Anyone who knew me in high school was not shocked to see me with my typical anytime meal: Mountain Dew and Doritos.  My staples.  I was moderately active, had been in dance since I was a kid.  I've never been overweight, so people would just say that I was lucky and could eat whatever I wanted.   And if caloric intake was the only thing that affected health, they might be right.  

While out running errands the other day, I caught the last couple of minutes of an interview on the Diane Rehm show.  Yes, I'm an NPR geek who also enjoys learning about food: how to cook it, where it comes from, how it got to be the way it is, what food is (versus food products/processed foods)... you name it.  So the tail end of this interview caught my interest.  A registered dietitian called in and asked the guest to talk about how much better off we'd be if folks would just understand calories in/calories out and how calories are calories.  The first part of his response - clearly agitated - was, "I could not disagree with you more."

The guest was Dr. Robert Lustig, whose new book is called "Fat Chance: Beating The Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease."  He is a child obesity specialist, an endocrinologist, and professor at UCSF, and on the Diane Rehm show's website was a link to a talk he gave called "Sugar: The Bitter Truth."  It was about 90 minutes and I watched it all.  Twice.   He debunks myths about nutrition that we as a nation have bought into for decades.  He explains it in great (easy to understand) detail, even going into biochemistry if that's your thing, why a high sugar diet IS a high fat diet and that fructose is actually poison.  Not just empty calories.  Poison.

My teenage eating practices were pretty bad.  Today, say the stats, 25% of adolescents are getting 15% of their total caloric intake from fructose (not total sugar, but fructose) alone.  Not good.  And worse, there is an epidemic of obese 6-month olds.  Yeah, that's happening, and he shows why.  What are we feeding our kids??  And why don't we realize what we're doing?  Answers: sugar & it's everywhere! Fructose doesn't release the hormone that tells us we're full.  So, as in the example Lustig gives, those 150 calories in the soda drink your little sunshine gets on the way to the fast food joint stop the brain from registering that there are calories coming in, so guess who wants to keep eating?  

We've all heard this, but it is worth repeating.  If we consumed one 20-ounce bottle of soda per day for a year, we would gain 26 pounds of fat.  And that is before the other 'poisonous' effects.  Lustig goes on to talk about the different ways our bodies metabolize ethanol (our favorite Saturday night sugars) versus glucose and fructose.  Did you know that your liver metabolizes fructose?  I didn't.  Your liver's job is to deal with stuff that the rest of your body doesn't know what to do with.  The results are gout, uric acid, high blood pressure, blocking brain signals that say you're full despite new fat production, type II diabetes, and on and on.  Sexy, no? 

I know I'm nerding out with one of my hobbies, and that I'm requesting a chunk of your precious time, but I ask you to watch it.  Your health and wellness start in your kitchen.  You don't have to listen to me.  Let the good doctor explain it.  Watch it to understand why we shouldn't eat things that advertise how good for you they are on the box, or advertise at all.  He's even kinda funny. Most importantly, he tells you what you can do to make changes, the same advice he gives his patients and their parents.  Watch.  Watch with your kids who are in health class.  Tell me what you think.  If you agree or not.  If you're going to change what you eat or feed your kiddos or eat while pregnant.  And please, if you think it's good info, share it with someone you love so they can see it, too.  

Happy New Year, friends!  As all the end of year postings on Facebook happened, one with some New Year's numbers trivia cited the CDC, "16.2: The percentage of American women who are getting the  recommended amount of exercise regularly."  I don't know what the number is for men, but I imagine it's similar.  Not OK!
New Year's is a time when many of us make resolutions that last a week or two, then comfortably slide back into the way we were.  Especially when it comes to fitness, and especially if it's a big change.  Any day is a great day to set a goal to better your health and wellness, and I want you to give yourself the best chance of success.
How?  Be specific in what you want to achieve so you can see the result in your mind.  See it in great detail.  See yourself in that pair or jeans you want to fit into or crossing the finish line to that 10k.  Picture your plate full of colorful veggies and feel yourself full of energy and excitement to eat and feel well.  What if you don't know what you want the end result to be?  That's OK!  If you know that the current way isn't the way you want to continue, ask yourself what life could look and feel like if you changed one or two things.  Maybe there are a couple habits that keep you where you are.  See yourself getting off the couch, feel your feet and body active and moving, your lungs filling up with air from outside.
Break it down into accomplishable pieces.  You are not going to get a six pack overnight.  Know that it is going to be hard, but it's supposed to be and that's all right.  Good, even.  Your body tries really hard to stay how you tell it to (think stressed out, sitting at desk posture).  When you move in a different way it is going to resist.  But progress, no matter how small or slow, is progress.  Time will pass anyway, you may as well gain something as it does.  Andrew Weil's 8 Weeks to Optimum Health is an oldie but a goodie if you're looking for some direction on general wellness.
Ask for help.  We all have weaknesses, work around your own and get help in making the best choices.  If you know that Monday nights are stressful after that long day back after the weekend, find a Monday night yoga class to help you unwind and set up for a great rest of the week.  If you are new to the gym, get a trainer, even if only for a few sessions.  They will know what you need to do to reach your goals and can help you get there.  Not only that, you will have someone to hold you accountable.  You have an appointment to keep with yourself!
Be ready for defeating self-talk.  There are going to be difficult days.  There are going to be times you are tired, sore, and just don't wanna.  So before it happens, know what you're going to do. Make a list of things you are going to say to yourself or do to keep you on track.  Really.  Sit down and write it out. Have the conversation in your head where you emerge victorious and so proud and feeling great. 
And on your list, especially at the beginning, give yourself a hand and schedule a massage once a week.  You are going to be sore.  It is going to feel good.  So good that you'll want to get back to the gym and do it again.  It is going to shorten your recovery time so you will go back.  I can't say enough that massage is part of a wellness routine.  It is extra great when you're putting your body through something new and challenging.  Help me help you! 
And I truly mean it.  All of your goals seem more achievable when you have a cheerleader, and I am happy to root for you!  If there is anything I can do to help you achieve your goals, let me.  Massage?  Great.  Need a reminder text to get out for a run, stretch those hammies, or do your wall angels?  You got it.  Remember, every day is New Year's Day.  Every day is a chance to let go of something that doesn't work in favor of something that does.   So happy today!  What do you want to achieve?