Category: The Right Foods for weight loss

Simple Ways To Cut Back On Sugar

Simple Ways To Cut Back On Sugar

Photo by Brian Chan on Unsplash

When it comes to nutrition, I do not believe in being overly restrictive in any area of your diet unless you are being advised to do so by a medical professional for good solid reasons.  If you enjoy sweets than I believe you should allow yourself to eat them.

It’s important to note that some sugar is actually good for you.  Naturally occurring sugars found in whole foods are an important part of a diverse diet.  We need carbs to function properly.  However, too much added sugar in your diet can throw your body out of whack and  has been linked to some serious health issues.  Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared.

Added sugar can show up in foods you might not expect, like salad dressings and bread.  Simple steps like making your own salad dressings and sauces at home can hep you cut back on sugar without sacrificing taste.  While I’m probably not going to start baking bread every week, making my own salad dressing is definitely doable and I can buy bread with no added sugar.

I recommend reading the labels before buying prepared foods.  You don’t need to obsess, just simply become aware of how much sugar you are eating on a daily basis.  If everything you are eating has “added” sugar, consider alternative brands with less sugar or even making some of the food from scratch and skipping the sugar altogether.  Often times, it’s being used for a preservative so removing it from the ingredients list is not that big of a deal.

Here’s a simple salad dressing recipe to help you get started:

This recipe makes two servings so you may want to double or triple the recipe. 🙂

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp Apple Cider or White Wine Vinegar

1/4 Tsp salt

1/4 Tsp black pepper or salt free seasoning like Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute.  It’s okay to get creative.

Place all ingredients in a salad dressing shaker.  You can usually find them in your kitchen section at your local hardware store or search for one on line.  Shake and serve over your favorite salad.

Cutting back on excess sugar isn’t about deprivation.  It’s about creating balance in your daily diet, feeling good, and taking good care of your health.

Here’s to a happy and healthy week!

Shared with love,

Jennifer

 

 

 

Snack Your Way To A Healthy Weight And Lifestyle

 

Snack your way to a healthy weight

Your body needs food to function properly.  If it doesn’t get enough calories, your metabolism can actually slow down.  Most people get hungry between regular meals and need extra food throughout the day.  Including snacks in your daily diet helps to keep your metabolism working properly, avoid binging, and keep your mind alert.  It also gives you the energy you need for lifestyle activities and exercise.

Snacking Wisely

Studies continue to show us that counting calories is not very effective when it comes to weight loss and or weight management.  Not only does counting calories mess with you psychologically, constantly stressing about calories can cause you to focus more on numbers than what your body wants and needs.  Instead of counting calories, I recommend focusing on eating foods that will satisfy you.  Pairing a carbohydrate and a protein at snack time will give your body the short and long term fuel it needs to sustain you until your next meal.  For an extra bonus, I recommend including some fresh veggies at snack time as well.

Ten healthy snacks to help you Feel full

1)  Fruit.  Fruit can be a healthy and long lasting snack when paired with foods like cheese, nuts,  or peanut butter.  It’s always good by itself, however you will stay full longer if the fruit is paired with a protein source.

2)  Tortilla Chips and Salsa. Chips and salsa is one of my most favorite snacks.  For protein, add some yoghurt to your salsa.  Add some avocado for an extra twist.  🙂

3)  Cheese and crackers.  Sounds indulgent?  Not really.  Your body needs fat.  Pre-sliced cheese is a great snack for on the go..  Break it into pieces and eat it with whole grain crackers.  Add some of your favorite cold cuts for a little variety.  Uncured salami is a big hit at our house.  🙂

4)  Yogurt.  Yoghurt with fruit or a small amount of honey makes a great snack that tastes great.

5)  Whole grain toast and peanut butter or a piece of cheese.

6)  Leftovers.  A 1/2 serving of leftovers will tie you over until your next meal.

7)  Frozen Yoghurt.  Add some fruit and you are good to go.

8)  Shakes.  I don’t recommend a diet that includes meal replacement shakes because it  can be less satisfying than solid food and backfire like most diets do.  However, for people on the go, shakes and smoothies can be a great way to drink a well balanced snack.  I recommend testing out different recipes and stick to the ones that keep you feeling energized and full.

9)  Hummus.  Whole grain pita chips and hummus is another one of my go to snacks.  Hummus is great for satisfying hunger, and a good whole grain pita chip will give you the complex carbs you need for energy.  Try adding some slices of cucumber for more variety.

