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lowcarbnutrients · 6 years ago

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Seven Realistic Healthy Eating Resolutions For The New Year

According to a short article in Psychology Today, study reveals that less compared to fifty percent of the individuals who established New Year's resolutions in fact stay with their goals after 6 months. And also after a year, the number decreases to concerning 10%.

Yikes, those aren't good odds.

But the article goes on to describe that reaching objectives as well as producing positive modification in our lives can occur a lot easier if we established specific goals, share our goals with others and also concentrate on the advantages of accomplishing the goals. It seems that wanting to change a behavior or something in your life is simply inadequate to spur long-lasting change. There are a couple of crucial active ingredients to being able to follow through with an objective or resolution. It's vital that there is some type of personal epiphany that occurs, for example, 'I simply don't want to be obese anymore - I can't go on this way." Having courage ("I'm ready to take this jump to lose 10 extra pounds'), believing in yourself ("I CAN lose 10 pounds") and being determined (' I WILL CERTAINLY shed 10 extra pounds') are likewise type in establishing on your own up for success.

From my experience as a dietitian as well as nutrition counselor, I've found that it's also crucial to ask yourself a few questions before setting a way of living objective, in order to take an action plan and follow up with your resolution. I blogged about ways to set realistic resolutions for the new year in 2014, stating three concerns that I really feel are essential:

Why are you establishing this objective (why do I intend to slim down?)

How will you attain it (just how will I drop weight? Better nourishment? More activity? Drinking less alcohol?) and

When will you work to it (exactly how often and also for how long are you eager to deal with this objective?)

When it comes to enhancing your diet plan (or any kind of various other health-related adjustment that you make in your life), there is no quick-fix service. Improving your diet and/or accomplishing healthy and balanced weight loss (which I'm presuming is one of your New Years resolutions if you're reading this post), takes practice, patience, as well as perseverance-after all, you are transforming some long-lasting, deep-rooted routines. Below are several of my leading healthy and balanced consuming routines that you may intend to embrace. Choose no greater than two or 3 at one time so that you don't become overwhelmed and also start with ones that seem really workable and also work your way approximately even more tough ones.

Start eating breakfast:

Breakfast stays the solitary essential meal of the day as it jump-starts your metabolic process, provides you energy and fuel to work, concentrate as well as concentrate, and if it contains a good source of protein, will help to fend off desires and also later-in-the-day snacking. If your goal is to go down a few pounds and maintain your weight loss, morning meal is necessary.

Trade in your morning meal cereal for a healthier morning meal:

If you're currently eating morning meal everyday, you may intend to ditch your morning meal grain and also decide instead for a more healthy and lasting breakfast such as oatmeal, a vegetable omelette, or a yogurt and also fruit healthy smoothie. Breakfast grain might feel like the fastest, easiest option, but this processed, commonly sugar-ladened option seriously lacks in the nourishment department. Here are some fantastic kid-friendly morning meal ideas.

Make your lunch larger and also your dinner smaller:

Typically in The United States And Canada, our dinner dish is the biggest dish of the day and also we have a tendency to stint our breakfast and also lunch. Exactly what we ought to be doing instead is bulking up our morning meal and also lunch dishes and also decreasing the dimension of our dinner. When we boost the dimension of our earlier meals (especially by including a bit much more healthy protein and also even more veggies/fruits), we will automically taper our consuming near the end of the day due to the fact that we are much more satisfied. As we relax from our day, so do our metabolisms, reducing down the rate at which we melt calories, so it just makes sense to eat more earlier in the day (when we're actively shedding calories and also when we in fact require the energy), instead then when we're preparing to rest for the night.

Buy new bowls and plates:

Controlling your portion sizes is vital to slimming down, yet it's hard to decrease section dimensions when you're used to eating a particular amount at each meal. A truly very easy means to lower section dimensions (and become a much more mindful eater) is to use smaller plates and also bowls-you will instantly offer yourself much less. And also since we commonly consume what remains in front people, this is a wonderful way to eat less yet still really feel pleased. I never-with the exception of when we have company over-use our big plates or bowls (due to the fact that I constantly eat greater than I need). Rather I utilize our lunch size plates, little bowls and also small wine glasses.

