Those living with metabolic syndrome have a cluster of metabolic disorders that increases their risk of future cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke. While any one of the risk factors can be problematic in and of itself, it is the combination of three or more that defines metabolic syndrome.
A waist circumference (taken 1” above the top of the hip bone) greater than 40” for men and 35” for women is high-risk.
The danger of belly fat is that it wraps around organs and pumps out dangerous hormones and chemicals. Those nasty agents go to work increasing blood pressure, worsening cholesterol levels, slowing metabolism and increasing inflammation.
Triglyceride levels equal to or greater than 150mg/dL.
HDL levels less than 40mg/dL in men and 50mg/dL in women.
Blood pressure greater than 130mmHG for systolic, 85mmHG for diastolic, or both.
Fasting glucose equal to or greater than 100mg/dL.
It’s important to note that, if any of these conditions is controlled with medication, you may still technically be living with metabolic syndrome. Statins and other drugs may control the individual risk factors, but they don’t fix the larger problem. And all pharmaceuticals come with their own potential risks and side effects.
The culprit behind this menacing syndrome is, ironically, one that is largely within our control. We may have no power over aging and genetics, but we do decide what we eat and how active we are. And those two decisions alone can make the difference between living with metabolic syndrome and living a healthy life.
Unfortunately, the typical American diet is laden with refined, processed, high-fat, high-calorie “convenience” foods. And the American lifestyle, especially for those prone to or living with metabolic syndrome, isn’t as physically active as it should be.
So what’s the solution? How can you reverse your chances of acquiring metabolic syndrome and start living a vital life?
If all you did was focus on losing weight in a healthy way, you would inevitably chip away at the remaining risk factors for metabolic syndrome. In the majority of cases (and yes, there are exceptions), the risk factors are directly related to being overweight or obese. Losing even 5% of your body weight can restore insulin sensitivity lost to pre-diabetes.
Instead of trying to figure out a big life change by yourself, consider a medically proven system that will guide you through dietary and exercise changes. In the SprintSet Energizing Weight Loss System, we walk the journey with you.
Shifting your diet is imperative if you are living with metabolic syndrome and want to reverse it before it turns into diabetes or heart disease. Eliminating processed foods and choosing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, quality proteins and poly- and monounsaturated fats is the first step.
Increasing your physical activity is also imperative. Finding activities you enjoy and doing more of them is the easiest way to stay moving and burn calories without dreading your next workout.
Looking in the mirror and seeing the task ahead can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start, and especially if you feel alone to figure it out. Losing weight isn’t about a short-term reprieve from poor habits and poor health. It’s an educational journey into a new, sustainable, vibrant life. And it needs to be embraced both physically and emotionally.
Once you make the decision that you’re done living with metabolic syndrome and its inherent risks, you can have all the help and support you need to make the turn toward health.
5G, wifi, tax brackets, high school math — so much of daily life is mercilessly fast-paced and complicated. You want to slow down, but life won’t let you. You want things to feel easy, but you’ve forgotten your password for that app. And the last thing you have the energy for is a complicated “life overhaul.” Believe it or not, there are some simple rules for healthy living that don’t involve an appendix to your to-do list.
The idea of running off to a wellness retreat may be a personal fantasy. Turning off your phone, going to yoga classes, sitting down to brightly colored meals prepared by gurus of organic plant nutrition….Wouldn’t it be dreamy?
As wonderful as such an escape would be, going home with lasting benefits may not be so simple.
Rules for healthy living are available to everyone, not just those who can afford the best of everything. They involve a mindset of feasibility, accessibility, longevity and enjoyment.
And, while a few days of wellness immersion may re-set your commitment to clean living, simple rules for healthy living exist right where you are. Right here. Right now.
Contrary to the madness that seems to keep our world spinning, living a healthy life is, in large part, about getting back to basic.
Don’t complicate uncomplicating your life. Add what is essential. Remove what isn’t. Simplify your criteria: Does it serve my highest good? If yes, keep it or add it. If not, ignore it.
