Why You Should Keep Your Goals Secret

Think of the day when you decided on a life change. You can't wait to share it with all your family and friends. Maybe you announce it at a party, or share it on-line for all to see:

"I'm going to lose 20 pounds by Christmas, and be fit enough to go running every day!"

Everyone congratulates you on a job well done.

But wait a minute -- you haven't done anything yet?

In a recent TED talk, Derek Sivers talks about keeping goals secret. According to research, telling someone your goals makes them less likely to happen.

There is some research to back this up. Peter Gollwitzer of New York University specializes in goal-setting. In his article (PDF) about announcing intentions he discovers (in Study 3) that people who have announced their goals give up on them quicker than people who haven't.

This flies in the face of some thinking. Many people share their goals and believe the disclosure helps to keep them accountable.

Do you keep you goals to yourself? Or do you announce them to the world?

Photo credit Dana Lookado

Psychology goals 18 Comments Heather on 21 Oct 2010

I do better, historically, if I announce my goals. To good people to announce my goals, those who have similar things they consider important and thus are supportive.

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Trying to Find a Dietitian/Nutritionist [Forum]

Trying to Find a Dietitian/Nutritionist By O. on Oct 21, 2010 22

Today I tried to find a dietitian or nutritionist near me. Silly me, I thought it would be like finding a local dentist. I wouldn't call it a complete failure. But you'd think that in a major metro area there would be plenty of them. Well I found some, but not very close and it wasn't easy.

First off I tried the phone book. If you look up nutritionist or dietitian in the phone book you will see big full color ads for Nutrisystem and other popular diet programs followed by a few other listings in tiny print. How nice.

So I tried typing the word nutrionist into the online yellow pages. What I got ranged from listing for GNC's and other vitamin stores, to listing for centers that supply food to low income mothers, to listings for actual nutritionists . But several of the phone numbers I called didn't work, and those that did were for nutritionist that worked for certain health insurance plans that I wasn't on.

So I called my health insurance provider and asked them can they find me dietition or nutritionist that is on my plan. The operator asked me "Is this for diabities?". I said "No this is for weight loss". She said "Ok, dietitians for weightloss isn't covered".

Now this is interesting because the overweight are blamed for raising everyones premiums and whatever else.... but weight loss isn't covered at least by my company.

But the operator did let me know they have coupons and discounts to Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, gyms, and other services. So I guess that saves face a little.

I did find one place I really liked , but it's a little far just to go to a doctors office. I'd hate to think what would happen if I lived in rural area.

Now I see why Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers are so popular.

Weight Loss   22 Comments

Depression Eating, It Gets Insane

I'm sick in the head. No seriously, I am. I'm medicated and everything. Bipolar, clinically depressed, angry all the time, and riddled with anxiety and self-hate.

It's a serious condition, but being crazy does have its perks. Jehovah's Witnesses know not to knock on my door.

But sometimes depression can really suck, especially if you're trying to live a healthy life. It can be hard to eat right and exercise when you're a miserable wretch.

Mental illness is much different than physical illness. Sometimes your medication works, sometimes it doesn't. It's not like taking insulin for diabetes or blood pressure pills. You can still have bad days.

As for me, I have three or four crappy days a month. They're the kind of days when I wake up and say to myself, "Ugh, I know I've said it before, but today is the day I kill myself. Yup, today's the day." So far I haven't.

But my bad days still suck. Normally I lead a healthy life. I eat right, exercise regularly, and I see a shrink. But, when I'm having a crappy day, all that goes out the window, especially my diet.

Food is my drug, always has been. When I'm depressed, I eat. I don't turn to drugs or booze, like many mentally ill people. I equate that stuff with fun, so there's no urge for me to get drunk when I'm depressed. I just eat.

Now, I've blogged about this before, I'm a near-vegetarian; no meat, eggs, milk, or cheese. I only eat fruits, vegetables, and fish. So I don't get like a woman with PMS and lock myself in my bedroom with a gallon of Haagen-Dazs, a jar of pickles, and the latest issue of Cosmo.

