Kick The Cravings By Keeping Your Diet On Track With These Tips

Cravings happen for many reasons but the most common is because your diet is not balanced. You should not be truly hungry if you are eating balanced and small portion meals every 3-4 hours. You may be emotionally hungry from boredom, stress, happiness, exhaustion, ect. Most people get these cravings more frequently at night when things are less hectic. 

Here are some helpful hints to help you kick the cravings:

1. Drink 68 oz of water preferably with lemon

Lemon water also helps with weight loss by keeping the body in an alkaline state. Lemons are high in fiber pectin, which helps keep you full longer. Also, they have a diuretic effect, which helps with water weight gain. Having trouble kicking the pop habit? Try adding lemon to sparkling water.

2. Drink hot tea

3. Start cutting back on sugar, artificial sweeteners, and sodium**

**Note: These stimulate your cravings and cause bloating. Most processed foods have too much sugar and sodium so read your nutrition labels! Try to cut back a little bit each week and watch your cravings diminish.

4. Ask yourself, is short term gratification worth those extra pounds and work at the gym. There is no return policy on things you throw down the hatch! If you are following a balanced diet and you feel that hunger between meals this could be a sign that your hard work is paying off and your metabolism is revving up! That hunger is your body working but if you feel like this after 4 hours EAT because your blood sugar may drop. Waiting too long to eat will lower your metabolism. Eat your mealsand stop the in between snacking!

5. If your hunger gets the best of you here are some healthy snacks*:

- Almonds

- Sunflower seeds

- Veggies

- 1 bite of a protein bar

- 1 Rice cake

*Note: consume these snacks with 16 oz of water

Staying In Control While Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping can be overwhelming especially when trying to eat healthy when the stores are filled with treats. We already have enough shopping to do without having to stress out about our meal and snack preparations. Grocery shopping can be quick, easy and even enjoyable if you know what to look for.

1. Do not go to the store hungry – Grocery shopping while hungry is a bad combination. Grocery shopping hungry will hinder your decision making as cravings start to kick in and “will power” gets left in the car. If timing doesn’t allow you to shop when it is not meal time, pop some almonds in your mouth and drink some water to lessen the hunger and craving and halt you from ultimately impulse buying.
2. Shop the store parameters. If you shop the outside parameters of the store, you will likely be picking up staples I would recommend such as proteins, fruits, veggies and whole grains.
3. Read ingredients- If you do not know what something means on the label, it is likely very processed and you should consider putting it back. The closer to the natural state a food once was, the better it is for you. Think land, sea, ground and tree. 
4. Buy in bulk – If money and time is an issue for you, bulk purchases can save you money and time. Get to know stores like Sams and get to know the freezer and produce sections there! Stock your freezer with fish, chicken, veggie even frozen berries and then instantly you will have easier access to make meals.
5. Pick an ideal time-  If time is a hurdle for eating healthy, pick a day and time of the week that is slower for you and do your shopping then and then immediately prepare foods and store them in your fridge or freeze them. This way, you will have meals ready to grab and re-heat when it is time to eat.

If you are a shopping list kind of person, keep these basic ingredients in mind:

PROTEINS: Protein powder – ideal to add to smoothies, mix with water and drink in a pinch, Chicken breasts (boneless/skinless), frozen shrimp, frozen or fresh fish, tofu, canned tuna (in water), eggs or egg whites

VEGGIES and FRUITS: Fresh or frozen vegetables, Bok Choy, Fresh or frozen berries, apples, grapefruits, salad mix

STARCHY CARBS: Quinoa, Brown Rice, and oatmeal all can be easily cooked in a rice maker

DAIRY- Low fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt-* must be eaten within five days of opening.

HEALTHY FATS- Almonds, walnuts, peanut butter, almond butter, coconut oil, olive oil.

ADDITIONAL- Unsweetened almond milk, Shirataki tofu noodles, garlic, ginger, cinnamon. 

To Detox or Not To Detox?

The gorgeous weather has arrived! It's the time of year when people are compelled to open their windows wide, clear out the cobwebs, and let the sun shine in. It’s also “crunch” time, with summer around the corner, it’s time to peel off the heavy layers of winter and show some skin. What’s in now? Detoxes and cleanses seem to be hotter than ever.

What is a detox diet or cleanse?

These are extreme, calorie and food restricted plans based on the ‘premise’ of removing poisonous toxins from our bodies that result from preservatives, food additives, insecticides or our bodies own waste products.

How do detoxes and cleanses work?

They are hyped to work by limiting or completely eliminating whole foods from your regular diet for a designated period of time, usually between 1 day to 1 week depending on the program.

What types of detoxes and cleanses are available?

