Total Body Diet For Dummies

Chapter 2

What Is the Total Body Diet?

In This Chapter

Grasping the core principles of the Total Body Diet

Qualifying your calories for better or for worse

Uncovering simple ways to move

Assembling your support team

Identifying your areas for change

Everyone follows a diet, a way of eating that is part of everyday life. Some diets support a healthy life and allow us to be active, happy, and productive, while others are fads, or short-time fixes that typically restrict a certain food group (think low-carb diets) or are extreme (think very low-calorie diets) and are not sustainable over the long run. The Total Body Diet is not just a fleeting diet that makes short-term promises; it’s a lifestyle that will not only give you vitality and freedom to make food choices, but also help you build a healthy relationship with food for life.

The Principles of the Total Body Diet

The tenets of the Total Body Diet are steeped in a tradition of a sound mind and body: life balance, self-confidence, and social support from friends and family. The Total Body Diet homes in on the importance of all these factors equally. If one area of life is not in sync, the rest will be out of whack.

Keep in mind the following principles of the Total Body Diet:

· Balance your diet with foods from all food groups (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, plant and animal sources of protein, and fat-free or lowfat dairy products) to sustain growth, energy, and well-being.

· Get active every day with enjoyable movement. Try walking, jogging, running, biking, hiking, swimming, stair climbing, Pilates, yoga, or tai chi.

· Make your mental health a priority by fostering a positive attitude. Your mind plays a large role in your health and your relationship to what and how you eat and drink.

Aim to follow these principles by balancing calories in with calories out as much as possible. Allow for flexibility, such as a small sweet indulgence or a low-key, less-active day to recharge your body and mind — you’ll be more likely to stick with it and achieve total body wellness.

Moderation and balance as far as nourishment spans cultures and ages. The ancient Indian philosophy, particularly yoga, incorporates mitahara, or the habit of moderation with food and drink as part of a balanced diet.

Counting Calories without Forgetting about Quality

You don’t want to go overboard on calories, but the Total Body Diet is about the quality of the calories you’re consuming overall. You can easily reach your calorie quota for the day with foods and beverages that provide empty calories like candy, cookies, cheese puffs, and sugary drinks, but where’s the quality in those calories? In this section, I get you focused on quality control when it comes to your calories.

Qualifying your calories

Food should be enjoyable and fun, but thoughtful eating and drinking is important to good health. Qualifying your calories by assessing their nutritional value is a good idea. An occasional cupcakes or doughnut is fine, but it doesn’t qualify to be on your regular eating plan because it doesn’t fuel your body well over the long run. Quality calories provide your body with micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), as well as macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats). So, when you’re eating and drinking, think about what’s in your food.

A key way to qualify your calories is to inspect the Nutrition Facts label (shown in Figure 2-1). Important things to look at on the Nutrition Facts label include the following:

· Serving size: Look here to find out the suggested amount in one serving. It’s the basis for all the nutrition information on the label. If you eat two servings, you have to double all the other numbers, too.

· Calories per serving: When you know your serving size, you can figure out the total calories based on the number of servings you consumed. For example, if the serving size is 1 cup and you eat 2 cups, double the calories and the other nutrients on the label.

· Nutrients to limit: Check the label for total fat, trans fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. You want to keep these at a minimum.

· Nutrients to boost: Aim for more dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Figure 2-1: The Nutrition Facts label.

If words resound better for you than numbers, check the ingredients on the package first. The first five ingredients reveal a lot! If you see sugar, salt, and unhealthy fat (such as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil) near the beginning of the ingredient list, that’s a food you’ll want to limit or avoid. Some ingredients — like sugar — are used more than once in a food product, in different forms. For example, you may see sucrose as the second ingredient and corn syrup and molasses elsewhere on the list — all three of those are sugar.

Getting better-for-you calories

I’m all about fostering quality on your plate, so let’s talk about strategies to get better-for-you calories without too much effort. When eating well becomes a lifestyle, making food choices that benefit your total body will be second nature. You’re creating a new habit. By practicing healthy eating every day, you’ll actually train your brain to want better-for-you foods.

