WOnder Health Techniques

Food Pillar - Portion Sizes

This portion size article is so important to me. This is the guide that has the hand measurements.

• fist is about the same size as 1 cup

•  thumb (tip to base) is the size of 1 ounce of meat or cheese.

• palm (minus fingers) equals 3 ounces of meat, fish, or poultry.

• cupped hand equals 1 to 3 ounces of nuts or pretzels.

Mindset Pillar - Talk to Myself Like a Friend 

(although really - more like I talk to my dog.  "Stop whining, you already had a treat.")

Here is what the article says:

Your close friend feels down because she ate more—a LOT more—than she planned. What would you say? And what tone would you use?

Example: “You’re being crazy hard on yourself. Slip ups are totally normal and you can get back on track tomorrow.”

People who treat themselves with kindness and compassion after overeating are more likely to keep moving forward.

Activity Pillar - Build Fitness In Every Day

I make it as easy as possible, I have a spin bike, a non-spin bike, walking shoes and socks by the door, and my office is set up with workout gear.  I am also liking resistance bands.

From the article:

• Choose activities that can be easily slotted into your day: Walk the kids to school or run errands on foot during your lunch hour.

• Create a weekly calendar of planned exercise and activities.

• Leave wiorkout gear by the door.

Sleep Pillar - Get Enough Qualtiy Sleep

From the article:

Poor sleep can cause metabolism to work less effectively, leaving more unexpended energy to be stored in the body as fat.

Poor sleep triggers the body to produce more insulin and stress hormone cortisol. Elevated levels of these hormones can prompt us to store more energy as fat, especially around the abdomen.

A 2013 study found that cravings for sugar, fat and starchy carbohydrates increase when people don’t get enough high-quality sleep.

Dr Foster added: “When you’re tired, you’re not on top of your game, you’re not performing at your best and your judgement is impaired. When it comes to making smart decisions for your health, being tired makes that harder too. When we’re tired, we lean towards the easy default, which often means choosing quick, unhealthy foods or deciding not to exercise.”