So, why do you make the food choices you do?
Do you eat the foods you ate as a child? Do you eat all of your veggies? Do you rebel against what your mama made you eat as you had to clear your plate too many times? Seriously, what drives you when you plan your meals, when you head out to a restaurant, when you go to the grocery store?
For some it is simply money. What can I afford? How can I feed my family with X amount of money! Fair enough. Lets weigh out long term health in that though. Are we planning on coming into a lot of money down the road to cover high health costs for the health problems we are now enduring from the poor but cheap food we put in our bodies yesterday? If we cannot afford healthy foods at the big chain stores we have a few choices. 1. Grow our fruits and veggies! Eat them fresh when they are ripe, freeze them for future use, learn to can...no excuses there. 2. Look for sales and stock up. 3. Coupon clip (I will admit, very rarely are there good coupons for fresh healthy food). 4. Buy in bulk, cook extra and freeze. 5. Avoid fast food!!! This won't save you money now, but it will save you money down the road with your health bills!
For some it is "what will my family eat". Well guess what...if there are only healthy options, they will eat them or they will go hungry! My husband is fighting the whole grain pasta movement in my house! My kids have adapted, but he still puts up a fuss. I have learned that if I make some fresh pesto he will eat anything that it covers ;) Vegetables are a large portion of our meals. They fill you up, they are healthy and there are many ways to cook them to make them yummy-tonight was summer squash and zucchini with a little salad dressing on the BBQ! Most of our grocery shopping is done on the outer ring of the grocery store. Produce, dairy, meats plus a few fillers from the middle rows! Yes, my kids have goldfish and cheezits and animal crackers, but also mozzarella cheese sticks, carrot sticks and yogourt.
I personally rebel a bit against what my dad used to serve! I remember those weekend breakfasts with fried cheddar cheese, then the eggs and tomatoes were fried in the fat...I remember enjoying that...now it kind of makes me want to gag!
Our kids are watching us, they are learning from us, they are developing their eating habits based on what they see and experience...if we want to help them, we need to take a look at ourselves! Let's not force them to eat every last bite, lets not offer them unlimited fattening snacks throughout the day, let's teach them how to help themselves. Teaching them what they are eating, why we need to eat foods with high nutritional value and not a lot of junk...they get it, they are smart, they are sponges. If they understand the logic, they might help keep us in check! People worry that teaching a child about calories will lead to eating disorders, I tend to disagree...eating disorders occur because people don't understand how to eat properly and healthfully! Good fitness and good nutrition make a healthy body!
If you are looking for some fitness and nutrition support please join me on my Beachbody site at www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx I would love to help you find a way to get healthier, lose the post baby weight or just get motivated to get in shape! Also adding the healthiest meal of the day with Shakeology can make a world of difference!
Showing posts with label veggies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label veggies. Show all posts
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Feeling great!
I just finished my HIIT 20 workout of Turbo Fire...week 2, day 2 and I am loving every second of it! My body is responding quickly to the intensity of the workouts. After taking it slowly for a few months, I am remembering why I like the intensity and how quickly it helps me! I dropped 1 1/2 pounds in the first week-purely by adding Turbo Fire and getting consistent again with my workouts!
My nutrition has picked up a bit. As always I LOVE my veggies, in fact last night I chopped up a sweet onion, zucchini and squash, tomato and added some Basil-all but the onion fresh from the garden and that was the main part of dinner for Chad and myself! Yummy! We also had brown rice and some ground beef. For dessert we had blueberries, strawberries and blackberries! Is there a serving size on berries? as I'm pretty sure I passed it. Healthy, but portion control is always my undoing! My need for sugar has started decreasing again with increased exercise combined with my Shakeology. I find it amazing that once your body starts feeling better it tends to crave healthier things! You should give it a try ;)
I am already feeling better and back in control of things, despite having a crazy amount of things to get done this week. If I find time for my exercise, everything else always seems to fall into place without quite as much work and stress!
Have a great week!