There are TONS of these ‘cleanses’ out there. Most follow a very low-calorie plan with small amounts of fruits and vegetables, usually in juice form, and water. Many also include herbs, pills, powders, and various other forms of intestinal cleanses. Many of the products are sold exclusively by the cleanse creator and can be very costly.

Can I lose weight?

Yes, you will likely lose weighton most of the plans out there- however this is TEMPORARY. As I mentioned earlier, they are very low calorie (usually under 1,000 calories per day) but the weight you lose is primarily fluid or water weight and will return when normal eating resumes.

Do I NEED to detox my body?

Your body has the ability to detox itself, your liver, kidneys, and digestive system are your built-in cleanse. Besides, there is no scientific evidence that backs the claims that following a specific plan for a designated period of time will rid your body of toxins. 

What happens to my body on a strict JUICE detox?

Since fruit and/or veggie juice based cleanses with little or no fat and protein are the most popular, let’s use one of those as our basis:

The beginning – Each time you consume your juice products, your body responds to the high, natural sugarcontent with a spike in your insulin, which moves sugar in the form of glucose into your bloodstream. As your cells use up the glucose, your blood sugar level drops and this drop in blood sugar can leave you feeling dizzy and fatigued. Since you have consumed very few calories, your body is functioning off of the short-term energy supplied stored in your liver and muscles.

The Early Days – With each dose of juice, your insulin levels shoot up because you are ONLY consuming carbohydrates, and once the body processes that blood sugar, you crash hard and quickly. By now, your glycogen stores are basically gone and you are likely to be feeling weak and even more fatigued than on day 1.

Since your body is getting about half its usual calories your body starts using two long-term energy sources. The first is from a type of fat (triglycerides) which are stored in fat cells. Hey, that sounds great, right? Maybe…we’ll see about that, keep reading. The second source is protein being taken directly from your muscle mass which means you are LOSING muscle.

That is bad, right? DEFINITELY!

Staying Strong – Brain fog starts to set in as you are entering semi-starvation mode. Your body is now using ketones (this is fuel that comes from the breakdown of fat). Without a high protein source your brain is now lacking amino acids, which are the raw material your neurotransmitters NEED to regulate your mood.

You could be starting to feel a little down or depressed. The proteins left in your muscles break down into ammonia and uric acid, which are unwanted chemicals in your bloodstream. So basically, your kidneys are now working harder than ever to detox your detox. Also, at this point, the juice’s high carb load causes an excess of water to enter your intestines.

Almost there – With no real foodto digest, your small intestines are now affected. The fibers in your intestines that move food through are now starting to weaken and deteriorate, which in turn can cause your diarrhea to get worse and eventually lead to dehydration.

The End…finally there – (If you are STILL participating in the plan) Back to solid foods but beware,  by this time you’ve lost lean muscle mass needed to burn those calories, which will likely be stored as fat instead of used as energy. Now you have to work extra hard to put back on that lean muscle mass.

What are some of the common side effects of these cleanses?

Headache, fatigue, dizziness, bowel and intestinal distress, muscle aches, insomnia and nausea are common complaints from detoxes and cleanses of all types.

Are there serious, long-term side effects?

Due to the low calorie and restrictive nature of detoxes and cleanses your body will lose important nutrients. You will definitely lose muscle mass which in turn slows down your metabolism and a slow metabolism will result in weight gain from fewer caloriesconsumed when you resume normal, eating.

What are some of the benefits?

It’s a good chance to evaluate and re-evaluate your eating habits. Since on most plans, you eliminate processed foods and beverages, you will also lose the craving for those types of unhealthful foods.

TEMPORARY weight loss. Most people turn to these types of plans when they have a special event coming up and want to lose a few quick pounds.

Are there any healthy options to cleanses and detoxes?

The idea of eliminating processed foods including saturated fats, sugars, white flour, and alcohol from your diet is always a good one… but that is what I feel is the ONLY benefit. You can do all of this without drastically reducing your caloric intake, giving up proteins and fats and without giving up whole foods.

In a nutshell,

Adding whole food juices to your diet have many nutritious benefits but replacing foods with them is not only risky, it is not necessary. There may better methods than a “cleanse” or a “detox”. You can eat foods as they have existed in nature for thousands of years and eliminated processed, altered and modified foods and gain all of the benefits of a cleanse without the risks. 

The choice is yours…excuses or solutions…you decide!

Post Workout / Quick Snack Smoothie

Looking for a tasty Post Workout Smoothie/ Quick Snack?

I like to satisfy my sweet tooth without compromising taste or nutrition. This healthy smoothie will satisfy your taste buds and your body will love it.

Almond milk helps improve lipid profiles, decreasing the bad fats circulating in the blood stream and lowering cholesterol, only contains non-saturated fats, high in magnesium, selenium, manganese (important in maintaining strong bones and teeth) and vitamin E, and is a great dairy alternative for people who are lactose intolerant.

