February 2023 Newsletter | Red Mountain Weight Loss - TX

The Power of Self-Compassion for

WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS

Did you know that weight loss isn’t just based on knowing what or how much to eat? Emotional triggers (like stress and anxiety) also play a role in our efforts to lose weight. Rather than lean into negative self-talk the next time you get off track, what would it look like to practice self-compassion and forgive yourself? How would it feel to celebrate your wins rather than criticize your mistakes? This is how you build more self-compassion to achieve your weight loss goals.

What Is Self-Compassion?

Self-compassion is the ability to turn acceptance and love inward. It’s when we treat ourselves as close friends rather than be self-critical when we fail to reach a goal. Self-compassion is comprised of three main elements:

• Self-kindness: Treating ourselves with kindness and considering our own needs.

• Mindfulness: Being aware of what is going on inside, without judgment.

• Common humanity: Recognizing that these experiences are a normal part of being human.

Remember that self-compassion is not the same as self-esteem — a subjective evaluation of oneself. Instead, it’s feeling good about yourself without judgment or comparison to others. It simply involves relating to yourself with care.

How Self-Compassion Enhances Weight Loss

Research shows that self-compassion contributes to healthy eating habits and weight loss in many ways. It enhances mindfulness, making you more aware of your actions, thoughts, and feelings related to weight loss. Self-compassion also increases body positivity, motivating you to care for your body by eating right.

Not only does self-compassion support your weight loss efforts, but it can also decrease stress, depression, and anxiety. Individuals with higher levels of life satisfaction who decide to lose weight tend to be more successful at achieving and maintaining their weight loss than those with a negative mindset.

Building a Be-Nicer-to-Yourself Attitude

Just like your eating habits, self-compassion is a habit that takes time to grow and strengthen. Here are four ideas to remember as you build more self-compassion:

Progress, Not Perfection

You aren’t going to break old behaviors overnight. However, recognizing that you are trying to think differently is a step in the right direction. When you feel unmotivated, remind yourself that self-compassion is a process, not a quick fx.

Watch Your Words

Try to catch yourself saying things like “I can’t lose weight” — any negative thought you wouldn’t tell a good friend. Notice when you say these words out loud. Replace them with more supportive terms to help you develop more self-compassion.

Small Choices Add Up

Remember that every step you take to turn your nner critic around helps your brain to adjust to this new habit. When you act without criticism or judgment, you are more prone to treating yourself with kindness and have lasting weight loss success.

Ask, “What Happened?”

What emotions or thoughts made you vulnerable to this self-sabotaging behavior? What might have helped prevent it? What can you do in the future to achieve a different outcome?

Self-Compassion in Action

It’s time to make loving yourself a priority. Here are seven days of challenges to help you feel like the best version of yourself by the end of February!

Day 1 Download the Red Mountain Recipe App and try preparing one new recipe. Day 2 Clean out your pantry and get rid of anything that may tempt you to get off-track with your health goals. Day 3 Create your vision statement to help guide you through your weight loss journey. Day 4 Go on a 10-minute walk after dinner. Day 5 Practice goal visualization by buying a great outft for yourself in your goal size.

Write down three positive affrmations.

Example:

Day 6

I am capable of success.

I am worthy of good things. I am proud of myself.

Day 7 Meal prep for the week ahead using recipes from our eBook, Cooking the RM Way.

Download our 30 Days of Self Love Challenge from our website for additional ways to bring more joy and self-acceptance into your life.

The Connection Between

SLEEP & WEIGHT LOSS

When it comes to weight loss, the amount of sleep you get may be just as important as your diet and exercise. However, sleep is an often-overlooked factor that also plays a vital role during your weight loss journey. The recommended sleep duration for adults is 7 to 9 hours a night — but 35% of Americans say they sleep for less than this.

Metabolism, Appetite & Sleep

Sleep infuences two essential hormones in the body. Leptin decreases appetite, so when leptin levels are high we usually feel fuller. Ghrelin can stimulate appetite and is often referred to as the “hunger hormone.”

Studies have found that less sleep increases levels of ghrelin and decreases leptin. This could increase a person’s appetite, making diets more challenging to stick to, and may make a person more likely to overeat and gain weight.

Reduced sleep may also impact food selection because the brain’s reward center is more active in response to food after sleep loss than after a full night’s rest.

Additionally, sleep duration infuences your metabolism, particularly glucose (sugar) metabolism. Lack of sleep can weaken your body’s response to insulin and reduce its ability to absorb glucose. This could lead to health conditions like obesity and diabetes in the long term.

Salmon Seafood Oscar

Recipe Yields: 20 oz. of protein 1 cup of vegetables

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz. salmon, cut into 2 fllets

• 4 oz. lump crab meat

• 12 asparagus spears, steamed (1 cup)

• Walden Farms® Garlic Herb Sauce & Marinade, to taste

SALMON DIRECTIONS

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Chopped tarragon or parsley, to garnish

• Zero-calorie nonstick cooking spray

1. Spray a skillet with zero-calorie nonstick cooking spray.

2. Season both sides of the salmon flets with salt and pepper. Place fsh in the skillet with the skin side up and cook over medium-high heat for 4-5 mins.

3. Flip the fsh over and cook for an additional 4-5 mins. or until the center reaches 135°F.

OSCAR DIRECTIONS

1. Spray a skillet with zero-calorie nonstick cooking spray.

2 Heat the crab meat on medium-low until cooked/re-warmed (about 5 mins.), stirring occasionally. Once heated, cover and set aside.

3. Wash and place trimmed asparagus in frying pan with about ¼ inch of water. Cook until the asparagus are tender.

4. To assemble, top fsh with some crab, and a couple pieces of asparagus. Set remaining crab and asparagus alongside the fsh. Top with the Walden Farms® Garlic Herb Sauce & Marinade and chopped tarragon or parsley to garnish.

