They say it takes 21 days to create a new habit. That's kind of a weird idea though, isn't it? It doesn't take that long to form a bad habit. And sometimes no matter how hard we try it takes us a lot longer to form a new habit. So how long does it really take to create a new habit? The answer is that it depends. It depends on your mindset and it depends on how big of a change it is from what you are doing now. If it is your habit to eat a bowl of ice cream at night and you switch from regular ice cream to a low sugar frozen yogurt version, it's probably not going to take you very long to make that new habit. Giving up ice cream altogether though or cutting out all sugar on the other hand might take a lot longer. When we ask that question, what we really want to know is how long do we have to tough it out before it gets easier. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel where we don't have to try so hard anymore? In other words, when will this new behavior become automatic? While it will be different from one person to the next and even from one habit to the next, there are a few things to keep in mind. It's easier to make a new habit than get rid of an old one. Be prepared to work a lot harder to give up checking your email every 2 minutes or snacking late at night. Whenever possible, try to replace an old habit with a new one. For example if you're wanting to give up coffee, brew a cup of herbal tea in the morning and throughout the day when you would usually reach for your cup of Joe. Habits will form faster if you stick to the same time and environment each day. Instead of going for a walk whenever, keep your sneakers next to the door and schedule your walk every day at 6pm, right after dinner for example. A constant reminder of why you're trying to change your behavior is also helpful. Remind yourself every day that you're exercising so your body stays strong and you can go play with the kids or grandkids in the yard. Or put up a picture to remind you that you're making frugal habits so you can one day purchase your dream home. Keep your reason why you're changing front and center and then be prepared to stick it out. Yes it will take some time to make new habits and replace old ones. But it will be well worth it in the end. Let's work together to make your 2017 your healthiest year ever!
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Living each waking second in the present moment cannot be overstated.
In a society that seems over stimulated and on "ADD" mode, remembering to live in the present, moment by moment, is more important than ever. When you live more in the present moment there seems to be…
Ways that I remember to live in the moment…
Please share in the comment section below what you do to help remind yourself to be centered and in the present moment throughout the day. That would be much appreciated! It's so much more comfortable in the present moment that's for sure. The present moment is where I'll be. If you are looking for me, that's where you'll find me. What is Metabolism? This word “metabolism” is thrown around a lot these days. What exactly is “metabolism” and how does it relate to your health? Metabolism is the biochemical reactions in your body. It's how you take in nutrients and oxygen and use them to fuel everything you do. Your body has an incredible ability to grow, heal, and function, and without this amazing biochemistry of metabolizing, you would not be possible. Metabolism includes how the cells in your body: ● Work in junction with the activities you control (e.g. physical activity etc.). ● Work in junction with the activities you can't control (e.g. heartbeat, wound healing, processing of nutrients & toxins, etc.). ● Allow storage of excess energy for later. It’s all a matter of getting these processes of your metabolism working just right, rather than too quickly or too slowly. Which brings us to your “metabolic rate." Metabolic rate This is how fast your metabolism works and this is measured in calories . The calories you eat can be utilized in three ways: ● Work (i.e. exercise and other activity). ● Heat (i.e. from all those biochemical reactions). ● Storage (i.e. extra leftover “un-burned” calories stored as fat). As you can imagine the more calories you burn through exercise or creating heat, the easier it is to lose weight and keep it off because there will be fewer “leftover” calories to store as fat. There are a couple of different ways to measure metabolic rate. One is the “resting metabolic rate” (RMR) which is how much energy your body uses when you're not being physically active. The other is the “total daily energy expenditure” (TDEE) which measures both the resting metabolic rate as well as the energy used for “work” (e.g. exercise) throughout a 24-hour period. What affects your metabolic rate? Your Thyroid! This gland at the front of your throat releases hormones to tell your body to “speed up” your metabolism. Of course, the more thyroid hormone there is the faster things will work and the more calories you'll burn. Of course too much of a good thing can be bad. Keeping my thyroid levels balanced has made the world of difference with my metabolism. Your thyroid is not the only thing that affects your metabolic rate. How big you are counts too! Larger people have higher metabolic rates; but your body composition is crucial! As you can imagine muscles that actively move and do work need more energy than fat does. So