My nutrition has picked up a bit. As always I LOVE my veggies, in fact last night I chopped up a sweet onion, zucchini and squash, tomato and added some Basil-all but the onion fresh from the garden and that was the main part of dinner for Chad and myself! Yummy! We also had brown rice and some ground beef. For dessert we had blueberries, strawberries and blackberries! Is there a serving size on berries? as I'm pretty sure I passed it. Healthy, but portion control is always my undoing! My need for sugar has started decreasing again with increased exercise combined with my Shakeology. I find it amazing that once your body starts feeling better it tends to crave healthier things! You should give it a try ;)
I am already feeling better and back in control of things, despite having a crazy amount of things to get done this week. If I find time for my exercise, everything else always seems to fall into place without quite as much work and stress!
Have a great week!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
10 Ways to Put Your Appetite on Cruise Control!
10 Ways to Put Your Appetite on Cruise Control
Linda York-reposted from the Beachbody Newsletter
You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that the strong, sleek, sexy body you are working so hard to build should have a lot more in common with a Maserati than a Volkswagen. Now, the VW is an excellent automobile. It's cute and perky, and gets great gas mileage. These are all great attributes for a car. However, we want our bodies to be "gas guzzlers," meaning that we don't want to run all day on a small amount of food or "gas." We want our engine/metabolism to require more food—the right food—to keep us running fast and lean.
So how do we keep our appetite on cruise control? Here are 10 great tips to keep the calories burning, and your hunger satisfied—a winning combination for a high-performance body.
1. You snooze, you lose. That's right—researchers believe that lack of sleep affects hormones related to appetite, thus causing you to gain pounds when you don't get enough sleep. People who slept seven to eight hours lost 50% more weight than people who only slept five hours.
2. Raise another glass. That's water we're talking about. Most of us mistake thirst for hunger. Mark down how much water you drink in a day. Chances are you will be surprised at how little you drink. Add just two more glasses a day and you'll be amazed at the reduction in your appetite. (try to drink up to 50% of your body weight in ounces---if you are 160 pounds, drink 80 ounces of water a day).
3. Move it and lose it. You don't just lose calories and weight when you exercise. Intense exercise changes the way your body craves food and can actually suppress your appetite. The breakdown that occurs during a hard workout can also raise your appetite but you tend to get hungry for the types of foods that will repair this damage. One of the best advantages of P90X® is that you are going to start craving "premium" quality fuel—naturally.
4. Taste the fruit of knowledge. The mighty apple may have gotten a bad rap in the Garden of Eden, but in the Garden of Eatin', an apple may be your best friend. Look for a big, delicious, juicy one and take a bite. This fiber-filled food will have you feeling full in no time.
5. Soup it up. Try having a broth-based soup before a meal or as a snack. You can even take your favorite veggie drink, put it in a coffee cup, nuke it, and enjoy a cup of satisfying soup that will fill you up and satisfy your desire for something warm, comforting, and yummy. Just beware of major-label soups as they tend to be high in sodium and use lesser-quality ingredients. As always, it's important to read the label.
6. More is less. In the case of meals, that's the truth. Eat small frequent meals to maintain blood sugar levels and keep your appetite and energy levels in control and on target for calorie consumption.
7. Skip rope, not meals. Especially breakfast. If you don't start the day off with a good breakfast, you wind up with low blood sugar, low energy, and irresistible hunger pangs, and the next thing you know, you are running over to a pizza box, your face is covered in crumbs, and you have severe pepperoni breath. Just remember, a good meal doesn't mean a traditional meal. Skip the lumberjack special in favor of a bowl of whole-grain cereal or a protein shake with some fresh fruit tossed in, a Beachbody® Meal Replacement Shake in chocolate or vanilla, Protein Bars, Shakeology, or leftovers from your healthy dinner the night before.
8. Eat your veggies. Yes, your mother was right, but probably for different reasons. Veggies are filled with nutrition, but they will also fill you up. Try a big luscious salad before a meal in a restaurant (instead of scarfing down the bread). Then have a favorite main dish, though you will want a lot less of it, and the rest you can take home for lunch or dinner the next day. (snack on 3 ribs of celery!)
