Category: Cooking Healthy

Stop Trying To Lose Weight!

Have you been trying to lose weight and it won’t budge? Or, even worse, maybe you’ve had some success only find to yourself gaining it all back and then some? Do not be discouraged! I can help you!

Your body believes you!

First off, stop TRYING to lose weight! When you use the word “try,” you set your subconscious up for failure. The body does not recognize “try” as an action word. Replace “try” with “I’ll give it my best shot.” When you tell yourself, “I’ll give it my best shot,” you are telling your body that you BELIEVE you can and will lose weight. Your subconscious will now steer you toward activities and behaviors to accomplish your goal rather than sabotage you.

Between you and me, I used to  obsess about weight loss rather than being healthy and active. The results sent me into a negative tailspin. It’s important you lose weight being “who you are” instead of living up to someone else’s expectations of exercise and food choices. This can lead to way too much pressure — and ultimately, failure.

In order to lose weight and keep it off permanently, a few simple guidelines will serve you well as you create your plan. Any worthy goal you set must have a plan of actionable steps in order for you to succeed. The most important thing is that the plan be realistic for your life — not a copy of someone else’s plan and life.

Follow these simple steps and start losing weight right away!

1)  Stop looking for the quick fix! One of the quickest ways to hop on the roller coaster of weight loss is to participate in fad diets. Diets have a 95% failure rate for a reason. A healthy, balanced eating plan is the recipe for long term success. Read this article for tips on How To Lose Weight Without Feeling Deprived Or Hungry.

2)  Exercise Regularly! It really is that simple! My clients that lose the most weight and keep it off for good exercise most days of the week and follow their healthy eating plan. Some examples are walking, hiking, biking, swimming, indoor cardio equipment, and videos.

3)  Incorporate Lifestyle Activity! Our convenient lifestyles can make us fat if we are not careful. Technology is wonderful. However, the convenience of technology has removed much of the physical activity from our everyday lives. This convenience requires that we plan physical activity into our day on purpose!

Your goal should be to spend as many calories as you can per day! I don’t mean training in the gym or outdoors for hours. What I mean is all the little extras that require movement. Activities like taking the stairs, parking at the back of the lot, walking across the mall, walking the dog, and walking your kids to school are all examples of lifestyle activities. Examples in a more rural environment could be walking to the mailbox, gardening, mowing, mucking stalls. You get the picture!

4)  Get proper sleep! Substantial medical evidence is telling us that a lack of sleep affects hormones in the body which is linked to an increase in appetite. Your body is less satisfied and you are tempted to eat more. Lack of sleep can cause you to reach for sugary foods in an effort to get a boost energy. The result is a temporary fix and an increase in caloric intake.

Without proper sleep, you are less motivated to be active. However, thirty  minutes of moderate activity may actually help you sleep.

If stress is keeping you up all night, take steps to reduce and manage the stress. If you have too much on your plate, see where you can cut things out. If you are suffering from anxiety and depression, you may want to seek a life coach and/or trained psychologist to help you get to the root of the issue.

The list above isn’t flashy and it doesn’t include cave man diets! It’s the formula that has worked for years and continues to work to this day. Unfortunately, the fad diet media has seriously confused the issue!

Take these simple steps and apply them consistently — and I know you will get results!

Blessings!

Jennifer

 

Is Sugar Bad For You?

Every time you turn around there’s another article or TV special telling you sugar is bad! It’s enough to make you want to throw your chocolate chip cookie right out the window. Before you chuck the cookie or feel guilty for eating it, let’s look at this from a more moderate perspective.

I do agree that too much added sugar in our diets contributes to obesity and may even be toxic. However, I don’t agree with blaming the nation’s obesity and health issues on sugar alone. Processed foods, lack of sleep, stress, a sedentary lifestyle, and over-sized portions are all contributing factors as well.

Let’s face it. Most of us like a sweet treat now and then. And, that’s okay. The concern is that most Americans are getting too much added sugar in their diets. Things like sodas, energy drinks, and even coffee drinks are responsible for the majority of the sugar consumption.

Yes, you can eat your sugar and be healthy too!

1)  Treat it like dessert!  Read your labels. If sugar is in the first three ingredients on a label then consider that food like a dessert. Try substituting fruit for added sugar in cereals and yoghurt. Add a teaspoon of honey or agave nectar if it’s still too tart.

2)  Moderation is key!  For example, the American Heart Association statement recommends that women limit themselves to about 6 teaspoons of sugar a day, or about 100 calories. Men should aim for about 9 teaspoons a day, or 150 calories. Just how much sugar is that? A 12-oz. can of regular soda contains eight teaspoons of sugar, or about 130 calories.

3)  Drink more water!  Try substituting water or plain iced tea for drinks that have added sugar. If you like carbonation then consider investing in a soda machine and make your own sparkling water.

