Positive Transitioning - January 2020

Getting Fit on the Cheap

Setting Goals You Can Accomplish

Healthy Eating for the New Year

New Hampshire State Resources 1

In This Issue New Year, New You Issue January 2020 Letter from the Executive Director

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Word of the Month

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New Hampshire State Resources

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Setting Goals You Can Accomplish

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Getting Fit on the Cheap

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Healthy Eating for the New Year

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Letter from the Executive Director Happy New Year!

The new year is an excuse for a fresh start. Making the transition out of incarceration at any time of the year is a REAL fresh start. So we wanted to start off the issue – and the year – with some tips on setting goals. Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals will serve you well for any time of the year, and any goal that you set.

One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight, so we offer two articles related to exercise and eating healthy on a budget.

But good health is about more than your weight. We offer a crash course on several other habits that also help you feel better.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Sincerely, Porche Proffit

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Masthead and Contributors Editor-in-Chief, Porche Proffit Editor, Ericka Foster

Contributors Writer, Maggie Allen Writer, Amanda Knight Nutrition and dietician Isabella Dos Santos

Check out the Positive Transitioning App on the Google Play Store! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.positivetransitioning Check out our Radio Show! https://streamingv2.shoutcast.com/the-spark

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Word of the Month trans¡for¡ma¡tion a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.

First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.

Napoleon Hill

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New Hampshire State Services  Christian Aftercare Ministries christianaftercare.com Located in Manchester, Christian Aftercare Ministries is

a Christian organization that offers spiritual guidance, pre-employment assistance, career planning and assessment, job development, assist with job search, and referral services.  Rise Again Aftercare Ministry riseagainoutreach.org Rise Again Outreach Ministries offers several ministries directed towards men and women in prison, and transitioning out.

One of their programs is Operation Encouragement Gift Bag which provides women exiting the New Hampshire Correctional Facility for Women in Concord. The ministry provides these women with two new or very gently worn outfits of clothing and seasonal footwear, along with new undergarments and personal care items.

Though the following organizations don’t offer specific programs for exoffenders, their programs are inclusive: • • • •

American Job Centers finder National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) NH Works U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Check out next month’s issue.

The February issue of Positive Transitioning Magazine is about self-care.

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Setting Goals You Can Accomplish

By Maggie Allen S.M.A.R.T goals originated in the working world, but they are no less applicable in everyday life. According to Duncan Haughey of Project Smart, the term can be traced back to George T. Doran, who published the paper "There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives.” He proposed that, “When it comes to writing effective objectives, corporate officers, managers, and supervisors just have to think of the acronym S.M.A.R.T.” As you’ve guessed, each letter stands for a specific criterion that strengthens the overall goal.

S = Specific M= Measurable A = Assignable R = Realistic

Have you ever tried to set a goal, but found it too easy to fail?

When I was about 13 years old, I decided to give up all junk food for Lent, both for the sake of my health, and to teach me some patience and humility, as is befitting of the season.

T = Time-based

First, I tried to come up with a specific list of things I couldn’t eat, but then it seemed that being vague also helped. It would make me think twice about everything I put in my body. The downside of being so restrictive, and cutting things out cold-turkey, is that I was essentially throwing my body into shock. The drastic, immediate changes made me feel like I was starving.

I managed to make it for two and a half weeks before my sugar and fatcraving brain started to come up with loopholes; it was ok for me to have things that didn’t “technically” qualify as junk food. Any weight that I lost came back on with a vengeance, coupled with extra embarrassment because I felt like I had failed my spirituality as well. I was doing so well at first; at least, I thought so. What changed?

This is where SMART goals come in.

S stands for “specific,” detailing what needs to be accomplished or improved.

As an adult, I have a new goal – to learn how to cook different types of meat, and recognize the indicators that it is fully cooked and safe to eat.”

M is for “measurable,” giving an indicator or quantity with which you can measure success. For this aspect, you might say something like, “I will

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practice cooking meat to my desired level of doneness and look for signs like the coloring to judge when it is finished.” To go a step further, count it as a success when you eat and genuinely enjoy the texture and flavor of the food. And when you don’t get sick afterwards.

