Mindfullness VS. Concentration- Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius

You know when you hear a word so much it starts to lose it's meaning?  Mindfulness is a catch word I've been hearing about A LOT lately. But what does it actually mean? I talk about mindfulness with my clients quite a bit. In fact I'll be talking about it my newsletter this month (still time to sign up, I'll be sending it out early next week).  

While on Twitter yesterday, I came across one of the most fabulous blog posts on Mindfulness by Paul Overton on the blog "Every Day is Awesome, Because Cynicism is Exhausting."  So a big thank you to Paul, who has graciously allowed me to re-publish his blog post here.  Enjoy the post.

So, I was thinking about the difference between mindfulness and concentration the other day (turns out, there’s quite a big difference), and Wile E. Coyote naturally came to mind. I’ll often try to pair up difficult philosophical concepts with their cartoon counterparts so they are easier to digest and stay with me longer. (Hey, I never said I was Socrates.) Besides, most all of the aspects of the human condition can be found in Warner Brothers cartoons, so it’s as good a place to start as any.

Wile E. has several things going on at once that contribute to his busy, yet ultimately unsatisfying, existence. Paramount among them is his relentless pursuit of the Road Runner. Nobody can accuse him of not having a pinpoint focus when it comes to his favorite adversary, and although he uses it in misdirected and harmful ways, he is nothing if not committed to his cause.

The problem is that, while our friend is capable of setting elaborate traps and making complicated plans, he lacks the ability to carry any of them out to a successful conclusion because he is incapable of having the insight that would allow him to see the fruitlessness of his endeavor in the first place. In a perfect world, Wile E. would possess both a laser-like focus and an expansive, mindful quality that would allow him to see the reality of his situation and perhaps be able to avoid running off cliffs, blowing himself up, and being crushed by so many boulders.

So would I.

Concentration, at its core, is just the ability to force the mind to focus on one object to the exclusion of all else. Skillful use of concentration can be a powerful force for good. Unskillful concentration is usually harmful, especially when it is directed in a way that is intended to do damage to others. So when you picture Mr. Coyote unpacking his latest purchase of deadly cargo from the Acme company and carefully assembling it, you can see that lack of concentration, even if that concentration is misguided, is not his problem.

His problem is that he’s got nothing to temper that laser-like focus with. He lives in a world where there is only the Road Runner and the end of the Road Runner. Every single action he takes, in every minute of every day, is directed toward the bird’s destruction, with no attention given to why he even feels the need to catch him so badly. Obsession, greed, and craving are what drives his single mindedness, leaving no room for any balance in his life. He lacks the ability to see his life clearly and objectively from a distance. He is unable to look through any lens besides the one he has always known. He is determined to stay blind to the truth.

Back at the cave, our friend Canis latrans is steeped in concentration, as he assembles his rocket skates, but seriously lacking in the mindfulness department. If he weren’t, perhaps he’d be asking himself what his motivation is in chasing the Road Runner in the first place. Perhaps he’d see that his life is passing him by as he pursues his single minded goal of catching what, he thinks, will bring him happiness. Maybe he would wake up to the fact that harming the road runner is tantamount to harming himself. Perhaps he would realize that freedom from the Road Runner would allow him to have a more meaningful purpose to his life. But then, that wouldn’t be a very funny cartoon, would it?

**NOTE: If you were expecting an episode of Ten Minutes of Awesome today, I have pushed it back by a day because it will include a very special guest that, due to her touring schedule, could not record an interview until today. The podcast will appear at 12:01 am on Wednesday morning.

"Paul Overton is a prolific blogger, maker, writer, and ukulele player living in Durham, NC with four dogs, two co-conspirators, and a lawn that makes his neighbors want to call the authorities. He delights in the unusual and can often be found in his tiny studio next to the record shop, whipping up some sort of self-indulgent nonsense for his own amusement."
Tweet 

Interview on Weight Loss Website: Thintopia

Recently I was contacted by Micah, weight loss blogger. He manages the Thintopia blog. This man is on a mission to find what really works when trying to lose weight. Anyone who knows me, knows that I look at food and weight pretty differently than a lot of other health experts. I'm a believer that it's important to focus on finding balance and consistency with nutrition and exercise.  (Not such a glitzy message, eh?)  I'm more concerned with finding habits that last a lifetime rather than weight loss and numbers.  I truly believe that when we eat well and exercise in a moderate way, our weight finds a place that is healthy.

