Is Narcissism Healthy?

Can Narcissism Be Healthy?

I struggled to understand how I could cruise for 14 days and come home at virtually the same weight I left, and then have a week of holiday preparations at home and gain 5 pounds.  Why?  What did I do to derail my weight control? 

My epiphany came on yesterday’s jog.

On the cruise, I was totally focused on me.  I ran 12 days, worked out 10, went to Zumba class, kayaked twice, climbed a mountain, hiked to a waterfall, and made healthy food choices.

At home, during the holiday season, I prepared meals for others, focused on meeting their schedules, didn’t have time to run, or work out, or hike, and I made healthy food choices.

At home I got pretty grouchy too.

Good health requires a bit of narcissism.  It requires knowing that YOU are important.  It requires taking time to exercise, to do things you enjoy, to say to your family and friends “I’m not available until later; I’ve got to take care of me first.” 

Don’t feel guilty.  In reality, by loving yourself in this way you are not only getting healthy, you are loving your family and friends.  You are creating in yourself more energy, more joy, and more life to share.

Love yourself!!!  Live healthy!!!

 Becky Reilly

Take Shape for Life Health Coach

916-337-5828

beckyreilly@tsfl.com

Choosing healthy is not sacrifice…it is SUCCESS!

PS  The five pounds are gone!  Ask me how!!

Glycemic Index - Why is it important?

Cookies, pizza, soda, white rice, bread have several things in common.  They taste amazing!  They also make you sick.

The Glycemic Index (GI), created by Dr. David J.A. Jenkins in 1981, gives us a standard for determining how much certain foods raise our blood sugar.  Important for health and weight loss?  Absolutely!!!

Food can be used in one of two ways: 1)  for energy 2) stored in fat cells.  When your blood sugar rises (by eating high-glycemic foods), your body releases an enzyme that puts your fat-storage system into overdrive.   When you eat low-glycemic foods, the enzyme is not released and your body turns down the fat storage system and uses your food for energy.

Another problem with eating high-glycemic foods is that one serving is never enough.  When you eat foods that cause your blood sugar to rise quickly, your body produces insulin.  The insulin will make your blood sugar drop to below normal, which will cause you to crave more sugary-starchy foods.  If you eat like this on a daily basis, your body will react with inflammation, hyperinsulinism, a tendency to develop Type II Diabetes, and weight gain.

For weight loss, you want to eat foods with a GI of 30 or less.  Zucchini, peppers, onions, spinach, and mushrooms all have a low GI.  Raw carrots have a low GI of 30, but when you cook them, their GI jumps to 80 (the sugar is concentrated and your body now digests them very quickly).  Berries, apples, nectarines, and peaches all have a GI under 30.  Dried fruits, bananas, watermelon and pineapple all have high GI's  (YES - stay away from watermelon if you are dieting!).  Quinoa, rye bread, sourdough bread, whole grain bread are moderately low (under 50), Oatmeal, crackers, and processed cereals all will raise your blood sugar rapidly.

Helpful Hints to Keep Your Blood Sugar from Rising:

• Use vinegar and lemon juice and eat sourdough bread to slow down the starch digestion
• Undercook spaghetti, oatmeal, and other pasta-like starches to slow down digestion
• Use stone ground, rather than milled, flour
• If you eat high glycemic foods, pair them with low glycemic foods to lower the overall effect on your blood sugar.

Are you interested in a healthy program that is created by doctors and supported by research to help you lose weight and create health in your life?  Visit my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lose-Weight-Live-Healthy-Becky-Reilly-Personal-Health-Coach/195756143827408 or beckyreilly.tsfl.com.  

Zumba: Learn to Love Dancing - at any age!

It came as a great surprise when I realized 1/2 of each of my Zumba classes is made up of women over 60 (I have several students in their 80's).  I did hunt around my facility so I could find the defibrillator in a hurry - just in case. Teens on summer break make up a small section, then men and women of varying degrees of weight and fitness make up the remaining group.  It is incredibly fun to dance together!

Why is there such an inter-generational appeal to Zumba?  Most of the music is in a language other than English, the instructor does not teach the steps (you just have to try to catch up and copy on your own), and you sweat - really sweat!

One of the big appeals is that we all feel a little silly wiggling our hips and shaking our booties.  When we feel silly together, the barriers break down and friendships are made quickly regardless of the difference in our ages.  Laughing together builds great comaraderie.  It is becoming increasingly more difficult to get my students to leave after class; they all want to hang around and chat.

Zumba makes you think.  You can't just lose yourself in the moment like you can when you walk or jog.  Both your left brain and right brain must be working at the same time (which is fabulous for staving off dementia).  When you are trying to figure out what move comes next, you forget how hard your body is working.

It is a great workout!  Your entire body moves.  You sweat.  You stretch.  You jump.  You wiggle.  But you  only move as much as your body can.  You are free to march in place if the instructor is doing something that your body doesn't want to do (or can't do).  Or, you can take the dance to a level higher than the instructor is taking it.  Any fitness level can enjoy, and be challenged by, Zumba.


We can't ignore the fact that is pretty wonderful to burn all those calories and lose weight while we are laughing.  Even though weight loss and fitness might be the first reason you check out a Zumba class, you'll stay for the fun and friendship you find there.


By the way, if you are in the Sacramento area, my Zumba classes are free.


 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lose-Weight-Live-Healthy-Becky-Reilly-Personal-Health-Coach/195756143827408

Dreams of an Obese Woman

I want to ride a bike with my daughter.
I want to go to Disneyland and fit in all of the rides.
I want to be able to walk without my knees aching from carrying around so much extra baggage.
I want to meet someone and know that they see me not my body.
I want to feel beautiful.
I want to be alive to see my great grandchildren.
I want to stop taking so much medication.
I want to dance again.
I want to be healthy.
I want to believe in myself - that I can conquer this.

What are your dreams?

Live Healthy - Body, Mind, Soul and Spirit

Health is the foundation of life, and for many of us that foundation is crumbling.  We eat processed junk instead of nutritious foods.  We sit inside when we should move outside.  We watch when we should engage.  We work when we should play.  And we neglect our spiritual dimension entirely.  This blog is dedicated to helping you develop health for your body, mind, soul (emotions) and spirit.  We'll discuss weight loss, exercise, nutrition, intellectual challenges, stress reduction, emotional healing, and spiritual philosophy.   Check back often.