4)  Cook from scratch! Processed food usually has sugar added for flavor and/or for preserving food. When you cook your own meals, you control how much sugar goes into the meal. It is not uncommon for me to use honey or raw sugar in a stir fry recipe. However, it’s a measured amount.

You don’t have to become a gourmet cook. Choose 20 minute recipes from magazines like Health and Cooking Light.

5)  Choose wisely! Start tracking how much sugar you eat daily. Pay attention to the foods you really enjoy and which ones you could live without. Treat your daily sugar intake like a bank account and decide how you want to spend it. Substitute non-sugar choices or a piece of fresh fruit for the foods that are not that special to you. Make it worth it!

6)  Avoid high-fructose corn syrup! There’s a lot of controversy about this one. However, I personally believe that the chemicals in high-fructose corn syrup are suspect, and I tell my clients to avoid it. I believe our bodies will do a much better job of metabolizing food that hasn’t been altered with a bunch of chemicals. There are so many other “natural’ sweets that you can substitute. Why take the risk? If you see this ingredient on the label, put it down!

7)  Use it before and after exercise! A great time to consume sugar is when you will use it most. A piece of fruit before a workout is really good for fueling your workout. Low fat/high sugar is great after a high intensity workout. This would be the time to eat that yoghurt with the honey or evaporated cane juice!

Hopefully this will help you treat sugar with respect rather than be afraid of it. Avoid a lot of added sugar and use natural forms of it in moderation. You don’t have to eliminate it entirely, just know you don’t need a lot of it!

Please let me know if you have any questions or if you have a favorite sweet treat you’d like to share.  I love to hear from you!

Blessings to you and yours!

Jennifer

 

 

Cooking Shortcuts To Help You Maintain Healthy Eating Habits

Eating at home is one of the key ingredients to maintaining a healthy diet. When you know what’s in your food, you have more control over the amount of calories and the quality of the food you consume.  However, with today’s fast paced lifestyles it can be difficult to carve out the time to cook.

Here are eight quick and easy cooking shortcuts for healthy eating.

These tips come straight to you from my personal kitchen! 

As a wife, homemaker, fitness coach, and doggie mom I have a limited amount of time I can spend in the kitchen.  Here are some shortcuts I use when following my favorite recipes:

1)  Use cookers that need no supervision! I use my rice cooker all week long. I make rice, quinoa and steamed vegetables in it. Slow cookers and crock pots serve the same purpose. While one part of the meal is cooking, you can prepare the rest. You can cook stew while you are at work, or run errands while the food is cooking.

2) Use pre-made sauces. I often substitute healthy pre-made sauces in recipes instead of making them from scratch. Organic pasta sauces, dips, and dressings are pretty easy to find in almost every grocery store.

For example, I make lamb burgers that call for a “raita” sauce. The recipe isn’t hard. However, Trader Joe’s sells a yoghurt cilantro sauce that works well in place of it. If you add up the time and cost of buying the ingredients and making the sauce, it is worth the $2.99 I paid for Joe’s version. Just be sure to check labels when buying pre-made sauces. Avoid partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup. And be sure you recognize the ingredients!

3)  Speed up the veggies! Pre-washed and pre-cut organic vegetables are a great way to save time. Check the frozen section for a great variety as well. Frozen veggies are better than canned because they preserve more of the nutrients without preservatives.

4)  Prep well. Do all of your cutting, chopping, and mixing before you start cooking, including a side salad. This will save you time, and your meals will come together seamlessly.

5)  Recruit in-house! My husband and I have a lot of fun cooking together. We open a nice bottle of wine, turn on some music and enjoy quality time. The families I work with turn cooking into family time. The kids look forward to working in the kitchen, and mom and dad get to teach their children while getting a little help.

6)  Create a meal plan. Plan your meals one week in advance with the groceries in the house. If you have to stop at the store multiple times per week, you will lose a lot of time shopping. And this can tempt you to eat out. If you are not sure how to meal plan, check out Meal Planning Helps You Lose Weight for detailed steps.

7)  Have a back up! I always keep a few easy meals in our freezer and pantry just in case the day does not go as planned. Frozen organic pizzas and a fresh salad make a great last minute dinner. By making your own pizza, you have more control over the calories than if you went to the local pizzeria. Dry pasta and minced canned clams make an amazing linguini and clams dish. Add a salad on the side and your family will think it’s gourmet all the way!

8)  Buy freeze dried herbs!  Did you know freeze dried herbs become “like fresh” when they are moistened? Use these to avoid all of the chopping without sacrificing flavor. They are great in the winter when your herb garden isn’t producing, and it saves having to buy an entire bunch of herbs just for a couple tablespoons!

Please let me know which strategies are the most helpful, or share your own time saving tip below!

Blessings!

Jennifer