Monthly Archives: December 2018

Let’s look at Strategies to Stick to Your New Year Resolutions. Do not let this year be another year of missed New Year Resolutions! If your goals for the New Year include eating healthier and moving more, KareBoost Health is here to support you. With specific strategies and a realistic plan, make this year your year to be healthier.

Here are 3 New Strategies to Stick to Your New Year Resolutions

Strategies to Stick to Your New Year Resolutions #1
Start Small. So many of us make grandiose plans for the New Year and end up frustrated after a week. Deeply ingrained habits, including our eating and exercise habits, are hard to change. Pick one change at a time and find simple ways to incorporate your goal until it becomes a habit. Once you have established this new goal as part of your routine, you can work on another change. For example, if you would like to start moving more, set a realistic goal of walking for 15-30 minutes 1-3 times a week. After sticking to that for a month, it might be time to increase your walk bot in time or frequency.

Strategies to Stick to Your New Year Resolutions #2
Move More. Planning to work out more is a great New Year Resolution. However, incorporating small movement throughout your day will help you reach your goals without requiring a large part of your schedule. Examine where you can fit in more movement. Can you park further away at the store or take the stairs more frequently?

Strategies to Stick to Your New Year Resolutions #3
Experiment. While it is important to have a realistic plan to accomplish your goals, do not give up at the first sign of failure. It is better to be flexible and find other ways to accomplish your goal than to give up entirely. Setbacks are to be expected. You should learn from these setbacks on how to move forward in a more productive way. For example, if you set a goal to work out every morning, but you are just not a morning person, experiment with working out at a different time. Maybe you can take 20 minutes of your lunch break to walk or you would be better off working out at the end of the day.

Sticking to New Year Resolutions can be frustrating, but it does not have to be. You do not have to do this alone. KareBoost Health is here to support you in all of your wellness goals. Schedule a free consultation with Dr. Karen today to learn more about our Health Coaching.

Karen L. Leibowitz, MD
Health and Medical Coach
KareBoost Health

Stressed about staying healthy this holiday season? KareBoost Health has you covered. We have put together 7 additional healthy holiday eating strategies for these winter Holidays.

Read on for 7 strategies to survive, and actually enjoy, the holidays!

Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies #1 Bring Your Own Food
The best way to ensure there is a healthy dish at every gathering is to bring one. Try bringing a simple salad, veggie side dish, or soup.

Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies #2 Avoid Shopping Hungry 
If you are planning to go to the mall or store, have a healthy, 200-calorie snack before you go. You will be much less tempted to indulge, and you will avoid the food traps at the mall.

Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies #3 Keep a Food Diary
Writing down what you eat can help you stay committed to your goals. It will also help you recognize your personal food traps, and how stress and emotion can affect what you eat.

Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies #4 Eat Before A Party
Having a healthy snack or light meal before going to holidays will help curb your appetite, and prevent you from over-indulging in holiday treats.

Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies #5 Keep Healthy Snacks at Work
Instead of depriving yourself and then binging on office candy when you are inevitably hungry at work, plan ahead and stash healthy snacks like nuts, fruit and low-fat dairy at work.

Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies #5 Manage Portion Size
Instead of depriving yourself of all holiday treats, pay attention to portions. A small piece of pie will not wreck your otherwise healthy diet, and a few bites of a treat is probably enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies #6 Choose Your Indulgences
Rather than indulging when the mood strikes, if you know that you are going to a gathering or a favorite restaurant in the next few days: Plan Ahead. Plan otherwise healthy meals and make room for the foods or treats you really want to indulge in.

Stay healthy and sane this holiday season with these 7 strategies. Still feeling stressed? Schedule a free consultation with Dr. Karen to see how KareBoost Health can support you in your healthy goals.

Karen L. Leibowitz, MD
Health and Medical Coach
KareBoost Health

There’s a lot of information, and misinformation, about carbohydrates and sugar in the media. If you and your family are trying to eat healthier, you might be curious about fitting carbohydrates into a healthy diet.

Here is what to consider when working carbs into your daily diet.

Carbs are Energy. Carbohydrates are the body’s most important and readily available source of energy. They are a fundamental element of any healthy diet. There are two types of carbohydrates- simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates, also known as simple sugars, include fructose, glucose and lactose. Complex carbs are starches, found in vegetables, whole grains, rice, bread and cereals.

How They Work. The body converts carbohydrates into energy by breaking them down into simple sugars, which are absorbed into the bloodstream. As the body’s sugar levels rise, the pancreas releases insulin to move sugar from the blood into the cells, where it can be used as energy.

Not All Carbs are Equal. Simple carbohydrates, such as those found in highly processed white grains, are more easily broken down and therefore cause blood sugars to rise quickly. The complex carbohydrates found in vegetables, whole grains and brown rice are broken down more slowly and cause blood sugar to rise gradually.

Not All Simple Sugars are Bad. While carbohydrates have gotten a bad reputation lately, in part because of the large quantity of highly processed food available, not all simple carbs are bad. Fresh fruits contain simple carbs, but they also contain essential nutrients and are a great source of fiber.

How to Include Carbs in a Healthy Diet. Make good carb choices and buy whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy. Try to limit highly processed foods with added sugar, and instead opt for whole fruits as a naturally sweet snack.

More questions about including carbohydrates in a healthy diet? Schedule a free health consultation with Dr. Karen at KareBoost Health today to learn about Health Coaching for you and your family!

Karen L. Leibowitz, MD
Health and Medical Coach
KareBoost Health

Do you try to eat mindfully? How about at the Holidays? The holiday season can be an especially difficult time to stick to your healthy eating resolutions.  However, you can enjoy your favorite foods and still have a healthy diet. Mindful eating and paying attention to what you eat can help you to maintain your healthy eating resolutions this season and avoid drastic New Year resolutions.  

Here are 5 ways to Eat Mindfully 

Eat Mindfully by Eating when you are hungry

Paying attention to your body’s signals will help you eat only when you are hungry.  We often mistake thirst for hunger, and tracking water intake can help you control portions.  Also, you do not need to eat according to the clock, or when everyone else is eating. Eat lunch when you are hungry, not just because it’s noon.  

Eat Mindfully by Slowing down

It takes time for your body to communicate to your brain that you are full.  Slow down and enjoy each bite. You might be surprised how a few forkfuls of your favorite dessert is really all you were craving.

Eat Mindfully by Just Eating

Turn off the tv and put down the cellphones while you are eating. Limiting distractions will help you to pay more attention to your body’s hunger signals, and help you enjoy your food.

Eat Mindfully by Planning 

Waiting until you are starving is almost always a recipe for disaster.  Plan healthy snacks that are about 200 calories and have fiber to keep you full between meals.  You will make better food choices in the long run if you are not starving by the time you get to dinner.

Eat Mindfully by Keeping a food diary

Writing down what you eat is a great way to become more aware of why you eat.  You might observe how stress affects your diet, or even boredom. A food diary is not meant to make you feel bad about your diet.  It is simply a tool towards becoming more aware of your food choices.

Eating healthy during the holiday season can be difficult for everyone.  Being more mindful can help you to enjoy celebratory meals, while still honoring your decisions to eat well.  If you would like more support this holiday, try working with our Health Coaches at KareBoost Health.

Karen L. Leibowitz, MD

Health and Medical Coach

KareBoost Health