the more lean muscle mass you have the more energy your body will burn and the higher your metabolic rate will be. Even when you're not working out. This is a beautiful thing! This is why weight training is often recommended as a part of a weight loss program. You want muscles to be burning those calories for you. The thing is, when people lose weight their metabolic rate often slows down which you don't want to happen. So you definitely want to offset that with more muscle mass. Aerobic exercise also temporarily increases your metabolic rate. Your muscles are burning fuel to move so they're doing “work”. So always remember to include an exercise routine while “dieting.” The type of food you eat also affects your metabolic rate! Your body actually burns calories to absorb, digest, and metabolize your food. This is called the “thermic effect of food” (TEF). You can use it to your advantage when you understand how your body metabolizes foods differently. Fats, for example increase your TEF by 0-3%; carbs increase it by 5-10%, and protein increases it by 15-30%. By trading some of your fat or carbs for lean protein you can slightly increase your metabolic rate. Protein seems to be the better choice, however the nutrients from your vegetables make a difference too. Another bonus of protein is that your muscles need it to grow. By working them out and feeding them what they need they will help you to lose weight and keep it off. Don't forget the mind-body connection... There is plenty of research that shows the influence from stress and poor sleep have on your metabolic rate. -Stay Well! www.BestDietandLifestyle.com Here’s a great dinner recipe that will help to keep your metabolism working at its best. Enjoy! Recipe (Lean Protein): Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken Breasts Serves 4 2 lemons, sliced 1 tablespoon rosemary 1 tablespoon thyme 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) dash salt & pepper 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive old Preheat oven to 425F. Layer ½ of the lemon slices on the bottom of a baking dish. Sprinkle with ½ of the herbs and ½ of the sliced garlic. Place the chicken breasts on top and sprinkle salt & pepper. Place remaining lemon, herbs and garlic on top of the chicken. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 45 minutes until chicken is cooked through. If you want the chicken to be a bit more “roasty” then remove the lid/foil and broil for another few minutes (watching carefully not to burn it). Serve & enjoy! Tip: You can add a leftover sliced chicken breast to your salad for lunch the next day! References: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-energy-balance https://authoritynutrition.com/10-ways-to-boost-metabolism/ Pumpkin Bars are a nice sweet treat to have around your home or to bring to a gathering so you won't over-indulge in other overly sweet, heavily processed desserts. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 30-40 minutes Servings: 8 to 10 people Ingredients: • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, (no sugar added) • 1/2 cup almond butter • 1/4 cup maple syrup • 2 eggs • 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice • 1 tsp. vanilla extract • 1/4 tsp. salt • 1/2 tsp. baking soda Glaze: • 3/4 cup pecans • 2 Tbsp. coconut oil • 1/4 cup water • 1 tsp. vanilla extract • Pinch of salt Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ and grease an 8x8" pan. 2. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well until a smooth batter forms. 3. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is firm. 4. For the glaze, combine all the ingredients together in a blender and process until smooth and creamy. 5. Allow to cool completely in the pan before glazing. (inspired by Katie Bramlett) If you are anything like I was, and you're struggling with a sugar addiction, please let's talk. As you probably already know, sugar is so detrimental to your body and your mind. Lessening sugar consumption is the first place I start when working one-on-one or in small groups. It's the great place to begin when you want to see results! So would you like more ways to:
Trust me I know firsthand! I have seen so many benefits with my own health since cutting back on sugar. Work with me for just one month and start to experience all the benefits for yourself. Let's get started today! How often do you consider how your food is being digested? Chances are when you think about food, you think about what's on your grocery list and what you plan to cook for dinner, but you probably rarely think about how efficient your digestion is. Digestion is unbelievably important, so it's imperative to lend some attention to it. You can eat healthy foods but still have poor digestion, which will not reap you the greatest benefits of the healthy foods that you're eating. Luckily, there are some simple ways to optimize the digestion of your foods that will make your eating experience an advantageous one health-wise and far more gratifying overall. A few of my favorite ways to optimize digestion are... Eat without distraction. Eating in front of the television or computer yields mindless eating which can cause you to overeat. Distracted eating can lead to bloating, discomfort, and ultimately, weight gain. As much as possible, try to eat without distraction. Eat sitting down with a plate and a fork to enjoy the experience – try to avoid eating in the car, on the subway, or