WEEK 23... Jodi gives tips on controlling your appetite and identifying emotional eating. Nikki adds a new strength training circuit and trains for her first 5K.

We’re getting down to the end and the pressure is on for Nikki.  We discussed our last topic this week which was about how to control your appetite and identify emotional eating.  Controlling appetite and cravings can be achieved when following some simple steps such as eating breakfast, eating every 3-4 hours to maintain blood sugars, eating protein with meals and snacks, and eating quality complex carbohydrates that are rich in fiber.  Emotional eating can be a complex area but awareness can be a key step in changing this negative behavior:

1)    Clean up your environment – you can’t eat what’s not there.

2)    Identify triggers – environment such as family gatherings and visual like tv commercials - any circumstances which trigger the need to eat.

3)    Stress – identify feelings and replace urge to eat with replacement behavior.  Try to take a walk, exercise, or call a friend)

4)    Visual aids – put a picture or inspirational quote on the refrigerator that motivates you.

Nutritional Homework

I have asked Nikki to continue her experimentation with whole foods and new recipes, adding as many vegetables as she can.  I have encouraged her to increase her water intake due to the heat which will also fill her up between meals and keep her hydrated!

Exercise Homework

Nikki completed her last strength training circuit which focused on the exercise ball and a few kettle bell exercises.  I wanted to give her some variation on the exercise ball such as the shoulder press, chest press and rear shoulder fly for back strengthening.  All of these exercises are challenging to her core and balance as well.  I also gave Nikki a new walking lunge exercise using a kettle bell, a kettle bell row, and had her hold a plank as long as she could!  Nikki will be working on perfecting this circuit this week and is aggressively training for the treadmill test.  We have also signed up for a 5k walk on July 13, wish us luck!

 

Nikki’s Thoughts

Yes, Jodi continues to ramp up my workouts. I guess that’s the beauty of working with a personal trainer – they vary the workout routines and keep you feeling challenged, while also helping you gain confidence in your abilities. She has encouraged me to incorporate outdoor activities this summer for added exercise – some way outside my comfort zone like doing a 5K!

When she first suggested we complete a 5K together, I kind of laughed it off. Surely, I was not ready for that yet! I envisioned the public humiliation of showing up to a park full of professional athletes who leave me standing in their dust at the start line and are waiting impatiently when I finally stagger to the finish line a few hours later! Apparently it’s much less intimidating, and I was assured I will not be the lone amateur in the bunch. So with a little prompting, I will indeed be experiencing my first ever 5K very soon.

I am a little scared but also really excited to do this. It will be quite a personal accomplishment. I can remember watching on the sidelines as my husband ran races years ago, feeling so proud of him and wishing with all my heart that I was the kind of girl who could run along with him. That’s still a dream, but I feel hopeful that this 5K could lead to more, and I’ll continue improving my performance. I’ve never been athletic, but I am more active today than ever and am slowly proving to myself that yes, I can do it – I can become that kind of girl.