You can check out the interview on the Thintopia Blog.  But here's the take-home:

• Food is meant to fuel our bodies and brains. 
• I believe in enjoying food. So let's take the time to taste it rather than gulp it.
• Eliminating foods and food groups leads to an endless pattern of restricting and binging. Learning how to eat moderately is a process and may require outside support.
• Food journals can be a great tool to understand your eating patterns and provide accountability

The interview is about 20 minutes. If you watch or listen, let me know what you think!
Tweet 

My Totally Kick-Butt Veggie Lasagna

Last week a friend of mine said something that kind of broke my heart “Marci, when you get rid of all the unhealthy stuff in your diet, you aren’t left with anything that tastes good.” Au contraire!  If you agree with those sentiments, there are potentially two culprits here:

1. You are eating too rigid. Every meal needs some fat, so careful not to cut everything out!
2. You need to learn the art of spices and seasonings. Learning to bring flavor to a dish without butter and salt is easy. Here's an old blog post that gives you a ton of basic info on how to use spices and seasonings that might be helpful to you.

In the mean time, check out this totally kick butt veggie lasagna I made up. It’s simple and so so so good! Notice I don't have any measurements. For you anal chefs, I do apologize. I don't measure much when cooking.  It saves time and usually turns out pretty good. :)

Ingredients
No boil lasagna noodles
Jar of your favorite marinara
Part-skim mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses
Your favorite veggies for roasting (I used mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, and onions)
Olive oil
Favorite seasons: Italian blend (oregano, basil, thyme), black pepper, crushed red pepper, sea salt, etc

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Slice your veggies and throw them on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with all of your seasonings (ok, don’t be shy here). Put veggies in the oven for 30-45 min, flipping every 15 min or so.
3. Once your veggies are done, get ready to assemble the lasagna. Pour a bit of marinara on the bottom of your baking dish. Add lasagna noodles. Load with veggies. Add cheese. Then repeat
4. Bake at 350 degrees. 30 min with foil on. 20-30 min with foil off. Enjoy!

Do you have any delicious and nutritious you love?  If yes, send them my way!  I'd love to highlight it.

Your good food lovin' dietitian in Cambridge
Marci
Tweet 

Making Time for Meditation

Meditation isn’t just for new-aged hippies. It is simply a tool to get to know yourself better. It’s about getting comfortable with being still, with being with yourself and with your body. As a nutrition expert who is interested in the power of meditation, I turned to someone whose expertise lie in training the mind: Tara Brach is a Buddhist Meditation expert and says:  

“Meditation is commonly described as a training of mental attention that awakens us beyond the conditioned mind and habitual thinking, and reveals the nature of reality…Presence is a mindful, clear recognition of what is happening—here, now—and the open…We practice meditation by receiving all the domains of experience with a mindful, open attention.  These domains include breath and sensations; feelings (pleasant, unpleasant and neutral); sense perceptions, thoughts and emotions; and awareness itself.”

This mindfulness can be directly applied to how we treat our bodies and the food we consume. Being more mindful in just this one area of your life, even just for 10-15 minutes, is likely to create ripples of change that spread throughout the rest of your activities. To begin a meditation practice, I like this simple meditation:

• Sit on the floor with your legs crossed and your palms face ups on your knees.  Feel free to sit on a pillow, mat or towel.
• Pick a time, it can be morning or night, which ever you prefer. Set your alarm for 5-10 minutes (whichever you are most comfortable with to start)
• Close your eyes and slowly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth
• The goal is put your attention on every breath, feel the air come into your lungs and out through your lips.
• Your mind will wander, that’s ok! Just keep bringing your attention back to your breath
• Some people find it helpful to say a “mantra” which is just a short sentence you repeat silently in your mind. Feel free to create your own, but to get you started try: I am Strong. I am courageous. May I accept myself just as I am. May I be peaceful and at ease. May I be happy.

• Don’t judge your practice -- rather, accept what unfolds and trust your capacity to awaken and be free! If you miss practice for a day, a week, or a month, simply begin again.

Taking just 10 minutes every morning to sit quietly and focus on your breath, you create a sense of comfort in being with yourself, making it that much easier to take care of yourself! Tara Brach also has  free guided meditation downloads available on her website if you would like to go deeper into a meditation practice.