on the go. Tune into your eating experience -- think about the flavors you are tasting, the textures, and use these pockets of time each day to focus on your health and to unplug. Chew your food well. Have you ever considered that chewing your food well is related to your digestion? Breaking down your food in your mouth before swallowing helps take that burden off of your body. Giving your body a good jump start on digestion by chewing well helps your body digest it more efficiently and more quickly, which leaves you less bloated and tired. Practicing chewing your food thoroughly takes practice – until you get the hang of it, consciously chew each bite 15-20 times before swallowing. It will take time to become second nature, but the benefits are vast. Digestion helpers. Use herbs and spices in your food that help you with digestion. The first two steps are actions you can take that you'll have to make a habit of doing, and this one is a simple tip to allow these tasty additions to your food to do the work for you. There are many herbs and spices that you probably already enjoy often that assist you with digestion. Some of these include black pepper, garlic, ginger, and cumin, to name a few. Adding these to your meals often will give you an extra boost of support for your digestion. Using just these three easy to implement steps, you can consciously work on making your digestion more effective and efficient without changing too much of your routine. Start with one or two steps this week and start implementing them over time to make lasting changes! Thank goodness the holiday feasting is not an everyday occurrence!
It is way too easy (and common) to indulge during the holidays. But it doesn't always stop there. Sometimes we overeat on regular days. Or at regular meals. Or all the time. Here are three tips to avoid overeating at meals. (Psst, turn these into habits and ditch the willpower!) Tip #1: Start with some water When your stomach is growling and you smell amazingly delicious food it's too easy to fill a plate (or grab some samples with your bare hands) and dive into the food. But did you know that it's possible to sometimes confuse the feeling of thirst with that of hunger? Your stomach may actually be craving a big glass of water rather than a feast. Some studies have shown that drinking a glass or two of water before a meal can help reduce the amount of food eaten. And this super-simple tip may even help with weight loss (...just sayin'). Not only will the water start to fill up your stomach before you get to the buffet, leaving less room for the feast but drinking enough water has been shown to slightly increase your metabolism. Win-win! Tip #2: Try eating “mindfully” You've heard of mindfulness, but have you applied that to your eating habits? This can totally help you avoid overeating as well as having the added bonus of helping your digestion. Just as being mindful when you meditate helps to focus your attention on your breathing and the present moment , being mindful when you eat helps to focus your attention on your meal. Do this by taking smaller bites, eating more slowly, chewing more thoroughly, and savoring every mouthful. Notice and appreciate the smell, taste and texture. Breathe. This can help prevent overeating because eating slower often means eating less . When you eat quickly you can easily overeat because it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know that your stomach is full. So take your time, pay attention to your food and enjoy every bite. Bonus points: Eat at a table (not in front of the screen), off of a small plate, and put your fork down between bites. Tip #3: Start with the salad You may be yearning for that rich, creamy main dish. But don't start there. (Don't worry, you can have some...just after you've eaten your salad). Veggies are a great way to start any meal because they're full of not only vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and health-promoting phytochemicals but they also have some secret satiety weapons: fiber and water. Fiber and water are known to help fill you up and make you feel fuller. They're “satiating”. And these secret weapons are great to have on your side when you're about to indulge in a large meal. Summary: Have your glass of water, eat mindfully, and start with your salad to help avoid overeating at meals. You are going to try these sugesstions, right? Action produces results! Let me know how it goes. Recipe (Water): Tasty (and beautiful) Pre-Meal Water IdeasIf you're not much of a plain water drinker or need your water to be more appealing to your senses here are five delicious (and beautiful looking) fruit combos to add to your large glass of water: ● Slices of lemon & ginger ● Slices of strawberries & orange ● Slices of apple & a cinnamon stick ● Chopped pineapple & mango ● Blueberries & raspberries Tip: You can buy a bag (or several bags) of frozen chopped fruit and throw those into your cup, thermos, or uber-cool mason jar in the morning. They're already washed and cut and will help keep your water colder longer. References: https://authoritynutrition.com/7-health-benefits-of-water/ http://summertomato.com/the-science-behind-mindful-eating-what-happens-to-your-body-during-a-mindful-meal Difficulties give me an opportunity to exercise my focus and determination. During trying times I concentrate on maintaining a calm soul. This approach helps me to conquer the challenges that face me.
