When setting goals to help you “Fall” into healthy habits, keep these tips in mind:

1. Set SMARTeR goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely, & Rewarded

2.  When evaluating whether a goal is realistic or not, be sure to challenge yourself but at the same time set yourself up for success.

For example, on the first week or two of school, you may not feel like you can commit to your usual 30-60 minutes of exercise, so instead try writing a goal such as, “During the first two weeks of school, I will exercise five days a week for a minimum of 15 minutes per day.  I will exercise in the morning at 6am.  At the end of the first two weeks of school, when I’ve achieved my exercise goal, I will reward myself by buying a new cookbook that will help me prepare healthy meals on the go!”

3.  Prepare for the next day the night before or even the weekend before. Preparation does take time and effort but can be quick also. If done properly it can TRULY help you succeed during the week. Try tips such as:

-Go to the grocery store before the weekend is over and when you get home, package veggies and fruits into “snack size” bags.  Keep your healthy snacks in a plastic box or shoe box that is visible when you open the refrigerator.  Think through what you want to pack in a lunch and make sure to have a cooler or lunch bag ready to go.

-Cook enough meat for the week. Using a slow cooker or in the oven, try baking a handful of chicken breasts that you can then use for various meals.  The options are endless, however some examples include:

——-Rice Bowl: Brown rice (or quinoa)  + Chicken +  Teriyaki + Frozen Veggies;

——-Salad: Chicken + Mixed Greens + Cut up Tomato or Cut up Berries;

——-Fajitas: Chicken + High Fiber, Low Cal Tortilla + Sliced Peppers & Avocado;

——-Fried Rice: Chicken + Brown Rice + Mixed Veggies + Scrambled Egg (stir fry in pan on stove top)

-Pack your exercise clothes and walking shoes for the week.  On Sunday night, pack a gym bag with enough clothes for the week. Include also some recycled grocery bags to put your used clothes in to bring home for the wash.  This way there is never an excuse that you “forgot your workout clothes!”

As schedules change and new habits begin to form, be sure to make “fall”ing into healthy habits as a priority too!

We’ve seen a lot of trends lately with more nutrition labeling and making calorie/fat information a part of menus for certain chain restaurants. And consumers seem to be paying a bit more attention to that information, especially when it is posted in a conspicuous place. But this is the first time I had seen the information showing up right on the register receipt…sort of showing the “health cost” of each item ordered.

One of the challenges of sharing nutrition info in the restaurant setting is that not everyone knows about calories or understands just how many calories they should be getting. If you see that your burger and fries you ordered has 700 calories, does that mean much to you? Only if you understand that a normal daily intake for an individual is about 2,000 calories, not 20,000! So I did think it was helpful that this nutrition receipt included a baseline reference of % daily value (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). Of course, if you are eating a 1500 calorie diet (or another level) your % daily value results will vary from this reference point.

So, my question to all of you today is what do you think of this type of calorie-counting receipt? Would you find this information helpful or annoying? Would you pay much attention to it or leave the receipt on the tray to soak up the grease from the fries? How likely are you to notice nutrition info presented to you in this format? Let us know what you think!

From the time I was in Junior High, I’ve always had a problem with our education system in America. It’s not that I didn’t think it was good, I just didn’t understand WHY individuals in society are not taught some of the “basics” of life such as managing money, basic home repair, how to understand insurance & loans, parenting, and most of all, how to eat healthy and manage one’s weight.  While mathematics, English, history, science and business are all extremely important, there seems to have always been a “void” in basic life education……UNTIL NOW!

It’s exhilarating to see what the University of Vermont and the University of Maine are doing in partnership to provide students an opportunity for basic life education in weight management!   Students at both universities can now enroll in “Vtrim for Undergrads,”  a one-credit, semester-long course based on clinical research by Dr. Jean Harvey-Berino, PhD, RD, a nationally-recognized obesity researcher.  Perhaps I’m biased, but if my child was at one of these universities, I must say I’d “REQUIRE” them to take this course so they could learn from experts how to adopt healthy eating and exercise behaviors!  What an opportunity!!!

In case you are interested in learning more about Vtrim for Undergrads, here’s what Dr. Harvey-Berino had to say about Vtrim for Undergrads, “There is a groundswell nationwide for universities to provide preventative health programming to students. It’s an ideal time in their lives to learn healthy eating behaviors for long-term health and earn college credit, too.”