Research on habit-formation, shows that within ten weeks you can form a new habit if you simply repeat an action over and over again in the same context. What better context than eating and drinking, which you have to repeat at least three times a day?

One of the tools that can help you develop healthy eating habits is a food journal. Don’t worry — it doesn’t have to be as tedious as you think. You can create a simple journal on your computer, on a smartphone, or in a notebook by your desk or bedside. In order for it to be an effective tool, pick the same time every day to jot down what you consumed — it could be right after you eat or drink anything or before bed. What you want to record is everything you ate and drank, where you were when you consumed it, and how you feel about your choice. If you’re not happy with the choice you made, write down an idea for a healthier choice you could’ve made instead. That way, you’ll train your brain to think of those healthier options the next time.

Research shows that people who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off for five years or more keep food journals regularly. Numerous mobile apps can help you with this task (see Chapter 16 for some recommendations). More than anything it cements healthy eating habits — and that’s the ultimate goal, right?

Checking in with yourself

Be sure to check in with yourself to assess how you’re doing throughout the day. The Total Body Diet is not a rigid diet where you have to eat the same foods every day or any one food group is off limits. Instead, it’s a diet where quality foods and beverages count. How do you know if you’re choosing a good-quality nourishment?

Ask yourself some questions before eating and drinking:

· Is this a healthy food or is it highly processed with little nutrition?

· Does it contain a lot of added sugar?

· Does it contain more than 20 percent of the Daily Value of sodium?

· Does it contain a lot more than 20 percent of the Daily Value of saturated fat?

If you answered yes to the first question, you’re off to a great start with that food choice! Whole foods are typically less processed and more nutrient-dense.

Nutrients from food help keep your blood flowing smoothly, keep your brain synapses firing well, and maintain your good eyesight and organs functioning. No one food can do it all — it’s the synergy of nutrients in good-quality, nutrient-dense foods that do your body good. So, it’s important to determine if there are beneficial properties in the combination of your food choices. Aim for the majority of your foods to be in line with an overall healthy, nutrient-dense eating pattern.

Why do good-quality foods support total body wellness? They’re packed with vital nutrients that have important health benefits (see Table 2-1).

Table 2-1 How Specific Nutrients Benefit Your Total Body

Nutrient	Benefit
Protein	Maintains and builds your muscle mass.
Dietary fiber	May help reduce blood cholesterol levels; is important for proper bowel function; may reduce constipation.
Calcium	Keeps bones strong and healthy.
Vitamin D	Helps strengthen bones.
Vitamin C	Helps to maintain collagen in skin and defend cells from free radicals.
Vitamin A	Important for eye health and the immune system.
B vitamins	Eight vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, biotin, folic acid, and B12) that are critical for numerous functions in your body, including obtaining energy from the foods you eat.
Potassium	Helps control blood pressure by regulating fluid in and between cells.
Fats	Unsaturated fats like omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) are beneficial for cardiovascular health and inflammation.

Let’s Get Physical!

Activity plays a large role in maintaining your total body wellness. If you’re sedentary, research shows that your risk of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and obesity goes up. So, reducing the amount of time you sit every day is vital.

Think about ways to reduce your sitting time. Can you work at a standing desk or get up more and move during the day?

Moving improves health, and there’s oodles of research to prove it! Global initiatives like the Healthy Eating Activity and Lifestyle (HEAL) program in Australia recruited 2,827 participants to complete an hour of physical activity once a week followed by an hour of lifestyle education for eight weeks. The results were positive, with participants reducing total body mass, waist circumference, and blood pressure. The Women’s Health Initiative, a 15-year study of women ages 50 to 79, revealed that less time spent sitting reduced the risk of death among the more than 92,000 participants over the course of the study.

Knowing how much movement you need

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults move more — to the tune of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. How you schedule your activity is up to you. You may choose to do 30 minutes five times per week or 50 minutes three times per week — but spreading it out over the course of the week is preferable. With our increasingly sedentary lifestyle, it’s vital to make a conscious effort to move daily. Even ten-minute increments throughout the day will work wonders!

If you don’t do any regular activity now, start slowly and increase the amount and intensity gradually.

