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TO HEALTH
RUN WALK RUN,
EAT RIGHT,
AND FEEL BETTER
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Women‘s Guide to Health: Run Walk Run, Eat Right, and Feel Better
Maidenhead: Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd., 2018
ISBN 978-1-78255-457-8
All rights reserved, especially the right to copy and distribute, including the translation rights. No part of this work may be reproduced—including by photocopy, microfilm or any other means—processed, stored electronically, copied or distributed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher.
© 2018 by Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd.
Aachen, Auckland, Beirut, Budapest, Cairo, Cape Town, Dubai, Hägendorf, Indianapolis, Maidenhead, Singapore, Sydney, Tehran, Vienna
Member of the World Sport Publishers’ Association (WSPA)
ISBN 978-1-78255-457-8
E-Mail: info@m-m-sports.com
www.m-m-sports.com
Introduction
Chapter 1) Journal
Getting Started: How to Create Your Own Starting Line Using the Health Journal
Your First Week: How to Begin and Continue
Keep Going With Journaling for Healthy Weight
Know Where You’re Going: How to Create a Finish Line
Chapter 2) Set Yourself Up for Success with Rx Run/Walk
Shoes
Clothing
Health Journal
Pedometer and Watch
Where to Run-Walk
Surface
Picking a Run-Walk Companion
Motivation to Get Out the Door
Outside Versus Inside
Enjoy a Cup of Joe and Maybe a Snack Before You Go
Care for Your Skin
Choose a Sports Bra
Rules of the Road
Women’s Health Considerations During Run-Walk and Weight Loss
How to Deal With Your Menstrual Cycle Whether You Have It or Not
Menopause
Leaking Urine
Staying Safe From Motor Vehicles
Dog Safety
Human Threats
Bad Weather
Chapter 3) Find the Rx Run/Walk That’s Right for You
Keep Track of Your Steps—You Have to Move
How Do I Start? Which Rx Run/Walk Is Right for Me?
Training Program for the Rx Run/Walk — Get Started
What Are Recovery Weeks?
What Are Maintenance Weeks?
What to Do During the Rest Break
Your First Week: How to Begin and Continue
A Caffeine Boost?
Your Three-Week Schedule
Where to Go From Here?
Training Program for Rx Run/Walk — Keep Going
Your First Week: How to Begin and Continue
Your Three-Week Schedule
Where to Go From Here? Gradually Removing Breaks
Training Program for Rx Run/Walk — Burn Fat
Your First Week: How to Begin and Continue
Your Three-Week Schedule
Where to Go From Here? Increasing the Pace and Gradually Introducing Runs
Chapter 4) You Gotta Eat—Find Your Rx Eat
Our Food Philosophy
Why We Like the Mediterranean Diet
Food Score
What Is Your Diet Quality and Why Does It Matter?
What Is the Food Score and How Do I Figure Mine Out?
How Do I Know If I Am Eating a High-Quality Diet?
What Should I Know About Diet Quality and Weight Loss
Don’t I Have to Count Calories?
What Do I Need to Know About Animal Protein Versus Plant Protein?
What About Serving Sizes?
Are There Any Half Points (0.5 Point)?
What Is a Healthy Approach to Alcohol?
What About Eggs?
A Word About Red Meat
The Ancient Greeks Ate Full-Fat Dairy and You Should, Too
Healthy Fats
A Word About Diet Soda
What Should I Drink?
I’m Known for My Sweet Tooth—What Can I Do?
Rx Eat — Get Started
What Can I Expect From Rx Eat — Get Started?
What Can I Expect From Rx Eat — Keep Going?
What Can I Expect From Rx Eat — Burn Fat?
Chapter 5) Setting Yourself Up for Success With Rx Eat
Sleep Matters! Rx Sleep
Moving Matters!
Strategies, Tools, and Recipes
What If My Significant Other, Kids, or Other Members of My Family Don’t Like the Food I Make?