So what will Vtrim for Undergrads teach students? Vtrim will arm students with the tactics and knowledge to sustainably combat weight gain through behavior modification – altering reactions to emotional and environmental stimuli through reinforcement of a new behavior, or reduction of an unhealthy behavior. The University of Vermont started offering Vtrim to students in 2009. The course counts as a nutrition or physical education credit.  The University of Maine’s first courses will run this fall and will be offered through their Lifelong Learning’s division of continuing and distance education program.

Just like many of Vtrim’s commercial and corporate programs, the entire program takes place online. Students are guided by a trained instructor and meet online weekly with their instructor for a class in which a lesson is discussed in a structured chat room. Pretty cool!

Students are asked to set goals around health or weight loss and then these goals along with their progress are tracked with online tools, including a food journal and exercise tracker. Each week, students receive individualized expert feedback on their progress.

To date, though some students sign up to lose weight, most enroll to learn healthy behaviors. Many recognize that their poor food choices and lack of exercise in college can have a detrimental effect on their overall health and nutrition. Students work with instructors to set realistic goals and establish a healthy perspective on their individual lifestyle. For students seeking to lose weight, typical weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week; 83 percent of people completing Vtrim achieve a clinically-meaningful weight loss of 5-10 percent.

Obesity continues to grow as a public health problem. Obesity prevalence is 19.1% for men and women aged 18—29 years (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2007) and obesity rates increased in 28 states in 2009 (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation).

Long story short, by offering “Vtrim for Undergrads,” these two universities have figured out one way to truly enhance how they can teach and empower young adults in this day and age to walk away prepared to enter the “real world” in a balanced and well rounded manner so they can stay healthy and potentially live longer because of what they learned in their undergraduate education!  Now, that’s making a DIFFERENCE!!!!

Source: http://bit.ly/9Zrz70

I’m guessing when you think 4^th of July you probably think of picnics and parades,  barbeques and fireworks. And of course those thoughts conjure up images of juicy burgers, rich potato salad, and decadent desserts.  These classic foods can cause stress on the calorie-budgeting partygoer, but you don’t have to let these calorie-laden dishes spoil your summer holiday fun.  With the proper planning you can fix healthier options that will taste great and let you celebrate guilt-free.  Here are some ideas that will undoubtedly be crowd pleasers this holiday:

When it comes to appetizers and finger foods, keeping it simple is best.  Slice up some carrot and celery sticks and serve with hummus.

For a main dish try this Lime Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa from recipetips.com.

Ingredients:

SALSA

2 mangoes, peeled and diced

1 red pepper, seeded and diced

½ C orange juice

2 limes, juiced

¼ C fresh basil, minced

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

CHICKEN MARINADE

½ C orange juice

2 T frozen limeade, thawed

salt and pepper

6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

Directions:

For the salsa combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

For the Chicken marinade combine the orange juice, limeade, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag.  Add the chicken then seal and turn bag to combine ingredients and cover chicken.  Marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  Heat grill to medium and remove chicken from marinade.  Grill 5-7 minutes on each side depending on thickness.  Top with mango salsa and serve.

If you do opt for burgers as a main course try to choose lean meats or even ground turkey breast to make the patties.  For even better variety, try salmon burgers, veggie burgers or bean burgers.  All are healthy alternatives to the traditional hamburger.

No summer barbeque would be complete without a side of potato salad.  Check out this Roasted Garlic Potato Salad recipe from eatingwell.com.

Dessert can be the easiest part of your meal by simply slicing up some fresh watermelon or other fresh fruit.  This will satisfy your sweet tooth and you don’t have to worry about ice cream bars melting in the cooler.

Picnics and barbeques should be enjoyable events.  With a little creativity you can join in the fun and stay healthy all at once.

 Let us introduce you to Deidre Purcell, who has already lost 5 pounds with Vtrim Online and loves the social support she gets in her weekly online class and live chat.

Deidre Purcell, 45, Clifton Park, NY

Deirdre is too busy to make time for her own health. She works full-time, and she’s a wife and mother, which means carpooling the kids to games, lessons and activities.

 How is Deidre doing now that she’s on Vtrim?

“I am feeling really good. The first 4 days after journaling I could feel that my body was missing or craving more than I was giving it. The Vtrim program is a real eye-opener as to what a person consumes, how many calories, fat grams, etc.”

What has surprised Deidre so far on her weight loss journey?

“What surprised me the most was the calorie intake and fat intake I would consume daily. By journaling my diet I am able to be more conscious as to what is going into my body! It is just amazing how the intake of calories and fat can affect one’s system both physically and health wise.”

What is Deidre’s favorite Vtrim Online tool? 

“My favorite part of the Vtrim dashboard is the Journal. When you write something down and are able to see exactly how many calories there are in a given item/meal it wakes you up as to how easy it is to go over a recommended daily calorie and fat intake.”