There are two types of activity, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans:

· Baseline or lifestyle activity: Light-intensity activity of daily life like standing, walking slowly, and lifting lightweight objects. You’re considered inactive if this is all you do.

· Health-enhancing physical activity: Goes over and above the basic activities of daily living and can improve your health.

You can make activity fun and do what you enjoy! You might enjoy brisk walking, running, jumping rope, cycling, dancing, lifting weights, climbing, swimming, or yoga.

Reducing the time you spend on your keister

Although, it’s a good practice to sit when you eat (because you’ll eat more slowly and mindfully), how can you avoid sinking into your easy chair in the evening or collapsing on the couch when you get home? Now, I’m not suggesting that you never sit down, but finding pleasure from other activities is a smart, healthy idea.

A good way to limit your sitting time is to try never to sit more than 90 minutes at one time. Here are some tips for sprinkling physical activity in throughout your day:

· Walk or bike to and from school or work or to and from the train or bus.

· Walk to grab lunch or sneak in a 30-minute lunchtime workout at your local gym. Your workplace may even have a small gym onsite — if the weather is bad, you could walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes before you eat.

· Stretch at your desk or when you get home. Instead of sitting in front of the TV, stretch for 10 to 15 minutes while you watch your favorite show.

· Park your car farther away from the store to get a longer walk.

· Walk your dog when you get home or talk a walk after dinner, if you don’t have a pet.

· Walk to a co-worker’s desk instead of sending an email.

· Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

If you sit a lot at work and your job allows, set a timer for every 20 to 30 minutes. When the timer rings, get up and stretch or walk around the office. That’ll get the blood flowing to your organs, arms, and legs.

See if you can get a variable desk that lowers when you want to sit a bit and raises so you can stand up and work, too. Check out one option at www.varidesk.com.

Stretching your way to good health

Strength and flexibility are a big part of health. Stretching can improve athletic performance, as well as decrease risk of injuries.

Before your stretch, consult with your healthcare provider or physical therapist, particularly if you have an injury. Although stretching is a key part of a healthy lifestyle, you can injure yourself or aggravate an existing injury if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Here are some tips for stretching well:

· Stretch when warm. Don’t stretch as soon as you wake up or when your muscles are cold. Stretch after you’re warmed up by either walking, lightly jogging, or biking to get blood pumping in your arms and legs.

· Avoid pain. Forget that old adage “No pain, no gain.” You never want to push the stretch to the point of pain.

· Strive for symmetry with your stretches. Your goal is equal flexibility on each side.

· Smooth out your stretches. Avoid bouncing — it can cause a muscle injury.

· Time your stretches. Hold each stretch for 30 to 60 seconds, but don’t hold your breath. Breathe in and out normally.

· Schedule your stretches. To make stretching part of your routine, aim for at least two to three times per week. It’s great to cool down with stretching, too.

· Stretch to your sport. For example, runners or basketball players should focus on hamstrings; tennis players should focus on arms, shoulders, and quadriceps.

Getting Psyched: Keeping in Mind Your Mental Health

Taking the plunge into the Total Body Diet isn’t a solo process. Getting social support from family and friends, as well as professionals, can be a tremendous help.

Think about these folks as being part of your Total Body Diet team. Assembling an effective team around you can help in many ways. There is nothing like having other people rooting for you when you’re starting a new behavior change program. Getting support from a team is not a new concept — organizations and institutions all over the world use an interdisciplinary approach to healthy behavior change, especially when it comes to healthful eating, weight loss, or weight maintenance.

Your team may consist of a whole host of professionals, including the following:

· Registered dietitian nutritionists

· Nurses and nurse practitioners

· Pharmacists

· Physicians

· Physician assistants

· Physical therapists

· Psychologists

· Social workers

You may not choose to work with all these people at once, but knowing the range of help available allows you to reach out for appropriate support when necessary. Also, you may not be working one-on-one with every one of these folks — for example, a nutritionist may lead a support group you can join.

Family members should also be on your team. They can be your cheerleaders for personal change! The Total Body Diet approach encourages the whole family to get onboard with lifestyle changes.

