As I've mentioned before, I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions. I'm more a proponent of setting goals and working on changing things throughout the year rather than picking one day as the start to focus on self-improvement. I feel the same way about Valentine's Day. Why should one arbitrary day be a celebration of love? Everyday should feel like Valentine's Day. But I digress.
Whether you're a fan of resolutions or not, the New Year does give us a chance to reflect on the previous year and think about future possibilities. But before you set out to change your life, you first need to figure out what you want to accomplish. Goals are our designs for the future. Here's a link to a great blog on 6 reasons why goals are important.
Once you figure out your goals, the next step is to figure out how you're going to make it happen. In a previous post, I've discussed SMART goal setting. SMART goals are ones that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Having a goal without having a specific plan of action is like trying to play a sport without having a game plan. You might have some luck and happen to score occasionally, but you're success is going to be limited. To quote Wayne Gretzky: "A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be." A plan of action ensures that you're actively working toward living your best life rather than letting the days slip on by.
Besides SMART goal setting, being held accountable also helps to achieve success. Having someone monitor your progress and provide support can be the key to keeping you on track. I'm a big fan of seeking out coaches/mentors in all areas of my life as I find that it helps me take my goals to the next level.
Here is my "deep thought" by Ralph Waldo Emerson to start off 2011 with:
No one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourself.
Don't let yourself get in the way of living your best life. But that doesn't mean you have to go it alone. I'm always here to help you on your journey to use nutrition to look good, feel better, and perform at your best.
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Friday, December 24, 2010
Happy Holidays!
"May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility." ~Maryanne Radmacher-Hershey
As we rush around to either finish our last minute holiday preparations or are on the road going to visit family and friends, I wanted to wish you all a healthy and happy holiday. Sometimes the meaning of the holidays seems to get lost in the stress of the crowded shopping malls or trying to navigate December's bad weather and congested traffic. It's easy to lose perspective, especially when our holidays don't reflect the sanitized and idealized versions presented in commericals and on TV.
My wish for you is that you find joy this holiday season. May you discover joy in spending time with family and friends, joy in slowing down and savoring the special foods of the season, and the joy of living in the present moment no matter what challenges you may be faced with.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Slim Guacamole
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen thawed peas
1/2 cup green onion
1 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 ripe avocado
dash hot pepper sauce
1 lemon
Directions:
1. Place peas, onion and cilantro in food processor.
2. Process on high speed until smooth.
3. Add avocado, hot pepper and lemon and pulse on high until chunky.
4. Serve immediately with raw veggies (carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, zucchini, bell peppers), toasted whole-wheat pita triangles or baked tortilla chips.
Serves 8.
Each serving: 3 ounces (around 1/3 cup)
Per Serving: Calories: 70, Total Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 6mg, Carbohydrates: 7.5g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Protein: 2.5g
Source: http://foodandhealthbooks.com/ Reprinted with permission.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
The Downside of Downsizing
In theory, the concept of losing weight seems simple. Eat less and move more. Yet as I've said before, simple is not the same as easy.
Eating gets very complicated because we use food for so many other reasons than hunger. We eat when we're happy, sad, bored, frustrated, and stressed. Food becomes our comfort after a bad day, a reward for hard work, or a way to celebrate any occasion. Food is everywhere, even more so during the holiday season. Yet when we use food to soothe our souls instead of fueling our bodies, it creates a whole new set of problems. We now carry our emotional baggage in our minds as well as on our hips.
Here's a great article by Washington Post health columnist Jennifer LaRue Huget on what she learned on her journey to lose 10 pounds by her 50th birthday. One of the lessons she learned is especially relevant as she realizes what happens when food can no longer be used as a security blanket:
When you learn, as I recently have, to start regarding food as fuel for your activities and not as a shield from life's difficulties, you're forced to start facing the things you were using food to hide from.
That means having the unsettling discussions you'd been avoiding, fighting the fights you'd just as soon have skipped. It means sitting down at the computer and doing your work instead of buying time with a big bowl of popcorn. And it means staring down fears, working to resolve nagging problems instead of hushing them with a chocolate bar.
I love this last sentence she wrote because I think it's so true. How many time how you found yourself eating something - that you weren't even really tasting - out of habit as a way to cope?
That is why keeping a food journal is so important when trying to make a change in your nutrition. It's so easy to fall into unconscious habits that keep us from meeting our goals. Having to write down what you're actually doing can be a real eye-opening experience.
As the columnist points out, the beauty of learning how to cope with life's challenges without using food is a new found confidence "that comes with finally being in control of your weight." You're going to have to confront all those issues eventually. Use food as a way to empower a healthy and vibrant lifestyle instead of hindering it.
Eating gets very complicated because we use food for so many other reasons than hunger. We eat when we're happy, sad, bored, frustrated, and stressed. Food becomes our comfort after a bad day, a reward for hard work, or a way to celebrate any occasion. Food is everywhere, even more so during the holiday season. Yet when we use food to soothe our souls instead of fueling our bodies, it creates a whole new set of problems. We now carry our emotional baggage in our minds as well as on our hips.
Here's a great article by Washington Post health columnist Jennifer LaRue Huget on what she learned on her journey to lose 10 pounds by her 50th birthday. One of the lessons she learned is especially relevant as she realizes what happens when food can no longer be used as a security blanket:
When you learn, as I recently have, to start regarding food as fuel for your activities and not as a shield from life's difficulties, you're forced to start facing the things you were using food to hide from.
That means having the unsettling discussions you'd been avoiding, fighting the fights you'd just as soon have skipped. It means sitting down at the computer and doing your work instead of buying time with a big bowl of popcorn. And it means staring down fears, working to resolve nagging problems instead of hushing them with a chocolate bar.
I love this last sentence she wrote because I think it's so true. How many time how you found yourself eating something - that you weren't even really tasting - out of habit as a way to cope?
That is why keeping a food journal is so important when trying to make a change in your nutrition. It's so easy to fall into unconscious habits that keep us from meeting our goals. Having to write down what you're actually doing can be a real eye-opening experience.
As the columnist points out, the beauty of learning how to cope with life's challenges without using food is a new found confidence "that comes with finally being in control of your weight." You're going to have to confront all those issues eventually. Use food as a way to empower a healthy and vibrant lifestyle instead of hindering it.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
A Healthier Thanksgiving
1. Don’t Go Hungry.
Many people either eat very little or forgo eating in anticipation of the afternoon feast. Skipping meals leads to overwhelming hunger – the kind where anything and everything looks good. Reaching this level of hunger often causes you to over-serve yourself, eating larger portions than you normally would. Instead of starving yourself, start the day with a fiber-rich breakfast, such as oatmeal or whole grain toast, and add a generous serving of protein, such as eggs or a Greek-style yogurt. The fiber and protein will help to stabilize your blood sugar and keep you feeling full longer.
2. Take 30-60 minutes for a brisk walk or jog before the big meal.
Get a jump on burning those holiday dinner calories by sneaking in some activity during the day. Keeping yourself busy before the main feast can help prevent you from mindlessly nibbling on snacks.
3. Eat the best and leave the rest!
Don’t waste your calories on foods that you could have anytime of the year. Instead be strategic about your eating by choosing those items that are special to the occasion that you really want to eat. Fill-up on lean cuts of turkey breast and vegetables and only eat those heavier holiday foods that really excite your taste buds.
4. Eat slowly and enjoy each bite.
Thanksgiving is probably one of the few days that we actually take the time to sit down and relax during the meal. Instead of gobbling up your dinner, wait at least 20 minutes before you get a second helping. This is very important since it takes at least this long for your body to register how full it actually is. You may realize after 20 minutes that you don't want seconds after all.