Bananas are easily digested which means they provide you with a quick burst of energy. They are nutrient rich containing vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin C and are potassium powerhouses. Potassium helps lower high blood pressure and is necessary for proper muscle function. In addition, bananas are high in magnesium, a mineral that helps bones absorb calcium.

Eating peanuts can lower the risk for coronary heart disease by lowering the total cholesterol, LDL levels (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides. Its high content in monounsaturated fats makes it a heart friendly spread.

Cocoa powder is a great source of fiber which will keep you feeling full longer. It is also rich is antioxidants. Antioxidants fight against free radicals in the body, which can cause damage.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

1 cup milk (I used almond milk)

1 banana

2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Handful of ice

Directions:

1. Throw all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth

Stess Less In Order To Lose More!

April is Stress Awareness Month— so grab your green tea, take a few deep breaths and let’s talk about how we can stress less! Let’s be honest about stress— it’s everywhere and pretty unavoidable. If not managed well, its effects can lead to anxiety, depression, illness, sleeplessness, exhaustion, water retention, weight gain… and the list just goes on and on. None of these help us to achieve our best in health and life.

But, the good news is that stress can be managed. No, we can’t instantly remove stressors like work deadlines, debt, health concerns, family crises, etc. from our lives. But, we can do a better job of coping with them. This was an important lesson for me, as I have a tendency to be a little high-strung— it’s the over-achiever in me. If not armed with strong skills and tools to manage stress, I would be a pacing, teeth-grinding, nail-biting super grump. 

So, this April (and beyond), let’s stress less. Don’t worry— you don’t have to add a 60-minute meditation or 90-minute yoga class to your already over-scheduled life. Instead, the next time stress strikes, just try out a few of these simple strategies to help ease your tension and get you back on track to your best:

1. Yoga Breathing. Yoga breathing is known to be an extremely powerful detoxifier, energizer and stress reducer. It’s essentially deep breathing. I do it for a few minutes at a time in the morning before I get out of bed, during the early afternoon slump and whenever I feel a little stress or irritation coming on (e.g. driving in tons of traffic, on the phone with a difficult client). There is no need to sit in a yoga pose or lay down to perform it, although the more comfortable you are the better. While there are several varieties of yogic breaths, here is a simple description of how one is done:

• Breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose, filling up your abdomen with air. (Yes, push out your stomach.)

• Continue the inward breath, next focusing on filling your chest.

• The inward breath is complete when the abdomen is extended, the rib cage is expanded and you cannot inhale any further.

• Exhale slowly though your nose, fully releasing the air— first from your chest and then from the abdomen.

• The breath ends with your abdomen being drawn inward as far as you can and your lungs feeling emptied.

• Repeat. (The breath should feel comfortable; however, expect the first few breaths to feel a little forced until you get a good, steady rhythm).

Try out the yoga breathing for a few minutes twice a day. It will refresh you and create a sense of calm and focus.

2. Sweat It Out. I know that you’re committed to regularly working out, but I also know that stress can cause us to neglect training. Don’t let it! Research has shown that exercise helps to diminish anxiety levels. So, lean on exercise as support when you are going through stressful times.
3. Positive Distractions. Positive distractions help you to achieve a calmer, more productive mindset by disrupting stressful thinking with an activity that you love. From experience, when stress has you at a boiling point, it’s often difficult to think of anything you love. So prepare yourself by making a list of 20 things that you can indulge in when stress gets to you.  A few of my favorite distractions are reading a few pages from a great book or blog, writing, hanging out with my puppy, calling a loved one or organizing something (yeah, I’m one of those people). One of my friends likes to light a candle, eat a slice of mango and drink a cup of green tea. There are endless possibilities. Have some fun creating the list.
4. Focus Outward. Sometimes the best way to cope with our own problems is to focus on someone else’s. No, it doesn’t make our problems disappear, but it allows us to get out of our own heads and garner some perspective. If I find myself feeling tense with stress, I reach out to someone who I know needs help or a little boost rather than continuing to allow my worries to fester. A simple call, cubicle visit or a few hours volunteering can go a long way for the person in need and for your mindset. That said, it’s easy to get so caught up in helping others that you neglect yourself completely, which will ultimately create more stress. So, make sure to strike a balance between helping others and taking care of you.

While these strategies will help you ease tension and re-establish a positive and productive mindset, I have found that the key to long-term stress management is all about having a present-focused mindset. To do so, we must stop worrying about things we cannot control, past failures and future uncertainties and invest our energy into what we can do NOW to positively affect our lives. If we do so, stress starts to melt away and all that remains is a series of obstacles to overcome— one thought…one choice…one step at a time. So, refuse to allow stress to take root and keep you from your best. Grab hold of the present, smash through those obstacles and make greatness happen. Win the day!