9. Whole grains rule. You aren't settling for less than what you deserve, and that means complete, healthy, whole grains. Choose the whole-grain bread, brown rice, and multigrain crackers over their anemic white and refined cousins.
10. Speed to succeed. You want a speedy metabolism and high performance when it comes to burning calories, and one of the best ways to get there is to slow down at the dinner table. That means actually taking the time to eat your meal. It takes your brain 10 minutes longer than your stomach to receive the message that you are full. Do an experiment. Tonight at dinner, find out how long you take to eat your meal. If it takes you longer to load the dishwasher, then something's wrong with this picture. (chew each bite 30+ times! Challenge your kids to join you)
I had to share this great information...a lot you probably already know, but reminders help us take action again! If you would like some help keeping on track please sign up with me on my site, let me know HOW I can help and lets get rolling! www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx
Linda York-reposted from the Beachbody Newsletter
You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that the strong, sleek, sexy body you are working so hard to build should have a lot more in common with a Maserati than a Volkswagen. Now, the VW is an excellent automobile. It's cute and perky, and gets great gas mileage. These are all great attributes for a car. However, we want our bodies to be "gas guzzlers," meaning that we don't want to run all day on a small amount of food or "gas." We want our engine/metabolism to require more food—the right food—to keep us running fast and lean.
So how do we keep our appetite on cruise control? Here are 10 great tips to keep the calories burning, and your hunger satisfied—a winning combination for a high-performance body.
1. You snooze, you lose. That's right—researchers believe that lack of sleep affects hormones related to appetite, thus causing you to gain pounds when you don't get enough sleep. People who slept seven to eight hours lost 50% more weight than people who only slept five hours.
2. Raise another glass. That's water we're talking about. Most of us mistake thirst for hunger. Mark down how much water you drink in a day. Chances are you will be surprised at how little you drink. Add just two more glasses a day and you'll be amazed at the reduction in your appetite. (try to drink up to 50% of your body weight in ounces---if you are 160 pounds, drink 80 ounces of water a day).
3. Move it and lose it. You don't just lose calories and weight when you exercise. Intense exercise changes the way your body craves food and can actually suppress your appetite. The breakdown that occurs during a hard workout can also raise your appetite but you tend to get hungry for the types of foods that will repair this damage. One of the best advantages of P90X® is that you are going to start craving "premium" quality fuel—naturally.
4. Taste the fruit of knowledge. The mighty apple may have gotten a bad rap in the Garden of Eden, but in the Garden of Eatin', an apple may be your best friend. Look for a big, delicious, juicy one and take a bite. This fiber-filled food will have you feeling full in no time.
5. Soup it up. Try having a broth-based soup before a meal or as a snack. You can even take your favorite veggie drink, put it in a coffee cup, nuke it, and enjoy a cup of satisfying soup that will fill you up and satisfy your desire for something warm, comforting, and yummy. Just beware of major-label soups as they tend to be high in sodium and use lesser-quality ingredients. As always, it's important to read the label.
6. More is less. In the case of meals, that's the truth. Eat small frequent meals to maintain blood sugar levels and keep your appetite and energy levels in control and on target for calorie consumption.
7. Skip rope, not meals. Especially breakfast. If you don't start the day off with a good breakfast, you wind up with low blood sugar, low energy, and irresistible hunger pangs, and the next thing you know, you are running over to a pizza box, your face is covered in crumbs, and you have severe pepperoni breath. Just remember, a good meal doesn't mean a traditional meal. Skip the lumberjack special in favor of a bowl of whole-grain cereal or a protein shake with some fresh fruit tossed in, a Beachbody® Meal Replacement Shake in chocolate or vanilla, Protein Bars, Shakeology, or leftovers from your healthy dinner the night before.