What is the most helpful lesson or piece of advice so far for Deidre? 

“What I have found to be helpful is the online chats and sessions. To have the support of others is a huge asset to trying to achieve a goal. In my case to discuss how others adjust their daily routines, what they are doing and what they eat.”

Three cheers for Deidre! We’re so glad you enjoy the classes. Oftentimes, we learn so much from each other and realize that we’re not alone when it comes to weight loss and management.

More Magazine has also profiled our 3 winners on their website.  You can read more here.

Let us introduce you to Catherine Skirnak, who has already lost 12 pounds with Vtrim Online and loves how the online journal keeps her accountable.

 Catherine Skrinak, 46, Henderson, NV

A yo-yo dieter all her life, Catherine gave up on her struggle to manage her weight when her father passed away 17 years ago. When she woke up on the anniversary of her father’s death and realized how long it had been, she knew she needed to change.

How is Catherine doing now that she’s on Vtrim? “First I feel in control. I also feel better knowing that the food choices I’m making are good ones. I don’t eat until I’m stuffed or binge on really bad stuff that was loaded with fat and sugar. I try to make the best of the 1200 calories I can eat.  I want to get my blood work redone to see how my blood sugar and cholesterol have changed. I was heading (if I kept up my bad food habits) towards pre-diabetes.”

What has surprised Catherine so far on her weight loss journey? “If I’m at 1200 calories and 34 grams of fat it makes me wonder about the amount of food I was I was mindlessly eating. Some things were extremely high in fat like the ranch salad dressing I love to eat and all of the junk!”

What is Catherine’s favorite Vtrim Online tool? “I would say the journal and using the pantry. I can’t believe I’m actually saying that because I was dreading the journaling! It has been a very useful tool.”

What is the most helpful lesson or piece of advice so far for Catherine? “That again would be the journaling and being accountable for what and how much I’m eating. For me weight loss really occurs when I am conscious of what I’m eating.”

Keep up the great work, Catherine! Remember readers, being overweight has been associated with 15 major diseases, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Managing your weight is a great way to manage your overall health.

We were inspired by so many stories and sincerely wish the best for all those who entered the contest.

Three women were chosen to win a Vtrim Online course – Brenda Wooten, 47, of Humboldt, IA; Catherine Skrinak, 46, of Henderson, NV; and Deidre Purcell, 45, of Clifton Park, NY.

Vtrim Online is proud to introduce you to our winners. We will be checking in on them from time to time and sharing their progress with you. Feel free to leave a comment or question and we will do our best to have them answer it!

Today, let us introduce you to Brenda Wooten! You will meet Catherine and Deidre later this week.

Brenda Wooten, 47, Humboldt, IA

A divorced mom, Brenda doesn’t want to live her life “in a body I am embarrassed of.” She wants to find love again, but to do that she has to love herself first. Though she wants to change, she suffers from lack of motivation.

How is Brenda doing now that she’s on Vtrim? “I feel optimistic for the first time in a long time about being able to lose the weight and keep it off. I feel so much better when I eat healthier. Eating crap (junk food, fast food) makes me feel like crap!”

What has surprised Brenda so far on her weight loss journey? “How much fat is in some of the foods I ate!  I have done the Weight Watchers thing (along with about every other diet on the planet) where you count “points”, but have never really paid attention to fat intake.  It really makes you think about what you’re eating.”

What is Brenda’s favorite Vtrim Online tool? “I love the online journal…it is so easy to use.  The lookup feature really takes the work out of it for you, and the pantry is great for adding items you eat often but aren’t on the list.”

What is the most helpful lesson or piece of advice so far for Brenda?  “That it’s not about being perfect, because really…how many of us can be 24/7/365?  It’s about taking baby steps…or as I like to say, progress, not perfection.”

Nice work, Brenda. It is all about the baby steps and making small scale changes that really add up in the end!  We at Vtrim are excited to be a part of your weight loss journey!

http://www.flickr.com

May is National Bike month and I hate to state the obvious, but how better to celebrate than to get outside and go for a ride?  For many of us, our bike riding days ended the moment we got a driver’s license and a car.  Biking doesn’t have to be a hobby of the past however, so this May get out and enjoy all that a bike ride has to offer.

Biking to work is a great way to incorporate exercise into your day.  Not only can biking to work allow you to arrive feeling energetic and ready to take on the day, but it can also save time, money, and it’s good for the environment.  Imagine how much better you will feel arriving to work without having to deal with the bumper-to-bumper traffic that often accompanies a morning commute.