Because of my diet, I'm not jonesing for things like Big Macs, Cinnabon, macaroni and cheese, or milkshakes. No, my comfort foods are pretty lame. For example, I love non-dairy ice cream. I'll cut your throat for a pint of Good Karma Banana Fudge.

I eat a lot of cheap supermarket sushi too. You know the stuff. Those funky California rolls made with unripe avocado, fake crab meat that tastes extra fake, and crusty dried out rice.

What the Right Foods Can Do For You

This may seem rudimentary to the point of ridiculousness, but good food does good things to the body.... I know, I know, and water is wet.

This study caught my attention for the fact that it's a unique "tweener" as far as studies go - not looking at specific nutrients of foods and yet not a tremendously large and convoluted mess, like the Nurses Health Study.

Instead, this study - headed by Inger Björck, professor of food-related nutrition at Lund University - looked at the health effects of a diet with multiple foods that are thought to reduce inflammation. Here are the study's details;

Study ParticularsForty-four healthy, overweight people between the ages of 50 and 75 took part in the diet study.For four weeks they ate foods which are presumed to reduce low-grade inflammation in the body, a condition which in turn triggers metabolic syndrome and thus obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The test diet was high in antioxidants, low-GI foods (i.e. slow release carbohydrates), omega fatty acids, wholegrain products, probiotics and viscous dietary fibre.Examples of foods eaten were oily fish, barley, soy protein, blueberries, almonds, cinnamon, vinegar and a certain type of wholegrain bread.Study ResultsLDL cholesterol was reduced by 33 percent.Blood lipids reduced by 14 percent.Blood pressure reduced by 8 percent.A risk marker for blood clots by 26 percent. A marker of inflammation in the body was also greatly reduced, while memory and cognitive function were improved. Some ThoughtsThe study results make sense as these are healthy, largely unprocessed foods that have been shown to possess health benefits individually.It would be hasty to conclude, however that this group of foods is the optimal way to eat as any dietary change is usually a vast improvement to the average persons dietary habits.I would be willing to bet that other dietary patterns may be equally (or at least competitively) as effective as the pattern they chose - so long as calorie consumption was kept in check. A control group of some sort would be warranted to give this study a bit more credibility. One of the highlights of studying clusters of different foods is that it helps take the emphasis away from single food "cures" that runs rampant in "superfood" products.I'm curious to see what kind of weight loss the participants experienced.

Image credit: jhritz

Diets Science healthy eating 4 Comments

How Can I Convince My Friend Not to Diet? [Forum]

How Can I Convince My Friend Not to Diet? By Pano Halvah on Oct 25, 2010 2

I visited a friend today for a beer. Unfortunately he just started a very strict diet. I tried to explain to him the bad things about it (e.g Metabolism).

He agrees with me, but still will continue what he does. Any ideas to convince him otherwise?

Weight Loss   2 Comments

Who Else Has Stopped Buying Diet Books?

Recently I carried two large bags full of diet books to the local secondhand store. The walk alone must have burned off at least 12 Calories. I had everything from low-budget self-published stories, right through to bestsellers like the South Beach Diet and other imitators.

I could not help thinking about how little difference these books have really made. Some are well-intentioned self-help guides, while other books are little more than money-grabbing fluff.

How many diet books grace your shelves (or Kindle, or iPad...)?

Over the past 6 years publishers have been sending me books to review. At first it was interesting - but after a few years I hit a fatigue point. The temptation to fall into cynicism was difficult to resist - there was very little new insight being written.

Most publishers would time their release date to a few days after Christmas - the "diet season". About 6 weeks later most of the books would be gathering dust on bookshelves nationwide. Despite this every year a plethora of books hit the market, and, to be brutally honest, most are the same information rehashed over and over.

The age of the "in" diet seems to be over - either that or what is "hot" falls into an increasingly shorter and quicker cycle.

To be fair there are many very interesting books that come out that offer a useful or passionate angle on diet and weight loss - but these are a minority.

