Atkins eat right not less with Colette Heimowitz

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In Atkins Eat Right Not Less, Colette Heimowitz brings us a new view of Atkins. Being familiar with the low carb high fat (LCHF) way of eating, I thought I knew what Atkins was all about.  I was not fully on board with Atkins because of their view on protein.  But Colette presents a much better balance of macros in the plans she presents.

Atkins plans

The book presents three different plans (20, 40, and 100).  Each of these levels is based on the net carbs allowed,  Reducing the carbs requires you to up your fat consumption and have a moderate amount of protein.  The plans do not require calorie counting, which is a sticking point for many people trying to lose weight.

Why vegetables matter

Atkins focuses on net carbs.  This allows you to eat plenty of vegetables.  In fact, Colette really pushes vegetables as a requirement of the plans.

The program focused on foundation vegetables, which are low glycemic and high in fiber.  White potatoes have the same sugar effect as a candy bar.  High glycemic vegetables give you the same blood sugar surge.  Including foundation vegetables with your meals allows you to get the nutrition you need and feel full.

Smart shopping strategies

The grocery store is a carb pushing machine.  Being smart about how you shop can save your weight loss journey.  Colette shared a few of her strategies for smart shopping:

• Don't go hungry
• Have a plan
• Go on days when you'll be able to prepare your meals
• Shop the periphery of the store

Allan also recommends that you use your local farmers' market and don't be afraid to ask the manager of your grocery store to carry higher quality foods.

The recipes

There are many excellent recipes in the book that you'll enjoy as you follow the Akins Diet.

Find Collette

You can learn more about the Atkins Diet and Colette at Atkins.com and you can get Atkins Eat Right Not Less.

Another episode you may enjoy

https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com/300

Wellness Roadmap Part 5

This is part 5 of a 5-part Wellness Roadmap series.  You can find part 1 here.

What happens when you reach your health and fitness destination? Consider the acronym, CARG0:

Celebration – Take the time to look back at where you were and how far you have come. Celebrate your success and consider rewarding yourself.

Adjusting to your new normal – You’re looking and feeling healthier and people may make comments, both positive and potentially negative. Accept the new you.

Reset your GPS – You’ve achieved your initial vision. Don’t let that be the end. Shift your attention to what you’d like to achieve going forward and set your new vision (GPS).

GO – Take action and continue working to maintain and improve your health and fitness.

The end of one journey is the beginning of another. Health and fitness is no different. When you reach a goal, use CARGO to keep you looking toward what is on the horizon.

Wellness Roadmap Part 4

This is part 4 of a 5-part series.  You can find part one here.

On the last episode, we discussed the first three aspects of STREETS, or how to reach your health and fitness destination. Now we’ll discuss the final four: energy, education, time, and stress management.

Energy – This includes both hydration and nutrition. Many people do not drink enough water on a daily basis. Figure out what makes the most sense for you in terms of drinking water and keep at it. In terms of nutrition, most experts agree that the quality of the food you eat is important. Generally, avoid processed foods, certain oils, and high fructose corn syrup. Find an eating plan that works for you.

Education – Use information to make an informed decision for your own health. Recognize that you might need to experiment to see what works for you.

Time – Use the 3Ps: patience, persistence, and progression. It will take some time to achieve your vision. Stay persistent and stick with your plan. Push yourself and progress if you want to continue improving. Your body wants to find a balance point and you may experience a plateau as a result. This is normal. Consider altering your strategy or applying the patience, persistence, and progression principles.

Stress Management – Recognize that stress is a part of life. Let go of the things you cannot control. Don’t allow stress to derail your progress.

Think through these aspects of STREETS and align them to your vision to set yourself on the pathway to health and fitness success.

Part 5

Wellness Roadmap Part 3

This is part three of a five-part series. You can find Part 1 here.

Now that your GPS has been set, it’s time to take it to the STREETS and determine exactly how you’re going to reach your destination. We’ll discuss the first three aspects: strategies, training, and rest.

Strategies – Set strategies that align with your vision. Along the way, you may need to make adjustments and adopt new strategies. Determine how you will use accountability to personalize your strategies. Consider enlisting the help of a personal trainer. Evaluate your habits and eliminate those that are not serving you.