8. Eat your veggies. Yes, your mother was right, but probably for different reasons. Veggies are filled with nutrition, but they will also fill you up. Try a big luscious salad before a meal in a restaurant (instead of scarfing down the bread). Then have a favorite main dish, though you will want a lot less of it, and the rest you can take home for lunch or dinner the next day. (snack on 3 ribs of celery!)
9. Whole grains rule. You aren't settling for less than what you deserve, and that means complete, healthy, whole grains. Choose the whole-grain bread, brown rice, and multigrain crackers over their anemic white and refined cousins.
10. Speed to succeed. You want a speedy metabolism and high performance when it comes to burning calories, and one of the best ways to get there is to slow down at the dinner table. That means actually taking the time to eat your meal. It takes your brain 10 minutes longer than your stomach to receive the message that you are full. Do an experiment. Tonight at dinner, find out how long you take to eat your meal. If it takes you longer to load the dishwasher, then something's wrong with this picture. (chew each bite 30+ times! Challenge your kids to join you)
I had to share this great information...a lot you probably already know, but reminders help us take action again! If you would like some help keeping on track please sign up with me on my site, let me know HOW I can help and lets get rolling! www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx
Thursday, May 13, 2010
What is your relationship with food?
We all have a different relationship with food!
Some people think of it as basic nourishment, can make healthy choices with appropriate portions and all is good. Those people are few and far between!
Most of us have access to fast food, convenience packaging, have been brought up with it, have used it on a daily basis and are addicted to it! High Fructose Corn Syrup, Trans Fats, Saturated Fats, Deep Fried, French Fries, Potato Chips, Creamy dressing, Sugar...these are ingredients that make me cringe a little bit now!
I have adjusted my lifestyle to looking at ingredient lists, looking at how things are cooked and making wise choices to help me stay healthy! I just had 1 egg and 3 eggs whites scrambled in a whole wheat tortilla with 1/4 of an avocado and some green salsa for lunch, followed by 2 sticks of celery. I was having a sweet craving so I had a fat free sugar free yoplait yogurt to finish off! Not a small lunch, but I am satisfied and it was all good for me. To make this possible I had the fixings in my house that I just needed to pull out of my fridge! I don't buy the foods that I have no impulse control over anymore! Yes, I have kids, they don't need the junk either! I buy cookies sometimes, but never my favorite! I bought them dinner on the way to the gym last night (they were going to childcare while I taught a class), they love a hamburger and fries, but last night we did Subway on wholewheat bread with ham, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and some mayo! On the way home they told me that was the best sandwich ever! I don't think they ever raved about their hamburger on the way home before...just the toy that came with it!
How about when you go out to dinner, or you are at a wedding with a buffet! Do you have to try everything, do you have to try one of each dessert at holiday time? Stop for a minute and ask yourself why? Are you never going to see that food again? Are you going to lose something if you don't have some? Yes, food is yummy, yes the chocolate cheesecake is delectable and feels good in your mouth...but is it really worth it? You need to change your relationship with food if you want to make changes in your health! You need to make some sacrifices at times! Maybe an occasional splurge, but balance it! Decrease your calories the rest of the day (or week), add extra exercise. What difference does a pound or two make over the holidays make you say at the time...but how about that swimsuit you want to wear this summer? Do those pounds make a difference now?
It isn't just about how we look though, it is our health! We should all sit down and talk with an overweight senior citizen and find out how difficult it is to get up and down, how many medications they are on, what their life expectancy is? It isn't about sacrificing fun, it is just about making some better choices! Don't tell me buying healthy food is too expensive when you eat out 4 times a week. Veggies seem healthy when you throw half of them out because you didn't get a chance to eat them!!! So eat them before they get rotten! Eat at home, cook your food a healthy way and know what you are putting in your body! If you plan ahead, prep your food in advance, it doesn't take too long to make a meal! Focus, plan, schedule, make it work, but help yourself...only you can!
