Author: Deb Nelson

My greatest joy is helping people kick their old habits to the curb to live their best life. As an integrative nutrition health coach, I support people in individual and group settings as they set and achieve health goals. Healthy living starts now.

December Challenge: Week Three. Get Moving!

DECEMBER 2019 CHALLENGE

We’re focusing on implementing a new habit each week for the last month of this decade. Last week’s challenge: add more water toy our day. Week one challenge: eat an apple a day. How are you doing with these two additions to your daily life? Are these small changes helping to crowd out food that shouldn’t be a part of your daily nutrition?

WEEK THREE: GET MOVING!

Have you ever kept track of how many of your waking hours are spent sitting at a desk or in a couch or chair at home watching television, playing video games, or connecting with friends online? Try it for a day – you might be surprised.

Here are some ways to get moving throughout the day:

Set a timer throughout the day so that you’re not sitting for more than 45 minutes without getting up to move around.

the goal is to run a half marathonMake your work meeting a walking meeting (indoors or outside). Chances are the meeting will be shorter and more productive!

Put that gym membership to use and take a class: Qigong, yoga, cycling, Pilates, zumba, etc.

Hope on a treadmill.

Take a hike.

Swap an hour of online time for an hour of walking time.

Can’t do an hour all at once? No problem! 10 minutes at a time can get you to an hour.

Bad weather? No problem! Walk around a grocery store or a mall.

Cooking a meal? Got kids in your house? AWESOME – have a dance party!! Please note: no kids required for a dance party!

Need accountability? Find someone in your life who can join you in your goal to get moving.

I don’t know about you, but I’m heading out for a walk!

You’re in control. Healthy living starts now.
December Challenge: Week Three. Get Moving! was last modified: December 16th, 2019 by Deb Nelson

December Challenge: Week Two, Focus on Water

DECEMBER 2019 CHALLENGE

We’re focusing on implementing a new habit each week for the last month of this decade. Last week’s challenge: eat an apple a day. How did it go? AND – do you find that if you eat an apple each day you’re less likely to eat junk food? Sometimes if we make small changes, it helps us crowd out food that shouldn’t be a part of our daily nutrition. Just sayin’.

WEEK TWO: Water. Water. Water.

Let’s build on that apple a day and increase the amount of water we’re drinking. This suggestion is probably no surprise to you. I’ve written a bit about the importance of water in the past, and you’ve probably heard of the benefits water provides to your body. Increase the amount of water you’re drinking each day by adding an 8-ounce glass a day to your water intake until you’re comfortable with the amount of water you’re drinking. (Check with your healthcare team to make sure you’re on the right track here.)

Here are some ways to add water to your day:

Drink a glass of water before each meal.

If you’re feeling hungry between meals, have a glass of water before reaching for a snack. It could be that you’re dehydrated and your body is craving water.

Feeling sluggish? You guessed it! Skip the caffeine and have a glass of water.

Fill a water bottle each morning and sip on it throughout the day.

You drink multiple cups of coffee each day? Swap out one cup of coffee for a glass of water.

Going out to a party or dinner where you’ll be drinking alcohol? Limit yourself to one alcoholic beverage and drink water throughout the remainder of the party / dinner.

Do you avoid drinking water because you find it boring? No problem! Try adding the following to your water:

Cucumber slicesOrange slices

Lemon slices

Lime slices

Mint sprigs

Orange slices

Strawberry slices

Make a game out of it to see how you can increase your water intake. Do you feel better? Less fatigued? Are you less likely to overeat? Take note now that you’re eating an apple a day and drinking more water whether you’re able to resist food and beverages that zap your strength and energy.

You’re in control. Healthy living starts now.
December Challenge: Week Two, Focus on Water was last modified: December 9th, 2019 by Deb Nelson

December Challenge: One New Healthy Habit Each Week

What if…

you were to start healthy habits in December in stead of waiting to implement resolutions in January to make up for unhealthy behavior?

What if…

each week for the month of December you adjust just one behavior?

What if …

you use this last month of the decade to shore up healthy habits and make 2020 your best year yet?

Let’s give it a go!

DECEMBER 2019 CHALLENGE

WEEK ONE: AN APPLE A DAY

We’ve all heard that saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” While Benjamin Franklin generally gets credit for this phrase, there is some evidence to support that this phrase originated earlier as a proverb: “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

Today, the apple continues to be looked at as a nutritious part of our diet. Here are a few reasons to include apples in your diet, according to Dr. Andrew Weil:

Apples are a good source of fiber, which can lower LDL cholesterol.