Become a "Fooditarian":

Being a 'Fooditarian' implies trading in your processed packaged franken-foods (assume morning meal cereal, refined cheeses as well as meats, pre-packaged Frozen Dinner, as well as boxed mac n cheese) for genuine entire foods instead. Begin tiny trading in one go-to food (let's state store-bought biscuits) for something extra healthy and homemade (like these astonishingly scrumptious homemade biscuits) as well as at some point work your way in the direction of preventing most refined plans food-like products. This requires time, so start slowly. And bear in mind, having crap food every so often won't hurt you, but if you're having it a lot of the time, it will.

Batch cook once a week:

Once a week, on Sunday, I dedicate to earning one dish that will certainly last us the week (or that I could equip heap in the freezer for in the future). Whether it's a soup (similar to this Crock-Pot Lentil soup), healthy and balanced muffins (like these banana bran muffins) or a meat recipe that could be added to pizza, sandwiches or salads (such as this slow-cooker drew hen), batch cooking will certainly allow you to eat much healthier all week long as well as will certainly maintain you from getting in.

Fill fifty percent of your plate with veggies at the very least once a day:

This is a great means to ensure that you are obtaining your veggie quota for the day and assists to load you up without eating way too many calories. Veggies are nutrition thick, reduced calorie gems and by making it a habit to fill your plate with at the very least 50% veggies at one (or even more) of your meals, you will certainly not just boost your health and also lower your risk of persistent illness, but you will certainly also diminish your midsection. Try this delicious Lemony Broccoli if you require some ideas.

Happy New Year!!

#diet #lemonade diet #lose 10 pounds #nutrition #slim down #slimming #weight loss

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tooyouthgardener · 2 years ago

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Protein Shake

In this post, we are chatting all about how to make a protein shake along with the very best kinds of protein to use and more! What is a protein shake? Protein shakes (or protein healthy smoothies) are a protein beverage typically taken in before or after an exercise in order to aid in muscle healing.

The healthiest protein shakes are the ones you make in your own blender because you can control what goes in them. The goal here is low sugar + high protein and no additives. Protein shakes are an excellent thing to drink after an exercise to help your muscles effectively recover.

Homemade Protein Shakes

Our preferred time to consume a protein shake is post-workout, however it has actually been stated that either before or after an exercise will supply the very same benefits! We thought we 'd set out all of the very best protein sources to contribute to your protein shake and just how much protein/serving you can get out of each.

Start with about 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of liquid and include more from there. There's nothing worse than a protein shake that's too runny, so begin conservatively. Do not hesitate to use any liquid you like such as water, orange juice, almond milk, and so on. The better the blender, the smoother your protein shake is going to be! If things are having a hard time "smoothing," this implies you require to add more liquid.

Ultimate Protein Shake Guide

A quality mixer truly is the key to life. It truly is life-altering when it pertains to shakes and smoothies because you get the creamiest texture as can be in no time!

The following are the finest Protein Shakes on the internet! They're extremely healthy and are so simple to make with just a few ingredients or less.

The Best Protein Shake Recipes For Muscle Gain

You can toss in any additional active ingredients that you want. Blend until smooth. With the rising popularity of whey protein powder, there are a great deal of alternatives on the marketplace.

Pick a whey protein that has the least active ingredients possible and make certain that protein is the very first noted component. Select a powder that has at least 25 grams of protein per serving. Likewise, make sure it's not high in carbohydrates ideally less than 5 grams. A number of protein shake dishes use fruit, so you will be adding carbs, but a minimum of they are healthy carbohydrates.

The Best Protein Shake Recipe

Keep in mind that the sugar per serving also increases when you include in fruit. On the label, you will see either protein isolate or protein concentrate. If you have the choice, constantly choose the protein isolate. This suggests that it contains more than 90% protein. It's likewise best to choose a powder that is not flavoured.

You can find a lot of shake dishes online, but the five varieties here have plenty of healthy protein and taste fantastic. The recipes make one shake each, however you can make them beforehand due to the fact that they will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to three days. These protein shakes not just use a fast boost of essential protein, but they have fringe benefits as well.

Best Protein Shake Recipes That Taste Great

Pineapple is a great source of riboflavin, magnesium and folate. Bananas are loaded with potassium, fibre and B6. And peanut butter has the healthy fats that are essential for heart health. Because the protein powder will lose its consistency after being combined, it's recommended that you do not blend these up ahead of time however rather meal prep the ingredients to put into the blender.

