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Here are some interesting ideas to try from WebMD-Weight Loss Wisdom, that may help you take control of your eating. 

1.  Chew gum in the grocery store.  While chewing gum, people felt less hungry and had fewer junk food cravings, according to two studies.
2. Serve yourself healthy stuff first.  Diners at buffets tend to take larger servings of the first few foods they see, a study shows.  Dish up salad and other veggies before fattier meats and sides.
3. Buy your lunch with cash.  It’s easier to buy junk food and desserts when using plastic.  Something about handing over cold, hard cash gives people cause.  You may be more apt to purchase something green when using green.
4. Use blue plates.  Believe it or not, the color of your dishes may make a difference in how much food you serve yourself.  The more food blends in with the plate color, the more chow you’re likely to take, research shows.  Consider using plates in a different hue.
5. Use smaller bowls and plates.  The size of your dishes gives your brain cues about how much you’re “supposed” to eat–and a bigger dish means more food.
6. Hit the pause button before giving in to a craving.  Try to delay the urge to graze.  When a craving hits, do something else for 5-10 minutes, then see if you still want to eat.  Chances are the urge will have faded, at least a little.
7. Always order the “small.”  A large container can tempt you to eat more food, even if you’re full or it doesn’t taste good.  Order the smallest size and it will most likely be enough to satisfy you.

A link to the annual employee wellness survey was sent out earlier this week.  If you haven’t already, please take the 3-question survey through the link below so we can improve and plan future employee wellness activities.

Thank you!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/326DT5Y

Feeling stuck in a rut with your workout?  Not getting results you want?  At a plateau?  Rev it up and push yourself!

Research shows that high intensity exercise delivers a bigger, longer rise in resting metabolic rate than lower intensity exercise, hence burning more calories over time. 

So if you find yourself doing the same-old-same-old, try mixing it up.  For example, if you normally walk the same speed, try doing short bursts of jogging during your workout.  If you normally jog the same speed, try doing short bursts of sprints or even hills during your workout.

Compound exercises are another way to give metabolism a boost.  Compound exercises involve working two or more muscle groups at a time and create the greatest change in body composition in the shortest amount of time.  These exercises often combine strengthening and cardio techniques. They generally have the ability to build more muscle, and we know that muscle burns more calories than fat!  Examples of compound exercises are burpees, push ups, and my favorite-squat jump ups holding a medicine ball.

Remember, our bodies are machines that are meant to move, not be stationary.  Challenge yourself.  Your body is capable of more than you think.

Is it really possible for employees to lose weight and keep it off?

According to Dr. Ann Kulze, although data clearly supports that maintaining weight loss in the long term is more difficult than losing weight in the short term, it can be done.  When we scrutinize the lifestyles of those who succeed in keeping weight off, the key habits for success include:

• strict adherence to regular physical activity
• mindfulness when eating and a focus on eating healthy foods
• minimal television viewing
• weighing often
• restriction in dining out
• eating breakfast regularly