I avoid being reactive to difficult situations that catch me off guard. While it is easy to allow confrontation to anger me, I choose to take the higher road. I spend a lot of time on nurturing my mind and spirit. I train myself to keep calm when that is the least natural approach. It forces me to develop the will to overcome the toughest situations. When I encounter resistance, my first step is to silence my soul. I ignore the stirrings of impatience and anger that pull at me. I block them out completely. I realize that giving in to negativity only serves to worsen any situation. My focus is on overcoming the challenge at hand by counteracting negativity with positivity and peace. My wisdom in handling trying times encourages me to act from a place of calm reasoning. When my soul is calm, I am able to think things through. By rejecting unease at my core, I am able to make smart choices that produce finer results. Today, I am a conqueror. I can overcome any obstacle. With serenity, I can see the value in all my life experiences. Even obstacles become worthwhile and meaningful when seen in this light. Self-Reflection Question: What exercises can I undertake to help me develop a consistently calm soul? How much you eat is important, but let’s not forget about the benefits of knowing what you eat and drink and how you eat and drink. What you eat and drink matters! The “calories in, calories out” philosophy (i.e. how much you eat) is being drowned out with research on other factors that may be just as important. Don't get me wrong limiting calories, carbs or fat can certainly help you lose weight but that's simply not the only factor for long-term weight loss and maximum energy for everyone. You can still continue to count your calories, carbs, and fat but don't forget to also pay attention to what you eat. Ideally, you need a varied diet full of minimally-processed foods (i.e. fewer “packaged” “ready-to-eat” foods). This simple concept is paramount for weight loss, energy, and overall health and wellness. Every day this is what you should aim for: · A colorful array of vegetables (and lots of them!) · Enough protein for your body’s needs. (Hint: How active are you? And do you want to increase your metabolism?) · Healthy fats. (No hydrogenated fats!) We need healthy fats for our hormones and brain, as well to be able to properly assimilate fat soluble vitamins. Crazy that they add vitamins A & D to skim milk, right? · Stay well hydrated with water. Yes, water. Please skip the soda. How you eat and drink matter too! Also pay attention to how you eat and drink. Studies are definitely showing that this has more of an impact than we previously thought. Are you rushed, not properly chewing your food, and possibly suffering from gastrointestinal issues? When it comes to how you eat let's first look at “mindful eating”. Mindful eating means to take smaller bites, eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and savor every bite. Notice and appreciate the smell, taste and texture… .and breathe. This gives your digestive system the hint to prepare for digestion and to secrete necessary enzymes. (So important!!) This can also help with weight loss because eating slower often means eating less. Did you know that it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know that your stomach is full? We also know that more thoroughly chewed food is easier to digest and it makes it easier to absorb all of those essential nutrients. And don't forget about drinking your food. Yes, smoothies can be healthy and a fabulously easy and tasty way to get in some fruits and veggies (hello leafy greens!) but drinking too much food can contribute to a weight problem and feelings of sluggishness. Don't get me wrong a green smoothie can make an amazingly nutrient-dense meal and is way better than stopping for convenient junk food – just consider a large smoothie to be a full meal not a snack. And don't gulp it down too fast. If your smoothies don't fill you up like a full meal does try adding in a spoon of fiber like ground flax or chia seeds. Summary: Consider not only how much you eat but also what and how you eat it. Recipe (Smoothie meal): Chia Peach Green (SmoothieServes 1) handful spinach 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 banana 1 chopped peach 1 cup unsweetened almond milk Add ingredients to blender in order listed (you want your greens on the bottom by the blade so they blend better and have the chia on the bottom to absorb some liquid before you blend). Wait a couple of minutes for the chia seeds to start soaking up the almond milk. Blend, Serve and Enjoy! Tip: Smoothies are the ultimate recipe for substitutions. Try swapping different greens, fruit or seeds to match your preference. Bonus: Chia seeds not only have fiber and essential omega-3 fatty acids but they contain all of the essential amino acids from protein. References: http://summertomato.com/wisdom-wednesday-salad-dressing-is-your-friend https://authoritynutrition.com/20-reasons-you-are-not-losing-weight/ http://summertomato.com/the-science-behind-mindful-eating-what-happens-to-your-body-during-a-mindful-meal http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3061/2 Do you have trouble getting to sleep and/or staying asleep through the night?
