Oh my girlfriends, what a week it has been. We saw the New
Year in and the joy that it brings. I have officially stopped wishing people
“Happy New Year”. I figure it’s been a week- that’s enough good wishes. Time to
look forward, no?
Here I am full speed ahead and in the midst of my book tour.
Yes, as my girlfriends may know, I am now a published AWTHA. (This is authour
said in a very proud New York accent).
THE WEIGHT LOSS PRESCRIPTION hit shelves (and online
bookstores) on January 1 and here I am travelling cross country (sans bike)
talking shop and putting my best shoe forward.
This book really was a labour of love for me as it’s the
tour. What a treat it has been thus far to discuss my life’s work and waistline
all in the name of literacy and health.
For those of you who have not yet rushed out to your local
bookstore to blatantly support my shoe closet let me break it down for you…..
We all have a relationship with food. Some of us feel it’s
the ultimate marriage others treat it like a bad boyfriend. Good or bad- how we
relate to food is really a key to our overall health.
In this book I ask you to look at WHO you are when it comes
to HOW you eat. Along with stories of personal and profession struggles and
triumphs, I ask you to look at your own behaviour when it comes to diet and exercise. In short what kind of
EATING PERSONALITY are you.
Are you:
1. AN EMOTIONAL EATER:
Do you use food as a crutch to help you get through things?
Do you use food as a reward for a job well done? Do you eat our of boredom or
use food to cope with stress? There are indeed biochemical reasons for why we reach for food in times of joy and
sadness. Studies show that 80% of obese women are indeed emotional eaters. The
key is not to try and limit the emotions that you have but to assess the damage
the emotional eating does and try to minimize it. IN the book I outline a clear
plan of action to tackle your emotional eating tendencies.
2. A CALORIE DRINKER:
Hoe many calories do you drink in a day? How large is your
latte? How many glasses of wine do you drink in a week? Interesting studies
show that the brain does not perceive the same sense of fullness from liquid
calories as it does from solid ones. Further evidence from recent trials in
JAMA and Lancet show that sugar sweetened beverages significantly increase
one’s risk for obesity and hypertension I’m not asking you to cut out the
coffee. To me coffee is like a great pair of strappy sandals… or a good breath
of fresh air. (actually its more like any breath of air- mandatory for life). I
am asking you to “modify your must haves” in a way that still allows you to have your liquids and drink
them too. In other words- cut back slowly on the amount of calories you are
drinking and watch your health transform.
3. A PORTION DISTORTER:
Yes, my sisters as with accessories- you can have too much
of a good thing. Are you someone who eats well but too much? This is indeed a
portion distorter. Studies show that portion size has double over the last two
decades. We are inevitably eating twice what we used to. Don’t believe me? Look
at a muffin in the 1980’s and compare it to one today. Nuff said. The key with
a portion distorter is to retrain your brain toward a sense of food economy.
Put your plate on a budget by knowing exactly how much is on it. You measure
out your fancy face cream? Do the same for your mashed potatoes.
4. AN ALL OR NOTHING DIETER:
We’ve all been there. We start a diet on a Monday and try
and hold on for just another week. We spend our time “white knuckling it” just
until Friday. We use terms like WILL POWER and SELF CONTROL to try and just HOLD
ON. And then life happens and we fall off track. WE try to get back on but it
falls beyond our reach and then we figure we’ve blown it. We say “screw it” and
bring on the buffet. This is the all or nothing dieter. Instead I want you to
develop tools that allow you to be an ALL OR SOMETHING Dieter- someone who
swings the pendulum in a much narrower range between what can realistically be
maintained when the world takes over.
5. A FAST FOOD JUNKIE:
My sisters- you are far too classy a group of girlfriends to
unwrap your burger. I know you are busy with work and life and the pursuit of
happiness and the perfect little black dress but look how often you are eating
out- and/or eating fast food and start to economize. Take lunch to work (I even
have some ideas), plan ahead and still make sure you eat out once a week with
the people you love. You never buy your clothes at a DRIVE THROUGH window-
don’t buy your food there either.
6. A SITTING DUCK: I know there are a million reasons not to
exercise. You hate it, you, are tired you have no time. Heads up- I’ve got an
answer for each one. Too tired to exercise- you’d be tired whether you went for
a walk or not. Go for a walk every day for 30 minutes and you’ll live an extra
4 years according to the data. Think of how much extra sleep you can get? I
have a whole chapter on how to get moving sisters- get off your asses and read
it immediately…. Preferably from the comfort of your treadmill.
So there you have it sisters…. My perfect book report if you
will. I know it’s blatant agenda pushing but so is this blog. After three years
together that’s what a cybersister is for….
congratulation Dr Zentner,I was so impressed with you when you treated me because of an abnormal EKG did all the tests all was normal.
ReplyDeleteThis was about 10 years ago, I will definitely buy your book, you are a special person thank you
regards Vincenza