From the Desk of Dr. E. Lee Rice
Fed-Up - The Link Between Stress and Eating Patterns
Get the Skinny on the "Fat Burning Zone"
Are Fast Food Salads Good for You?
No More Ambivalence - Motivational Interviewing

From the Desk of Dr. E. Lee Rice

I always know it’s May in San Diego when wildflowers set the fields along the highway aflame with colors.  Each year, it reminds me anew that life is precious and stunning – and it is simple things that we must celebrate. 

May is the perfect month to break away from old habits and try new things.  Here at the Lifewellness Institute, we’re always brainstorming new ways we can serve our clients.  This month, we’re debunking some of the old myths about healthy living.  First our nutritionist, Sabrina Chyzyk, will explain why those so-called “healthy” fast-food salads may not be your best choice.  Shannon von Guenthner, exercise physiologist, reveals the truth about the “fat-burning” zone.  Dr. Naresh Rao, Director of Wellness Services, presents some fascinating research on the connection between stress and weight gain.  In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, guest writer Dr. Sean O’Hara discusses the power of Motivational Interviewing as a technique for overcoming resistance and ambivalence – an article I encourage all of you parents with teenagers to read!

Anais Nin once wrote: “And then the day came, when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk to bloom.”  I hope that this day will come for each of you this month, and you will stretch yourselves further and achieve more than ever before.

Your partner on the path to wellness,

Lee Rice, DO

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Fed-Up - The Link Between Stress and Eating Patterns
By Naresh C. Rao, DO

For years, studies have been showing the connection between high stress levels and unhealthy eating patterns - like bingeing, night eating, making poor food choices, and eating without satiation.  One study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine showed that stress, rather than diet, may be the reason lean women gain weight.  And further findings indicate that slender women, under stressful conditions, are more likely to collect weight around the abdomen. 

“Stress” is a complex series of chemical, physical and psychological reactions to internal and external events.  Stress can be caused by a broad array of interconnecting contributing factors: job responsibilities, lack of sleep, family concerns, smoking, money problems, alcohol use, depression, recent loss or trauma.  Psychological and physical stressors interact with the body and stimulate chemical reactions, among them the release of certain hormones that affect the body’s metabolism and emotions.

Among these hormones, the body releases glucocorticoids (GCs) which, in addition to other functions, increase the enjoyment of pleasurable and compulsive activities – like eating chocolate cake after midnight.  These same hormones act to increase abdominal fat deposits.

There are simple, effective and immediate ways to reduce stress.  One of the very best ways of reducing stress is cardiovascular exercise.  It is number one on a list of simple stress reduction tips:

1. Cardiovascular exercise
2. Biofeedback
3. Sexual activity
4. Breathing and meditation exercises
5. Journaling
6. Massage and/or acupuncture
7. Cognitive therapy

Remember, if you are suffering from prolonged or acute stress, discuss solutions with your physicians.

Want to learn more?  Contact the Lifewellness Institute at info@mylwi.com to request a CD of Dr. Rice’s lecture “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers.”

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Get the Skinny on the "Fat Burning Zone"
By Shannon von Guenthner

In almost every gym, you can see stickers about keeping your heart rate within the “Fat Burn Zone” to lose weight.  As a certified trainer, I wish I could go into every gym and rip those stickers off all of the cardio machines. The “Fat Burn Zone” is one of the most commonly misunderstood training myths in the fitness industry.

When you do a cardiovascular workout, your body uses energy and burns calories from different sources (fat, glucose, glycogen stores etc.). While the intensity of the exercise does determine which of these areas your body will burn more calories from, the intensity also determines how many TOTAL calories are burned. The key to weight loss is burning calories, regardless of where they come from. A calorie is a calorie, and the higher the intensity, the more calories burned.  And the more calories burned, the more weight lost.

Burning 3500 calories equals 1 pound of weight loss no matter where the source comes from. The chart gives an example of calories burned by a 130 lb. woman exercising at a lower versus higher intensity.

*Taken from about.com citing the 24/5 Complete Personal Training Manual, 24 Hour Fitness, 2000.