5. Give yourself permission to indulge.
Rather than constantly worrying about how many calories are in the stuffing or pumpkin pie, give yourself permission to enjoy the day. Instead of feeling guilty about your choices, be present in the moment and pay attention to what you’re eating and how full you’re feeling. Eating mindfully makes the meal a more satisfying experience as you fully engage your senses. It allows you to realize when you’re satisfied and stop eating. Being mindful also prevents the meaning of Thanksgiving from getting lost in all that food.
The important thing to remember is that Thanksgiving comes once a year. Overindulging on one holiday is not a big deal – it’s what you’re doing consistently on the rest of those 364 days that really matter.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Perfect Pairings: Healthy Fat & Carotenoids
So first, a quick science lesson.
Phytochemicals are the compounds found in plant foods that impart the tastes, aromas, colors, and other characteristics to the fruits and veggies we love. They give garlic its pungent flavor, tomatoes their dark red color, and hot peppers their burning sensation.
Carotenoids are among the best known phytochemicals and include the well-known beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. They are the naturally occurring pigments that give color to many red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables along with many dark green veggies. Carotenoids are found in everything from apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, kale, and collard greens. Besides making your fruits and veggies look pretty, they act as antioxidants in the body and protect your cells from damage, reduce the risk of cancer, and bolster the immune system. For example, did you know that the carotenoid lycopene is the pigment that not only gives tomatoes, guava, papaya, pink grapefruit, and watermelon their red color but also protects you against cancers of the esophagus, prostrate, and stomach?
Here's a quick and easy recipe filled with carotenoids from the carrot and red pepper and some healthy monounsaturated fat from almond butter to help you aborb them.
Carrot Salad with Almond Dressing
Serves 4
2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/2 cup raisins
Dressing
1/4 cup creamy almond butter
1 Tbsp lime juice
1.5 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
1 tsp honey
Pinch red pepper flakes
1. Mix carrots, bell pepper, cilantro and raisins in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together almond butter, lime juice, low-sodium soy sauce, honey and red pepper flakes.
3. Add dressing to carrot mixture and combine thoroughly. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 190 calories, 5 g protein, 27 g carbs, 9.5 g fat, 3 g fiber, 17 g sugar, 325 mg sodium
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Is Your Personality Sabotaging Your Diet?
How you approach life can affect how you take care of your health. It's important to be aware of how your coping patterns play into your eating and exercise habits. For no matter what diet you follow, some behaviors can sabotage weight loss.
Are you a persistent procrastinator who always has an excuse for putting off losing weight? Are you a people pleaser that always says "yes" to other people without taking care of yourself? How about an overreaching achiever whose perfectionist tendencies make you feel you never lose weight fast enough and feel disappointed even when you make progress?
Personality and behavior play the main role according to obesity internist Robert Kushner and his wife, Nancy, a nurse practitioner, co-authors of Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet . In their book, they describe how different personality types affect eating habits and provide solutions to implement new healthy behaviors.
Here's a list to help determine what type of eater you are with solutions to address the personality traits that get in the way of weight loss.
Unguided grazer
Eats anytime and anywhere — while driving, working, reading, watching TV or surfing the Internet. Usually chooses foods that are convenient and readily accessible. Frequently eats past the point of fullness.
Solution: Make a commitment to eat three meals a day. Midmorning and late-afternoon snacks may help ward off hunger. Don't do anything else while eating, and try to slow down and enjoy food.
Nighttime nibbler
Often goes all day without eating much — or anything. May consume far more calories than intended at night because of ravenous hunger. Dinner often blends into continual trips to the kitchen for snacks.
Solution: Plan to eat lunch and a midafternoon snack. Lunch might be a sandwich, yogurt or soup. The snack might be an apple and peanut butter or low-fat string cheese and crackers. Calorie-proof the house, getting rid of favorite nighttime munchies. Plan on one nightly snack that's satisfying. Eat it slowly and enjoy.
Convenient consumer
Eats mostly convenience, packaged, frozen and fast foods that are often high in fat and calories and low in fiber. Has few fresh foods or home-cooked meals.
Solution: Downsize fast-food meals and convenience foods. Buy single servings. Look for healthful alternatives whenever possible. Get baked chips instead of regular ones, broiled chicken instead of fried. Avoid creamy sauces. To add flavor to foods, experiment with spices such as fresh rosemary and tarragon and sauces such as teriyaki or spicy barbecue.
Fruitless feaster
Eats a plain meat-and-potatoes menu, except for an occasional glass of orange juice, a banana or apple. Consumes few fruits and vegetables, thus missing out on the vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients these foods contain.
Solution: Add blueberries, strawberries or bananas to cereal. Add mushrooms, spinach and green peppers to omelets. Put baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, apple and orange slices in lunch. Add baby spinach, arugula and tomatoes to sandwiches.
Mindless muncher
Snacks throughout the day and night whether hungry or not — sometimes out of boredom or to take a break in the middle of the day. Doesn't pass up a plate of food, vending machine or snack shop. The sight or smell of food triggers the compulsion to eat.
Solution: Keep a food diary for only two days, which will help convert mindless eating to conscious consumption. Read food labels to figure out quantities. Try healthful alternatives such as cherry tomatoes dipped in light ranch dressing, baked chips and vegetarian bean dip or whole-wheat pita with hummus dip.
Hearty portioner
Overindulges on unhealthful foods or even healthful ones. May consume three to five times the norm.
Solution: Picture a picnic plate with dividers, and portion your plate so that three-quarters is covered with fruits, vegetables and salad, and the meat and starch are in the smaller compartments. Overcome portion traps at restaurants by splitting entrees and ordering extra salad or vegetables. Scan food labels for calories per serving.
Deprived sneaker
May eat a strict diet of "good" foods one day, then overeat on "bad" foods on another. Instead of eating a small slice of chocolate cake, may choose fat-free cookies, but after eating eight of them, feels deprived.
Solution: Drop the dieting mind-set along with the long lists of forbidden foods. Choose flavorful foods that contain healthful oils and fiber. For instance, add nuts and avocado to salads, use olive oil in stir-frys. Follow the 80/20 rule — if 80% of your diet is healthful, the other 20% can be less so.
Eating healthfully requires more than just knowing what to do but being able to implement it. It's important to seek support from a health professional such as a registered dietitian that can help you implement habits that can help you reach your goals.
Are you a persistent procrastinator who always has an excuse for putting off losing weight? Are you a people pleaser that always says "yes" to other people without taking care of yourself? How about an overreaching achiever whose perfectionist tendencies make you feel you never lose weight fast enough and feel disappointed even when you make progress?
Personality and behavior play the main role according to obesity internist Robert Kushner and his wife, Nancy, a nurse practitioner, co-authors of Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet . In their book, they describe how different personality types affect eating habits and provide solutions to implement new healthy behaviors.
Here's a list to help determine what type of eater you are with solutions to address the personality traits that get in the way of weight loss.
Unguided grazer
Eats anytime and anywhere — while driving, working, reading, watching TV or surfing the Internet. Usually chooses foods that are convenient and readily accessible. Frequently eats past the point of fullness.
Solution: Make a commitment to eat three meals a day. Midmorning and late-afternoon snacks may help ward off hunger. Don't do anything else while eating, and try to slow down and enjoy food.
Nighttime nibbler
Often goes all day without eating much — or anything. May consume far more calories than intended at night because of ravenous hunger. Dinner often blends into continual trips to the kitchen for snacks.
Solution: Plan to eat lunch and a midafternoon snack. Lunch might be a sandwich, yogurt or soup. The snack might be an apple and peanut butter or low-fat string cheese and crackers. Calorie-proof the house, getting rid of favorite nighttime munchies. Plan on one nightly snack that's satisfying. Eat it slowly and enjoy.
