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Why Tuesday?

The Girlfriend's Guide to Health will be updated every Tuesday.... Stay tuned dear readers and let me rock your world.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Prescribing Minds


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….

1 comment:

  1. 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.
    This was about 10 years ago, I will definitely buy your book, you are a special person thank you

    regards Vincenza

    ReplyDelete