Here are 5 simple rules for healthy living that can make a dramatic difference in your life:
Eliminate processed foods. If it comes in a box, can or nuke-able plastic bowl, you can bet it’s loaded with preservatives, additives and sugar. Eating foods purchased from the middle aisles of your grocery store is the equivalent of putting toxins into your body. And added sugars in the form of sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup are the worst. They lead to increased inflammation and insulin surges that increase the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. They also lead to degenerative diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Trans fats are another popular additive in processed foods. Next time you look at a box of Twinkies or moonpies, imagine devil horns sprouting from the eternal-shelf life tempters.
Nourish your body with real, whole foods. Stick to the perimeter of your grocery store when shopping, and start in the produce section. Walk through slowly and look at all the vibrant colors. Notice that everything looks as it does in nature prior to being harvested. Those colors and textures are loaded with life-benefitting nutrients — vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, healthy fats. If you can’t afford to pay the “organic price” for all your food, at least buy organic for the Dirty Dozen. Include complex, unrefined carbohydrates and whole grains, as well. Then learn how to build a healthful, energizing diet from these nourishing “real” foods.
Dance to the music. Whatever activity you enjoy, do it. And do it regularly. Your body is designed to move, so indulge its yearning to experience its own strength and endurance. Engage with nature. Lift weights. Turn off your inner critic and turn up the music.
Exercise improves your blood values, increases your testosterone and growth hormones, decreases depression and the risk of chronic disease, and boosts energy.
Sleep. Sleep is nature’s nurse. It is your body’s behind-the-scenes healing mechanism. Your body needs it. Your brain needs it. Your mood needs it.
Create a ritual of sleep and honor it. Try to go to bed at the same time every night, turn off all light and noise stimuli, and strive for eight hours.
Minimize stress. Perhaps the most understated of the simple rules for healthy living is minimizing stress. It’s the one life hack that doesn’t fit into a shopping cart and can’t be measured in reps, miles or hours.
Stress is, however, the one silent troublemaker that creates “leaks” in your life, allowing unhealthy habits to sneak in. An after-work drink sounds better than an hour-long workout. A Pop-Tart is so much easier in the moment than sautéing a bunch of vegetables. And sleep is for sissies when there’s a big commission on the line.
Before you know it, you’re going against all the rules for healthy living. And the cortisol production set off by stress drives fat straight to your belly, increases your risk of chronic disease, and impairs your metabolism. Simplify and focus on what is essential…and what brings you authentic joy.
By embracing simple rules for healthy living, you increase your chances of sustaining healthful habits. Enjoying the beauty and blessings of life doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. It is most readily available when you invite into your life those sources that nourish you in body, mind and spirit.
Some things you just don’t want on your list of bragging rights. Being the most obese nation in the world is one of those realities the U.S. would love to strike from its record. But it’s a health-crisis reality, and reversing it starts with changing mindsets toward the health benefits of losing weight.
Consider that some 160 million Americans are overweight or obese. We account for only 5% of the world’s population, but 13% of the world’s overweight and obese population. The global study at the helm of these statistics reports millions of lives lost or disabled as a result of obesity. And perhaps even more frightening is the increase in childhood obesity.
If we’re going to turn around this runaway train, we have to get real about both the dangers of being overweight and the health benefits of losing weight.
Some people don’t pay attention until they’re told their lives are in imminent danger. But some perk up when they hear there are ways to make positive changes before their health becomes dire.
If you are in the latter group, you have the opportunity to embrace your health in a proactive, sustainable, clinically supported way.
Here are the 4 most important health benefits of losing weight.
Reduced risk of diabetes.
One study involving lifestyle intervention measures (diet and exercise) found that as little as 1kg (2.2 lbs) of weight loss correlated to a 16% reduction in risk of diabetes.
But for those already living with type 2 diabetes, the health benefits of losing weight may have limited scope. A Look AHEAD study showed that weight loss for those with type 2 diabetes had many benefits, but did not reduce the chances of cardiovascular events.
What’s the positive takeaway here? Prevention, prevention, prevention.
Reduced risk of heart disease. Heart disease is the number-one killer in America, accounting for one in three deaths. And being overweight or obese is directly linked to your risk of coronary artery disease and heart attacks.