Convenient consumer
Eats mostly convenience, packaged, frozen and fast foods that are often high in fat and calories and low in fiber. Has few fresh foods or home-cooked meals.
Solution: Downsize fast-food meals and convenience foods. Buy single servings. Look for healthful alternatives whenever possible. Get baked chips instead of regular ones, broiled chicken instead of fried. Avoid creamy sauces. To add flavor to foods, experiment with spices such as fresh rosemary and tarragon and sauces such as teriyaki or spicy barbecue.
Fruitless feaster
Eats a plain meat-and-potatoes menu, except for an occasional glass of orange juice, a banana or apple. Consumes few fruits and vegetables, thus missing out on the vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients these foods contain.
Solution: Add blueberries, strawberries or bananas to cereal. Add mushrooms, spinach and green peppers to omelets. Put baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, apple and orange slices in lunch. Add baby spinach, arugula and tomatoes to sandwiches.
Mindless muncher
Snacks throughout the day and night whether hungry or not — sometimes out of boredom or to take a break in the middle of the day. Doesn't pass up a plate of food, vending machine or snack shop. The sight or smell of food triggers the compulsion to eat.
Solution: Keep a food diary for only two days, which will help convert mindless eating to conscious consumption. Read food labels to figure out quantities. Try healthful alternatives such as cherry tomatoes dipped in light ranch dressing, baked chips and vegetarian bean dip or whole-wheat pita with hummus dip.
Hearty portioner
Overindulges on unhealthful foods or even healthful ones. May consume three to five times the norm.
Solution: Picture a picnic plate with dividers, and portion your plate so that three-quarters is covered with fruits, vegetables and salad, and the meat and starch are in the smaller compartments. Overcome portion traps at restaurants by splitting entrees and ordering extra salad or vegetables. Scan food labels for calories per serving.
Deprived sneaker
May eat a strict diet of "good" foods one day, then overeat on "bad" foods on another. Instead of eating a small slice of chocolate cake, may choose fat-free cookies, but after eating eight of them, feels deprived.
Solution: Drop the dieting mind-set along with the long lists of forbidden foods. Choose flavorful foods that contain healthful oils and fiber. For instance, add nuts and avocado to salads, use olive oil in stir-frys. Follow the 80/20 rule — if 80% of your diet is healthful, the other 20% can be less so.
Eating healthfully requires more than just knowing what to do but being able to implement it. It's important to seek support from a health professional such as a registered dietitian that can help you implement habits that can help you reach your goals.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
A Healthier Halloween While Supporting Our Troops!
Well it's almost Halloween. Welcome again to what I like to call "The Eating Season." It starts with Halloween and continues through the holiday season until at least Super Bowl Sunday and often even into Valentine's Day. If you do choose to indulge in some Halloween treats, just remember having fun with food and friends is all part of healthy eating. Just make sure that one Halloween party doesn't continue for the rest of the week. Focus on the 90/10 rule - 90% of the time be consistent and more targeted with healthy choices while having fun 10% of the time. For example, if you eat 3 meals and 2 snacks daily, seven days a week, that would total 35 meals and snacks. So having fun about 10% of the time would mean that you might make a more fun choice for about 3-4 of those meals or snacks. Just keep in mind portion sizes. A "fun" snack might be having 1-2 cookies but not the entire package.
In a quest to stay on track, many people remove temptation from their house by bringing that excess Halloween candy to work. Another suggestion is to send it to Boatsie's Boxes - a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to supporting our troops. Items, such as candy, can be sent to the address listed in the following link:
http://www.boatsie.com/contactdonationinformation.html
Not overrun by Halloween candy? Here is the link to the list of other items needed:
Make a comment and let me know if you have other creative ideas for that extra Halloween candy.
In a quest to stay on track, many people remove temptation from their house by bringing that excess Halloween candy to work. Another suggestion is to send it to Boatsie's Boxes - a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to supporting our troops. Items, such as candy, can be sent to the address listed in the following link:
http://www.boatsie.com/contactdonationinformation.html
Not overrun by Halloween candy? Here is the link to the list of other items needed:
Make a comment and let me know if you have other creative ideas for that extra Halloween candy.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Life & Nutrition as a House
If you don't take care of your house, where are you going to live?
While driving back home after a weekend of visiting my family in Upstate New York, I was listening to an interview on satellite radio with author and life coach Martha Beck. During the discussion she mentioned how she likes to ask her clients to describe their house as this provides insight into what is going on in their life. This made me reflect on how this could apply to nutrition as well. Does your nutrition house have a solid foundation? Is your nutrition house warm and inviting and make you feel good? Or has it been neglected and in need of repair? Is maintianing your nutrition house the last thing on your list that never gets done?
Nutrition requires consistent maintenance and upkeep just like a house. To me, one of the most frustrating house chores is dusting. I work so hard to dust and in a few days it just comes right back. Ugh! While dusting is not my favorite activity I know that I need to keep up with it if I want a clean home. The same goes for nutrition. Many folks want to follow a strict diet program for a specified period of time and then go back to eating the way they were previously. If you want to change your life, you have to make a commitment to nutrition for the long-term. Like dusting, weight management and performance nutrition requires consistency if you want to get results.
What's interesting to note is that according to organizational expert Peter Welsh, in his book Does Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?, decluttering your house can be the first step to losing weight. Why? Because disorganization can lead to stress which increases the hormone cortisol and blood sugar which increases insulin, making you feel hungrier. Also, if your dining room table and kitchen is piled high with stuff, you're not creating an environment conducive to healthful eating. If you have trouble cooking in your kitchen, finding space in your refrigerator, or don't have a place to sit down and enjoy a meal, isn't it more tempting to eat out and reach for less healthy fast food or grab and go items? Packing our homes with "stuff" becomes a symbol of how we approach eating - where more is always better. Yet just like homes cluttered with things we never use, our bodies become fat storage units for the extra fuel that we don't need.
My question for you is how would you describe your nutrition house? Is it in good shape or in need of some updating? The thing to remember is that you don't have to fix your house by yourself. I'm here to help make sure you have a solid foundation.
While driving back home after a weekend of visiting my family in Upstate New York, I was listening to an interview on satellite radio with author and life coach Martha Beck. During the discussion she mentioned how she likes to ask her clients to describe their house as this provides insight into what is going on in their life. This made me reflect on how this could apply to nutrition as well. Does your nutrition house have a solid foundation? Is your nutrition house warm and inviting and make you feel good? Or has it been neglected and in need of repair? Is maintianing your nutrition house the last thing on your list that never gets done?
Nutrition requires consistent maintenance and upkeep just like a house. To me, one of the most frustrating house chores is dusting. I work so hard to dust and in a few days it just comes right back. Ugh! While dusting is not my favorite activity I know that I need to keep up with it if I want a clean home. The same goes for nutrition. Many folks want to follow a strict diet program for a specified period of time and then go back to eating the way they were previously. If you want to change your life, you have to make a commitment to nutrition for the long-term. Like dusting, weight management and performance nutrition requires consistency if you want to get results.
What's interesting to note is that according to organizational expert Peter Welsh, in his book Does Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?, decluttering your house can be the first step to losing weight. Why? Because disorganization can lead to stress which increases the hormone cortisol and blood sugar which increases insulin, making you feel hungrier. Also, if your dining room table and kitchen is piled high with stuff, you're not creating an environment conducive to healthful eating. If you have trouble cooking in your kitchen, finding space in your refrigerator, or don't have a place to sit down and enjoy a meal, isn't it more tempting to eat out and reach for less healthy fast food or grab and go items? Packing our homes with "stuff" becomes a symbol of how we approach eating - where more is always better. Yet just like homes cluttered with things we never use, our bodies become fat storage units for the extra fuel that we don't need.
