In my first blog posting on New Year’s Resolutions, I promised to provide some guidelines that may help you figure out how to make some resolutions that work for you.  Here they are.

Step 1: refer to the questions in my last blog post and spend a bit of time thinking and journaling about them

Step 2: based on the information you gathered, decide whether or not any of your past resolutions are worth keeping

Step 3: select one goal and use the “SMART goal” strategy to re-define it

S: Specific
M: Measureable
A: Attainable
R: Realistic
T: Timely

Here is an example of a goal that is not-so-helpful:
Eat healthier in 2010. (In fact that little picture I posted has a list of 7, totally unhelpful goals.)
This goal is vague, all-encompassing, intangible, and provides no action plan to changing your habits.

Here is an example of a SMART goal which actually helps you accomplish something:
Eat two pieces of fruit each day.
This goal is much more specific and trackable.  You can sit down at the end of the day and know whether or not you’ve accomplished it.

I’d also encourage you to consider using a tracking sheet for your goals.  I have one that I use with some of my clients.  If you’d like a copy, send me an email at marci@marciRD.com and I’d be happy to send you a copy.

Creating specific, realistic goals that actually empower you to make positive change is really hard work!  And changing nutrition habits is particularly tough because our food habits are heavily engrained from years of eating.  Plus they are also influenced by relationships, emotions, and even logistical planning!

So if you feel stuck with your goals- send ‘em in.  I’d be happy to give you a little feedback.

Wish you all the best for a healthy 2010.
Marci, Registered Dietitian

Today, theNew York Times magazine is all about food. One of the articles, written by Michael Pollan caught my eye. It's about food rules.  Basically, his premise is that culture might have more to teach us than the government or trained nutritionists. 

Pollan says "If we can’t rely on the marketers or the government or even the nutritionists to guide us through the supermarket woods, then who can we rely on? Well, ask yourself another question: How did humans manage to choose foods and stay healthy before there were nutrition experts and food pyramids or breakfast cereals promising to improve your child’s focus or restaurant portions bigger than your head? We relied on culture, which is another way of saying: on the accumulated wisdom of the tribe."

So I'm interested to know- do you have food rules that you live by?  If yes, what are they?  Do you think food rules can be helpful or harmful?  Pollan solicited for readers food rules.  Check out this "food rule slideshow" to see some of the responses.

Interestingly enough, I was planning to blog later on this month about a fantastic book called "The Rules of Normal Eating" by Karen Koenig that has some great suggestions for helpful food rules.  Check back later on in the month for my book review.

I do have some pretty simple food rules that I try to live by:
1.) Eat breakfast
2.) Eat when hungry, stop when full as much as possible
3.) Eat foods I crave
4.) Eat fruits and vegetables everyday

What are your food rules?

I’m reading a book for my book club called “Mindless Eating” by Brian Wansink.  You’ve probably heard of it.  Professor Wansink has made his food lab at Cornell famous from such experiments including stale popcorn and endless soup bowls, to name a couple.

Essentially, he studies the subconscious cues which encourage all of us to overeat.  In his book he provides a multitude of suggestions to outsmart ourselves.  One of these suggestions I thought was particularly interesting.

Apparently, in the Japanese culture people eat until they are “no longer hungry.”  Yet we all know from experience that most Americans eat until they feel full, overfull, and often stuffed.  The concept of eating until “no longer hungry” has a phrase “hara hachi bu” which essentially means “eating until you are just 80% full.”

So as you dive into your next meal, pause half way through.  Can you envision your stomach and what 80% full might look like?  Take a step further.  Could you stop eating at 80%?  See if you can take this idea on as a challenge.  It’s not easy and it takes some practice.  But it feels pretty good to walk away from the table satisfied but not stuffed.

So a lot of my clients (mainly women) bemoan the fact that they just don't have any self control.  As it turns out, researchers are beginning to find more and more support that there is biological reason for that!  So our food-laden environments are extremely triggering and hard to ignore.  Gene-Jack Wang, a senior scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York has published some fascinating findings on the topic of assuaging food cravings (or not!).

After 18 hours of fasting, brain scans were taken of men and women as they saw and smelled their favorite foods (think burgers, ice cream sundaes, pizza, etc.).  Following the scan, researchers asked the participants to do their best to ignore the food and take their minds off of it while their brains were scanned a second time.  While both men and women reported that they were able to quell their cravings, the brain scans revealed that (on average) the areas of the brain that control the drive to eat fired less for men but not for women.  Simply put, when people are presented with food and asked to consciously inhibit the urge to eat, men are better able to do it than women.  So ladies, if you've ever wondered how your male counterparts have forgotten to eat or don't mind turning down dessert, this may explain why!

I think it's absolutely fascinating that our drive to eat is affected by our environment, our mind, as well as the physiological processes of our bodies.  Be mindful of the fact that we are subject to all three but have the biggest control over our environment.  Perhaps there are ways to create a healthier food environment around you today...