Diet advice often seems dizzying: Avoid fats! No, avoid carbs! Eat all you want of these magic foods! Don’t even “diet” because diets backfire! But amid the sea of contradictory advice, a consensus is emerging on a few key suggestions that will lower your overall intake and keep cravings to a minimum:
1. Eat breakfast. There are different theories on why this is so important. Some experts say skipping it throws the body into a “starvation” mode that slows the metabolism and prevents calorie-burning. Others say that going all night long and into the next day without eating lowers the blood sugar and sets up powerful cravings. Either way, numerous studies have found that people who eat breakfast are leaner, on average, than people who don’t.
But what you eat for breakfast is very important: Loading up on sweetened cereal, donuts or juice – or other refined carbohydrates – will cause your blood sugar to spike and then plummet, leaving you edgy, irritable and craving sweets again by late morning. Instead, load up on lean protein at breakfast. The best sources are egg whites (hard-boiled, or in an omelet with vegetables) or low-fat, low-sugar yogurt. Or shake things up and have chicken or fish for breakfast.
2. Eat lean protein. At breakfast, lunch, dinner and for snacks in between, lean protein will keep your blood sugar stabilized and your appetite in check. Many diets allow you to eat as much as you want, as long as it’s not red meat or fatty. Chicken, turkey, fish and tofu are all great sources, and can be prepared with dozens of different seasonings and sauces to keep them interesting. (Just watch out for the buttery, creamy variety.)
3. Eat vegetables. These are another “free” food that you can enjoy in unlimited quantities all day long, as long as you stick to green vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, etc., and brightly colored ones like peppers and tomatoes. Aim for five servings of these a day, and let them take up the bulk of the space on your plate. (Beware that potatoes do not belong in this category; see below.)
4. Eat fats and carbohydrates sparingly. Debates continue to rage over these two food groups. But it never made sense that people could eat unlimited pasta (as some low-fat experts claimed) or unlimited cheese (as the low-carb crowd claimed) and expect to lose weight. The human body needs some fats to function; the best forms are the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocados. Keep butter, cheese, fried foods and whole milk products to a minimum if you want to lose weight. The human body also needs carbohydrates—the complex kind found in green vegetables and whole grains. It does not need much, if any, of the kind found in starchy vegetables like potatoes. And if you really want to lose weight, eliminate refined carbohydrates like pasta, white bread, cookies, candy and sugar from your life. That goes for sugary sodas too. (Nobody said this was easy.)
5. Keep alcohol to a minimum. A daily glass of wine may reduce the risk of heart disease, but it’s also basically sugar water. Alcohol interferes with the body’s ability to burn calories and promotes fat storage. Even worse, it lowers your resistance and makes it harder to stick to all your resolutions.
6. Drink 8 glasses of water a day. Here’s a beverage you can and should load up on. While some experts dispute that it’s necessary to drink this much water a day, legions of dieters see it as their secret weapon to fill themselves up, cut food cravings and help flush out the system. You can load it up with lemons or other flavorings. But if you add low-cal sweeteners, you may find that it makes you hungrier later, even if it doesn’t specifically add calories.
7. Eat “mindfully.” One reason Americans keep gaining weight is that we eat on the run, multitasking madly and paying little attention to what we’re putting in our mouths. Try sitting down and focusing solely on eating. Slowly. Savor all the individual flavors. Put your fork down in between bites. Assess your hunger when you first sit down, and again every few minutes. Most importantly, stop when you are no longer hungry, even if it’s after just a small portion of your meal. This takes practice, but you may find that enjoying a small part of your food is far more satisfying than wolfing down a large quantity without thinking about it.
8. Keep a food journal. Write down everything you eat, every day. This alone helps you be more mindful of what you are eating.
9. Exercise. No matter what kind it is—walking, running, swimming, dancing, working out with weights—get moving for at least 30 minutes a day.