My question for you is how would you describe your nutrition house? Is it in good shape or in need of some updating? The thing to remember is that you don't have to fix your house by yourself. I'm here to help make sure you have a solid foundation.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The Secrets of Motivation
When it comes to motivation, the number one thing people say to me is:
I know what I should do, but I'm just not doing it.
Because we all eat, folks think that knowledge is enough to make a change happen. Yet knowledge without an understanding of how to apply it to one's specific lifestyle is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine - something that can be useful but must be put in the right context.
In terms of making change happen, 3 things must occur:
1. Find your true motivation.
First decide why you want to make the change. Is it because your nutrition is affecting your health? Is your eating affecting your performance at work or at play? Is your nutrition getting in the way of how you want to look and feel? Is your nutrition getting in the way of things you want to do or the person you want to be?
2. List the positives and negatives of making that change.
3. SMART Goal setting
Okay so you're ready to take action. Now it's time to set up some SMART goals. Goals should be:
I know what I should do, but I'm just not doing it.
Because we all eat, folks think that knowledge is enough to make a change happen. Yet knowledge without an understanding of how to apply it to one's specific lifestyle is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine - something that can be useful but must be put in the right context.
In terms of making change happen, 3 things must occur:
1. Find your true motivation.
First decide why you want to make the change. Is it because your nutrition is affecting your health? Is your eating affecting your performance at work or at play? Is your nutrition getting in the way of how you want to look and feel? Is your nutrition getting in the way of things you want to do or the person you want to be?
2. List the positives and negatives of making that change.
Writing down the positives and negatives of making a change makes you realize the advantages and challenges you face so you can be more realistic about what it's going to take. Many people want to reap the benefits of making changes to their nutrition but when the rubber meets the road, they aren't willing to take the necessary steps to make that happen. Therefore it's also important to rate on a scale of 1-10 how ready you are to make a change to assess if you're ready to take action. Change has to be a priority in order for action to occur.
3. SMART Goal setting
Okay so you're ready to take action. Now it's time to set up some SMART goals. Goals should be:
- Specific - does my goal identify specific actions to take?
- Measurable - can it be measured?
- Achievable - can I achieve this given my lifestyle and available resources?
- Realistic - is my goal within grasp but not too easy?
- Timely - do I have a specific time period for my goal?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Overnight Power Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a nutritional star because of its high fiber content of both soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber in oats is beta-glucan - a type of polysaccharide or long chain of glucose molecules that help to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Beta-glucan can also help to enhance the immune system by activating specific white blood cells or macrophages which help to gobble up infection. Oatmeal also has a very low glycemic load so it has a modest effect on blood sugar; however, the type of oatmeal you choose makes all the difference.
What do the different forms of oats mean?
- Oat groats are the least processed as they are whole oats without the husks. This form is harder to find in grocery stores.
- Steel-cut oats are groats that have been cut lengthwise and then placed in cans or packages. They have a chewy texture, and are often imported from Scotland or Ireland where they're frequently consumed.
- Rolled oats are oats that have been heated and pressed flat with steel rollers. You'll see them on grocery store shelves labeled as old-fashioned, quick-cooking, or instant oatmeal.
While steel-cut oats are a great choice, the longer cooking time can seem daunting, especially on a hectic morning. Instead of standing at the stove stirring oats for 20 minutes, let your crock pot do the work while you sleep.
Here's an easy recipe to cook your oats in the crock pot. I just throw in my ingredients before I go to bed and voila - a hot breakfast when I wake up in the morning.
Steel-Cut Oatmeal for the Crock Pot
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
1 cup steel cut oats (Do Not substitute old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats)
4 ½ cups water
Optional
¼- ½ cup dried fruit (I like to use cranberries or raisins)
Serve with milk, cinnamon, sugar free maple syrup or other sweetener to taste. I like to top mine with some fresh fruit and walnuts.
Directions
Place all ingredients into a 2 quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
It might form a “crust” around the outside. Just scrape it down with a spoon and stir.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Magic of 100 Calories
Did you know that if you eat 100 fewer calories each day, you could lose 10 pounds in a year? Did you also know that if you eat 100 calories less and burn another 100 calories through activity (to create a 200 calorie deficit), you could lose 20 pounds in a year? It's really amazing how small, consistent changes in the foods we eat, portion sizes, and activity level can make a big difference when it comes to managing our weight.
Here is a list of easy ways to cut 100 calories from your eating.
Breakfast
• Replace your morning glass of regular juice with a glass of lite or reduced-sugar juice
• Switch out 1 ounce (oz) of cooked pork bacon for 1 oz of Canadian bacon
• Trade ¼ cup (C) regular pancake syrup for ¼ C lite pancake syrup
• Try replacing 2 fluid ounces (fl oz) of flavored coffee creamer with 2 fl oz of 2% milk
• Choose three medium-sized pancakes, instead of ordering an 8″ round waffle
Lunch
• Replace 1 C of a cream-based soup with 1 C of a broth-based soup
• Use diet bread to make your sandwich
• Skip the cheese on your burger, sandwich, or salad
• Choose carbonated fruit-flavored water, instead of regular soda
• Trade a 6-oz cup of yogurt with fruit on the bottom for a four-oz cup of lite yogurt blended with fruit
Dinner
• Make your tacos with 3 oz of grilled chicken breast, instead of 3 oz of 85% lean ground beef
• Choose one slice of thin-crust cheese pizza, instead of a slice of pepperoni pan pizza (one piece is measured as one eighth of a 14″ pizza)
• Replace either smoked pork or beef sausage with either smoked turkey or chicken sausage
• Replace 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) of salted stick butter with 2 Tbsp of a reduced-calorie margarine spread
• Choose ½ C of black beans, instead of refried beans, when preparing Mexican food
Snacks
• Choose a ½ C of sorbet, instead of premium ice cream
• Munch on five reduced-fat vanilla wafers, instead of one big chocolate-chip cookie
• Use ¼ C fat-free ranch dressing, instead of French onion dip, for your raw vegetables or pretzels
• Replace half of the oil in your favorite recipe with unsweetened applesauce
• Trade your regular buttered popcorn for Orville Redenbacher’s® SmartPop! Gourmet® microwave popcorn
Think you're already portion savvy? Take this fun quiz to find out if you know what 100 calories actually looks like.
Here is a list of easy ways to burn 100 calories.
15 Minute Activities - Aerobic dance, racquetball, jogging
20 Minute Activities - Gardening, washing the car, walking the dog, pushing a stroller
25 Minutes Activities - Bicycling
40 Minute Activities - Light household chores
Here is a list of easy ways to cut 100 calories from your eating.
Breakfast
• Replace your morning glass of regular juice with a glass of lite or reduced-sugar juice
• Switch out 1 ounce (oz) of cooked pork bacon for 1 oz of Canadian bacon
• Trade ¼ cup (C) regular pancake syrup for ¼ C lite pancake syrup
• Try replacing 2 fluid ounces (fl oz) of flavored coffee creamer with 2 fl oz of 2% milk
• Choose three medium-sized pancakes, instead of ordering an 8″ round waffle
Lunch
• Replace 1 C of a cream-based soup with 1 C of a broth-based soup
• Use diet bread to make your sandwich
• Skip the cheese on your burger, sandwich, or salad
• Choose carbonated fruit-flavored water, instead of regular soda
• Trade a 6-oz cup of yogurt with fruit on the bottom for a four-oz cup of lite yogurt blended with fruit
Dinner
• Make your tacos with 3 oz of grilled chicken breast, instead of 3 oz of 85% lean ground beef
• Choose one slice of thin-crust cheese pizza, instead of a slice of pepperoni pan pizza (one piece is measured as one eighth of a 14″ pizza)
• Replace either smoked pork or beef sausage with either smoked turkey or chicken sausage
• Replace 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) of salted stick butter with 2 Tbsp of a reduced-calorie margarine spread
• Choose ½ C of black beans, instead of refried beans, when preparing Mexican food
Snacks
• Choose a ½ C of sorbet, instead of premium ice cream
• Munch on five reduced-fat vanilla wafers, instead of one big chocolate-chip cookie
• Use ¼ C fat-free ranch dressing, instead of French onion dip, for your raw vegetables or pretzels
• Replace half of the oil in your favorite recipe with unsweetened applesauce
• Trade your regular buttered popcorn for Orville Redenbacher’s® SmartPop! Gourmet® microwave popcorn
Think you're already portion savvy? Take this fun quiz to find out if you know what 100 calories actually looks like.