Training – Choose the modalities that make the most sense for you based on your overall vision. If you want to maintain and build strength and improve mobility, endurance, balance and agility, training is the answer. Though you can lose weight without exercising, you may not lose it as quickly as you’d like or you may not have the final look you are seeking.

Rest – This includes recovering from workouts and sleep. Remember that rest is equally as important as the work. Resting also helps you to avoid injury.

On the next episode, we’ll finish up with the last four aspects of STREETS: energy, education, time, and stress management.

Part 4

Wellness Roadmap Part 2

This is part two of a five-part series you can find part 1 here.

With a GPS, you enter your destination and the GPS charts the path to your destination. For the Wellness Roadmap, we will do the same in three steps: Grounding, Personalizing, and Self-awareness.

Grounding – You must understand what you want to achieve. This involves making a firm commitment to your goal. What’s your vision? What’s your emotional why that ties you to this vision? Is it big enough to drive you past any obstacle that comes your way? It is the foundation of where you want to go and why you want to go there. Keep this in mind throughout your journey.

Personalizing – Identify your unique baselines and understand what they mean relative to your vision. Set milestones and SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely) goals. Know where you are and establish these little segments to give you success along the way.

Self-awareness – This includes physical self-awareness and understanding your limitations. Mental self-awareness is also critical, especially when it comes to accountability. It’s important to have a friend or personal trainer to help keep you moving toward your destination. If you need help with this, check out group training at https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com/training/.

Once you set your GPS, you have a foundation for why you’re doing what you’re going to do. This is the cornerstone of your health and fitness success.

Part 3

Wellness Roadmap Part 1

Throughout the next four episodes, we’ll be talking about the Wellness Roadmap, a concept that will provide a pathway to get you where you want to go on your health and fitness journey.

I'm sure you remember using a paper map, charting your path to reach your destination. The Wellness Roadmap is no different. You can use this technique to prepare for your next health and fitness trip.

In Episode 296, we’ll “set your GPS”. This means establishing your destination or what you’re trying to achieve. In Episodes 297 and 298, we’ll examine the “STREETS,” and determine what avenues you need to take to make sure you arrive at your health and fitness final destination. And finally, in Episode 299, we’ll discuss what happens once you reach your destination or goal.

Use this Wellness Roadmap to put together a plan for 2018 that guarantees your success! Let’s get started!

Part 2

Eating healthy on the road

It is that time of year when we get on the road to spend the holidays with family and friends.  Travel is a time of disruption and that makes remaining on a diet that much harder.  On this episode, I'm going to share some strategies to help you stay on track.

Driving vs flying

How you're getting to your destination can have a big effect on how you go about things. Are you driving or flying. When driving, you're going to have more flexibility on food choices. That can be a good thing if you take the time to plan ahead. You don't want to get into a situation where you're dependent on foods you find on the road. Convenience stores and fast food restaurants dominate the exits along the way and can be a huge temptation.

Take time to plan the route and pack food for the journey. I'll go into the what and how later, but for now, consider how long the drive will be and what meals you're going to want to have.

If you don't want to bring all the food you'll need, you should do some research. Are there healthy restaurants along your way? Know where they are so you can stop there rather than ending up at a fast food place. This will take some time, but it is a great way to make the journey a more enjoyable part of the trip.

When flying, you obviously won't be able to carry as much food. But the upside is that the trip will be much shorter. More and more airports are beginning to offer more healthy restaurants. A little time researching ahead of time will help you make the most of your choices during a layover.

Flexibility of location

Are you going to stay with family or in a hotel?

If you're staying with family, a quick stop at a grocery store might work well. Have a list of staples for your diet and pick them up on your way there. Offer to cook some of the meals so you know what is in the food you're eating.

Staying in a hotel? Do some research into the room amenities to see whether they have a refrigerator and/or kitchenette. This will let you cook many of your meals right there in your room saving you some money and helping you stay on track.

The food

I am a bit obsessed with my food packing. I have several lunchbox sized coolers that I can use to carry food with me. I can pop in a cooler pack and it will keep for hours. I'll also put in some of the food that frozen like bone broth and that will keep things cold for even longer.

Rather than go through all of it, I am going to share a video I did showing how I pack for a day (of work or travel).