10. Don’t go it alone. It’s hard to keep yourself motivated. Having a nutrition or exercise coach to report to regularly will keep you from straying when temptation strikes. Or make a pact with a friend or relative who also wants to lose weight and serve as each other’s coach and conscience.
http://guides.wsj.com/health/wellness-and-diet/how-to-lose-weight/
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Yes, you can have yummy Chinese Take-Out while watching what you eat!
Who says you can’t have yummy Chinese food? This delicious recipe was way better than any Chinese take-out I’ve ever had!
Add a cup a brown rice and some steamed broccoli to round out the meal and you’ve got a yummy Chinese-style Take-Out in just 30 minutes…perfect for weeknight dinners!
1. Place the chicken and cornstarch into a bag or bowl, and toss to coat. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken pieces and garlic, stirring constantly until lightly browned. Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and water. Cover, and cook until the chicken pieces are no longer pink inside, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the green onion, and cayenne pepper, cook uncovered for about 2 more minutes. Serve over white rice. (I suggest brown rice)
Serves 4. Amount Per Serving Calories: 206 Total Fat: 4.9g Cholesterol: 68mg (without rice)
Prep Time: 20 mins. Cook Time: 10 mins Ready in: 30 min
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ten-Minute-Szechuan-Chicken/Detail.aspx
Add a cup a brown rice and some steamed broccoli to round out the meal and you’ve got a yummy Chinese-style Take-Out in just 30 minutes…perfect for weeknight dinners!
Ingredients
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 3 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Directions
2. Stir in the green onion, and cayenne pepper, cook uncovered for about 2 more minutes. Serve over white rice. (I suggest brown rice)
Serves 4. Amount Per Serving Calories: 206 Total Fat: 4.9g Cholesterol: 68mg (without rice)
Prep Time: 20 mins. Cook Time: 10 mins Ready in: 30 min
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ten-Minute-Szechuan-Chicken/Detail.aspx
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
My take on the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse
I have avoided this Cleanse for YEARS, ever since it was introduced. Cleanses just aren’t ‘my thing’. I like food. I like to eat. I don’t like being hungry. So you can see why the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse just wasn’t very appealing to me.
But, I starting listening to friends, who’ve done the cleanse, rave about their results. Still skeptical, I started asking questions. I found out that the Cleanse is a Performance Cleanse where you’ll be consuming anywhere from 800-1200 calories a day, debunking my “I’m going to be hungry” fear. You drink 3 shakes a day, which is great because I LOVE me some Chocolate Shakeology. Most people lose 3-8 pounds during the Cleanse, which would help me get over my stalled weight loss.
“Ok, I’m going to do it!” I said to myself. But, when? I decided on the weekend because I tend to be super busy on the weekend with a 6 year old and 6 month old. The goal was to keep my mind off of being on “A Cleanse” (dun, dun, dunnnnnn!) and to keep busy with other things. So, this past Friday night I decided: I’m starting the Cleanse tomorrow morning!
First day – I actually did pretty good! I used the advice I received from my friend, and fellow Beachbody Coach, Juliet Wisdom, and made my first shake with a TON of ice. By doing this, my shake was HUGE! Took some time to finish and made me feel fuller, longer. Score! By lunchtime I was still feeling full from my first shake, so I made a smaller one with not as much ice. I had completely forgotten to eat my piece of fruit with my snack, so I ate that for lunch as well. So far so good. We decided to get out and do some walking, so we took the kids and met my parents at an outdoor mall. Good idea to get some exercise in, bad idea when you’re surrounded with FOOD! Ohmygosh! This was a test of my will. Especially when my 6 year old offered me a bite of her Churro and didn’t understand why I turned her down. “But, Mommy, you loooovvveee Churro’s!” After a while I did start to feel a bit lightheaded, which is common with the Cleanse. I was expecting it, which is why I decided to keep my workouts at a min during the Cleanse. Luckily it was time to head home and make some dinner. While the family feasted on some grilled steaks, I enjoyed my grilled chicken and salad – satisfied! I had my last shake for the day and called it a night.