Here is a list of easy ways to burn 100 calories.
15 Minute Activities - Aerobic dance, racquetball, jogging
20 Minute Activities - Gardening, washing the car, walking the dog, pushing a stroller
25 Minutes Activities - Bicycling
40 Minute Activities - Light household chores
Monday, September 6, 2010
Are You Stuck in a Food Rut?
Habit is either the best of servants or the worst of masters. - Nathaniel Emmons
Okay, I admit it. I've been stuck in a bit of a food rut lately. While I'm making healthy choices, eating the same old thing day in and day out does not make a balanced diet.
Why is food variety so important? Well besides making eating more interesting, varying your food choices within each food group is important for several reasons. First, foods from the same group contain different nutrients. For example, while strawberries are high in Vitamin C, cantaloupes are rich in Vitamin A. You miss out on nutrients if you keep eating the same foods over and over again.
Secondly, there is no guarantee that a food is entirely free of contaminants that could be harmful in excess. This is especially evident as everyday it seems we're hearing about food recalls, such as the eggs contaminated with salmonella. This is was also evident in my previous blog post where I wrote about the Consumer Report's testing that discovered ingesting three servings a day of certain protein powders resulted in getting high levels of toxic heavy metals.
Third, variety is the spice of life. Sometimes just changing up how you prepare your usual food makes eating nutritious meals more exciting again.
Here are some tips on how to bust a food rut:
1. Challenge yourself to try a new fruit and vegetable each week.
Always reaching for an apple or banana? Try some fresh figs or cherries - both of which are now inseason. Challenge yourself to purchase a fruit that you may have never tried before, such as an Asian pear, papaya, or star fruit. Tired of the usual broccoli and asparagus? Stir fry some baby bok choy in sesame oil or buy a bag of shredded broccoli cole slaw and add your own peanut dressing. Challenge yourself to fill your shopping cart with produce that represents every color in the rainbow.
2. Watch a cooking show, buy a cooking magazine or go online and try a new recipe.
I know when I get stuck in a rut, I love to buy a new cooking magazine to get some new ideas. Those beautiful pictures inspire me to make a new dish. I also love watching many cooking shows on TV (and so do my dogs.)
3. Pick a different protein.
Tired of chicken again? Try other lean cuts of meat such as pork loin, flank steak, or lean ground turkey. Try some new games meats such as bison (buffalo), which has become very popular. I've also tried ostrich burgers which are leaner than chicken and pretty tasty. Eaten so much canned tuna that you feel like you could swim in the sea? Try canned salmon or crab meat instead. Are you a vegetarian or vegan or not a fan of animal protein? Beans and lentils are a good source of protein and high in fiber. If you eat beans frequently, mix up the kind you buy. Use black beans in chili, pinto beans in burritos, or garbanzo beans in a Greek salad - the possibilities are endless.
4. Spice it up.
Just changing the herbs or spices in a dish can make it taste completely different and also help to lower sodium as you use less salt. Some of my favorite fresh herbs are thyme, basil, rosemary, and cilantro. Use dried herbs and spices to make a dry rub for your meat. We created one for beef that included equal amounts turmeric, ground orange peel, dried oregano, coriander, and a dash of salt and pepper.
5. Buy some new equipment.
I just purchased a more powerful new blender and already feel inspired to try out some new vegetable smoothie recipes. Investing in a set of quality knives will make chopping easier and more enjoyable. Other helpful equipment includes a slow cooker, counter or stove top steamer basket, and food processor. What can't I live without? My hand blender. Instead of having to pour hot soups into the blender to puree them, I just plug in my hand blender and blend away right in the pot I cooked in. So much easier!
Check back on my blog this week for more easy tips, recipes, and product suggestions to help you bust out of your food rut.
Okay, I admit it. I've been stuck in a bit of a food rut lately. While I'm making healthy choices, eating the same old thing day in and day out does not make a balanced diet.
Why is food variety so important? Well besides making eating more interesting, varying your food choices within each food group is important for several reasons. First, foods from the same group contain different nutrients. For example, while strawberries are high in Vitamin C, cantaloupes are rich in Vitamin A. You miss out on nutrients if you keep eating the same foods over and over again.
Secondly, there is no guarantee that a food is entirely free of contaminants that could be harmful in excess. This is especially evident as everyday it seems we're hearing about food recalls, such as the eggs contaminated with salmonella. This is was also evident in my previous blog post where I wrote about the Consumer Report's testing that discovered ingesting three servings a day of certain protein powders resulted in getting high levels of toxic heavy metals.
Third, variety is the spice of life. Sometimes just changing up how you prepare your usual food makes eating nutritious meals more exciting again.
Here are some tips on how to bust a food rut:
1. Challenge yourself to try a new fruit and vegetable each week.
Always reaching for an apple or banana? Try some fresh figs or cherries - both of which are now inseason. Challenge yourself to purchase a fruit that you may have never tried before, such as an Asian pear, papaya, or star fruit. Tired of the usual broccoli and asparagus? Stir fry some baby bok choy in sesame oil or buy a bag of shredded broccoli cole slaw and add your own peanut dressing. Challenge yourself to fill your shopping cart with produce that represents every color in the rainbow.
2. Watch a cooking show, buy a cooking magazine or go online and try a new recipe.
I know when I get stuck in a rut, I love to buy a new cooking magazine to get some new ideas. Those beautiful pictures inspire me to make a new dish. I also love watching many cooking shows on TV (and so do my dogs.)
3. Pick a different protein.
Tired of chicken again? Try other lean cuts of meat such as pork loin, flank steak, or lean ground turkey. Try some new games meats such as bison (buffalo), which has become very popular. I've also tried ostrich burgers which are leaner than chicken and pretty tasty. Eaten so much canned tuna that you feel like you could swim in the sea? Try canned salmon or crab meat instead. Are you a vegetarian or vegan or not a fan of animal protein? Beans and lentils are a good source of protein and high in fiber. If you eat beans frequently, mix up the kind you buy. Use black beans in chili, pinto beans in burritos, or garbanzo beans in a Greek salad - the possibilities are endless.
4. Spice it up.
Just changing the herbs or spices in a dish can make it taste completely different and also help to lower sodium as you use less salt. Some of my favorite fresh herbs are thyme, basil, rosemary, and cilantro. Use dried herbs and spices to make a dry rub for your meat. We created one for beef that included equal amounts turmeric, ground orange peel, dried oregano, coriander, and a dash of salt and pepper.
5. Buy some new equipment.
I just purchased a more powerful new blender and already feel inspired to try out some new vegetable smoothie recipes. Investing in a set of quality knives will make chopping easier and more enjoyable. Other helpful equipment includes a slow cooker, counter or stove top steamer basket, and food processor. What can't I live without? My hand blender. Instead of having to pour hot soups into the blender to puree them, I just plug in my hand blender and blend away right in the pot I cooked in. So much easier!