Antioxidants in apples protect us from both heart disease and cancer.

Buy organic and eat the peels (more antioxidants in peels). If you can’t get organic, Weil recommends peeling the apple before eating it.an apple a day

When will you have this daily apple?

You decide!

Eat that apple:

between meals when you’re feeling a bit hungry

a half hour before a meal

before or after a workout

See what suits you best!

Simple, right? One apple each day starting today. We’ll add another habit next Monday.

Healthy living starts now.
This website is a source of general information only and is NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE ADVICE OF YOUR DOCTOR or other qualified professional. The reader understands that Deb Nelson is not a doctor and has no medical training. A doctor or other qualified professional should always be consulted before beginning any health program. The reader is cautioned to carefully assess the risks associated with following any health program and is responsible for obtaining health care appropriate for his / her condition. The reader assumes all risks associated with any health program and understands that Deb Nelson and Be Well Consulting Group are not responsible for any failure of the reader to seek and obtain appropriate professional advice specific to the reader’s situation, condition, or diagnosis.
December Challenge: One New Healthy Habit Each Week was last modified: December 2nd, 2019 by Deb Nelson

Set Yourself Up For A Healthy New Year

The holiday season is fast approaching: family dinners, parties, shopping, visiting with friends and more! Set yourself up for a healthy new year by putting a plan in place for a variety of areas that impact your health:

Nutrition

  • Avoid becoming hangry.
  • Eat a healthy snack before heading out to holiday parties.
  • Take food that you enjoy to family gatherings / parties.
  • Michael Pollan: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
  • Decide before you arrive at a gathering what you will / will not eat and drink. Focus on water.

Physical Activity

  • Walk on
  • Fit exercise in whenever and wherever you can
  • Short amounts of time count

Sleep

  • Make a sleep routine
  • Unplug
  • Wind down with a cup of herbal tea and a book

Solo Time

  • Do ABSOLUTELY nothing
  • Meditate
  • Read
  • Write – Journal / Letters / Notes / Cards
  • Music

Time with Others

  • Spend time with people you enjoy.
  • Bring joy to every conversation.
  • Minimize time with people who bring you down.
  • Set boundaries for required appearances.

This is the season of thanks. What are you thankful for?

1. _____________________________

2. _____________________________

3. _____________________________

Print this document, and keep this list front and center throughout the holiday season. 

AND – don’t stop once January 1 arrives: continue focusing on your health throughout the year. Need some assistance establishing and meeting health goals? Let’s talk!

Set Yourself Up For A Healthy New Year was last modified: November 21st, 2019 by Deb Nelson

Nutrition and Aging: Drink Water, Eat Fruits and Veggies, and Keep on Moving!

Thornton Oaks Retirement Community in Brunswick, Maine hosts an Ounce of Prevention series. The most recent session was titled Nutrition and Aging: How Your Needs Change as You Age, presented by Alison Fernald, RD, LD, CDE. Aging was defined by Alison as the 50+ crowd. Here are some of the highlights from Alison’s presentation.

water. water. water.

The message we received loud and clear was that if we took only one thing from this presentation, it should be: Water. Water. Water. Drink up, people! Don’t like water? Not in the habit of drinking water? Make that glass of water appealing by adding lemon slices, fresh mint and cucumber slices, strawberry slices. The water that we drink makes sure that the nutrients in our food make their way to our cells. Water also helps fight inflammation, flushing toxins out of our bodies.

fiber.

Fiber (with an assist with water and exercise) keeps things moving through our digestive system, playing a key role in bowel health – moving waste through our 25-ish feet of intestines. Yes, it’s pretty much impossible to talk about nutrition without mentioning poop.

fruits and veggies.

Allison recommends eating 5 – 9 servings (a serving = ½ cup) of fruits and vegetables a day. Alison suggested ½ of your plate should be filled with non-starchy vegetables, ¼ of the plate with grains, and ¼ of the plate with protein (and reminded us that beans are good source of protein – no need to stick with only animal products to get protein). Those fruits and veggies fight inflammation and help keep our joints healthy and provide us with some valuable nutrients.

The Weekend Suddenly Looks A Whole Lot BetterFYI – I follow a plant-based diet (See Physicians for Responsible Medicine power plate booklet), and I was super happy to see Alison sharing one of my favorite cookbooks with the group.  

exercise.

Exercise continues to be important as we age: in addition to lending an assist with digestion, exercise also helps to keep our joints strong and helps to reduce inflammation. Weight-bearing exercise keeps our bones strong, so get out there and go for a walk or run.

WEIGHT loss. weight gain.