Tips for Quality Sleep During Weight Loss

Set a sleep schedule. Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day. This helps set your body’s internal clock and optimize the quality of your sleep.

Shut off electronic devices. Blue light from your gadgets reduces melatonin levels. Melatonin helps you drift off to sleep, so power down your devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime to keep those melatonin levels higher and get your best rest.

Reduce stress. Chronic stress may lead to poor sleep and weight gain, such as eating to cope with negative emotions.

Limit your caffeine. The recommended cut-off time for caffeine use is three to seven hours before bedtime. Caffeine can cause sleep disruptions, making it harder to fall asleep at night. Instead, mix some Natural Vitality CALM® Magnesium Powder into a cup of warm water to help you drift off.

VALENTINE’S DAY RECIPES

Israeli Salad

Recipe Yields: 4 ¾ cups of vegetables

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. English cucumbers, diced (2 cups)

• 1 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved (2 cups)

• 1 bell pepper, cored and diced (about 1/2 cup)

• half a small red onion, diced (about 1/4 cup)

DIRECTIONS

• 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly-chopped

• 1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly-chopped

• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• Salt and pepper, to taste

How Weight Loss Improves Heart Health

Obesity can be a risk factor for metabolic conditions like cardiovascular disease. You can decrease your risk of heart disease by healthy lifestyle modifcations and incorporating an exercise routine to decrease visceral fat in the body.

– Sheryl Mills, ACNPC-AG Fort Worth & Southlake, TX

1. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl until evenly combined.

2. Season to taste with salt and pepper, also adding in extra lemon juice if desired. Top with parsley and mint.

3. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 2 days.

What Is Heart Disease?

“Heart disease” is a general term used to refer to various issues that affect the heart’s function — like heart attack or rhythm problems. This is often confused with cardiovascular disease, which deals with heart and blood vessel issues, specifcally conditions that cause problems with blood fow to the heart.

Why is this important? The CDC reports heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women. Further, 11.7% of American adults (more than 1 of every 10) have been diagnosed with heart disease. The good news is that you can do something about it. Research shows even small amounts of weight loss can improve heart health.

Heart Health Benefts of Weight Loss

Foods to Boost Heart Health

Your diet plays a signifcant role in your heart health. Certain foods can contribute to cholesterol levels and infammation, which are risk factors for heart disease. Here are fve RM-approved foods that are heart-healthy:

Leafy Green Vegetables

Kale and spinach are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They also contain vitamin K, which can improve arterial function and help reduce blood pressure.

Berries

Berries are also rich in antioxidants and can reduce infammation, contributing to heart disease development.

Fish

Passion Punch

Recipe Yields: ¼ cup of fruit

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can grapefruit sparkling water

• 1 Tbsp lime juice

• 3 Tbsp grapefruit juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix ingredients and serve in a martini glass.

2. Garnish with a wedge of grapefruit.

The benefts of weight loss go far beyond a smaller pants size or improved energy. Losing weight can help:

• Lower your blood pressure. If you are overweight, your heart has to work harder to pump blood through your body. When your heart has to pump harder, it increases your blood pressure, which can lead to high blood pressure or stroke.

• Lower your cholesterol. Genes and environmental infuences can impact your cholesterol levels. However, if you are overweight and eat lots of unhealthy foods, you could be at risk for high cholesterol. Losing weight can lower your cholesterol, which balances the fats in your bloodstream to help your heart function normally.

• Reduce the risk of diabetes. Diabetes elevates your blood sugar levels and puts you at risk for heart attacks and strokes. Weight loss can help manage blood sugar levels and improve your chance of avoiding heart problems.

Salmon and tuna contain omega-3 fatty acids that may help reduce heart disease risk factors like cholesterol and blood pressure.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes have lycopene, a natural plant pigment with antioxidant properties to help prevent infammation.

Green Tea

Green tea is associated with many health benefts, including improved insulin sensitivity. It also has polyphenols and catechins, which reduce infammation and protect the health of your heart.

Cassie N. Lost 91 Lbs. In

HOPES TO GROW HER FAMILY

For years, I struggled with PCOS and was in chronic pain management. It had gotten to the point where I needed to choose quality over quantity of life, so I decided to have my ovaries removed. Navigating menopause at 27 years old was very diffcult, leading me to gain weight.

Then COVID happened. I was stuck at home for six months while my husband still worked, and my kid was in college, so I didn’t have anything to do. DoorDash became the most exciting part of my day, which is silly, but it really was! I gained about 40-50 pounds during this time.

My husband and I always talked about having a baby post-surgery. I had harvested a few eggs at the time of my surgery to expand our family one day. However, when we went to the doctor, they said I was at high risk and would have a safer pregnancy if I had a normal BMI.

I heard Red Mountain on the radio a year later, and it fnally clicked when I heard about the connection between your metabolism and menopause. So, I decided to call and see what would happen.

The frst 50 pounds came off pretty quickly. It made me believe that real weight loss was achievable for the frst time. The support I received also helped because it validated that what I was doing worked! I was overjoyed when I fnally hit my goal weight.

Thanks to Red Mountain, joy and love have been brought back into my life. I feel so much more in control of myself and my situation. I can do all the things that I’ve always loved without any restrictions. I ran a mile for the frst time in 10 years and have hiked in Rocky Mountain National Park. I am so glad my life is fnally headed in the direction I’ve been trying to get for years.

- Cassie N. lost 91 lbs.

We’ve waited 10 years for the stars to align, and RM3® has supported me in getting started on this next step in life.