A stands for “assignable,” in a case where you are working with multiple people, or delegating tasks to them. If this is just a personal goal for yourself, you can disregard this letter.

R is for “realistic,” and this, is the key to everything. Disappointment and burnout are the main reasons that people fall out of step with their goals, and a lot of this comes from unreasonable expectations. If you can’t do something in the time and way you are expecting, you are setting yourself up for failure.

The final letter, T, stands for “time-related,” and, as that implies, spells out the time frame of events and assessments of your progress. When do you expect the end result to be achieved?

After you have brainstormed each of these aspects, put them all together and you should have a self-made instruction guide that is simple, but straightforward.

In my example, I would say that my complete goal is, “For the next month, I plan to cook meat at least 3 times a week, and I will cook at least two different kinds of meat each week. By the end of the month, I would like to be able to recognize when meat is fully cooked, determine how I personally like it cooked, and, if possible, have a few basic, go-to recipes that I can begin building on as I continue cooking.”

Some critics have claimed that SMART goals lack flexibility, and aren’t wellsuited to long-term goals. Others claim that it doesn’t account for situations of urgency, such as when a medical professional advises you to make an immediate dietary change for the sake of your health.

SMART goals can be a good start for anyone who struggles to form healthy habits, or who need a bit of specific guidance moving forward. Part of being “realistic” is using what you have at the time, for as long as you can, and then adapting to the next thing when it becomes apparent and available.

Much like taking a staircase one step at a time. It is important to know yourself. Be aware of your pitfalls, weaknesses, and motivations. Look at the facts as they stand and come up with realistic ways to tackle them. Most importantly, be kind to yourself.

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Staying Fit on the Cheap Amanda Knight

With the new year upon us, it is the time when people resolve to get healthy. This can be different for all of us. We may resolve to lose weight, eat healthier, drink more water, or exercise more often. It may be a combination of any or all of these. Whatever your resolution is, we could all use a more affordable way to get and stay fit. $3,500 “total home gym?” I think not! With a little dedication, we can all stay fit for low or even no extra cost to us.

For those who have plenty of walking trails, sidewalks, or parks in their area, this can be a wonderful way to get fit for free. Set a goal to walk at least 3 times a week, or daily if you can swing it. If you are able to walk to your job, even better. You have to go anyway, may as well get in some exercise while you’re at it. This can also be a great way to meet other people, and you can form a group to support one another on your journey to health.

For those who don’t have access to parks and trails (or those who just prefer a gym), you may have better luck tracking down a gym such as Planet Fitness or Fitness Connection. I don’t know about you guys, but those things are popping up everywhere here! With plans such as $1 down and $10 a

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month, these are likely the most affordable gym memberships you can find.

Plus, many locations are open 24 hours a day, making working out on your own time incredibly easy. No more excuses, guys and gals!

Don’t forget to check out Groupon for exercise and fitness deals. Just remember to read the fine print – or contact the establishment before purchasing your Groupon – to make sure you don’t get stuck with something you don’t use.

If neither of these is an option or neither sounds appealing to you, you can always add a workout regimen to your daily schedule, in your own home. This can be cheap or even free, depending on what you choose to do. If you’d like to lift weights, a few weights can be purchased at stores like Walmart for fairly cheap.

Don’t forget to check out yard sales when you’re looking inexpensive fitness equipment. Push-ups and sit-ups are both great for your core and back, and don’t cost a penny. Even half an hour a day will be beneficial to your health.

A sample routine could look like: Stretch for 5 minutes prior to beginning (important to minimize risk of injury) Do 25 jumping jacks Do 15 push-ups Do 25 sit-ups Rest for 60 seconds Repeat until you’ve hit roughly the half hour mark

Most importantly with this (or any) routine, make sure you start at a level that is comfortable for you, and work up from there. If you overdo it too soon, you may turn yourself from exercising altogether, and that isn’t what you want.