Check back on my blog this week for more easy tips, recipes, and product suggestions to help you bust out of your food rut.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Food Lessons from the Movie Eat Pray Love
In the movie Eat Pray Love, (based on Elizabeth Gilbert's autobiographical book of the same name) Julia Roberts plays the title character who after a broken marriage goes on a year-long sabbatical to Italy, India, and Bali to find herself and reignite her passion and appetite for life. During the first part of her travels in Italy, she rediscovers the pleasure of eating for nourishment and enjoyment, relishing plates of pasta and slices of pizza, calling it her "no carb left behind experience." The power of that scene stems from the fact that she lets go of the guilt associated with eating so-called 'bad" foods and is fully present in the moment, focused soley on the joy of eating.
The movie is so inviting to watch because the main character has the luxury of getting away from it all (in gorgeous locations) while learning how to slow down and tune in to life. Okay, so maybe we all can't quit our jobs and go on a year-long sabbatical, but we can still take small steps everyday to take time to actually appreciate, taste, and savor our food.
In today's hectic lifestyle, we're so busy with our family, our jobs, and our activities, that we often give very little thought to the food we eat. We approach food mindlessly, and we eat it mindlessly. We eat meal after meal, barely aware of what we're eating and how much we're consuming. Years of unconscious decisions add up to the point where we gain weight and wonder why. We didn't choose to gain weight, did we? Other times we think too much and try to be so restrictive in what we eat that when we overindulge, our internal judgement police march in to harshly scold us for our missteps.
So what's the key to creating our own Eat Pray Love experience without having to travel the world?
Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is is simply the moment-by-moment awareness of what's going on.
When we learn to eat mindfully, we gain power over food bite by bite.
As I've mentioned in a previous post, simple is not the same as easy. Being mindful on a consistent basis is very difficult for most people but with practice it can became as natural as breathing.
Here are 3 steps to practice:
1. Tune In Before Eating
Take a moment to become aware of the food you're about to eat before scarfing it down. You can do this by pausing to appreciate the color of the food on your plate and paying attention to the smell of the food - anything that slows you down and brings you into the moment.
2. Tune In During Eating
The 2nd step involves paying attention while we're actually eating the food. You can practice this by chewing your food slowly, paying attention to each bite. Aim to think about how the food tastes, including its texture, temperature, and mixture of flavors. Now here's the challenge - don't start loading up your fork and putting more food in your mouth until you've completely chewed and swallowed what's already in there.
3. Tune In After Eating
Now that you've eaten, how do you feel? Are you comfortably full or stuffed beyond the gills? Is your body happy with the food choices you've made or are you ready to put your head down and go to sleep?
Tuning in and paying attention before, during, and after eating lets you learn how to listen to your body without judgement and learn how to balance your eating and maintain a healthy body weight. While it takes practice, we can all relearn how to slow down and take time to smell, taste, and enjoy our food.
Need help working on mindful eating? Contact me for an appointment today.
The movie is so inviting to watch because the main character has the luxury of getting away from it all (in gorgeous locations) while learning how to slow down and tune in to life. Okay, so maybe we all can't quit our jobs and go on a year-long sabbatical, but we can still take small steps everyday to take time to actually appreciate, taste, and savor our food.
In today's hectic lifestyle, we're so busy with our family, our jobs, and our activities, that we often give very little thought to the food we eat. We approach food mindlessly, and we eat it mindlessly. We eat meal after meal, barely aware of what we're eating and how much we're consuming. Years of unconscious decisions add up to the point where we gain weight and wonder why. We didn't choose to gain weight, did we? Other times we think too much and try to be so restrictive in what we eat that when we overindulge, our internal judgement police march in to harshly scold us for our missteps.
So what's the key to creating our own Eat Pray Love experience without having to travel the world?
Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is is simply the moment-by-moment awareness of what's going on.
When we learn to eat mindfully, we gain power over food bite by bite.
As I've mentioned in a previous post, simple is not the same as easy. Being mindful on a consistent basis is very difficult for most people but with practice it can became as natural as breathing.
Here are 3 steps to practice:
1. Tune In Before Eating
Take a moment to become aware of the food you're about to eat before scarfing it down. You can do this by pausing to appreciate the color of the food on your plate and paying attention to the smell of the food - anything that slows you down and brings you into the moment.
2. Tune In During Eating
The 2nd step involves paying attention while we're actually eating the food. You can practice this by chewing your food slowly, paying attention to each bite. Aim to think about how the food tastes, including its texture, temperature, and mixture of flavors. Now here's the challenge - don't start loading up your fork and putting more food in your mouth until you've completely chewed and swallowed what's already in there.
3. Tune In After Eating
Now that you've eaten, how do you feel? Are you comfortably full or stuffed beyond the gills? Is your body happy with the food choices you've made or are you ready to put your head down and go to sleep?
Tuning in and paying attention before, during, and after eating lets you learn how to listen to your body without judgement and learn how to balance your eating and maintain a healthy body weight. While it takes practice, we can all relearn how to slow down and take time to smell, taste, and enjoy our food.
Need help working on mindful eating? Contact me for an appointment today.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Do You Count When it Comes to Nutrition?
It's been a busy summer as I've literally had company visiting for the past month. Since the middle of July, I've had different friends and family members staying with us each week. You know the saying, when one door closes, another one opens with more people coming to visit.
While it's been fun to see everyone, each week brought different challenges when trying to figure out what to feed everyone. With each person having different likes and dislikes, coming up with a meal plan that would work for all was like trying to herd cats - a lot of effort and not always completely successful.
Since I'm fully aware that I'm a hard core health nut, I always try to be sensitive to the needs of my guests and what they enjoy eating. One night when we were trying to decide what to have for dinner, one of my visitors jokingly said that my opinion didn't count since my preference for food wasn't exactly simpatico with the rest of the group. While this comment didn't bother me at the time, I did reflect on it later and think "Hey, I do count!" This made me think about how many times in social situations we give in to peer pressure to eat things we don't really want to but because we want to be part of the group or don't want to appear to be the odd one out. How many times have you ordered fast food instead of making healthier items because you think your family will complain? How many times have you given in and ordered an unhealthy dish because you wanted to be part of the group?
This reminds me of a story a friend of mine told me about how she went out to dinner with friends. She finished her meal, was perfectly satisfied, and had no desire to order dessert. One of her dining companions refused to take no for an answer, and proceeded to order dessert and insist she eat it. She took a few bites to appease this food pusher but it left her with a sick feeling in her stomach - not even so much from the dessert but more from feeling forced to eat when she really didn't want it.
So my question for you is this: Do you count when it comes to nutrition? Or do you always put yourself at the bottom of the list?
You deserve to feel good and make healthy choices without feeling like you always have to please others. If you don't count yourself as being important when it comes to nutrition, who will?
While it's been fun to see everyone, each week brought different challenges when trying to figure out what to feed everyone. With each person having different likes and dislikes, coming up with a meal plan that would work for all was like trying to herd cats - a lot of effort and not always completely successful.
Since I'm fully aware that I'm a hard core health nut, I always try to be sensitive to the needs of my guests and what they enjoy eating. One night when we were trying to decide what to have for dinner, one of my visitors jokingly said that my opinion didn't count since my preference for food wasn't exactly simpatico with the rest of the group. While this comment didn't bother me at the time, I did reflect on it later and think "Hey, I do count!" This made me think about how many times in social situations we give in to peer pressure to eat things we don't really want to but because we want to be part of the group or don't want to appear to be the odd one out. How many times have you ordered fast food instead of making healthier items because you think your family will complain? How many times have you given in and ordered an unhealthy dish because you wanted to be part of the group?