As you can see, the percentage of calories burned from fat are greater in the low intensity zone, however, the TOTAL calories and TOTAL fat calories burned are greater in the higher intensity zone. A person will shed more weight and more fat weight by exercising at a higher intensity for the same amount of time.

Remember, good health isn’t just about weight loss; it is also total fitness of the lungs and heart. Bumping up that intensity level will not only equal more weight loss but lead to better overall fitness levels.

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Are Fast Food Salads Good for You?

By Sabrina Chyzyk, RD, CDE

Fast food has been part of American food culture since the early 1900’s.  Since it is convenient for our fast-paced, time-limited lifestyle, it has grown to over a $40 billion industry.  Originally, fast food meant choices like hamburgers and fries but these days fast food menus offer more variety – even a few “healthier” options.  But are these on-the-go salads really good for you?

In general, garden salads can be very nutritious.  But add dressing, cheese, croutons, bacon, fried meats, coleslaw, macaroni, etc. and you significantly change the nutritional value.

Take a look at these numbers:

This “healthy” salad contains about the same amount of fat (actually, 3.5 grams more) and calories as a Big Mac Burger.  And it’s got even more sodium!

To make this salad healthier and bring the calorie and fat content down to a reasonable range, replace the crispy chicken with grilled chicken (save 80 calories and 7 g of fat), and cut the dressing in half or choose an oil and vinegar-based dressing (save 95 calories and 9 g of fat).  For an even healthier option, request low fat dressing (save 140 calories and 15 g of fat).

Quick Pointers for a Healthier Fast Food Salad:

• Request grilled chicken in place of fried
• Request the cheese on the side, and use 1 tablespoon
• Avoid bacon
• Avoid cream-based dressings
• Ask for dressing on the side and limit use to 2 tablespoons
• Choose oil-vinegar-based dressing
• Inquire about low-calorie/low-fat dressings
• Choose salads containing romaine lettuce or other mixed greens

Want to learn more?  Look up the nutritional information on the restaurant’s website so that you can make the healthiest choice possible.  Also, check out http://www.dietfacts.com/ - they’ve got nutritional data for lots of different restaurants.

Bon appétit!

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No More Ambivalence - Motivational Interviewing

By Sean O'Hara, Ph.D.

As a therapist, one of the greatest obstacles I face is client ambivalence.  This is understandable; abandoning old habits and thought patterns can bring on feelings of fear and uncertainty.  Many clients are conditioned by environment and early experiences to resist therapy.  One mechanism for overcoming ambivalence and opposition is Motivational Interviewing. 

Motivational Interviewing was first described by Dr. William Miller in the eighties and has become a widely-used technique in many forms of psychotherapy, particularly adolescent and addiction therapy.  A recent study of outpatient substance abuse programs showed adolescents who received Motivational Interviewing were more engaged, reported greater satisfaction with the treatment experience, and had greater reduction and abstention rates than the control group.  Adults appear to respond just as well, if not better, to the techniques employed in Motivational Interviewing.

The basic approach to Motivational Interviewing can be encompassed with the mnemonic OARS:

Open-ended questions

Affirmations

Reflective listening

Summaries

In short, Motivational Interviewing addresses clients’ resistance by expressing empathy and support without imposing judgments or specific interventions.  Motivation to change comes from the client and is not imposed from without.  The counselor listens and partners with the client, rather than persuading the client to a particular mode of thought.

This technique goes beyond therapeutic uses and can also be an effective communication tool for anyone trying to overcome resistance and opposition.  It is particularly useful for adolescents, perhaps feeling they’ve been “dragged” into therapy, who are more accustomed to being told what to do than feeling as if they are participants in their treatment.  Clients are made to feel responsible for their progress as a result of choosing to make positive changes in their lives.

Want to learn more?  Check out www.motivationalinterview.org

Sean O’Hara is a licensed psychologist, addiction specialist and crises interventionist with more than 18 years of experience.  He currently serves as Program Director for the Intensive Outpatient Services for Behavioral Disorders at Alvarado Parkway Institute Hospital.  He also works with Pacific Health Systems and the Athletes, Artists and Entertainers Retreat.  Learn more about Dr. Sean O’Hara by visiting www.seanohara.com.

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