Tag Archives: weight loss

How to Instantly Feel Better in Your Bod

Posted on by
Reply

By: Mary Pat Baldauf

Whether you’re a few pounds heavier than you’d hoped or feeling less than svelte in a particular outfit, we all have those days that we hate the way we look. Mine came last night when I was trying on clothes at a local department store. Faced with the harsh lights of the dressing room and a very revealing three-way mirror, it seemed like every pair of jeans instantly turned me into the Goodyear blimp.

Up more than a few pounds from my recent personal best, I was particularly hard on myself. I actually made the following comments to my sister, who was shopping with me:

“Oh my gosh, I look worse than I did before I lost all of that weight.”
“I am huge!”
“I look horrible!”

Thankfully, my sister was quite supportive and reminded me that while I may have gained some weight from my recent low, I am still in a far better place that I was seventy-five to eighty pounds ago. She also told me that I was “looking a little gaunt” at that low weight, which I don’t agree with, but was nice to hear nonetheless.

For those days that you don’t have a supportive friend like Sister with you, I recommend that you read and bookmark LMSW Glenda Gleissner’s: ‘I Feel Fat’: How to Feel Instantly Better in Your Body. In this post, Gleissner features ten tools to boost your mood when you’re having body image issues. Last night, I made use of several of the tools Gleissner mentions:

Support: Gleissner says that connecting with others can actually help squash some of the perfectionism and criticism tied to body dissatisfaction. I’m thankful that Sister was with me last night to help put things into perspective.

Appreciate: I reminded myself that while my weight is up a little, my body has been on an incredible journey in the last two years. And as a result, I am stronger and healthier: my blood pressure is down and my endurance is up.

There are also a couple of tools Gleissner mentions that I need to use:

Stop Comparing: In the very dressing room I derided myself in, I also compared myself to both my sister and my thinner self. While making comparisons is easy to do, we are neither better than nor less than anyone on this earth, we are just us. I need to learn to celebrate that.

Have Compassion: Gleissner asserts that when we have a body image issue, we are often feeling bad about something else; beating up our body is simply a go-to negative coping mechanism. She recommends doing something nice for yourself instead of beating yourself up.

In closing, I’m curious what kind of body image issues you might have and how you deal with them. Anything in Gleissner’s post that you either use or will try to use? Thoughts on body image in general?

National Weight Control Registry Studies Successful Losers

Posted on by
Reply

 By: Mary Pat Baldauf

While doing some research for the blog and the Doctors Wellness Center (DWC), I was referred to the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), the largest prospective investigation of long-term successful weight loss maintenance.

Given the prevailing belief that few individuals succeed at long-term weight loss, the NWCR was developed to identify and investigate the characteristics of individuals who have succeeded at long-term weight loss. The NWCR is tracking more than 10,000 individuals who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off for long periods of time. The organization uses detailed questionnaires and annual follow-up surveys to examine the behavioral and psychological characteristics of weight maintainers, as well as the strategies they use to maintaining their weight losses.

You may find it interesting to know about the people who have enrolled in the registry thus far:

  1. 80% of persons in the registry are women and 20% are men.
  2. The “average” woman is 45 years of age and currently weighs 145 lbs, while the “average” man is 49 years of age and currently weighs 190 lbs.
  3. Registry members have lost an average of 66 lbs. and kept it off for 5.5 years. These averages, however, hide a lot of diversity:
    1. Weight losses have ranged from 30 to 300 lbs.
    2. Duration of successful weight loss has ranged from 1 year to 66 years.
    3. Some have lost the weight rapidly, while others have lost weight very slowly–over as many as 14 years.
    4. 45% of registry participants lost the weight on their own and the other 55% lost weight with the help of some type of program.
    5. 98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake to lose weight.
    6. 94% increased their physical activity. Walking was the most frequently reported form of activity.
    7. NWCR members keep the weight off through a variety of methods. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.
    • 78% eat breakfast every day.
    • 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
    • 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
    • 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.

National Weight Control Registry’s research has been featured in many national newspapers, magazines, and television broadcasts, including USA Today, Oprah magazine, The Washington Post, and Good Morning America.