Support begins in the home. Talk with your spouse, kids, siblings, and/or parents to make them aware that you’re transforming your eating and lifestyle for the better. Ask them for support!

The benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is short-term therapy that focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in the present and strategies to problem-solve. It’s administered by a clinical psychologist or trained, licensed therapist. The professional and patient work actively together to build skills, set goals, and structure therapy sessions.

CBT has proven to be successful for weight loss. In fact, it’s one of the most popular therapies for weight management. Recent research in the Journal of Clinical Psychology shows that overweight people who are struggling with weight loss prefer CBT to other therapies. It’s comprehensive and practical. Plus, CBT allows people to build self-care skills and healthy goals and see concrete results.

Ready, Set, Go! A Self-Assessment

Change is the only constant in life, so why do we find it so difficult to make lifestyle changes? Maybe because we’re creatures of habit. If you surrender to the fact that change is a fluid, dynamic force in your life, change will come more easily and be more rewarding.

Here are five key ways to embrace the challenge of change every day:

· Bite off small pieces. When you’ve identified an area that you want to change, take small steps to address it every day. Slowly but surely you’ll see big results unfold in your life.

· View change in a new way. Instead of viewing change as challenging, view it as an opportunity to learn and grow. You’ll be more apt to move forward if you see this as a journey filled with learning.

· Foster a sense of gratitude for the change. Instead of denying that you need to change a behavior or area of your life, be grateful for this call to action ahead. It’s an opportunity for self-improvement.

· Help others make changes. When you’ve identified and made small changes in your life, helping others in your community to make changes is a great way to cement changes in your own life.

· Practice, practice, practice. Focus less on perfection and more on progress. Even if you falter, the act of practicing will allow you to get back on track right away.

The assessment in Table 2-2 identifies areas where change is needed the most. Using a scale of 1 to 10 (where 1 is rarely and 10 is always), rate your effort.

Table 2-2 Total Body Assessment

Behavior	Rating	Nourishment
You make food choices based on the quality of the food available.
You use portion control with your meals and snacks.
You get at least 2½ cups of vegetables per day.
You get at least 2 cups of fruits per day.
You eat at least half of your grains from whole-grain sources.
You choose lean protein sources (such as skinless poultry, seafood, loin cuts of beef or pork, and tofu).
You eat legumes weekly.
You drink at least 1 cup per day of lowfat or fat-free milk or calcium-fortified soymilk.
You eat at least 1 cup of lowfat or fat-free yogurt daily.
You eat no more than 1½ ounces of lowfat or reduced-fat cheese daily.
You plan your grocery visits with a list.
You try not to skip meals.
You bring lunch and snacks with you.
You drink water throughout the day.
You limit alcoholic beverages (no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men).
You feel good and have a sense of gratitude for your food and choices.
Subtotal
Movement
You are physically active most days of every week.
You do aerobic activity (such as spinning, running, speed walking, or swimming).
Movement
You do muscle-strengthening activities (such as free weights, weight machines, yoga, or Pilates).
You enjoy the physical activities you do.
You have realistic, achievable goals.
You have an exercise buddy.
You are mindful of moving during the day (for example, standing at work, walking to or from work or school, and parking farther away).
You exercise your mind by reading and doing crossword puzzles or games (such as Sudoku).
Subtotal
Social Engagement
You go out with your spouse or partner on a regular basis.
You make plans with friend(s) at least once a week.
You engage in other social group activities at least twice a month.
You foster new relationships or friendships.
You connect with friends on a regular basis.
You go on at least one vacation per year.
Subtotal
Total

Now tally up your score for each section, and your total. The higher the total score (the maximum you can score is 300), the more attuned you are to your physical and mental needs. To find areas for focus, circle the questions that had a lower score. These are the ones that need more attention. You can also look at the subtotals for each of the three sections — maybe you scored high on social engagement, but you’re falling short on movement and nourishment. If so, keep up the great work socially, but focus your efforts on what you eat and how much you move.

Now that you know where you need to make changes, sit with your assessment for a few minutes. Take a few deep breaths. Think about which areas you want to tackle first. When you have a couple of ideas that resonate with you, begin embarking on your change adventure!