There is a season for everything

I've noticed that what's popular in dieting is almost cyclical. Older diets can come back into vogue as if they were a new thing. Or older diets simply keep bringing out new editions every few years.

What the bestseller list tells us...
A perusal of Amazon's diet bestsellers shows us:

Paleo Diets are currently on the menu (Paleo Solution, the Paleo Diet, the Primal Blueprint). Props go to Mark Sisson author of the Primal Blueprint - he keeps an excellent and passionate blog.Rehashed versions of old favorites keep coming - the New Atkins, and South Beach Diet Supercharged.And... (yes the cynicism is back) - slim blond women are good at selling books...

Do You Still Buy Diet Books?

Books Diets 11 Comments Anya on 26 Oct 2010

None. I've never subscribed to them or their view of healthy living.

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Chris Voigt's Potato Only Diet

In what's been dubbed "a bizarre PR campaign," Chris Voigt, director of the Potato Commission, has been eating only potatoes for 25 days (and aims to reach 60).

Chris's aim is to prove that potatoes can be part of a healthy lifestyle. But is such a limited diet going to make him ill?

Chris is highlighting the nutritional content of potatoes, although counted as a "starch" not a "vegetable", they are rich in several vitamins and minerals:
Voigt hopes his pro-spud stunt will educate the public about many healthy aspects of the maligned potato: an inexpensive source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, and with the skin left on, dietary fiber.

The monotony of a potato-only diet would leave most of us feeling incredibly bored with our food, even with seasonings allowed. Chris claims to be enjoying himself though, with some innovative recipes like "potato ice-cream" and "potato lasagne".

Twenty days in, however, he posted about some of the psychological difficulties of the diet on his blog:
It was just one of those days where you really wonder what the heck you're doing. While I know I love potatoes, it was hard to keep eating them. I hung in there but I was the star of my own little pity party yesterday.

Chris has lost some weight on the diet (he's a few pounds overweight), finding his daily 6.5 pounds of potatoes so filling that he can't always finish them. He insists that he won't suffer any ill-effects from living off potatoes alone for two months.

What do you think - is this a crazy diet, or a genius PR stunt? And, if you could only eat one food item for sixty days, what would you pick?

Weird diet potatoes 12 Comments Ann on 26 Oct 2010

I wonder if he's including a multivitamin in this? And it sounds from this post like he must be including SOME other foods - how is it potato lasagna if there is only potatoes in it? There must be cheese and a sauce? Otherwise it's a stack of potatoe slices. Or mashed potatoes?

Reply Ann on 26 Oct 2010

I apologize for the Quayle-reminiscent moment ... I think I was originally going to say "stack of potatoes" but then opted for "potato slices" without fixing my spelling.

Reply Ryan on 26 Oct 2010

It's actually not so crazy. Potatoes, though not generally thought of as nutritious because of their association with French fries, are actually quite so.

I would gladly go on a pure grass-fed raw milk diet. The Mayo Foundation actually used to do this as a sort of cure-all. Whether it works is up for debate, but it is abundantly clear that a pure raw milk diet will at least keep you alive perfectly well by itself.

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Low Glycemic Diet Help [Forum]

Low Glycemic Diet Help By jayreaser on Oct 26, 2010 0

Does anyone have any advice, pro or con, about this low glycemic diet? Also is there a site to go to for recipes that are truly low glycemic? I am not looking for the high protein stuff like Atkins, but real low glycemic and not all meat and fats. I have tried these and they did not work for me.

Thank you so much.

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How Can I Separate Emotions From Eating? [Forum]

How Can I Separate Emotions From Eating? By doctordaffodil on Oct 26, 2010 14

So I realized that I take out many of my emotions such as stress and anxiety out on food. I want to lose 10 pounds but it is very difficult because I am an emotional eater who tends to resort to restriction that is followed by a binge.

I am looking for ways to separate my emotions from my eating habits and lose weight in a healthy way. Does anyone have suggestions? Thanks!

Weight Loss   14 Comments carolyn on 10/26/10

pray to GOD

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Poll: The More You Sit, the Sooner You Die

There are so many factors that contribute to the obesity rates in the western world and it definitely is a complex issue.