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These protein shake dishes all need less than 4 components and pack in over 20 grams of protein each! With over 40 taste choices, they are low in calories and take less than a minute to make! When it comes to healthy snacking between meals, I have a couple of staples up my sleeve.

Protein Shake Recipes That Won't Bore You

You don't need supplements to construct muscle, lose fat, and get healthy. But the right ones can assist. After a number of months of drinking the same taste, even the most scrumptious protein powders can get uninteresting. That's why it pays to have a few plant or whey protein shake dishes up your sleeve to break the uniformity.

#Youtube

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ladystylestores · 5 years ago

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Protein Bars Recipe – Just 4 Ingredients!

How to make protein bars at home in 5 delicious flavors – with NO baking required!

Easy Homemade Protein Bars

Oil Free

Gluten Free

Vegan Options

Just FOUR ingredients!

If you’re still buying protein bars at the store, this quick and simple vegan protein bar recipe might completely change your life…

You’ll honestly never need to buy another packaged protein bar ever again!

Also Try These Overnight Oats – 15 Recipes

Reasons To Make Your Own Protein Bars

– The best reason to make your own? YOU get full control of what protein bar ingredients to include.

Even if you use real sugar (no erythritol, stevia, or monk fruit), each bar has under 3 grams of sugar, with 12 grams of protein!

– The flavor possibilities are endless, and you can choose to make them soy free, dairy free, keto, paleo, low carb, nut free, or sugar free to fit your own personal dietary requirements.

– It’s both much cheaper and more environmentally-friendly to make your own protein bars at home. Think of all the wrappers you’ll save.

Many so-called healthy protein bars on the market, even ones you can find at a health food store, are filled with processed ingredients such as corn syrup solids, maltodextrin, sucralose, sugar alcohols, GMO soy isolate, and so much added sugar and oil that it’s hard to believe they could possibly pass for a health food.

With this recipe, you get an entire pan of homemade protein bars for not much more than you would’ve paid for just one bar at Whole Foods.

Trending Right Now: Frappuccino Recipe – Add protein powder for a protein shake

Protein Bar Flavors

Chocolate Protein Bars: Replace 2 tbsp of the protein powder with cocoa powder. Stir a handful of mini chocolate chips into the dough. You can also use a chocolate flavored nut butter if desired.

Peanut Butter Protein Bars Recipe: Use peanut butter in the base recipe below. Feel free to dip in chocolate like I did, for a protein bar that tastes like a Reeses peanut butter cup!

Banana Bread Protein Bars: Omit the maple syrup and use 1/4 cup overripe mashed banana instead. Add a pinch of cinnamon and frost with melted coconut butter if you wish.

Cookie Dough Protein Bars: Stir mini chocolate chips into the batter, and add 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract and 1/8 tsp baking soda (this gives it a cookie dough flavor). I especially like to use cashew butter in this version.

Protein Bars Without Protein Powder: Use the base recipe below, with 1 cup oat flour in place of the 3/4 cup protein powder, and increase the sweetener to 1/3 cup. Even a small oatmeal protein bar (1/16th of the total recipe) made with peanut butter will still have 7 grams of protein.

Do you have a favorite protein bar flavor?

Other versions for this recipe that I haven’t yet tried include cinnamon roll, cake batter, lemon cookie, fudge brownie, caramel, peppermint, pumpkin pie, cookies’n cream, coffee, vanilla, maple, s’more’s, blueberry, white chocolate, Nutella, and coconut.

You May Also Like: Keto Brownies – No Flour

What Kind Of Protein Powder?

At the grocery store, you can find bars made from all sorts of different protein powders, such as brown rice protein, pea protein, whey protein, pumpkin seed, egg whites, hemp protein, collagen, casein, and soy protein.

Popular brands include Perfect Bars, Clif Bars, Luna Bars, RXBAR, Quest Bars, Kind, Think, Pure, One, Gatorade protein bars… the list goes on and on.

In this recipe, I’ve found that unsweetened protein powder is best, because the bars are sweet enough on their own without adding extra sugar or artificial sweeteners from the powder.

However, if you have a specific brand of flavored protein powder that you love, feel free to experiment (possibly cutting back on the sweetener in the recipe?), and let me know how it goes if you do!

Depending on the type of protein powder you choose, each of the bars in this healthy protein bar recipe will have around 10-12 grams of protein, or over 20 grams of protein if you make them into larger (60-gram) bars.