This reminds me of a story a friend of mine told me about how she went out to dinner with friends. She finished her meal, was perfectly satisfied, and had no desire to order dessert. One of her dining companions refused to take no for an answer, and proceeded to order dessert and insist she eat it. She took a few bites to appease this food pusher but it left her with a sick feeling in her stomach - not even so much from the dessert but more from feeling forced to eat when she really didn't want it.
So my question for you is this: Do you count when it comes to nutrition? Or do you always put yourself at the bottom of the list?
You deserve to feel good and make healthy choices without feeling like you always have to please others. If you don't count yourself as being important when it comes to nutrition, who will?
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The Importance of Planning
Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan. ~Tom Landry
It's early evening as I write this blog post. Like most of us, after you finish your work day, you're faced with household chores and the tasks of getting ready for the next day. Often the last thing we want to add to that laundry list of chores is planning what we're going to eat. Sometimes the thought of just putting one more thing on our "to do" list is enough to make us want to rebel, grab the bag of Cheetos and defiantly head to the couch.
If it makes you feel better, sometimes I'm tired and don't want to plan either. But because healthy eating is important to me, I make the time since I know it gives me that solid foundation to look and feel good and perform at my best.
So my question to you is: If something is really important to you, don't you make the time for it?
Here's an excerpt from a blog post I wrote about planning earlier this year.
Many people don't like to plan their meals or what they're going to eat. Instead they go about their day and grab whatever is available when hunger strikes. A lot of times we justify it in our minds by thinking: "Hey I'm busy, I don't have time to worry about another thing," or "It's not my fault I had to eat unhealthy food. I didn't have any other options. It was out of my control."
If you're trying to make a change in your nutrition, the importance of planning cannot be underestimated. To quote a chapter in Debbie Danowski's book The Emotional Eater's Book of Inspiration, "It is best to decide what to eat when you are full." Why you ask? Because when you're starving and ready to gnaw on your desk, it's much harder to make healthy choices when anything and everything looks delicious.
Now before you start throwing things at your computer screen and saying things like "Planning - she thinks I have time to plan. Does she know all the things I have to worry about?" You may be thinking, "I don't want to plan. I just want to eat whatever I want when I want."
To quote a passage from Debbie's book:
The truth is that you do have every right to eat anything at any time. But the question to ask yourself is how well has that been working for you? Are your eating patterns the way you want them to be? Is your life happy? Do you feel peaceful? Is your body a size you're comfortable with? In short, is this what you want for yourself?
If you really want to make a change, don't allow yourself the excuse that you don't have time to plan. Take a few minutes to plan out at least a few meals and snacks. Give it a try. And if you need more personalized plans and support, I'm always here to help.
It's early evening as I write this blog post. Like most of us, after you finish your work day, you're faced with household chores and the tasks of getting ready for the next day. Often the last thing we want to add to that laundry list of chores is planning what we're going to eat. Sometimes the thought of just putting one more thing on our "to do" list is enough to make us want to rebel, grab the bag of Cheetos and defiantly head to the couch.
If it makes you feel better, sometimes I'm tired and don't want to plan either. But because healthy eating is important to me, I make the time since I know it gives me that solid foundation to look and feel good and perform at my best.
So my question to you is: If something is really important to you, don't you make the time for it?
Here's an excerpt from a blog post I wrote about planning earlier this year.
Many people don't like to plan their meals or what they're going to eat. Instead they go about their day and grab whatever is available when hunger strikes. A lot of times we justify it in our minds by thinking: "Hey I'm busy, I don't have time to worry about another thing," or "It's not my fault I had to eat unhealthy food. I didn't have any other options. It was out of my control."
If you're trying to make a change in your nutrition, the importance of planning cannot be underestimated. To quote a chapter in Debbie Danowski's book The Emotional Eater's Book of Inspiration, "It is best to decide what to eat when you are full." Why you ask? Because when you're starving and ready to gnaw on your desk, it's much harder to make healthy choices when anything and everything looks delicious.
Now before you start throwing things at your computer screen and saying things like "Planning - she thinks I have time to plan. Does she know all the things I have to worry about?" You may be thinking, "I don't want to plan. I just want to eat whatever I want when I want."
To quote a passage from Debbie's book:
The truth is that you do have every right to eat anything at any time. But the question to ask yourself is how well has that been working for you? Are your eating patterns the way you want them to be? Is your life happy? Do you feel peaceful? Is your body a size you're comfortable with? In short, is this what you want for yourself?
If you're not happy with your life then the only solution is to try doing things differently.
It's just that simple.
There is no other way to change.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Product Spotlight: Sunflower Seed "Bread"
I'm happy to admit that I'm a health food product junkie. I love to flex my "chic card" by shopping not for shoes or clothes but for healthy food items that I can recommend to my clients. Going to the grocery store is a fun activity as I peruse the aisles, looking for the latest and greatest products. I get really excited when I find something new to recommend.This weekend I found Lydia's Organics Sunflower Seed "Bread." Though it's called bread, it has the consistently of a dehydrated cracker but there is not a grain or flour in it. The list of ingredients is composed of easily recognizable, real food: Sprouted sunflower seeds, carrots, celery, sprouted flax, parsley, basil, dulse seaweed, herbs, and Himalayan salt. The 'bread" is gluten-free, raw, organic, and vegan. One slice is 100 calories with 5 grams of healthy fat coming from the sunflower seeds, only 7 grams of carbs, 4 grams of dietary fiber, and 5 grams of protein. This nice balance of nutrients is great for keeping your blood sugar and energy levels stable. One serving has 45% of your Vitamin A and 8% of your daily iron. It's also a low sodium food with only 65 milligrams per serving.
Since it's dehydrated, you can eat it like a cracker or quickly dip it in water to rehydrate it for a softer texture. Now that we're fully in the summer travel season, this would be a great product to take with you on trips - either in the car, on the plane, or even out camping.
I found this product at MOM's Organic Market in the DC metro area. You can also purchase it online. Check out Lydia's site as the company offers other interesting products such as green crackers, energy bars, and grainless cereals. Let me know what you think if you try any of the products.
Friday, July 16, 2010
The Nutrition Mistake Even I'm Guilty Of
I was in grocery store the other day and was walking past a display of cookies. The store had opened a container so people could sample it. Automatically my survival seeking lizard brain shouted "Free Cookie Must Eat!" I quickly snapped out of this barely conscious thought and was shocked at my mind's knee-jerk reaction. I wasn't hungry or particularly interested in the product, but it reminded me of the old joke of how you're on a "seefood diet" - you see food and eat it.
While noshing on free samples typically isn't an issue for me, I'm guilty of tasting things at home. Spoon some food on the plate and have a little taste. Cooking something and have a little taste. Putting the leftovers away and having a little sample. While having a little taste here and there doesn't seem like a lot, it can add up easily because it's such an unconscious habit. This is often a challenging point for my clients who have kids. Unconscious snacking can occur as you eat the leftovers off your kid's plate or snack as you make their lunches. An effective way to help realize how much you're really snacking is to take a ziploc bag and instead of putting all those little food tastes in your mouth, put in in the plastic bag and see how much food has accumulated by the end of the day. This exercise can be really shocking.
Another strategy that can help with unconscious snacking is keeping a food diary. Even if it's for only a few days, just the act of having to write down what you're eating often makes you much more aware of what you're putting into your mouth and provides insight and motivation into what changes need to happen.
Here's a link to a free food and activity diary called Figwee. What's different about this tool is it provides a picture of what you've eaten along with the nutritional information.
While your lizard brain may not be happy with your new focus, your waistline will.