A lot of weight-based factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, contribute to the risk of heart disease. And it’s not just how much weight you carry that matters, but where you carry it on your body. Fat stored around the belly significantly increases the risk of heart disease.
Grab your scale and tape measure, and go here to see if your weight and its distribution are putting your heart on notice. Reducing your weight by just 10% with diet and exercise can start chipping away at your risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular events like strokes.
Decreased risk of some cancers. Research is revealing more and more about the role of chronic inflammation in cancer.
A healthy inflammatory response occurs in response to an injury. It comes in, does its healing work, and leaves.
Chronic inflammation, however, isn’t necessarily triggered by an injury. And it doesn’t know when to leave. Resulting potential damage to DNA can lead to cancer. Obesity is one of the causes of chronic inflammation, so losing the excess fat can reduce both chronic inflammation and risk of cancer.
A load off your joints. For every 10 pounds you shed, your knees and lower-body joints will thank you for 40 pounds of relief. And if they’re feeling lighter, they’ll be more willing to take you up that hill on tomorrow’s hike. Fewer pounds = more activity = more pounds lost = new and healthier you!
Shedding unwanted weight has the obvious allure of shrinking into new clothes and greater self-esteem. But focusing on the health benefits of losing weight will help you develop a sustainable mindset that can improve your life…and even save it.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That timeless adage applies to every corner of life, including health. But what if you missed the prevention train and are now dealing with serious health issues? If you are among the 47 million people with metabolic syndrome, you may wonder if beating metabolic syndrome is even possible.
The name “metabolic syndrome” can be a little misleading. It doesn’t refer to a specific condition, but to a group of specific risk factors that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It is defined as three or more of the following risk factors occurring together:
High blood pressure
Obesity, especially excess body fat around the middle
High LDL cholesterol
High triglycerides
High fasting blood sugar
The fact that almost one in four people — and 40% of people over 60 — meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome should put everyone on alert. There’s little chance of beating metabolic syndrome if you don’t know what to look for and don’t stay abreast of your health with your doctor.
As you age, your chances of acquiring metabolic syndrome increase. And given that most of the risk factors can’t be felt, you should really keep an eye on your weight. It’s linked to all the other risk factors and is the one you can actually see and measure on your own.
Fortunately, metabolic syndrome is preventable and even beatable. Here are 7 keys for preventing and beating metabolic syndrome.
Get real about your weight. It’s not easy to face up to being overweight. No one gets that way overnight. And the thought of doing something about it can bring up a lot of memories, emotional issues and fear of the effort that lies ahead.
But the scale and tape measure are actually your friends in beating metabolic syndrome. Keep a dedicated journal or notebook for your health journey, and start by stepping on the scale and measuring around your belly at your belly button. Then go here to see where your numbers fall in terms of being healthy or at risk.
Clean out your pantry and fridge. A handful of food categories should be tossed from the get-go:
Fake and processed foods
Artificial sweeteners
Diet sodas (and sodas in general)
Foods with trans fats (think of fast food and all those chewy baked goods with a convenient-store shelf life of “forever”)
Alcohol doesn’t need to be tossed, but should be used in moderation. Ideally you should avoid it while you get through the initial stages of cleansing your body and feeding it only what nourishes it.
Restock your pantry and fridge. If you fill your fridge with healthful foods, you will eat healthful foods. Simple. And you will start to learn that true hunger is your body’s way of asking for the nutrients it needs. Cravings, on the other hand, are connected to emotions, not health. That’s why people who nourish their bodies with healthful foods are able to eat to satiety without having cravings or gaining weight.
Foods that should take up residence in your kitchen include:
Vegetables
Fruits
Fish and omega-3 foods (salmon isn’t the only food rich in omega-3’s — walnuts and flaxseeds are great sources, too)
Lean, hormone-free protein like grass-fed beef
Whole grains and high-fiber foods
Legumes and beans, which are loaded with fiber and plant-based proteins
Hydrate! You may be surprised how dehydrated your body is when you start replacing your regular beverage choices with water. In addition to the laundry list of alcohol’s negative effects on your body, it’s very dehydrating. Diet sodas are also dehydrating because of the diuretic effect of their caffeine.