Second day – this is where it got really challenging for me. The day started out just like the previous day, but Sunday was our day to clean the house and keep a low profile. I was still somewhat lightheaded from the day before, coupled with going up and down the stairs with baskets upon baskets of laundry, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning the kitchen = a grumpy mommy. Again, I expected this. Since I got a ton of feedback from friends who’ve done the Cleanse, I was fully aware of the side effects and prepared for them. Then, it was time to do some meal planning for the week and to go grocery shopping. Now, you need to know, I NEVER go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, and it’s something that I advise against when speaking with my clients and customers. Today it was reiterated to me – NEVER GO GROCERY SHOPPING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH! Things that normally didn’t appeal to me, I all of a sudden had a craving for. And, I caught myself justifying why I NEEDED to buy that bag of chips. Side note: the bag of chips didn’t make the final cut! But, I was very surprised at my willpower…I had come THIS far, I wasn’t about to trip up now! I finished the shopping, went home and had a shake – I felt instantly better and quite proud.
Third day – This was probably the easiest day of them all. By now my body had gotten used to the routine of the Cleanse, I feel less bloated, I have more energy, my headaches are gone and I’m no longer light headed. I feel “cleaner”, like my insides have been cleaned, waxed and shined (if that makes sense?). I feel lighter. All of these things are great because I had to work the third day of the Cleanse. There was NO WAY I would’ve been able to work feeling the way I did on day 2, no way!
A couple of things I’d like to point out…so, it’s a Cleanse, right? So, we’re cleaning out our insides, right? Right. Expect your tummy to make some noise during the Cleanse. Expect a few more trips to the bathroom. One of the creators of Shakeology, Isabel Daikeler, said at Coach Summit 2010 last year, “Shakeology is like Scrubbing Bubbles for your insides.” Well, that’s with 1 shake a day. Multiply that x3 for 3 days and…you get the picture. :) It’s nothing that can’t be handled, nothing that will house bound you for 3 days, it’s just something to keep in mind. Also, be completely prepared before you start. There’s nothing worse than reaching for that piece of fruit for your daily snack and realizing YOU’RE OUT OF FRUIT!!!! And, finally, make sure you have an Accountability Partner to keep you on track. It was so important to my success that my husband, Josh, was there to keep me on track. When I said to him, “Screw this, I’m over it!” he was there to remind me of my goals and that it was only 3 days – 3 DAYS! I don’t know how well I would’ve stayed on track if it weren’t for him.
So, how’d I do? Well, I lost 4 pounds and FINALLY got over my stalled weight loss. Woo Hoo!! I’m not bloated any more, my clothes fit more comfortably and I feel more alive. Would I do this again? YES! Especially after big holiday eating or to prepare for a vacation. BUT, you shouldn’t do it more than once a month.
If you’re interested in doing the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse, you can purchase the Cleanse directly from me for $50 – that includes 9 packets of Shakeology, a shaker cup, green tea and the Cleanse directions.
Or, better yet, get a 30-day supply of Shakeology, because, I guarantee you, after you’re done with the Cleanse, you’ll want to continue daily Shakeology shakes – they’re THAT good!
Greenberry Shakeology |
But, I starting listening to friends, who’ve done the cleanse, rave about their results. Still skeptical, I started asking questions. I found out that the Cleanse is a Performance Cleanse where you’ll be consuming anywhere from 800-1200 calories a day, debunking my “I’m going to be hungry” fear. You drink 3 shakes a day, which is great because I LOVE me some Chocolate Shakeology. Most people lose 3-8 pounds during the Cleanse, which would help me get over my stalled weight loss.
“Ok, I’m going to do it!” I said to myself. But, when? I decided on the weekend because I tend to be super busy on the weekend with a 6 year old and 6 month old. The goal was to keep my mind off of being on “A Cleanse” (dun, dun, dunnnnnn!) and to keep busy with other things. So, this past Friday night I decided: I’m starting the Cleanse tomorrow morning!