What to Eat During Holidays and Special Occasions?
I’ve Done Everything You Recommend and I’m Still Not Losing Weight!
Perfect Score Meal Plans
Chapter 6) Achieve Health Goals With HER Prescriptions
What If My Health Goal Is to Lower My Blood Pressure?
What If My Health Goal Is to Improve My Heart Health and Circulation?
What If My Health Goal Is to Improve My Cholesterol?
What If My Health Goal Is to Breathe More Easily?
What If My Health Goal Is to Control My Blood Sugar?
What If My Health Goal Is to Restore My Bones, Joints, and Muscles?
What If My Health Goal Is to Improve My Mood, Mental Well-Being, and Coping?
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Content Sources
Appendix
All sheets contained in this book can be downloaded here to be used as printouts.
Medical Disclaimer: The contents of this book are not intended nor implied to be relied on for medical diagnosis, care or treatment concerning any individual. Under no circumstances, will this book create a physician-patient relationship, nor does it constitute engagement in the practice of medicine or the provision of any health care service to an individual patient. This book should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment, and readers should consult a healthcare provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about medical conditions. The authors of this book expressly disclaim responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of a reader’s reliance on the information contained in this book.
Medicine and Public Health Advisory Board
Barbara Galloway – Galloway Productions
Rose Martinez, ScD – Director, Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice Health and Medicine Division; The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
James Roberson, MD – Professor and Chairman, Department of Orthopedics; Emory University School of Medicine; Past President of the Society of Joint Surgeons
Larry Sperling, MD – Professor of Medicine (Cardiology); Emory University School of Medicine; President, American Society of Preventive Cardiology
Guillermo Umpierrez, MD – Professor of Medicine; Director of Diabetes, Grady Health System; Emory University School of Medicine; National Board of Directors of American Diabetes Association
Nikki Strayhorn
Brennan Galloway
What we all want is to feel good in our own skin. After all, isn’t that what health is about? We want to feel connected to those we love most. We want to have the emotional resilience needed to cope with life’s challenges, and to have a positive attitude that helps us feel grateful and enjoy living. To do this, we need healthy bodies, minds, and spirits. The authors of this guide believe that when the body gets into motion, it unlocks parts of the mind and spirit that are a reservoir of energy and goodness. This indescribably wonderful source of energy is amplified when we run-walk-run with others. Our physical bodies function at their highest level when they are nourished by healthy foods. Chances are you’re not eating as well or being as active as you’d like to be— hardly anyone is. That’s why we got together to write this guide to the HER Prescriptions™ Program (www.HERprescriptions.com). HER stands for healthy eating and run-walking.
This book guides you through a proven sequence of actions you can take over the next 30 weeks to change your habits and start a path to feeling better, more energetic, and more connected to others. Think of this book as an action guide that combines the knowledge and experience of a highly respected Run-Walk coach with real world advice from two primary care medical doctors. All three of us have used what we present here in our own lives, the lives of our families, and the lives of thousands of women we have coached or seen as patients. We know it works.
Every day, each of us can take control over our exercise, our eating, and our attitude by having specific cognitive strategies. Having a specific strategy is key for motivation. Our step-by-step process gives you control and focus—it can empower you to make many positive changes in your life. Your health and the health of your family and community ALL benefit.
The first chapter focuses on journaling and teaches you how and what to record about your health. You learn to log the essentials for health: sleep, exercise, quality of food, and meals. You also learn how to track and record the health numbers of interest to you. You will create a starting line for yourself as you begin recording and envision the finish line.
Chapter 2 helps guide you to a successful start. We cover common health considerations for women beginning the HER Prescription program.
In chapter 3, we help you choose the HER Prescription that is right for you. We cover the specifics of three different training program options: Rx Run-Walk Get Started, Rx Run-Walk Keep Going, and Rx Run-Walk Burn Fat. Each Rx Run-Walk has a 30-week training program proven to help you reach the fully prescribed dose.
