. Get 20-30 grams of fiber daily. Increase your fiber intake gradually as to prevent causing diarrhea, bloating, or gas.

2. Drink plenty of water to help fiber work its best!

3. Eat Berries.

4. Eat more dried bean and legumes.

5. Eat 100% whole wheat or whole-grain foods (bread and rice).

6. Eat the skin of fruits and veggies, most of the fiber lies within.

7. Eat dark leafy greens (romaine or spinach), instead of iceberg lettuce.

UNL-Extension Office

Be Carb Smart

Be Carb Smart

Eat Wholesome Carbohydrates

Fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, are healthy sources of carbohydrates. These can also be used to reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your digestion functioning.

Read your labels!

Make sure the grains you are eating are identified as "Whole" grains, such as whole wheat, brown rice, or whole oats. It's not enough to just be wheat bread!

Limit sugar in your foods

Sugars are a carbohydrate and a source of energy or calories. Sugars occur naturally in many foods such as milk, fruits, some vegetables, breads, cereals, and grains. Sugar can also be added to foods such as candy fruit drinks, and pop.

Try not to eat foods that have ADDED Sugar. This adds calories and helps to pack on the pounds, the more of it you eat i.e. POP!

What Appears on the labels:

Brown Sugar Confectioner sugar Fructose

Table Sugar Table Sugar Maltose Sucrose

High Fructose Corn Molasses Powdered Sugar

Glucose Fruit Juice Concentrate Honey

Stress Management

Have an Emergency Plan

Stress is a natural part of line. But what is not natural is allowing it to control you life!

Step 1:

Identify the stressor.

A coworker, your boss, an overbearing family member, travel or yearly event (death or anniversary)

Step 2:

Identify the how you feel with the stressor is present.

Outraged, Suspicious, Frustrated, Belittled, Anxious…

Step 3:

Identify what you do to feel better.

Eat sweets, Binge Eat, Take it out on others, Cry…..

Step 4:

Identify how you want to feel during the stressor.

Confident, Calm, Empowered, Determined……

Step 5:

Identify activities that make you feel the way you want to feel during the stressor (step 4)

A long walk, Exercise, Journal, Coloring, Talking to a friend, Deep Breathing, A long bath with music and candles, up lifting or soothing music……

Step 6:

Implement the healthy activities.

Find a safe route to walk. Take a daily walk.

Buy your favorite coloring book and crayons.

Inform your friend that you need them as your buddy. Put your friend on speed daily!

Tips:

Write these healthy activities down so you have a reference with you everywhere you go.

Start practicing your healthy habits today. It takes 21 days to make a habit. The sooner you start

the sooner it will become second nature. Also, it will make easier to utilized the healthy habit

once the stressor is present.

****Remember****

Others will not change. You only have control to change yourself! You have the ability to determine how you will react to the stress!

Spice up your life

Spice up your shakes!

Try a one of the week's recipes and let us know how you like it...

Thumbs up or Thumbs down

Need your morning coffee?

Iced Coffee

Ingredient

1 pkt. New Direction Vanilla or Chocolate Beverage

1 cup decaf coffe, brewed

Preparation Directions:

1. Mix New Direction® Beverage and decaf coffee in mixer cup.

2. Shake vigorously for 15/20 seconds or blend at lowest speed for 5 seconds in blender.

3. Serve over ice.

Nutrition Information

Additional Calories: 5

Additional Carbohydrate: 1 gram

ICED CARAMEL MOCHA

Ingredients:

1 cup cold coffee
2 tablespoons Chocolate Syrup
1 tablespoon caramel Da Vinci syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla Da Vince syrup
4 drops liquid Splenda, optional
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Ice

Preparation Directions:

Mix and pour into a tall glass over ice or put everything, including the ice, in a blender and puree until slushy.

Makes 1 serving

Nutrition Information:

193 Calories;

20g Fat;

2g Protein;

6g Carbohydrate;

2.5g Dietary Fiber;

3.5g Net Carbohydrates

Health Habits that will help you live your health lifestyle (part 2):

6. Plan for rough patches with strategies to help you from making unhealthy choices
-Call a friend, take a yoga class, take a walk, journal, read a book, take a long relaxing bath, etc. These strategies will help you the most through your life journey, especially in the first 6-12 months.

7. Take small steps to undo creep ups in weight or drop in activity
-Decrease your choices of unhealthy foods (sugary drinks and deserts) and watch your portion sizes…measure, measure, measure.

-Add healthier option such as, fruit and veggies.

-Increase you activity slowly. Start slow will decrease your risk injury.

8. Plan for eating out; if not a special occasion don’t indulge with what you eat and portion size
-Check out the menu ahead of time (via online or just call and ask the restaurant to fax you a copy). By looking at the menu before you get to the restaurant, you can see what healthy choices are available so you are not tempted when ordering.

-Most portion sizes are larger than the recommend amounts. Ask the waiter to check to see how much protein you will be served (fish, chicken, or meat). Also, ask the waiter to bring you a ‘To go’ box when your meal is served. Then measure out your portions into what you are going to eat now and what’s for lunch or dinner tomorrow.

9. Don’t wait to get a life until you reach all your health and fitness goals
-Make plans! Set a goal to take that big trip you always want to take to Europe. Research how you can take those dancing classes, and then make a plan. Then, DO IT!

-Make sure you set little goals of life pleasuring activities you would like to do while you are working towards you lifestyle goals.

10. Be consistent with eating; eat the same on weekends, holidays, etc.
-Your body needs consistent fuel and nutrients. You don’t stop living life on the weekends, so your healthy eating habits should not stop either.

-Holidays are one day out of the year; they should not ruin all your hard work. If you would like to treat yourself then have a plan.

-DO NOT save all your calories for one meal. Eat as normal, not skipping any meals. Skipping meals sends you body into starvation mode. Which cause your body to hold on to calories, eventually turning into FAT!

11. Know it will get easier to do the healthier thing, as time goes along
-Be patient with yourself! When you are having a bad day, be kind to yourself…get a pedicure, take a nap, read a relaxing book, or watch a funny movie.


Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. St. Francis of Assisi