Leftover Peanut Butter? Make Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

The Best Protein Bar Recipe

People eat protein bars for a variety of different reasons including muscle gain, weight loss, as a post workout portable snack or meal replacement, to curb hunger or help them feel full longer, as an easy way to add protein to their diet, or simply because they like the taste.

When I became a vegetarian in high school, I initially relied on energy bars as a convenient way to replace protein from meat.

Recently, I’ve started to make my own because I prefer bars made with sugar over erythritol or monk fruit and have been seeing fewer of those options available (or some that are available taste too sweet).

The best part about making your own protein bars is that you get to choose every single ingredient – Try one of the flavors above, or throw a handful of shredded coconut, chia seeds, or chopped dark chocolate into the dough to make your own custom flavor!

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Above – watch the video how to make protein bars!

1 1/2 cup peanut butter, or allergy-friendly sub

3/4 cup unsweetened protein powder of choice (90g)

1/4 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave (or try these Keto Protein Bars)

1/2 tsp salt

4 oz melted chocolate chips, optional

See earlier in this post for five protein bar flavor ideas

Stir all ingredients except optional chips to form a dough. Either shape into bars with your hands or smooth into a lined 8×8 pan, refrigerate until chilled, then cut into bars. For the optional chocolate coating, spread the melted chocolate over the pan before chilling. (I usually stir 2 tsp oil into the melted chocolate for a smoother sauce, but it’s not required.) Or you can dip the bars into the chocolate sauce individually and then chill to set. View Nutrition Facts

Make sure you like the taste of the protein powder you use. My favorite is this protein powder.

More High Protein Recipes

Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip

Veggie Burger Recipe

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Lentil Soup Recipe

Black Bean Soup

Vegan Tacos

Vegetarian Chili

Flourless Protein Blender Muffins

Chia Pudding Recipes

Black Bean Brownies

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greenteaandlemon · 8 years ago

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My Point System

I will try this for at least a week (5-1 through 5-7) and see how this goes for me. The purpose of these rules is mostly to add structure and to streamline my food choices, sort of based off a ‘safe food’ model. I will still count calories and have a daily total -- the points are just to simplify and create boundaries. This system will probably be refined as I go. THE RULES 1. All foods are assigned a point value based on what calorie range they fall into. One point equals fifty or fewer calories. Any food with 1 - 50 calories is worth one point. 51 - 100 calories = 2 points. 101 - 150 = 3 points, etc. 2. Daily goal will be 20 points (1000 calories). Daily total will not exceed 24 points (1200 calories). Fewer than 20 points is extra good. 1 point will always be gummi vitamins. Up to 13 points are allotted for breakfast / lunch / snacks / drinks. Dinner will be 6 - 10 points (300 - 500 calories) to the extent that it is quantifiable / under my control. 3. For all foods besides dinner, stick as much as possible to the short list / safe list. Total should not exceed 13 points. Foods not on the list are still assigned a point value as usual. The safe list: 1 POINT (1 - 50 calories) Coffee w/ 2 tbsp sugar-free creamer 30 cal Sugar free jello 40 cal 2 jolly ranchers or 3 life savers 50 cal Rice cake 50 cal Stir-fry veggies w/ shiritaki, one quarter batch 50 cal Raw veggies w/ nonfat yogurt dip 50 cal 2 POINTS (51 - 100 calories) Sugar-free pudding cup 60 cal 1.5 oz diet rum + a bottle of bai coconut water 75 cal Nonfat greek yogurt 80 cal Fiber One bar 90 calories Skinny tuna or krab salad on halved cucumber 100 cal Small bag of popcorn 100 cal Piece of fruit 100 cal 3 POINTS (101 - 150 calories) Less sugar oatmeal 120 cal Instant mashed potato cup 150 cal 4 POINTS (151 - 200 calories) 2 pieces toast with sugar free jam and almond milk 160 cal Special K protein meal bar 170 cal Skinny blt 200 cal Smoothie with nf yogurt, almond milk, frozen fruit 200 cal 5 POINTS (201 - 250 calories) Canned or instant soups variable 6 POINTS (251 - 300 calories) USE SPARINGLY Pint of halo top 240 - 280 cal Homemade breakfast sandwich with plain yogurt 280 cal Lean pocket 280 cal 4. Dinner. Dinner calories should always be minimized as much as possible. Prepare my portion with fewer calories, and measure portion size beforehand, whenever possible. Especially if I’m very hungry and tempted to binge, I’ll take only small servings of the main dishes, with no seconds allowed. If I’m still very hungry, I can have as many servings as I want of vegetables / salad. Calories must be estimated as accurately as possible -- if in doubt, high ball / round up. Don’t forget to keep up appearances. 5. Up to 75% of calories burned through substantial exercise may be eaten back if desired. OTHER GOALS 1. No eating after dinner. Have vitamins, brush teeth, and call it a day. IT IS OKAY TO BE HUNGRY. 2. Drink less caffeine in general and diet soda in particular. Have one soda in the morning. If still tired, drink coffee. If still tired, drink black tea. Infused water with green tea concentrate is unlimited. 3. Stretch EVERY DAY, focusing on hips, calves, and squat mobility. Shoot for at least 20 minutes. 4. Try really hard to walk at least a little every day. On days without a longer hike, a consistent 3-4 mile route in the mornings would be ideal. 5. Keep the goddamn house clean. Sort your shit out. Cheers, wish me luck!