Wow, apparently I have some passion about this ;) I overeat at times, especially holiday treats, but I am teaching myself too, I am working through this too! Join me and lets help ourselves be healthy senior citizens!!! I look forward to spending the money I don't need to spend on medications to have some fun :)
Sign up on my Beachbody site to help keep yourself accountable! www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx
Some people think of it as basic nourishment, can make healthy choices with appropriate portions and all is good. Those people are few and far between!
Most of us have access to fast food, convenience packaging, have been brought up with it, have used it on a daily basis and are addicted to it! High Fructose Corn Syrup, Trans Fats, Saturated Fats, Deep Fried, French Fries, Potato Chips, Creamy dressing, Sugar...these are ingredients that make me cringe a little bit now!
I have adjusted my lifestyle to looking at ingredient lists, looking at how things are cooked and making wise choices to help me stay healthy! I just had 1 egg and 3 eggs whites scrambled in a whole wheat tortilla with 1/4 of an avocado and some green salsa for lunch, followed by 2 sticks of celery. I was having a sweet craving so I had a fat free sugar free yoplait yogurt to finish off! Not a small lunch, but I am satisfied and it was all good for me. To make this possible I had the fixings in my house that I just needed to pull out of my fridge! I don't buy the foods that I have no impulse control over anymore! Yes, I have kids, they don't need the junk either! I buy cookies sometimes, but never my favorite! I bought them dinner on the way to the gym last night (they were going to childcare while I taught a class), they love a hamburger and fries, but last night we did Subway on wholewheat bread with ham, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and some mayo! On the way home they told me that was the best sandwich ever! I don't think they ever raved about their hamburger on the way home before...just the toy that came with it!
How about when you go out to dinner, or you are at a wedding with a buffet! Do you have to try everything, do you have to try one of each dessert at holiday time? Stop for a minute and ask yourself why? Are you never going to see that food again? Are you going to lose something if you don't have some? Yes, food is yummy, yes the chocolate cheesecake is delectable and feels good in your mouth...but is it really worth it? You need to change your relationship with food if you want to make changes in your health! You need to make some sacrifices at times! Maybe an occasional splurge, but balance it! Decrease your calories the rest of the day (or week), add extra exercise. What difference does a pound or two make over the holidays make you say at the time...but how about that swimsuit you want to wear this summer? Do those pounds make a difference now?
It isn't just about how we look though, it is our health! We should all sit down and talk with an overweight senior citizen and find out how difficult it is to get up and down, how many medications they are on, what their life expectancy is? It isn't about sacrificing fun, it is just about making some better choices! Don't tell me buying healthy food is too expensive when you eat out 4 times a week. Veggies seem healthy when you throw half of them out because you didn't get a chance to eat them!!! So eat them before they get rotten! Eat at home, cook your food a healthy way and know what you are putting in your body! If you plan ahead, prep your food in advance, it doesn't take too long to make a meal! Focus, plan, schedule, make it work, but help yourself...only you can!
Wow, apparently I have some passion about this ;) I overeat at times, especially holiday treats, but I am teaching myself too, I am working through this too! Join me and lets help ourselves be healthy senior citizens!!! I look forward to spending the money I don't need to spend on medications to have some fun :)
Sign up on my Beachbody site to help keep yourself accountable! www.beachbodycoach.com/nicolabx
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Tips for Gaining Control of your urge to eat something you don't need!!!
You need to figure out why you overeat. Take that energy and put it somewhere else. Somewhere positive! When you feel the urge to binge, immediately do something else. Do jumping jacks, go for a walk, take a shower, call a friend, read a book . . . anything to distract you! Drinking water is often a great replacement as often you can fill that space in your belly long enough to trick yourself into thinking it really is full :)
Here are some ideas (First 10 from Debbie Siebers):