Riding doesn’t just have to be a form of transportation though.  Celebrate National Bike Month with a family ride!  Bike with the kids to school in the morning or just go for a leisurely weekend ride.  Take advantage of bike paths and parks in your area to avoid having to deal with traffic.

Check out local events celebrating Bike Month.  Many cities offer family bike tours, free bike tune-ups, bike sales, classes, and races.   Go to bikeleague.org for ideas on how to get events started in your area.

Dust off those handlebars, pump of those tires, and get out there for a bike ride!

Have you always wondered how to optimize your heart rate for the most efficient workout?

Are you dying to try “Sunset Yoga by Campfire”?

If so, then you should check out Women’s Fitness Weekend at Camp Abnaki in North Hero, Vermont.  A retreat designed for women who want to start taking better care of themselves, have more fun and enjoy life to its fullest, Women’s Fitness Weekend is your opportunity to take some time for YOU!

Envision yourself at a majestic lake setting where women are gathered to find friendship and camaraderie. You’ll find days filled with invigorating exercise classes like Body Pump, boot camp, Zumba, and kayaking mixed with workshops on stress management, Brainwalk-Breakthrough, mindfulness, and more. Add to this an evening ending with gentle and relaxing yoga by a warm, hypnotizing bonfire, and retiring to bed with your mind and body both feeling fulfilled. What could make you feel better?!?

Vtrim® and the Greater Burlington YMCA are teaming up to offer this weekend fitness getaway at Camp Abnaki on Lake Champlain Friday, June 11-Sunday June 13, 2010.

At Women’s Fitness Weekend you can expect…

·         New Group Fitness Activities

·         Sunset Yoga by Campfire

·         Informative classes that will help you get the most out of your workout

·         A beautiful Lake Champlain Setting

·         An opportunity to get away and jumpstart your summer fitness goals

To learn more about the program, the instructors, and the facilities at Camp Abnaki, visit us at http://www.uvm.edu/vtrim/fitness/

To register for Women’s Fitness Weekend, go to:

http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=852461

For further questions or to register by phone, contact Andrea Ziga, Vtrim Program Planner, at 802.656.1425 or email her at andrea.ziga@uvm.edu.

We hope you’ll join our Vtrim retreat this summer at Camp Abnaki!

What’s vtrim and what have I experienced first-hand?

Vtrim is a researched-based weight management program that’s home-grown on the campus of University of Vermont (my alma mater). The vtrim researchers have been obtaining NIH research grants for nearly a decade and have slowly accumulated the research which makes the case that online chat-based weight management can be successful. The research continues, but now vtrim is available to anyone in the world wide community who wants to lose pounds and change their lifestyle for good.

Two years ago I heard about vtrim. About a year ago I became a trained facilitator (health care professionals with weight control coaching skills). I admit I was a doubting Thomas but I ventured in because I was curious and know we need cost effective and easily accessible ways to help people succeed at lifestyle change. But I wondered, how could a weekly online chat for an hour (no phone connection),  a weekly journal review and comments, and e-mails, create a community in which people could find success?

In November I began my first vtrim group. Food and exercise guidelines and goals as well as online journaling are core program elements. On the weekly chats we’d debrief about the week, focus in on a topic surrounding behavior change and offer lots of support.  Twenty-four weeks later, mid April, my first group ended. All I can say is WOW and YES!

After a few short weeks my group came together as a community. Sure we lost a few members along the way (that’s true for in-person programs).  Weight losses ranged from less than 10 pounds to greater than 30, but we didn’t focus on pounds lost on chats at all.  Suffice to say participants who really “worked the program”; managed their food intake by cutting calories and fat, ate more fruits and vegetables, etc; upped their calorie burn with exercise, religiously (or almost) kept journals; did very well. Others struggled initially but during the middle of the program began to “get it” – this was about making long term permanant lifestyle changes.

Insights shared during our weekly chat were inspiring to all. Support was contagious. And I was relentless with my missives about what’s entailed in long term weight management and it that it WILL be a long term battle. Vtrim is not a diet, it’s about creating and cementing new healthy behaviors -  permanent lifestyle changes.

Bottomline: Research shows us that the people who do best in weight management programs take advantage of the tools and community aspects of programs (whether live or online). As well, research shows us the longer the program and the longer people are engaged the more weight they will lose. And if we are going to help the millions of people who are overweight or obese and at risk or with weight-related health issues, we’re going to have to use and maximize the technologies at our fingertips. Vtrim is just one solution.

Yes, I’m sold and I’ll be facilitating more groups. Hear more from two women blogging about their vtrim weight loss journeys: healthylosergal.com and puff2buff.com.