#weightloss #diet #diet rules #calories #control

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jonasmaurer · 5 years ago

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Dry January and Sugar Detox

This post is about a Sugar Detox I’m currently doing, plus Dry January. If you think this would be a sensitive or triggering topic for you, please skip the rest of this post and I’ll see you back soon! Read on for more about our experience, what I’m doing, and some of my favorite recipes when I’m doing a sugar detox.

Hi hi friends from a few days into Dry January and a Sugar Detox. This is something I often do after the holidays as a chance to get back to basics. I find that the holidays are generally an avalanche of delicious sugary treats and cocktails, and by this time of year, I’m usually more than ready to eat a vegetable or two. It’s usually a sign that I’m ready to get back to whole, basic foods when an apple tastes like water. After cutting out sugar for a while, it brings back foods’ inherent sweetness and I also remember why I like to fuel my body with as many fresh, whole foods as possible. It makes me feel so much more energized!

I definitely wanted to ditch out on sugar because my ultrasound is next month. While I know the end result is out of my control, I wanted to take any actions possible to encourage a good result. Crossing my fingers!!

You can check out a recap of a previous sugar detox here!

Here are the things I’m focusing on this month:

– Fresh produce and plant-based options (lots of berries, greens, apples, dates, citrus, non-starchy veggies)

– Lean protein (mostly chicken and fish with the occasional grass-fed steak)

– Healthy fats (chia, flax, almond butter, nuts, seeds)

– Whole grains (mostly rice and oatmeal) and smart carbs (like starchy veggies and sweet potatoes)

Here are the things I’m avoiding, which I’ve mostly stayed away from since my gallbladder attack:

– Fried foods (I loooooove french fries and am still having them occasionally because I need to live, but not super often)

– Gluten

– Dairy (Skipping dairy is easy for me because it kills my stomach. On my cheese boards, I like to include at least one or two nut-based cheeses)

– Alcohol

– Eggs (if I get a good result and don’t need to have surgery, I’m going to start having eggs again once or twice a week because they’re my favorite food… just not 2-3 per day like I did for at least 5 years haha)

A sample Sugar Detox shopping list is here:

– Fruit (berries, apples, bananas, dates)

– Veggies (carrots, cucumber, bell pepper, anything I want to grill or roast that week, sweet potatoes)

– Leafy greens (I switch it up each week but usually go for spinach, romaine, kale and/or arugula)

– White or brown rice

– Oatmeal

– Almond butter

– Chia seeds

– Nuts and dried fruit for homemade trail mix and oatmeal toppings

– Protein (chicken, salmon, canned tuna, Beyond Meat sausage)

– Seite tortillas, Paleo waffles, cauliflower gnocchi

– Salad dressings (I love Primal Kitchen), salsa, and dip (guacamole and hummus are my faves)

– Protein powder

What can you eat on a sugar detox?

Here are some of my go-to faves:

Pre-breakfast:

I always chug at least 8 oz of room temperature water when I wake up. I’ve heard of people adding lemon juice or sea salt for electrolytes, but plain water does the trick for me.

Then, I’ll have one of the three following things depending on how much time we have:

Decaf coffee with 1 scoop collagen, almond milk, and monk fruit to sweeten. I whisk everything up with this milk frother, which was one of my favorite purchases of 2019.