We experience a natural loss of appetite as we age. Alison cautioned us to monitor our weight: if you find yourself losing 5 pounds or more in a month, check in with your health care team.

Watch for weight gain as well. If you’re living in a senior community, each meal averages 700 – 1000 calories (2100 – 3000 calories if you eat three meals in a day); yet, seniors daily caloric intake should be 1400 – 2000 calories. You’ll need to be an advocate for yourself: Alison suggests requesting more veggies on your plate along with a side salad and a small piece of meat (size of a deck of cards). Be persistent; servers and kitchen staff are glad to help you get the food that will fuel you best.

in summary.

Drink water. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Exercise. Advocate for yourself. And, of course, check with your healthcare team before making any changes to diet and lifestyle.

You’ll notice that these suggestions from Alison apply to us at any age. As we age, however, it’s important to take our history into consideration and identify food and exercise that cause us discomfort. Alison focused on diverticulitis as an example of a common condition in seniors – this underscores the importance of being an advocate for ourselves. Aging doesn’t mean we have to feel lousy; check in with your healthcare team to get to the root of your discomfort and make adjustments.

This was a great discussion; make sure you take advantage of programs and resources available in your community. Jump into the conversation, listen, and learn.

Nutrition and Aging: Drink Water, Eat Fruits and Veggies, and Keep on Moving! was last modified: November 15th, 2019 by Deb Nelson

Reach Your Health Goals On A Rainy Day

What a gift it is to wake up to a beautiful, rainy day.

Use today to celebrate the progress you’ve made toward reaching your health goals. Do that happy dance and then reflect, reset, and recharge.

Celebrate

Identify your victories and acknowledge your success to date on approaching your health goals. Have a celebratory glass of water at your desk today. Share your successes with a colleague, friend, or member of your family.

Reflect

What are your health goals? Do they need to be adjusted? Are you keeping them front and center? Are you on track to meet them?

Recharge

Why did you set these health goals? What will reaching these health goals allow you to achieve in other areas of your life?

Reset

Put a plan together for this final quarter of 2019 that will help your reach your goals by the end of the year. Write each health goal on a separate note card and post the cards in places you’ll see them every day. What we schedule and measure is what we focus on.

And you’re off – healthy living starts now. Let me know how you do!

Reach Your Health Goals On A Rainy Day was last modified: October 1st, 2019 by Deb Nelson

Labels are Powerful. Use Them Wisely.

Have you noticed a lack of civility in conversations in our country, or that there is a growing political divide? Well, Craig Freshley has; and he decided to do something about it. Freshley is the founder of Make Shift Coffee House which he describes as “a place for people to talk with each other in person, about political issues, with live music and good food.”  To date, Freshley has facilitated 34 coffee houses; the theme for discussion at the coffee I attended last night was labels.

We’ve all used labels to describe ourselves and others. The discussion was geared to address the up and downsides of using labels. I must admit I walked into the room with my own view of labels – I’ve written about that view before. I find labels dangerous territory.

As I looked around the room, I couldn’t help but wonder:

What prompted these attendees to sit in a conference room on a beautiful summer evening in Southern Maine?

What were they hoping to gain from the coffee house?

Were they feeling?

Angry

Curious

Hopeful

Nervous

I don’t know. I could make some assumptions. Labeling people would allow me to put them into boxes and compartmentalize. And discount. And discard. I could have turned to those I believe hold similar views.  And that would defeat the purpose of showing up at the Make Shift Coffee House, wouldn’t it? So…I followed instructions and sat at a table where I didn’t know anyone.

We chatted for a few minutes and then Freshley got to work. He opened the meeting asking for someone to volunteer to share a story – no problem here. Two hands shot up and the conversation never lulled for the rest of the evening. Labels going back to childhood, labels springing up as the political divide grows, each label hurtful, and today labels being used as weapons. A couple of people proposed suggestions as to how we might engage in conversation rather than respond with a knee-jerk reaction.

Freshley then wrapped up the discussion (no easy task here) and asked that we talk a bit more with tablemates, find someone from another table whose political affiliation or opinion was different from our own, and engage in conversation and listen.

Simple words: engage in conversation and listen. L I S T E N – don’t prepare our own response while someone’s talking; put our focus on what the other person is saying. Hmmm…interesting concept.

The skeptics might ask:

What difference does one conversation make?

What difference does one coffee house gathering make?

The hopeful might respond:

That one conversation can lead to one person understanding another’s point of view, which can lead to another conversation and deeper conversations.

That first coffee house has led to 33 more, with additional gatherings scheduled.

Doing nothing results in the same uncivil conversations that aren’t serving any of us well.

