Sehin Belew

Wednesday 25, 2009

by Sehin Belew

EA4C Guest Blogger

Since Thanksgiving is around the corner, I thought I would discuss a relevant topic and give you practical tips on how to avoid holiday weight gain.  This past Saturday night, I happened to be at Stanford’s Big Game where they played Cal. Stanford’s new and beautiful stadium seats 55,000 people and it seemed like there was not an empty seat in site. Hundreds and hundreds of people have come a couple of days prior to the game to tailgate outside the stadium and have family picnics.

When I was walking around, I couldn’t help but notice the amount of indulgence. Though I live in California, where health is emphasized, I was amazed with what I saw. Why is it that when people try to have a good time, there has to be indulgence of some sort? Some of these people were overweight to start with. To add insult to injury, they were drinking alcohol, smoking cigars, and eating foods that were like prescriptions for heart attack.

I actually felt sorry for their hearts. Their hearts have been pumping with no break since the day they were conceived. Now, with their extra weight, alcohol and cigars, they are literally encumbering their hearts to no end and shortening their lives.

Here are a few tips that I hope will help you enjoy this holiday season sensibly:

1. Get a scale- It is really important to monitor your weight on a daily basis so you will effectively gauge what foods help or hinder your weight management.
2. The calorie book- Don’t just guess how many calories you are consuming each day; find out how many calories each portion of what you eat contains. And make sure you know how much fat and carbohydrates you’re consuming. Eating food without checking out the calorie or fat content is like going to the store and giving your credit card without checking the price tag. You can be in serious trouble especially if you are at Neiman Marcus or Tiffany & Co.
3. Dear Journal- A lot of us turn to food when things are not going well. And it is not unusual to reach for goodies even when life is great. By truly examining how and why and when you eat, you can begin to turn bad habits into good ones.
4. Picture this- This Thanksgiving season, why don’t you put in display a picture of you that you took at your ideal weight. Having a daily visual reminder of what you used to look like—and can look like again—is a powerful “diet” tool!
5. What’s in your diet? It’s time to clean house—at least of all those tempting foods filled with empty calories that will do nothing but stop you from losing weight. Why spend your hard-earned money on food that is not good for your health or looks in the first place? Decide what foods are good for you and will either help you slim down or maintain your desired weight. Keep only those items in the kitchen and pantry, because if you reach for whatever is available but not beneficial when you are hungry, it will only set you back.
6. Monitor your meals- Eating three meals a day is essential, as is having them at scheduled times so that your stomach can anticipate being filled at regular intervals. Don’t skip, because then you will probably eat a larger next meal than you would otherwise.
7. Diet the GPS way- When it comes to dieting and exercise, it’s helpful to think about a Global Positioning System (GPS). After all, the GPS will try to get you to your destination even when you failed to follow the instructions. If you wind up off-course, does the GPS ridicule the wrong input? No, it will simply try to get you back on track the most direct way. You need to do the same thing when you are attempting to manage your weight.
8. Moderation, not deprivation- To me the secret of successful diet is moderation, while failure is deprivation. That is my biggest tip for staying my size. I start by completely avoiding unhealthy food. That is no problem because I respect my body and love life too much not to. I do not abstain completely from foods that are sweet or that contain fat; I simply make sure their ingredients are wholesome and limit my portions.
9. Go organic- Not long ago I overheard a co-worker calling her spouse and asking, “Honey, I’m coming home, would you like me to get something from McDonald’s?” This colleague drives a brand-new Mercedes Benz, which takes premium gasoline. I asked myself, how can she give her car the best fuel and yet fee her body—a much more valuable machine—the cheapest thing around. When I tell people that I shop at Whole Foods Market, known for its natural and organic foods, I constantly hear, “But that is so expensive!” These are people who spend all kinds of money on cars and clothes, but want bargain prices when it comes to the things that actually enhance their health. Your health is so much more important than what you drive or wear. Does it not make sense to spare no expense on its most basic upkeep? After all, it is a lot easier to take care of your health than to try to recover from an illness.
10. Full of flavor- When it comes to making Ethiopian food, which requires plenty of patience—and a lot of sautéing—my mom is one of the best cooks I know. I am still impressed at how she always chooses the best ingredients then prepares these healthy and delicious dishes with utmost care. One of the best lessons she ever taught me was that if you want good food, you must take the time to plan the menu, buy top-notch ingredients and cook everything properly. Our bodies deserve nothing less.
11. Good fats, bad fats- Avoid foods containing hydrogenated oils at all costs. These harmful fats clog your arteries and contribute to heart disease. Unfortunately, many packaged products such as crackers, cookies, and candies still contain these harmful ingredients. Whole Foods Market stock only products that are free of hydrogenated fats.
12. Go natural- If you prefer to shop at non-health food stores, please take the time to read all labels carefully. You want to make sure the products you buy are the healthiest possible. Avoid anything that uses artificial preservatives or colors. Whenever possible, purchase organic, even if it is more expensive. You will end up with savings in the long run as far as your overall health is concerned. Your body has a tougher time getting rid of all the toxins from non-organic foods because of the inevitable chemicals. Your liver, in particular, works extra hard to eliminate these substances from your system.

It really is within you to make a choice and start living a healthy life—your health is your most important asset. The advice I am giving works for me, so you will probably have to do research and experimentation to discover what works well for you. Before you start any kind of diet, I highly recommend that you consult your physician.

Make it a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

This blog submission was written by Sehin Belew .  Sehin was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She lived through political upheaval and famine in that country before embarking on a two-year journey of volunteerism, helping victims in remote famine relief camps, then finally settling in the United States to attend college. In 1988 she was crowned Miss Ethiopia. Sehin lives in northern California and runs her own business. Her company, “Sehin Belew,” provides image and style consultations as well as seminars on how to look Fabulous for Less. She’s been on more than two dozens television, radio, magazine and newspapers.  You can read more about Sehin at www.sehinbelew.com

The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community.  Please remember to cite source or link story back to EA4C.org for news aggregators that pick this article up.