While noshing on free samples typically isn't an issue for me, I'm guilty of tasting things at home. Spoon some food on the plate and have a little taste. Cooking something and have a little taste. Putting the leftovers away and having a little sample. While having a little taste here and there doesn't seem like a lot, it can add up easily because it's such an unconscious habit. This is often a challenging point for my clients who have kids. Unconscious snacking can occur as you eat the leftovers off your kid's plate or snack as you make their lunches. An effective way to help realize how much you're really snacking is to take a ziploc bag and instead of putting all those little food tastes in your mouth, put in in the plastic bag and see how much food has accumulated by the end of the day. This exercise can be really shocking.
Another strategy that can help with unconscious snacking is keeping a food diary. Even if it's for only a few days, just the act of having to write down what you're eating often makes you much more aware of what you're putting into your mouth and provides insight and motivation into what changes need to happen.
Here's a link to a free food and activity diary called Figwee. What's different about this tool is it provides a picture of what you've eaten along with the nutritional information.
While your lizard brain may not be happy with your new focus, your waistline will.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Super Smoothies
I just finished my seminar on how to make nutritionally packed super smoothies. Smoothies are a delicious and easy way to include more fruits and vegetables in your day. Making smoothies yourself helps to control the calories and added sugars as many of the smoothies you buy at the popular chains can be anywhere from 400-500 calories for a small or medium and as much as 800-1000 calories for a large. Also, now that smoothies are so popular, beware of the frozen bags of fruit that say "smoothie packs." These tend to have added sugar instead of just plain, frozen fruit.
Here are a few recipes for some of the smoothies I made today. I like to use frozen fruit in my smoothies to thicken it instead of ice since I feel it dilutes the flavor a bit. I also like to use unsweetened Almond Breeze almond milk. Here's a link to a previous blog entry where I talk about this product and include another simple smoothie recipe. Feel free to experiment and modify the ingredients to fit your taste and calorie budget. You might also need to add more liquid depending on how many ingredients you add in and if you prefer a thinner or thicker texture.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup
1 cup low fat chocolate milk or unsweetened chocolate Almond Breeze almond milk
1/2 - 1 frozen banana (I take my overripe bananas, peel and slice them, place in a ziplock bag and freeze for smoothies)
1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder or protein powder of your choice
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
Estimated calories: 300-400
Amazing Acai
Notes: This recipe uses frozen acai berries - an Amazonian berry that tastes like a blend of blueberries and chocolate. Acai berries are rich in antioxidants and healthy fats. You can find it next to the frozen berries at a natural market, such as Whole Foods, but feel free to substitute other frozen berries if you have difficulty finding it.
1 cup chocolate or vanilla unsweetened Almond Breeze almond milk
1 packet unsweetened Acai and Acerola frozen berries such as Sambazon or substitute 1/2-1 cup frozen unsweetened cherries
1/2-1 cup frozen wild blueberries, such as Wyman's
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
Optional: 1-2 small cooked beets, handful of fresh spinach and/or green powder such as Amazing Grass Green Superfood powder.
Estimated calories: 250-320
Here are a few recipes for some of the smoothies I made today. I like to use frozen fruit in my smoothies to thicken it instead of ice since I feel it dilutes the flavor a bit. I also like to use unsweetened Almond Breeze almond milk. Here's a link to a previous blog entry where I talk about this product and include another simple smoothie recipe. Feel free to experiment and modify the ingredients to fit your taste and calorie budget. You might also need to add more liquid depending on how many ingredients you add in and if you prefer a thinner or thicker texture.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup
1 cup low fat chocolate milk or unsweetened chocolate Almond Breeze almond milk
1/2 - 1 frozen banana (I take my overripe bananas, peel and slice them, place in a ziplock bag and freeze for smoothies)
1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder or protein powder of your choice
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
Estimated calories: 300-400
Amazing Acai
Notes: This recipe uses frozen acai berries - an Amazonian berry that tastes like a blend of blueberries and chocolate. Acai berries are rich in antioxidants and healthy fats. You can find it next to the frozen berries at a natural market, such as Whole Foods, but feel free to substitute other frozen berries if you have difficulty finding it.
1 cup chocolate or vanilla unsweetened Almond Breeze almond milk
1 packet unsweetened Acai and Acerola frozen berries such as Sambazon or substitute 1/2-1 cup frozen unsweetened cherries
1/2-1 cup frozen wild blueberries, such as Wyman's
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
Optional: 1-2 small cooked beets, handful of fresh spinach and/or green powder such as Amazing Grass Green Superfood powder.
Estimated calories: 250-320
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Starting the Journey
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. - Lao-tzu
Do you ever just think about something on your "to do" list and feel so overwhelmed that you don't even know where to start?
I feel that way about organizing my office. Some days I feel like I'm drowning in paper. It's a constant daily struggle that I have to think about and work on if I want to keep up with it. I've fallen a bit behind on my filing and right now I have a large stack of papers taunting me.
Often when one feels overwhelmed, it's even more difficult to start on a task since you feel like a small step will hardly matter. It's amazing how we are magically able to find almost anything else to do - even organizing your sock drawer - rather than address the real issue.
Many people have the same feeling about losing weight, getting in shape, or just living a healthier lifestyle. You keep letting it go until the problem seems too overwhelming to tackle. You then become stuck, feeling like you don't even know where to begin.
It's often at this point we play the "justification" game on why we can't address the issue. We come up with a laundry list of reasons on why this isn't a priority such as I'm too busy or too stressed. Some folks focus on others and rage against the injustice of it all. For example, "Those darn healthy, skinny, muscular, etc.....___________ (fill in the blank) people have it so much easier than I do. It's just not fair." Others convince themselves it doesn't matter to them and it's really not important because if it was that might mean they would have to take action.
When the goal seems overwhelming, the most important thing is just taking the first step. Maybe that's choosing to eat a piece of fruit for dessert instead of a cookie. Maybe that's choosing to go for a walk around the block instead of settling into the couch for the evening. It's the consistent small steps that add up to the big changes.
If you're just learning to run, you can't expect to run 2 miles one day and be ready for a marathon the next. You have to train, practice, and keep working at it. You will accomplish your goal one step at a time but you'll never get there if you never start.
Do you ever just think about something on your "to do" list and feel so overwhelmed that you don't even know where to start?
I feel that way about organizing my office. Some days I feel like I'm drowning in paper. It's a constant daily struggle that I have to think about and work on if I want to keep up with it. I've fallen a bit behind on my filing and right now I have a large stack of papers taunting me.
Often when one feels overwhelmed, it's even more difficult to start on a task since you feel like a small step will hardly matter. It's amazing how we are magically able to find almost anything else to do - even organizing your sock drawer - rather than address the real issue.
Many people have the same feeling about losing weight, getting in shape, or just living a healthier lifestyle. You keep letting it go until the problem seems too overwhelming to tackle. You then become stuck, feeling like you don't even know where to begin.
It's often at this point we play the "justification" game on why we can't address the issue. We come up with a laundry list of reasons on why this isn't a priority such as I'm too busy or too stressed. Some folks focus on others and rage against the injustice of it all. For example, "Those darn healthy, skinny, muscular, etc.....___________ (fill in the blank) people have it so much easier than I do. It's just not fair." Others convince themselves it doesn't matter to them and it's really not important because if it was that might mean they would have to take action.
When the goal seems overwhelming, the most important thing is just taking the first step. Maybe that's choosing to eat a piece of fruit for dessert instead of a cookie. Maybe that's choosing to go for a walk around the block instead of settling into the couch for the evening. It's the consistent small steps that add up to the big changes.
If you're just learning to run, you can't expect to run 2 miles one day and be ready for a marathon the next. You have to train, practice, and keep working at it. You will accomplish your goal one step at a time but you'll never get there if you never start.
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