Green juice! I’ll use apple, spinach, cucumber, celery, mint, and lemon. This is my favorite pre-breakfast option. It gives me a ton of nutrients to start the day, hydrates me, and then I can wait a bit to have a real breakfast since I’m running around in the morning.

Morning detox drink. This is another fave for years! Liv says it smells horrible but I think it tastes great and the ingredients have a ton of benefits.

Breakfast:

Chickpea scramble

Fab four smoothie

Oats with chia, flax, Truvani protein powder, berries, and almond butter

Chicken tacos (it sounds weird but it’s so good for breakfast! I use Siete tortillas, leafy greens, leftover chicken, salsa and guacamole)

Breakfast cookie or baked oatmeal. These are great to make in advance and the kiddos love them, too.

Lunch:

Big salad with chicken (I cook it in the Instant Pot) and a sweet potato. My favorite dressing is the homemade Ranch from How to Not Die cookbook or the Primal Kitchen dressings (ordered from Thrive Market).

Daily Harvest bowl with tuna or leftover chicken

Daily Harvest smoothie with Truvani protein or collagen added

Soup! This is a staple during the winter. My go-to recipe is here! I usually just throw a bunch of ingredients into the Instant Pot. Recently, I made an awesome one with carrots, onion, ginger, lemongrass paste, and coconut milk.

Dinner:

Dinner is a bit all over the place and some of our healthy dinner staples are in this post.

Some more faves:

– Sunbasket meals (<— my link gets you $40 off your first shipment!). I still get these for two dinners each week. It’s an easy way to get something nutritious on the table fast when the Pilot is away. I also love that I can add pantry staples and meat to our shipment, like collagen nut butter, carrots, snap peas, crab cakes, jerky, Perfect Bar bites, and different dips. Their vegan spinach-artichoke dip is amaaaaazing.

– Ina’s skillet roasted lemon chicken. The family loves this one and it makes the house smell like Thanksgiving.

– Oh She Glows Kale Caesar

– PaleOMG cauliflower gnocchi soup

– Herb-roasted salmon

– Mediterranean chicken bake

As far as Dry January goes, I decided to do this to help out my gallbladder. The liver and gallbladder are BFFs so if one is having a hard time, it’s going to affect the other. I don’t drink alcohol too often anymore – wine maybe once or twice a week – but really want to give my GB the best chance going into the ultrasound. I’m having champagne the night of the ultrasound, no matter the result lol.

Do you have any fitness or nutrition goals you’re working towards? Want to join me for a little sugar detox for the rest of the month?

If you’re looking for some extra fitness motivation, join in our HIIT Bootcamp! The fun starts on January 13th. You’ll get follow-along videos, a full fitness schedule to follow, bonus meal ideas, and group accountability. Enter the code FIERCE to get the month challenge for $34. Spaces are limited and enrollment closes on Sunday – click here to join.

Happy Monday and I’ll see ya soon!

Gina

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chelseyroseblog · 7 years ago

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THE KETOGENIC DIET: IS IT HEALTHY? BENEFITS? DOWNSIDES? RESULTS?

Hi ladies!

Okay - it's time. There has been non stop talk about this diet. I've kinda tried it, I've had friends who have tried it, and almost all of my clients have asked me about it at some point so I figured now would be a good time to go over it and give everyone the low down on it's benefits, it's downfalls, it's results and etc.

WHAT IS THE KETOGENIC DIET?

I mean every celeb from Halle Berry, Adriana Lima, Megan Fox, Gweneth Paltrow and the Kardashians have been fans of the ketogenic diet (AKA THE KETO DIET) yet a lot of us are still like, wtf is it...? And how does it realllly work?

But when we go on a low carb (100 grams of carbs or less) or very low carb diet (50 grams of carbs or less) our brain sort of goes into a brain starvation and needs fuel. The liver gets to work and starts making keytones (chemically known as keytone bodies) as a back up source of fuel for the brain.

Ketosis is the name of the metabolic state that your body goes into when you drastically reduce carbs which typically looks like anything from 20 - 50 g of carbs a day or less. To put that into perspective, the average American consumes 225 - 325 grams of carbs A DAY. Which obviously isn't recommended for the standard sedentary American considering approximately 71% of the population in the United States is overweight. (ARTICLE)

To break the keto down a little it further, it's also good to know that there are 3 different kinds of keto diets:

Standard Keto Diet (SKD) - Suggests Low carb (5%), Moderate Protein (20%), High Fat (75%)

Cyclical Keto Diet (CKD) - This one involves periods of higher carb days so it would look like 5 days of keto with 2 high carb days.