10)  Cottage Cheese.  Pair  1/2 cup cottage cheese with fruit or crackers.

Your body likes to be nourished.  When it’s fed properly, your metabolism can operate at a better pace and settle at it’s natural weight.

Here’s to a happy and healthy week!

Shared with love,

Jennifer

 

A Simple Guide To A Balanced Diet

Be Good To Yourself This Holiday Season - Jennifer Ledford - Certified Personal Trainer and Healthy Lifestyle Coach - Balanced Diet

Eating a balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health and can help you feel and look your best.

While doing some research for this topic, I was able to read many “definitions” of what constitutes a balanced diet.  Of all the information I reviewed, the definition I believe describes a balanced diet the best is published by dictionary.com.  Their definition of a balanced diet is “a diet that contains the proper proportions of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water necessary to maintain good health.”   It’s simple, scientific, and to the point.

It’s important to note that nowhere in the definition does it say the best diet to make you skinny. The focus is on health.

When it comes to connecting food and your health, diversity is important.  Each nutrient contributes to the overall function of your body and if one nutrient is missing, it doesn’t function  as well as it could.

It’s easy to get into a routine eating the same foods often.  Things like busy schedules and taste preferences can be a factor.  However, minimal food variation and/or elimination diets can cause you to miss out on some important nutrients that your body needs to help you age gracefully and combat disease.   

Thankfully, in the United States and many other countries around the world, we all have access to clean water so staying hydrated is one of the simplest parts of maintaining a balanced diet.

How do you know when you’re getting enough water?

The best way to tell if you are hydrated is the color of your urine. Clear to pale yellow is ideal. Yellow to dark yellow means you need water and if it looks like tea or beer ,you are dehydrated! Supplements can also cause urine to be dark yellow so keep that in consideration.

Avoid allowing yourself to get “thirsty.”  If you are getting a thirst signal, then the body is already too low on water!

Diet is very personal and we all have different energy requirements which is why it’s important to experiment and figure out what works best for you.  For example, some people need to consume more carbohydrates than others.  However, science proves that we need them to function at our best throughout the day.

At first, creating a balanced diet can seem a bit daunting if you are unsure which foods fall under the different categories.  Many foods supply multiple sources of nutrients so a diverse diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables is usually your best bet.  I’ve put together some samples of carbohydrate, protein, and fat sources below to help you get started.

Examples of carbohydrates: Fruit, root vegetables such as potatoes, beets, and carrots, whole-grain products such as brown rice, whole-grain pasta, beans, whole wheat bread, whole oats, buckwheat, millet, whole rye, whole-grain barley and whole-grain corn, and quinoa (it’s technically a seed) are all carbohydrates. These foods are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that are beneficial to your health.

Examples of protein sources:  Meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, dairy, nuts and seeds, beans and peas and other plants like quinoa, avocado, hemp, and soy are all protein sources.  I personally recommend avoiding soy; however, I’m listing it because it is considered a “complete” protein source.  If you like to eat it, I recommend sticking to the organic soy and limiting your consumption.  Bragg aminos are a great substitute for traditional soy sauce.

Examples of fat sources:  Oils like olive, walnut, avocado, grape seed, peanut, and coconut are all good sources of fat.   Avocados, nuts and seeds, meat, fatty fish, dairy, nut butters, olives, and dark chocolate are all considered fat sources as well.  Oils I personally avoid are any oil that is partially hydrogenated, canola, and palm oil.

Balanced Diet Research

Current research continues to prove that a whole food driven balanced diet (eating food in as close to its natural state as possible) is one of the best ways to fuel your body mentally and physically.  In fact, recent studies have shown that a whole food driven diet can actually boost your metabolism compared to a diet made up of processed foods which can cause your metabolism to slow down dramatically.

I personally believe it’s a good idea to eat as many whole foods as possible and to limit refined and heavily processed food in our diets.  Eating whole foods can help contribute to better energy.  With that being said, it’s also important to enjoy your food and not get too rigid about everything we eat.  Overly religious behavior around food can lead to dieting which can lead to stress and heartache which does not support mental health in a positive way.

Part of being healthy is to find balance in your life and allow yourself to enjoy the foods and drinks you like.  Life is too short to be on a diet!

Shared with love,
Jennifer

Disclaimer:  The information in the above article is based on general nutritional guidelines and is not intended nor should be considered a substitute for any advice provided by a medical professional.