Check out the upcoming schedule of events and take the time to attend, participate in a conversation or two, or volunteer.

Thank you, Craig Freshley, for starting and continuing the conversations we need to have to understand each other and move forward in a positive fashion.

Labels are Powerful. Use Them Wisely. was last modified: August 2nd, 2019 by Deb Nelson

Summer and Yoga: A Perfect Match

What’s better than attending a yoga class? How about attending yoga classes for no charge, Monday through Friday from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.? The classes began July 5 and run through August 31. AND… as an extra bonus, the classes are outside. SCORE for all of us in L.L.Bean’s neighborhood!

L.L.Bean has contracted with Freeport Yoga Company to provide yoga instructors. The instructors happily provide direction for a wide range of yoga students – from the novice to those with decades of practice under their belts. My yoga practice is on the novice end of the scale, and I’ve been amazed at the ability of the instructors to provide assistance to newbies while keeping the class moving for the seasoned yoga practitioners. If you find yourself in southern Maine on a weekday before Labor Day, head on over to L.L.Bean’s campus and take a class (if weather looks like it will be an issue, their website has a number to call for info).

Yoga is the perfect complement to the running I’m doing as I train to run a half marathon in October. One of the benefits of this program is the gentle stretching of muscles that have been a bit stressed as I ramp up my running miles. Summer and yoga are, indeed, a perfect match thanks in large part to L.L.Bean’s commitment to supporting community. Yes, I’m a fan of L.L.Bean – this company encourages us to all stay active, enjoy the outdoors every season of the year, and reconnect to nature.

What a community partner! Yoga classes are part of Bean’s Summer in the Park program that also includes Friday night movies, Saturday night concerts, and more. Living near Bean’s flagship store definitely has its advantages.

 

 

 

Summer and Yoga: A Perfect Match was last modified: July 9th, 2019 by Deb Nelson

The Beauty of a Clean Slate

Welcome July!

What’s to love about this 7th month of year?

There’s the start to summer, of course – yes, June 21 is the official start of summer. July, however, is when the summer mindset sets in.

4th of July brings a tradition of celebration and tradition.

The best feature of July, however, is its CLEAN SLATE. We are entering the second half of the calendar year, and this is the PERFECT time to identify what we want to accomplish before the calendar turns to 2020. 

Look at this clean slate in terms of achieving your health goals, and you’ll find July provides an opportunity to:

Assess health goals.The Beauty of a Clean Slate

Update health goals.

Create health goals.

Reset and restart your health goals.

Take advantage of July’s clean slate. Recommit to your health goals:

Put your health goals in writing: fill in that clean slate.

Put a plan of action in place: mark up a calendar with daily/weekly/monthly action steps you’ll take to achieve those goals. Remember: small steps will get you to big results.

Put a team together: Identify people who can help you reach your health goals – either by holding you accountable, or by joining you in the activities on your plan of action.

Remember the importance of a mindset reset: keep those positive thoughts coming as you move toward your goals.

YOU are in control of your health. Each and every day is an opportunity to reset and restart. Do a self-assessment today, and hop on the path to good health. Healthy living starts now.

Need a hand getting on track with those health goals? Let’s chat.

 

 

The Beauty of a Clean Slate was last modified: July 1st, 2020 by Deb Nelson

The Goal is to Run a Half Marathon: The Journey is the Reward

Yahoo!!

You’ve gotta love a training program that starts with a rest day!  Thank you, Runner’s World. My 13-week training program is off and running, so to speak, with two successful days under my belt.

the goal is to run a half marathonAs I shared recently, running a half marathon has been on my mind for some time. AND – over the next 13 weeks it will be on my mind every day. I am officially registered to participate in the Maine Half Marathon on October 6. The longest run I’ve ever completed was 10 miles – and that was several years ago. Since then, running has been pushed to the back burner, so I’m bringing it front and center this summer!

Why am I confident I’ll be able to meet my goal of running a half marathon?

I really want to do it!!

The training program I’m following calls for me to run three times a week, which is similar to the training program I followed for my 10-mile run.

This is a great plan to focus on my health goals.

Running three days a week won’t interfere with my cycling schedule.

The timing is perfect: early morning runs tie in with a schedule change I’m making to my work week.

I’ve got accountability in place: I’ve told many people I’m doing this run, and a couple of them are going to be checking in on my progress.

It’s a SMART goal: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-specific.

BOOM! Now I can enjoy the journey.

 

The Goal is to Run a Half Marathon: The Journey is the Reward was last modified: June 25th, 2019 by Deb Nelson