To reach your health goals, your Rx Run-Walk should be combined with a prescription about what you eat. We call this your Rx Eat. Your prescribed Rx Eat (chapter 4) tells you what to eat, how often to eat, and how to record this in your health journal.
In chapter 5, we set you up for success with healthy eating. You learn why sleep is fundamental to health and helping us choose healthy foods. We give you tools for meal planning, grocery shopping, and perfect score recipes that fit with your Rx Eat. We also offer tips to address common challenges while following your Rx Eat.
In chapter 6, we rely on best available medical evidence to tell you how your HER Prescriptions can help you meet specific health goals. We take a look at how the prescribed Rx Run-Walk and Rx Eat improve common health conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol or lipids (fat in the blood), heart disease, osteoarthritis (aching bones or joints), breathing difficulties such as asthma or COPD, diabetes, anxiety, and depression. For some women, these health conditions are related to excess weight. That’s why, throughout the book, we provide specific details for finding your healthy weight. Those seeking to lose weight are coached up to the 30-week, fully prescribed dose of Rx Run-Walk and Rx Eat and asked to maintain it for at least 3 months. On the weight loss track, you can expect to lose about 0.5 to 1lbs weekly (20 to 50 pounds over 1 year) and feel a whole lot better!
For those who have been hospitalized with medical conditions such as a heart attack (myocardial infarction), heart rhythm problems, cancer, stroke, or lung disease, we strongly recommend you discuss and follow a specific rehabilitation program under the supervision of your doctor. For the millions who have not been hospitalized but have been diagnosed with a chronic condition or illness for which you see a primary care provider, this book uses medical evidence, quality meal plans, and a well-established training program’s approach to provide the fundamentals you need to know to improve your health.
Use this book as an action guide and follow it step by step. All the charts, tables, and journal pages can be found on our website, www.HERprescriptions.com. Download them, print them out, and tape them to your fridge. Like prescriptions for medicines, these prescriptions only work if you take them regularly and carefully follow the instructions.
Are you ready? Let’s get started. Look forward to feeling better, happier, and more alive and engaged in your everyday life as you move through this. It’s an amazing feeling and worth your time and dedication. You can do it…and will be so glad you did!
Your journal will inspire you and will be a pivotal part of your success in reaching your health goals!
Improving your health depends on becoming an expert on your own mind, body, and spirit. The key to becoming such an expert is being rigid about organization, note taking and record keeping, and time for personal reflection. Women who are most successful in achieving their health goals have cultivated the habit of recording four variables each day: sleep, exercise, food, and health numbers. We believe the reason these women are so successful in achieving their health goals relates to their habit of keeping a health journal that harnesses focus, attention, motivation, and insight. A journal is not only essential for gaining knowledge about yourself. The act of gathering the data and recording in your journal is the most important action you can take because it activates your problem-solving brain, giving you control over your daily activities and food choices. This puts you in command of each area of your health, every day.
The health journal prompts you to record daily and reflect weekly. Each day has the following four parts: sleep metrics, exercise matters, food score, and meal log. In addition, there is a three-part weekly report card to help you summarize progress, chart important health numbers, and hone in on what works for you.
The health journal is designed to help you navigate meaningful conversations with your doctor. Sharing your journal with your doctor helps in the following ways:
Your doctor reviews information you feel is important to your health and well-being.
Your doctor has better numbers upon which to base medical decisions.
You are an active partner with your doctor in recognizing trends and patterns related to how you feel.
Where are you starting from? Knowing this will help you develop the right expectations of yourself and others. It will also give you a better understanding of your progress when you look back over the weeks and months.
What you will need:
•a digital scale that can also measure body fat composition
•a flexible tape measure
•a pedometer or other device that counts steps such as a smart phone or watch
•commitment to filling out the health journal for 7 consecutive days starting with Monday
Your starting line consists of the following measurements:
1.