Recruitment for the Registry is ongoing. The Registry seeks individuals 18 years of age or older who have maintained at least a 30 pound weight loss for one year or longer. Happily, I qualified, recently received the application, and just completed and returned it. As I start participating, I’ll let you know more about it! For now, look for information from their studies in coming weeks.

Celebrate Your Independence!

Posted on by
Reply

By: Ashley Andrews

This summer the Richland County Public Library (RCPL) is asking people to show how the library has helped them learn something new and gain more independence with their “Summer Photo Contest.”  People can submit a picture that depicts something they’ve learned using library resources.  And we’re happy to share that one of our very own Every Woman bloggers, Mary Pat Baldauf, has entered this contest by depicting her nearly 100 lb. weight loss!  Below is Mary Pat’s entry for the RCPL Summer Photo Contest:

In the last 18 months, I’ve lost nearly 100 lbs. with regular exercise and clean eating. While it was hard to give up processed and fast foods, I’ve found plenty of new, healthier favorites in cookbooks from the Richland County Public Library. There were times I spent an afternoon at the Cooper Branch looking at cookbooks and copying recipes. Two of my favorite cookbooks turned out to be “Martha Stewart’s Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients” and “Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight and Saving the Planet”. Thanks, my RCPL, for helping me transform my health!

The photo that receives the most “likes” by 5 p.m. this Saturday, July 14 wins a prize pack, with items donated by the Friends of RCPL.  To submit your vote for Every Woman blogger Mary Pat, please visit 
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150906486290064&set=a.10150895585405064.399378.15311140063&type=1&theater&notif_t=photo_comment.

From all of us here at Lexington Medical Center and the Every Woman blog – congratulations to Mary Pat on her nearly 100 lb. weightloss!

How to Turn 10 Steps Into 10,000!

Posted on by
Reply

By: Mary Pat Baldauf

Mary Pat Baldauf

It’s a widely accepted premise that to help achieve good health, we should strive to take 10,000 steps – equal to roughly five miles – a day.  If you walk 10,000 steps a day, you’ll burn between 2,000 – 3,500 extra calories per week, which can result in a better health profile and longer lifespan.

Five miles? If you’re like me, you already have more things on your to-do list than there are hours in a day; there’s no way you can and “walk five miles” to the list, much less cross it off as done. The good news?  It’s easier than you think, and with a few small changes, you’ll be up to 10,000 steps in no time.

Because you can’t achieve what you can’t measure, get started by determining your baseline step measurement.  Buy a pedometer and wear it every day for a week without making any changes in your activity level.  Put it on when you get up; wear it until bed time.  Record your daily steps, and by the end of the week, you’ll know your average daily steps.  Note:  Many people only average 1,000 – 3,000 steps a day. If you don’t get as many as you think, don’t worry – you’re just getting started!

Next, set the reasonable goal of increasing your daily steps each week by 500 until you reach 10,000.   If you currently average 3,000 steps each day, your goal for week one is 3,500 each day. Your week 2 goal is 4,000 each day. Continue to increase each week and you should be averaging 10,000 steps by the end of 14 weeks.

If you’re still trying to figure out when you’re going to walk five miles, don’t worry. There are lots of ways you can sneak steps into your day:

  1. Set a Timer: Whether you set your phone timer or set a time in your mind, make a point to get up from your desk and walk around the office on a regular basis. At the top of each hour, I get up from my desk, do a quick stretch and walk around for a few minutes. Sometimes I walk to the end of the building, other times just around my desk. It doesn’t matter as long as you’re getting extra steps.
  2. Capitalize on the Size of your Bladder:  Opt for the bathroom farthest away from your desk, even one that forces you to take the stairs to a different floor. The additional minutes spent walking might not seem like much, but they always add up over the course of the day. I not always choose the furthest bathroom, but also the furthest stall!
  3. Park It:  Whether you’re at the grocery store or church, don’t circle the parking lot for the closest space – take one further out. Besides getting extra steps, you’ll also save gas, time and stress.
  4. Don’t Multitask: Instead of working efficiently at tasks, work inefficiently. Fold your laundry in the living room, then put it up a few items or even just one at a time. At work, make several trips to the fax machine or copier instead of saving everything for one trip. Once I get all of the cold stuff out, I actually like to unload the groceries one bag at a time.
  5. Take the Stairs: It’s an oldie, but a goodie. Challenge yourself to take the stairs up and down instead of taking the elevator. On an escalator? Walk it. My favorite thing about taking the stairs? The reaction I get when I turn down the elevator or ask where the stairs are. Try it; you’ll see what I mean.
  6. Skip It: The drive-thru window, that is. Whether you’re at the bank, fast food restaurant or pharmacy, get out and walk inside. One drive-thru I’ve ditched? The one at the dry cleaner!
  7. Pace Yourself: Find opportunities to walk or pace when you would normally sit or stand. Pace behind your desk while you’re on a call at work. Traveling? Walk the terminal instead of reading the paper; there will be plenty of time to sit on the plane. I try to walk around the house when brushing my teeth.
  8. Shop ‘til You Drop: Whether you purchase veggies at the local farmer’s market or window shop on Main Street, shopping is always a fun way to get steps! I always walk up and down each aisle at the grocery store, whether I need anything on a particular aisle or not.
  9. Divide and Conquer: Don’t have an extra 30 minutes to walk? Try three 10-minute walks throughout the day. Even six five-minute walks will work!
  10. Think Outside of the Box: Challenge yourself to find a new and different ways to increase your steps. Remember, a few extra steps here and there can add up. Instead of sitting in the back of the movie theater, walk closer to the front. Don’t stop the car at the mailbox; park the car first, then walk to get the mail. Usually get the newspaper on your way out of the driveway? Walk up the driveway to get it before you get in the car.

Do you wear a pedometer? If so, how do you increase your steps? What is the biggest challenge of wearing a pedometer? If not, would you ever consider wearing one? What’s holding you back? 

Be Prepared: Not Just for Boy Scouts

Posted on by
Reply

By: Mary Pat Baldauf

“To be prepared is half the victory.” — Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Spanish writer

Mary Pat Baldauf

When asked the secret of my success for the healthy lifestyle change that resulted in a 90-something lb. weight loss, I’d have to say preparation, hands down. Don’t get me wrong.  It took a village to transform my life:

  • A nutrition counselor to educate me on healthy eating, challenge me to try new things and coach me through the rough spots.
  • Personal trainers who carefully guided my workouts, helped me to know my potential (and limitations), and kept me motivated to exercise at 5 a.m.
  • Friends, family and co-workers who cheered me on, encouraged me on rough days and tolerated my newly found soapbox.
  • My employer, the City of Columbia, who not only introduced me to the Doctors Wellness Center program, but also paid for the first 12-weeks and a follow up maintenance period.

But the thing that tied all of those things together? Planning and preparation.

Here are five tips that made a difference in my journey.  In one way or another, they all go back to being prepared.  Any of these tips could really be a post on their own, but for convenience, I’ll give you the “Readers Digest Condensed Version:”

  1. Make a Weekly Menu Plan and Cook Ahead for the Week: To eat healthy, you can’t fly by the seat of your pants. Unless you’re superwoman (or have a chef), you can’t cook every day either. On Friday, I look at the coming week, make notes of special challenges and plan several items I can prepare ahead of time. Over the weekend, I make several dishes, pack one-serving portions and pop them in the fridge and/or freezer.  Soup, chili and bean dishes work especially well.
  2. Do Prep Work Ahead of Time: Let’s face it; some things just don’t lend themselves to pre-cooking and freezing. For that, I do as much as I can ahead of time – that cuts out quite a bit of time in the kitchen. One of my favorite recipes is Glazed Tofu. On Sundays, I mix a large batch of the sauce, divide it into portions and freeze it. The night before I want to cook it, I drain the tofu and pull out a sauce from the freezer. When I get home the next day, it’s as easy as throwing it on the stove.
  3. Expect the Unexpected: Ever pack a healthy lunch and leave it on the counter?  Or get stuck at your desk when you’d planned on eating healthy at home?  Keep healthy, non-perishable food in the car, the office and in your purse.  Bring several lunches for the work ‘fridge at the beginning of the week.  Eat something healthy before going to special events. At first, it’s hard to hone those clairvoyant skills, but soon it becomes second-nature.
  4. Take Your Show on the Road: Traveling for work or pleasure? With a little planning and creativity, you can do as well on the road as you do at home. Look at your itinerary and plan accordingly.  If some meals are provided, check the menu and don’t be afraid to make special requests.  Use the Internet to research area markets and grocery stores, restaurant menus and hotel amenities.  Pack non-perishables like peanut butter and raisins, as well as non-breakable containers and a set of utensils.
  5. Schedule Activity: Make exercise a priority. Schedule time on your calendar for it, and don’t let anything keep you from it. My job often requires me to attend evening meetings and events, so the best time for me to exercise is in the morning. Most weekdays, I’m at the gym between 5 and 5:30 a.m., back home in the shower by 7 a.m.  I’m not a morning person by nature, but with a little preparation, it’s not so bad. Don’t do mornings?  You don’t have to; just find your best time and work through the challenges that might stand in your way.