1. Drink a big glass of water; it will keep your stomach feeling full.
2. Repeat saying positive things to yourself.
3. Be patient.
4. Be wise with your decision.
5. Do not overeat at mealtimes. It's all about portion control, cutting back on carbs, especially sugar!
6. Be smart and take good care of that wonderful body that was given to you.
7. Respect yourself.
8. Starve your body of all sugar.
9. Drink tons of water.
10. Eat lots of veggies, fruit, fish, and chicken!
11. Challenge yourself. Write down some goals of what you are allowed and not allowed and if you cheat you lose your food point for the whole day...maybe reward yourself after a week of getting your points...just NOT with bad food! Challenge ideas: half your body weight in ounces of water; 6 cups of veggies a day (great way to fill up); no white flour, white sugar or alcohol; bread type products must be 100% whole wheat or whole grain! Good rewards would be new fitness clothes, a massage, a book, a workout video, or Shakeology :)
What better way to help yourself eat better!
Are you ready to bring it? Join me in Beachbody to help keep yourself accountable!
www.beachbodycoach.nicolabx
Here are some ideas (First 10 from Debbie Siebers):
1. Drink a big glass of water; it will keep your stomach feeling full.
2. Repeat saying positive things to yourself.
3. Be patient.
4. Be wise with your decision.
5. Do not overeat at mealtimes. It's all about portion control, cutting back on carbs, especially sugar!
6. Be smart and take good care of that wonderful body that was given to you.
7. Respect yourself.
8. Starve your body of all sugar.
9. Drink tons of water.
10. Eat lots of veggies, fruit, fish, and chicken!
11. Challenge yourself. Write down some goals of what you are allowed and not allowed and if you cheat you lose your food point for the whole day...maybe reward yourself after a week of getting your points...just NOT with bad food! Challenge ideas: half your body weight in ounces of water; 6 cups of veggies a day (great way to fill up); no white flour, white sugar or alcohol; bread type products must be 100% whole wheat or whole grain! Good rewards would be new fitness clothes, a massage, a book, a workout video, or Shakeology :)
What better way to help yourself eat better!
Are you ready to bring it? Join me in Beachbody to help keep yourself accountable!
www.beachbodycoach.nicolabx
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Dinner tonight!
Looking forward to dinner this evening---got the oven on and the food baking.
Turkey meatloaf, sliced sweet and regular potatoes "chips", and halved brussel sprouts and broccoli...all baking.
Potatoes were sliced 1/4" thick, put in bowl with a splash of olive oil, a clove of minced garlic and a touch of salt and spread on a cookie sheet
Broccoli and sprouts got a tiny touch of oil, spread on cookie sheet
and the turkey recipe follows...I had less turkey (and not extra lean), 1 egg + some whites, 1/2 onion, 1 big stalk celery, 1 small zucchini grated, 1/2 cup oats, 1 can diced tomatoes-no salt, marinara sauce, less salt, pepper. Took longer to cook at a higher heat. more like 1 hour at 400F. Very tasty...my son had thirds!
Tasty Turkey Meatloaf
Turkey meatloaf, sliced sweet and regular potatoes "chips", and halved brussel sprouts and broccoli...all baking.
Potatoes were sliced 1/4" thick, put in bowl with a splash of olive oil, a clove of minced garlic and a touch of salt and spread on a cookie sheet
Broccoli and sprouts got a tiny touch of oil, spread on cookie sheet
and the turkey recipe follows...I had less turkey (and not extra lean), 1 egg + some whites, 1/2 onion, 1 big stalk celery, 1 small zucchini grated, 1/2 cup oats, 1 can diced tomatoes-no salt, marinara sauce, less salt, pepper. Took longer to cook at a higher heat. more like 1 hour at 400F. Very tasty...my son had thirds!
Tasty Turkey Meatloaf
- 2 lbs. extra-lean turkey, ground
- 3 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 can tomatoes, diced
- 1 large jar marinara sauce
- 1 Tbsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix together all ingredients except for 1/2 jar of marinara sauce. Place in a large cast iron skillet or two loaf pans and cook at 350°F for 45 minutes then spread remaining marinara sauce on top and cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 10 servings.
Nutritional Information: (per serving of turkey loaf)
Calories: 279
Protein: 26 g
Fiber: 4 g
Carbs: 24 g
Fat Total: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
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