Targeted Keto Diet (TKD) - For this keto diet you just add carbs around workouts.

Then there's also something called high protein keto where people will do 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.

So basically when you're on a keto diet you are dramatically reducing your carb intake and going on a diet that is very high in fat.

But like...my question is...how are we supposed to know when we're actually IN ketosis? Like if I don't eat carbs all day am I in ketosis by the end of it? I dove in on this info as well and this is what I rounded up.

Apparently it's possible for someone to enter ketosis after only 2 days but it could take up to a week. It depends on your activity level, lifestyle, body type and carbohydrate intake. After a few days you can see if you're really in ketosis by checking the amount of keytones in your blood. This is done by blood work or you can get what are called "keytone strips" and test through your urine at home.

What Do You Eat On A Keto Diet?

Low carb veggies - greens, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions.

Avocados - whole or as a guac if you'd like.

Healthy Oils - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut, Avocado.

Nuts/Seeds - Chia Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Flax Seeds, Walnuts, Almonds.

Cheese - Unprocessed Cheese (goat, mozzarella, cheddar).

Butter and Cream - Go for grass fed.

Eggs - Get pasteurized or Omega -3 Whole eggs

Fatty Fish - Mackerel, tuna, trout, salmon.

Meat - Red Meat, Steak, Ham, Sausage, Bacon, Chicken, Turkey.

What You Can't Eat On A Keto Diet

Sugary Foods - Cake, Candy, Pastries, Soda, Fruit Juice.

Grains or Starches - Wheat Products, Cereal, Rice, Pasta.

Fruit - Small portions of berries are the only fruit allowed.

Beans/Legumes - Peas, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Chic Peas.

Root/Starchy Vegetables - Carrots, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes.

Low Fat Products - Often are higher in sugar/carbs to replace the fats.

Unhealthy Fats - Processed Vegetable Oils, Mayo.

Alcohol - Due to it's carb content, most alcohol will throw you out of ketosis.

Sugar Free Diet Foods - These tend to be highly processed and are often high in sugar alcohols.

KETO DIET RESULTS

So this high fat diet was originally created in the 1920's to help children with epilepsy but at this point there are over 20 studies that show that this type of diet can not only improve your health but it can help people lose weight.

These studies also shows that following a keto diet may help battle diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's but the more general results include:

Increased Mental Clarity

More Energy

Weight Loss - how much and how fast depends on; Sleep and stress. People will generally lose 3-10 pounds in the first week which is typically a lot of water weight. Carbs are made of water so this is what most people see first, not necessarily fat being burned off. After the first couple of weeks we can expect 1-2 pounds a week.

A reduced carbohydrate diet will help reduce your blood sugars and increase your blood ketone levels. (According to this article).

IS A KETOGENIC DIET HEALTHY?

There are a ton of articles that go back and forth on whether or not it is healthy but it seems like for the most part - it is. Some of the initial short term side effects include:

Headache

Fatigue

Constipation

Bad Breath

These are some of the initial temporary side effects that usually disappear in a few days or a few weeks.

Keto Flu - Having a drastic reduction in carbs can sort of shock the body and bring on withdrawl type symptoms so some people may experience:

Stomach Pain

Muscle Soreness

Poor Concentration

Dizziness

Muscle Cramps

Weakness

Irritability

Headache

Diarrhea

Constipation

Vomiting

Nausea

Sugar Cravings

Difficulty Sleeping

These things can typically be avoided by drinking more water, avoiding very intense exercise, and replacing electrolytes. When insulin levels decrease, the kidneys release excess sodium so replenish that by having salty, potassium filled, keto friendly foods like leafy green veggies and avocados. Also make sure that you get adequate sleep.

Other but less common side effects include:

Keoacidosis - A condition that occurs in uncontrolled diabetes. This has been reported in women who are breast feeding but it is very uncommon.

Kidney Stones - Also uncommon but there have been cases of epileptic children who have developed kidney stones on a keto diet.

Raised Cholesterol Levels - The "bad" or LDL Cholesterol levels have been known to rise as well as the overall cholesterol on a keto diet due to a higher consumption of saturated fats. This increases your blood pressure and puts you at much greater risk for heart failure.

