I've moved!

My blog has officially moved over to my revised website.  Here's the link:

http://www.dynamicnutritionservices.com/news/

A New Year's Reflection

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. 

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.  

Slim Guacamole

With lots of holiday parties on tap, why spend all of your "calorie salary" on the appetizers even before you get to the main meal.  Instead substitute your usual calorie bomb dip with this recipe for slim guacamole.  While high in calories compared to other fruits and vegetables, the fat in avocados is primarily the good-for-you monounsaturated fat.  The peas add a wonderful green color to this dip and it helps keep it bright in color through the party. Who knew eating your veggies could be so tasty!

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.

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.

Post-Thanksgiving Detox

So did your best intentions do eat mindfully on Thanksgiving disappear as quickly as the pumpkin pie?  Did the stress of the family gathering cause you to eat your body weight in stuffing in hopes of being sent into a blissful carb coma?  Did a one day holiday celebration turn into a weekend of eating indulgence? 

Okay, first major holiday of the eating season is done.  So now it's time to get back on track and refocus as we navigate the rest of the eating season. Here are some tips on how to detox from the Thanksgiving eating frenzy.

• Get back in the routine.  Skipping meals may sound like a good way to account for a weekend of overeating but this only sets you up for overeating at the next meal.  Eating meals and snacks at regular intervals helps to stabilize your blood sugar, keep your energy up, and prevent you from reaching for a sugary treat in the afternoon.
• Power Up with Protein.  We tend to eat more carbs at holidays (such as stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, pies, etc...) since they tend to be a central focus.  Too many carbs makes us feel sleepy and causes a roller coaster reaction of blood sugar highs then low. Focus on having protein at meals and snacks such as lean meats, beans, tofu, and low fat dairy products.  Protein is digested more slowly than carbs and it also causes you to burn a few more calories as you digest it.
• Hide the Scale and Hydrate. All those extra carbs, alcohol, and salty foods have left you dehydrated and bloated.  Starchy foods and salt tend to make us retain water while alcohol tends to dehydrate us, causing the kidneys to hold onto the water the body has.  This can make us seem like we gained weight but it's really water weight.  Water is essential to digestion as it helps the body make bile and stomach acids.  If you are dehydrated, the body needs to pull water from other parts of the body to get the digestive work done, which can cause bloating and cramping.  Make sure to drink water throughout the day so you can rehydrate and help your body process the food you eat.
• Focus on fruits and veggies.  The fiber in fruits and veggies is Mother Nature's helper. The fiber not only helps keep you regular but also helps to fill you up for fewer calories.  Reach for 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  Saute some spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms to add to your morning eggs; snack on fruit between meals; skip the pasta and stir fry zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms in tomato sauce.
• "Waste" it or "Waist" it. If the leftover pie is still taunting you, remove the temptation and pitch it.  Stop worrying about "wasting" food because if you eat it, it goes to your "waist." Eating food when you're not hungry will not help one starving child.  Doesn't that food look better in the trash can than on your waist?
• Shake What Your Momma Gave You.  The holidays are supposed to be happy, but oftentimes it stirs up negative emotions instead. Exercise helps to boost you mood and burn some extra calories.

Check back this week for some healthy recipes to help you continue the holiday detox.

A Healthier Thanksgiving

It’s easy to overindulge on Thanksgiving since it’s a day focused on eating. Here are some tips to help you enjoy a healthier holiday.  Also, check out my blog post from last year with some healthy pumpkin recipes.

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.