What's worse, as the world continues to evolve into a more technological driven society, people are spending a lot more time sitting in front of that technology instead of being up and moving on the job.

According to ongoing research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana the more hours a day a person sits, the more likely they are to die an early death regardless of the amount of exercise they do.

This means that if a person has a job where they're on their feet all day, they are better off than a person who sits at a desk for 7 hours a day but jogs several miles before or after work.

This is based on a 2007 study from the University of Missouri that revealed that people who had active jobs burned many more Calories a week than people who ran 35 miles a week but had sedentary jobs.

Researchers say that sitting contributes to all kinds of health problems including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and muscle, spine, and other skeletal issues. Some businesses are switching on to this research and providing their employees with devices like the Trek Desk so workers can be moving as they work.

What do you think about our evolving sedentary lifestyle? Participate in the poll and comments below.

Source: Men's Health on MSNBC

How many hours a day do you sit?

3 or less 4-6 7-9 10 or more View results

Exercise obesity 9 Comments Ann on 27 Oct 2010

I'm so glad I got up at 6am to run before work today. I wish this had pointed out that people with a sedentary job who exercise won't die as early as the people with sedentary jobs who don't exercise ...

Reply Stephanie on 27 Oct 2010

Exactly! I can't change the fact that my job has me chained to a desk all day. If I could, I already would have! But I can change how active I am outside of work. I wish this had been more kind to those with sedentary jobs instead of just acting like it's the one way train to obesity.

Reply bijou on 27 Oct 2010

so white collar office workers are basically sentenced to death by obesity regardless of their nutrition and exercise choices. we all might as well gorge on every box of donuts and bucket of fried chicken we see and then pass out in front of the tv, because we're all doomed to be obese anyway.

i appreciate research illustrating the ill effects of a sedentary lifestyle, but it's articles like these that make people give up (or not even begin trying to take up) a healthy lifestyle.

every little bit helps! every healthy choice you make will pay dividends! if you're an office worker and you're really concerned about sitting all day, take the stairs, take a 10 minute walk during lunch, drink more water and walk to the bathroom often! ladies, instead of sitting during #1, master the squat! it's excellent for toning butts and thighs! and...working out before or after work helps tremendously!

it's time to stop worrying about what's beyond our control and actually DO what IS in our control.

Reply Zoran on 27 Oct 2010

it's time to stop worrying about what's beyond our control and actually DO what IS in our control.

I totally agree, but here's what's bothering me. We're creatures of habit, but we often use this as an excuse of our bad habits. How we can for once start doing what's good for us, how we can get a good habit? In my 20s I used to go to the gym without ever missing a workout. 20 years later, I have a well equipped home gym, but I hardly ever go in that room, I'm an 8 hours sitter, a total fat ass and I'm not even fat, actually I'm a skinny guy. One thing I know, we all know the theory quite good, but how to turn that in practice is beyond my knowledge.

Reply Dan on 27 Oct 2010

As someone who has had a stand up job in a food service for almost the last 24 years, I find this study very difficult to believe- I would almost dare to say it is bogus. I have been battling obesity while I had this job most of the time. Not only was I overweight, but I had very high cholesterol as well- standing up was of little help. There is one woman who stands up all day as a cook in our department and she is 200 pounds overweight. Many other persons in our department are also seriously overweight, even though they stand up most of the work day. Standing up according to the calculator on healthstatus.com only burns 100 more calories in 8 hours than sitting down does- about 910 vs 810 for someone of my weight of 158. This is a little over 100 calories an hour, whereas running can burn at least 500 calories in an hour. 8 hours of running at only 6mph burns 7680 calories. I only lost weight from purposeful exercise, such as biking and running, never by having a stand up job. Perhaps if they are comparing jobs such as movers of furniture and lumberjacks to persons who have sit down jobs, this might have validity. But, from my experience and that of many others in my food service department, just standing up all day does NOT burn that many more calories than sitting down does, and I also don't believe by itself that it protects persons from any kind of health problem.

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