First day – I actually did pretty good! I used the advice I received from my friend, and fellow Beachbody Coach, Juliet Wisdom, and made my first shake with a TON of ice. By doing this, my shake was HUGE! Took some time to finish and made me feel fuller, longer. Score! By lunchtime I was still feeling full from my first shake, so I made a smaller one with not as much ice. I had completely forgotten to eat my piece of fruit with my snack, so I ate that for lunch as well. So far so good. We decided to get out and do some walking, so we took the kids and met my parents at an outdoor mall. Good idea to get some exercise in, bad idea when you’re surrounded with FOOD! Ohmygosh! This was a test of my will. Especially when my 6 year old offered me a bite of her Churro and didn’t understand why I turned her down. “But, Mommy, you loooovvveee Churro’s!” After a while I did start to feel a bit lightheaded, which is common with the Cleanse. I was expecting it, which is why I decided to keep my workouts at a min during the Cleanse. Luckily it was time to head home and make some dinner. While the family feasted on some grilled steaks, I enjoyed my grilled chicken and salad – satisfied! I had my last shake for the day and called it a night.
Second day – this is where it got really challenging for me. The day started out just like the previous day, but Sunday was our day to clean the house and keep a low profile. I was still somewhat lightheaded from the day before, coupled with going up and down the stairs with baskets upon baskets of laundry, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning the kitchen = a grumpy mommy. Again, I expected this. Since I got a ton of feedback from friends who’ve done the Cleanse, I was fully aware of the side effects and prepared for them. Then, it was time to do some meal planning for the week and to go grocery shopping. Now, you need to know, I NEVER go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, and it’s something that I advise against when speaking with my clients and customers. Today it was reiterated to me – NEVER GO GROCERY SHOPPING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH! Things that normally didn’t appeal to me, I all of a sudden had a craving for. And, I caught myself justifying why I NEEDED to buy that bag of chips. Side note: the bag of chips didn’t make the final cut! But, I was very surprised at my willpower…I had come THIS far, I wasn’t about to trip up now! I finished the shopping, went home and had a shake – I felt instantly better and quite proud.
Third day – This was probably the easiest day of them all. By now my body had gotten used to the routine of the Cleanse, I feel less bloated, I have more energy, my headaches are gone and I’m no longer light headed. I feel “cleaner”, like my insides have been cleaned, waxed and shined (if that makes sense?). I feel lighter. All of these things are great because I had to work the third day of the Cleanse. There was NO WAY I would’ve been able to work feeling the way I did on day 2, no way!
A couple of things I’d like to point out…so, it’s a Cleanse, right? So, we’re cleaning out our insides, right? Right. Expect your tummy to make some noise during the Cleanse. Expect a few more trips to the bathroom. One of the creators of Shakeology, Isabel Daikeler, said at Coach Summit 2010 last year, “Shakeology is like Scrubbing Bubbles for your insides.” Well, that’s with 1 shake a day. Multiply that x3 for 3 days and…you get the picture. :) It’s nothing that can’t be handled, nothing that will house bound you for 3 days, it’s just something to keep in mind. Also, be completely prepared before you start. There’s nothing worse than reaching for that piece of fruit for your daily snack and realizing YOU’RE OUT OF FRUIT!!!! And, finally, make sure you have an Accountability Partner to keep you on track. It was so important to my success that my husband, Josh, was there to keep me on track. When I said to him, “Screw this, I’m over it!” he was there to remind me of my goals and that it was only 3 days – 3 DAYS! I don’t know how well I would’ve stayed on track if it weren’t for him.
So, how’d I do? Well, I lost 4 pounds and FINALLY got over my stalled weight loss. Woo Hoo!! I’m not bloated any more, my clothes fit more comfortably and I feel more alive. Would I do this again? YES! Especially after big holiday eating or to prepare for a vacation. BUT, you shouldn’t do it more than once a month.
If you’re interested in doing the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse, you can purchase the Cleanse directly from me for $50 – that includes 9 packets of Shakeology, a shaker cup, green tea and the Cleanse directions.
Or, better yet, get a 30-day supply of Shakeology, because, I guarantee you, after you’re done with the Cleanse, you’ll want to continue daily Shakeology shakes – they’re THAT good!
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