Drink at least 16 oz. of water when you wake up in the morning and get used to drinking throughout the day, especially before eating. Advice runs from ½ to ⅔ your body weight in ounces of water, with more if you are exercising or sweating a lot.
The benefits of water will surprise you!
Get moving! Exercise should be a daily part of your life. If it’s not, start walking. Get a FitBit or pedometer and monitor your steps until you have some reliable treks you enjoy walking. If you are already exercising, it may be time to intensify your effort. Thirty minutes of moderately vigorous exercise per week is a good baseline. And add in some resistance training to preserve both bone and muscle.
Stop smoking. Just. Stop.
Get healthy together. There’s nothing like having accountability in the form of a non-judgmental support system.
Beating metabolic syndrome is about so much more than just trimming down to look good. It’s a complex effort because the alternative is complex…and dangerous.
Figuring out how to change all your unhealthy lifestyle habits can be overwhelming. But having the guidance of a health professional who can help you embrace the journey can make all the difference in your success.
Clients of the SprintSet Energizing Weight Loss System, for example, have everything they need in one place: nutritional and exercise guidance, emotional support — even an online community with a common goal.
Unlike many chronic diseases, metabolic syndrome is something largely within your control. Interestingly, preventing and beating metabolic syndrome have the same core lifestyle choices. Whether you have been lucky so far or know you are at risk for serious disease, you hold the key to both sustained and renewed health.
The question may sound rhetorical. “Why live healthy?” Well, of course you want to have a healthy life and a healthy body! And that means having a healthy lifestyle.
But our high-stress, fast-paced, preservative-laden, quick-fix world isn’t exactly supportive of that goal. And when you’re pressed for time, finances and energy, it’s easy to lose sight of the reasons for even caring about living a healthy lifestyle.
It’s also easy to compartmentalize and lose sight of the big picture. Instead of embracing a holisticview of your health and choices, you may get hijacked by the stresses of life and zero in on a couple things, ignoring the rest. I go to the gym three days a week. I don’t look too bad for my age. I eat salmon whenever we go out. I’d say I live a pretty healthy life.
Those are all great, but when trying to answer the broader question of “Why live healthy?” there are other things to consider. Do you go to the gym, then come home and have a couple glasses of wine? Is your assessment of how you look for your age based on medical criteria or visual comparisons from your last high school reunion? Do you smoke? Do you eat fast food for a quick lunch at work? Do you have sleep apnea? Have you ever been advised to change your diet or pick up the exercise pace?
When you pause long enough to ask, “Why live healthy?” and really think about the reasons, you will start to see all those isolated factors in the context of the whole.
In the SprintSet Energizing Weight Loss System, we focus on the whole person, not just a singular lifestyle component. The physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social all work synergistically toward a comprehensive vitality that is greater than the sum of its parts.
If feeling better and living longer aren’t reasons enough to live a healthy lifestyle, consider these 4 short-term and long-term reasons:
You look better. Healthy on the inside equals glowing on the outside. Your skin is your body’s largest organ, so it’s a tattle-tale of all that’s going on inside. If you’re starving your cells with refined carbohydrates or choking them with carcinogenic cigarette smoke, your skin and outer appearance are going to protest.
You have more energy. Put sugar into your car’s gas tank and see how far you get on that cross-country road trip. Your body is no different. It is perfectly created with specific fuel sources in mind.
Why live healthy? Feeding your body healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and clean protein sources and getting regular exercise will optimize its energy production for the long haul. And more energy translates to more enjoyment of life.
Improved mood and brain power. Before you reach for that glass of wine to take the edge off a bad day, remember that alcohol is a depressant, not a mood elevator. Relying on alcohol and emotional eating to make you feel better actually has the opposite effect. It puts your emotions on a rollercoaster ride, decreases your cognitive function and messes with your sleep cycle. And poor sleep makes one a cranky zombie.
Disease prevention.
It’s amazing how focusing on one lifestyle change like losing excess weight can change your entire life for the better. When you consider all the collateral health issues to obesity, getting to a healthy weight is the most obvious lifestyle goal.