Have you ever tried meditation? Is it something you can see yourself incorporating into your daily routine? 

Interested in mindfullness? Subscribe to my newsletter! In February we'll be discussing the importance of savoring and being present with your food.

Tweet 

Black Bean and Walnut Burgers

Last week my husband and I lost power in our apartment. Not only did my work come to a grinding halt (not complaining) but I couldn't cook dinner. I quickly picked up the phone and dialed for Thai food take-out, my favorite. We had some brown rice leftover but not enough for a meal. I decided to hang on to it even though I didn't have a plan for it (pretty unlike me).

So I was stoked when I remember this recipe I found with a client. She is both vegetarian and gluten intolerant and wanted a new recipe or two. It's a recipe for Black Bean and Walnut Burgers from Vegetarian Times.

*Marci's Note: The recipe makes for 8, but I easily cut it in half.
*Marci's Note: I used the extra black beans, rice, onion and corn to throw in a batch of pre-made tomato soup. Two recipes in about 30 minutes. Easy.

Ingredients
2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained well 
2 tsp. ground cumin
3 tsp. chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup chopped red onion
3 Tbs. canned corn
1/3 cup cornmeal
guacamole, for garnish
chunky salsa, for garnish 

Directions
1. Purée 2 1/2 cups beans with cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper until smooth. Add rice, walnuts, onion, corn and remaining beans, and pulse 2 or 3 times to mix. (Mixture should be stiff but not dry.) Add 2 to 3 Tbs. water to moisten, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill, if making ahead.

2. Divide mixture into 8 burgers. Dredge burgers in cornmeal. Chill 30 minutes (unless mixture has been made earlier and chilled).

3. Coat nonstick pan or grill with cooking spray. Cook burgers over medium heat 4 minutes. Flip, and cook 4 minutes more, or until heated through. Garnish with guacamole and salsa, if desired, and serve.
Tweet 

Product No Case: HCG Supplements

January 16-22 is Health Weight Week. I love their 3-fold mission:
1. Celebrate diet-free habits
2. Prevent eating & weight problems
3. Work towards being accepting, happy, and healthy at our natural weights

On the Healthy Weight Week website, they name their 2010 "Slim Chance Award Winners" for the worst weight products of the year. These horrible weight products has inspired this month's "Product No Case" post.  And here it is folks: HCG Supplements. Let's agree together to never support a product that offers empty promises, a 500 calorie a day diet, and horrific side effects. 

HCG Supplements

In a resurge in popularity of HCG injections among some practitioners and spas, this 1950s weight loss method has spawned excitement in the supplement field, as well. HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), a hormone produced during pregnancy, is claimed to reset the hypothalamus, improve metabolism and mobilize fat stores. However, there is no scientific evidence supporting HCG treatment as a weight or fat loss strategy. In its herbal versions, HCG drops are placed under the tongue (5 drops times 6 times a day or 10 drops, 3 times). Advertisers claim, “You easily can lose 1-2 pounds per day safely! Shed Excess Fat … HCG resets your hypothalamus so that your weight loss is permanent!” “HCG will melt fat permanently while maintaining muscle tone.” HCG does all this, it is claimed, without exercise. The caveat: the program requires a semi-starvation diet of 500 calories a day, with attendant severe risks to long-term health and almost guaranteed weight rebound. Further, the HCG program often begins with a liquid fast detox period. Common short-term effects include fatigue, headache, mood swings, depression, confusion, dizziness and stomach pain.

NO THANK YOU!
Tweet 

Product Show Case: Wholly Guacamole

Typically I am not a fan of the 100 calorie snack pack revolution that has taken over the grocery stores. It's usually highly processed, not so tasty, and totally unsatisfying "non-food" food. And as an eating disorder expert, I'm NOT a fan of calorie counting.

But, I totally love the single serve packets of Wholly Guacamole. So, I couldn't help but showcase it as the product I'm loving this month.  I don't love it because it's 100 calories in a serving.  I love it for three simple reasons:

1. I don't have to worry about an under or overripe avocado when whipping up dinner during the week.
2. They can easily be packed and transported for a simple and nutritious addition to what would potentially be a blaw frozen burrito.
3. The guacamole is seriously delicious! It really passes the taste test.