Are you feeling exhausted or “running on stress hormones” after a poor night of sleep? Do not fear, I have some great tips (and an amazing recipe) for you! The science of sleep is fascinating, complicated and growing Sleep is this daily thing that we all do and yet we're just beginning to understand all of the ways it helps us and all of the factors that can affect it. Lack of sleep affects just about everything in your body and mind. People who get less sleep tend to be at higher risk for so many health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer; not to mention effects like slower metabolism, weight gain, hormone imbalance, and inflammation. And don't forget the impact lack of sleep can have on moods, memory and decision-making skills. Do you know that lack of sleep may even negate the health benefits of your exercise program? OMG – What aspect of health does sleep not affect??? Knowing this it's easy to see the three main purposes of sleep: ● To restore our body and mind. Our bodies repair, grow and even “detoxify” our brains while we sleep. ● To improve our brain's ability to learn and remember things, technically known as “synaptic plasticity”. ● To conserve some energy so we're not just actively “out and about” 24-hours a day, every day. Do you know how much sleep adults need? It's less than your growing kids need but you may be surprised that it's recommended that all adults get 7 - 9 hours a night. So here are your tips for getting a better nights rest.... Tips for better sleep:
So how many of these tips can you start implementing today to make sure you have a restful night’s sleep? Recipe (Caffeine-free latte for your afternoon “coffee break”): Caffeine-Free Chai LatteServes 1-2 1 bag of rooibos chai tea (rooibos is naturally caffeine-free) 2 cups of boiling water 1 tablespoon tahini 1 tablespoon almond butter (creamy is preferred) 2 dates (optional) Cover the teabag and dates (if using) with 2 cups of boiling water and steep for a few minutes. Discard the tea bag & place tea, soaked dates, tahini & almond butter into a blender. Blend until creamy. Serve and Enjoy! Tip: You can try this with other nut or seed butters to see which flavor combination you like the best. Cashew butter anyone? References: http://www.thepaleomom.com/gotobed/ http://www.precisionnutrition.com/hacking-sleep The magazine "Experience Life" has a great article stating that added sugars will get their rightful position on our food labels. Yay!
Now we can be more aware as to whether or not we are staying in the "healthy" guidelines. Here's the article. https://experiencelife.com/article/sweet-news-about-food-labels/ (it's a bit on the long side). In brief this is what the article talks about… A lot of sugars are getting into our bodies, sometimes without us even knowing. We are eating more sugar than ever before. Our everyday processed foods are loaded with the evil stuff. Most of us don't even know how bad sugar really is to our mind and our bodies. So why not give us guidelines to help us learn what a healthy intake is? Good news---soon we will be able to learn from easy to read food labels, just how much sugar is in each product. Sugar will not only be listed in grams, but as a daily percentage value on the nutrition labels. The daily recommended amounts of added sugars will be limited to no more than 10 percent of daily calories. "This works out to approximately 6 teaspoons (24 grams) for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams) for men. As for children, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 3 to 6 teaspoons (12 to 24 grams) daily, depending on weight and height, and that kids under 2 consume no added sugars." (Ugh! have you seen what's in baby formulas?). These new labels are going to be a great help for allowing us to know what our daily sugar intake is, and through abiding by the daily recommended amount, will help to dramatically improve our health. Added sugars will no longer be "hidden." This labeling will hopefully lower the rates of type 2 diabetes, heart and fatty liver disease. It's time to get real about sugar and this new food labeling will help us do just that! How does this apply to you and me? I always inform my clients how important it is to look at labels. Why? For two important reasons.
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It's a blog...I am a fanatic when it comes to uncovering the truths and the falsities to sound nutrition and good health. When we use a little common sense we can back up anything, yet there is always room for debate. Archives
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