Being healthy is a package deal and an inside job. It’s not just about fitting into your skinny jeans or passing the baseline markers at your annual physical.
It’s a comprehensive, holistic attitude toward life. It’s physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and social. It touches and connects every aspect of your life.
When you view health in its totality, the question really isn’t “Why live healthy?” but “Why not live healthy?”
Funny the way a “healthy living challenge” is a concept so often cast off to the end of the calendar year. There’s something about that January 1st “clean start” that is so appealing…and so permissive of slacking until the new year rolls around.
And what do we all know about those lofty, procrastinated goals? Most people don’t get even two weeks in before hanging up their gloves. Nearly 55% of New Year’s resolutions are health-related, and 80% of those who set them don’t follow through on them.
Part of the problem lies in the way goals are set — and why they are set in the first place. Crash courses and quick fixes are just as quick to fizzle.
But healthy living challenges us from the inside out…day in…day out. It’s about steadiness, consistency, and a mindset of staying the course for the right reasons.
You may know that your life needs an overhaul. Perhaps you have used food and alcohol as an antidote to stress. Perhaps you work so much that your only exercise is falling into bed for five hours of sleep at night. Perhaps you don’t have a support system and don’t feel the motivation to do anything good for yourself.
Perhaps you’re just not ready to show up at the gym at 5AM five days a week for its 3-month, $10,000 fitness challenge.
The good news is that you can create your own healthy living challenge, and you don’t need to wait for a new year to take the plunge. You can learn new habits, make daily changes, and have all the support you need for sustainable success.
The first step involves some introspection and fearless self-honesty. Why do you want to create a healthy living challenge? Why is this healthy change important to you? Common sense stuff at quick glance, but not really so easy when you start examining how you value (or don’t value) your own life.
In the SprintSet system, we talk about embracing the challenge of getting to your best health and weight. No healthy living challenge can succeed if you are at odds with your own goals and the plan to achieve them. When you embrace the challenge, you essentially become one with the changes you are making for a healthier life.
When you both identify and embrace the challenge, you pledge your intent to live a better life. You set your mind and heart in the right direction, and thereby open yourself to the right energy and opportunities from the Universe.
Even if you’re not ready to start training for your bucket-list marathon, it’s still important to have a support system that can provide support and guidance. There is powerful energy in camaraderie. An online community can provide both education and support for your healthy living challenge, even though yours is customized just for you.
Once you have made the commitment to your best health and weight and have shared your intention with a support system, you have a lot of options. Your fundamental goals will be to learn how to properly nourish your body, to renew your thinking about food, and to add sustainable movement to your life.
Here are some ideas for improving your health, not just for a couple weeks in January, but for the rest of your life.
Eat mindfully. Put down your phone, chew slowly, think about the food that has been provided for you, and be present.
Make simple, healthful food swaps. There is beauty in simplicity. You don’t have to change everything in a day. Find a few nutritious items from each food category that you will enjoy having on-hand, and get used to using them to replace your old “poor eating” choices.
Add resistance training. Even a 20-30-minute circuit 2-3 times a week can give your heart a boost, help maintain bone density and build fat-burning muscle.
Stretch. Open up your joint spaces, elongate your muscles and connective tissue, and give the cells of your body a much needed, oxygenating “aahhh”!
Hydrate! Get into the habit of drinking 16 oz. of water first thing in the morning and drinking at least 8 oz. before eating anything throughout the day. You’ll be amazed at how water curbs your appetite and your cravings for things you shouldn’t eat. And that’s just one of countless health benefits of water.
Aim for half your body weight in ounces every day during your healthy living challenge. Your body will thank you!
Get enough sleep. Start designating and honoring your sleep time. Sleep isn’t called “nature’s nurse” for nothing.
Keep a Healthy Living Challenge Journal. The routine and discipline of documenting your food intake and activities are therapeutic and reinforcing. They are also a great exercise in delayed gratification. It won’t be long before you look back and realize how much you have accomplished.
No matter what your health and weight goals are, you deserve a healthy living challenge that aligns with who you are and directs you toward your best self. Once you commit to yourself, you will find the Universe opening its abundance to you.