Another option in your own home is yoga. There are many free websites and You-Tube videos that will walk you through the various poses. All you really need for yoga is a mat, and these can be found for cheap on Amazon and in many stores. There is other equipment such as blocks and straps that can assist you if you choose to buy these. Yoga is available in studios across the country, but you can accomplish the same workout for free in your own home. Once you’ve reviewed some video lessons and know how to safely proceed, design your own routine of poses that you feel will benefit you best and get to it!

There are plenty of options for working out and getting healthier. The most important thing to keep in mind is that this is a personal decision. Do what feels right for you. Make a plan and stick with it. Find a way to hold yourself accountable, whether it’s by having a support team or marking days on a calendar when you exercise. Your body will thank you for it. Happy 2020!

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Healthy Eating: You Know What to Do

By Isabella Dos Santos and Ericka Foster

By the end of the holiday season, we’ve had our fill of turkeys, stuffing, bread, cakes, cookies (oh, the cookies!), and all of our favorite goodies. You might be trying to remember what a vegetable is! We vow to do better. Our attitude has changed, but the principles of healthy nutrition haven’t. So we’ve rounded up some of Isabella’s best tips to kick off 2020.

Eat Healthy Refresher •

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Eat fruits and vegetables daily (remember to check what is on season).

Replace ultraprocessed carbs (bagels, juices, chips, pastries, sugary cereals) with whole-grain bread, rolled oats, barley, rice, amaranth or quinoa.

Lower the meat consumption, and try to embrace a 1 or 2 vegetarian days (or meals) per week. Plant-based protein can be a great alternative for some of your meals. See some of the recipes below.

Boost the consumption of healthy fats, such as olive oil (virgin to cook and extra-virgin for salad dressing), nuts, avocado, chia, hemp seeds and flax seeds.

Keep added sugar to the minimum!

Check blood pressure often.

Get Creative Turn on your creativity and boost your plates with colors, textures and flavors to enhance nutrition and overall satisfaction in your meal time.

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Mix in as many colors as you can. It is also a certainty that you’ll get many more nutrients too.

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Play with cooking methods: perhaps boil some carrots, steam some broccoli and broil a tender cut of meat, or stir-fry some rice with bell peppers and peas as a side dish for a baked fish. Including different sizes and textures in our preparations make us have a different approach to food.

More meatless meals Try a plant-based meal a day or maybe do a couple vegetarian days a week.

Recipes Lentils & Quinoa Pot (as side dish or vegetarian main dish) Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • •

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½ cup of raw lentils ½ cup of uncooked quinoa 1 cup of chopped carrots 1 large shallot ½ cup of chopped mushrooms 2 garlic cloves Avocado Water Oregano, thyme, turmeric and rosemary Salt and pepper

To help break down some types of sugar that might cause gastric discomfort. Put lentils in water with salt for a couple of hours. Then discard the soaking solution, and cook with fresh water

Start the magic!

1. In a big pan heat 1 tbsp. of oil in medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot and carrot, and cook for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms and the 1 tsp of oregano, 1 tsp of thyme, 1 tsp of turmeric and 1 tsp of rosemary. Keep stirring.

3. Pour in the lentils (previously soaked) with 2 cups of water (or homemade vegetable broth). When it boils, cover and reduce the heat to medium low for 15 minutes.

4. Add the quinoa with ½ cup of water or broth. Let boil again, recover and reduce to simmer for other 15-20 minutes.

5. Have a taste! Season with pepper and a bit of salt. If needed, add more herbs.

6. Serve as side dish (goes well with chicken) or as main dish.

7. Chop ½ of avocado over the lentils-quinoa.

8. ENJOY! Breakfast idea: -

1 glass skim milk (240 ml) 2 tbsp. rolled oats (20 g) ½ banana 1 tbsp. peanuts

Cook the rolled oats in the milk for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Add the banana and the peanuts. Grab your coffee or tea and… start your day!

Snack idea: -

1 slice of whole grain (sugar free) bread ½ medium banana 1 tbsp. (15 g) of peanut butter (sugar free)

Spread the PB in the bread. Cut the banana in pieces and place on top of the bread. Sprinkle cinnamon. Enjoy!

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