What changes have you made to accommodate a healthier lifestyle? Do you have a particular challenge you’re facing when it comes to improving your health?  How have you (or could you) prepare to meet that challenge?

How Weight Loss Changed Me

Posted on by
2

By: Mary Pat Baldauf

“Are you dating anyone?”

That was the third question my internist, Dr. Brad Word, asked when I stopped by Columbia Medical Group for some blood work.

His nurse, Teresa, shot him a dirty look and said, “Why do you ask that just because she’s lost weight? She’s still the same person she was before she lost weight.”

In his defense, Dr. Word always asks me that question; it’s usually about the third one. He is a family doctor in every sense of the word, no pun intended, and when one of us see him, it’s like we all see him. He always asks about the family first; in this case, he asked how my mother and sister were doing. Dr. Word isn’t hitting on me, nor is he a nosy doc; the question and my resulting answer, he says, gives him a barometer my mood.

Back to his question, “Are you dating anyone?”

I laughed it off and gave one of my usual flip answers: “No, can you believe it?” or “Why? Do you have someone in mind?” But later that night, I recalled his nurse’s reaction and wondered if I was really the same person I was before I lost weight.

To quote Madonna, “No matter who you are, no matter what you did, no matter where you’ve come from, you can always change, become a better version of yourself.”  When I compare my self of today with my self from 85 lbs. ago, I’d say that I’m the same, but a little better.  Mary Pat 2.0, if you will.

My fundamental self, that person I am deep down, has stayed the same. I still root for the underdog, play Devil’s advocate and use humor to avoid familiarity. I procrastinate. I am competitive, obsessive-compulsive and rebellious. I don’t like the status quo, and heaven knows, I still have the same hips, just a little smaller.

On the flip side, since I’ve lost weight, I’m more direct and stand up for myself more. I am more confident. I take a few more risks. I’m more forgiving of my mistakes, not as hard on myself as before. While my sister would say that I still seek the spotlight, I’d say that I’m more comfortable staying behind the scenes and giving credit to others. On a superficial note, I’m smaller, and my clothes look better. And after years of short styles, I’m growing out my hair.

Not all of the changes have been positive. I find myself less tolerant of those with unhealthy lifestyles. Because I had such an unhealthy lifestyle for so long, I have a hard time understanding that one. I’m also less social because I have less free time and still haven’t figured out how to manage social events that revolve around food and drink.

As I move into the second year of this new lifestyle, the changes are evening out. I’m working on losing the last five pounds and building strength, but the physical changes are slowing down. The things that were first so challenging and disruptive at first – grocery shopping, cooking, working out – have become more comfortable routines. The overwhelming high of “finally losing the weight” is being replaced by the steady satisfaction of attaining wellness and enjoying the resulting benefits. Finally, I’m getting used to the person that I see in the mirror.

But am I dating anyone? Why? Do you have someone in mind?

How have you changed as a result of a lifestyle change? Was that change temporary or permanent? Were the changes welcome or disruptive? What advice can you give someone who goes through a significant lifestyle change?