Do have any products you're in love with?  If yes, please share! I'm always on the look out for something new to get excited about.
Tweet 

Dare to be Different

Trying to lose weight (or at least talking about trying to lose weight) is a popular thing to do. It's culturally acceptable and even socially obligatory to be dissatisfied with the size and shape or your body.  One client recently said to me "I feel like a freak because I'm the only grad student NOT on a diet."  Say WHAT!?!

And with the start of a new year, all of the diets are being advertised and sold with a vengeance.  If you have been reading my blog and don't already believe me when I say diets don't work, check out this stellar post by rock start dietitian Evelyn Tribole.  She nails it with research and practical advice.

So you may be asking, what does work?  It's not sexy, but slow/sustainable changes you can manage over a lifetime does work.  In fact, my brother said it best as we were enjoying some cinnamon rolls over the holidays. "So Marci, what you are talking about on your blog is eating one of these cinnamon rolls, rather than skipping it or eating three?"  You've got it!

So here are some more specific strategies to get you started:
1.) Start listening to your body. You can use this scale as a guide.  Notice how often you are in the white zone.  Strive to steer clear of that zone as often as possible.
2.) Prioritize your health by committing to at least 7 hours of sleep each night. Learn more about how sleep affects your weight here. 
3.) Join the #MeMovement with fab RD Rebeccah Strictchfield! Commit to putting you and your health first, no apologies.

So dare to be different by letting go of body and weight obsessions.  Dare to be different by taking care of yourself, trusting that as you do so, a healthy body will naturally follow.  Dare to be different...and you just may find a much happier and healthier you.

Your very different dietitian in Cambridge
Marci
Tweet 

Resolutions: Making change a reality

I'm in the business of helping people make positive change in their lives. And I know how hard change can be.  So it wasn't surprising to hear my friend say "I refuse to make resolutions. Every year I make them and forget all about my good intentions until December."

Sound familiar? Making resolutions is a popular topic, since it's what we are "supposed" to be doing this time of year. Dreaming up what we want to do better than the year before seems to be an obligation at the end of December.

Last year I blogged about making SMART Goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely). And my friend Elizabeth Jarrad (nutrition student and social media diva) wrote a great blog post about making goals rather than resolutions.

Let's face it, change is hard. We humans are wired to repeat habituated patterns. BUT, thanks to neuroscience we know that our brains are plastic!  That means we are capable of changing.  So if you want to see yourself accomplishing something specific this year, I don't think it matters if you call it a resolution or a goal. You just need a plan to support your efforts.

I see positive change happen on a daily basis. My clients who suffer from an eating disorder do some of the toughest and most amazing change work I have ever witnessed. So the ability we have as humans to progress and become healthier, happier, and better is something I believe in!

So here are 6 things I learned to make change stick.

1.Dream big but start small.  Choose 1 very very specific thing to work on. When you get good at that one thing, move on to the next.
2. Chart your plan. Once you identify that one small step, think through all the logistical details you need to make it a reality.
3. Be vocal. Let your family and friends know your intentions and how you'd like them to support your efforts.
4. Get support. If you are feeling stuck you may want to consider finding a coach, counselor, therapist, or dietitian.
5. Don't give up! It's hard work re-wiring our brains to stick to new habits. It's consistency that wins the race so stick with it.
6. Reward positive behavior (that helps reinforce those new neural pathways) but not with food!

Here's to wishing you a health, happy, and safe New Year.

Your nutritionist in Cambridge
Marci
Tweet 

Holiday Bill of Rights

There seems to be a pretty consistent theme that I'm discussing with all of my clients...the holidays.  There are so many wonderful things about the holiday season.  But let's be honest, it's also a stressful time of year. And if you're struggling with food and feelings about your weight, it can all feel a bit overwhelming.

But rather than thinking about what you should/should not eat, can/cannot have, consider the Intuitive Eater's Holiday Bill of Rights.  What do you need to feel peace about food and your body during the holidays?  Take some time to think about that question for yourself.


Marci's Holiday Bill of Rights:

• I claim the right to enjoy the foods I love and pass on the things I don't
• I claim the right to sleep for more than 8 hours while on vacation 
• I claim the right to take a break from family time in order to exercise, read, or do what I need to feel good
• I claim the right to laugh....a lot, which is always the best form of therapy. :)

I'm eager to hear what you're health "rights" are during the holidays. 


Tweet