Do I Recommend A Keto Diet?

So personally, I wouldn't recommend a keto diet to someone but if they wanted to do it, I don't think I would discourage them. What I like about a Keto diet is that it removes one of the biggest food groups that most Americans over consume which is carbohydrates. Carbs are NOT bad though. How much we need to consume depends on our activity levels and I understand that this is where people get confused. We think we need so much more of a carb intake than we really do when in reality, even people that are lifting weights at the gym 5 times a week can get by on a small amount of carbs.

We eat way too many carb sources, and are more sedentary than ever. So when we start a new diet or a new gym membership, there's motivation to get fit and healthy already in place so that's step one. Then there's a sense of structure with what foods you can have and what foods you can't have so what starts happening is you find new foods to eat, you find new things to do, and you exercise more because you're feeling good about yourself.

So if going on the Keto diet HELPS you put those things into place for the long term then I'm all for it. I think where a lot of people go wrong is they hear that because of things like the Keto diet...coconut oil, avocados, chia seeds, flax seeds, butter, bacon, and loads of red meat are now the healthiest things to have.

I'm not saying they're healthy or unhealthy but what I'm saying is that there still isn't a sense of CONTROL and discipline. This causes many people to eat a multiple avocados in a day, on top of a ton of bacon, on top of a few bullet proof coffees and then they don't have the discipline to go on a low carb diet the way the need to in order to be in ketosis, so they over consume even more calories, and think they're being "healthy" while they're at it because the food choices are primarily healthy.

Is this making sense?

I think the best choice would be to get a health coach (I'm right here!) and spend some time addressing you're unhealthy patterns and build in a strong foundation of new healthy habits that will allow you to make good choices and be knowledgable on how much food your specific body really needs!

Keto Recipes

With all of that said - I tend to learn towards a diet that is primarily protein, then fats, then I usually get 50-90g total carbs a day so I'm obviously not in Ketosis but I am cautious of my carb intake and have always created recipes to align with that. Here's some ideas on my blog for you to check out!

MORNING POWER UP SMOOTHIE

BBQ TURKEY BOWL

KALE SALAD WITH A HOMEMADE DRESSING

HOMEMADE CEVICHE WITH FARMERS MARKET INGREDIENTS

What Experts Are Saying About The Keto Diet:

If you want some more info, here is a list of some people I've come across who wither support the keto diet or feel like it's not ideal. I got lost reading about so many different opinions and then I go MEGA lost once I started watching all of the videos on YouTube surrounding the "fad" diet. (Especially on Joe Rogan's page).

1. ABBEY SHARP - RD - BLOG - "First of all, I can’t deny the fact that people will lose weight on a keto diet. Here’s why. First of all, you’re eliminating a major food group. When you do that, you limit your food options and most likely your food intake, so it’s not rocket science that you’ll likely lose weight. Second, most people on a low carb diet tend to increase their protein intake in the absence of carbs and there is some evidence that consuming higher amounts of protein may have some weight loss benefits. "

2. MCKEL HILL - MS - RDN - LDN - BLOG - "There are many success stories out there and people who swear that ketogenic diets have worked for them and make them feel incredible, which is amazing! On that same note, the opposite story is true for those who it didn’t work for — it’s like this with diets across the board, there are no one-size fits all. I encourage you to think deeply about the motivation whenever you embark or entertain trying out a diet — is it for health, to make you feel your best, is it sustainable, will it allow you to socialize and enjoy the other beautiful moments of life, or will it cause you stress micromanaging your diet?"

3. KELLY LEVEQUE ON LAURENCONRAD.COM - HOLISTIC NUTRITIONIST - WELLNESS EXPERT - CELEBRITY HEALTH COACH - BLOG - "Kelly recommends first trying keto as a 6-week reset. It is perfectly fine to do keto long term, as it provides great brain fuel and it’s anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory. However, you will just want to make sure that if you are making it your lifestyle diet, you’ll never want to skimp on leafy greens and veggies or start replacing your healthy fats like coconut oil and avocado with unhealthy fats like lots of processed cheese and cured meats like pepperoni (which are high in fat, but not the good kind). It’s also a good idea to add a little more sodium into your diet when trying keto. Having a glass of pink salt water when you feel tired or dehydrated on keto can work wonders."

4. TANYA ZUCKERBOT - MS - RD - ON THE POPSUGARFITNESS - BLOG- "Sounds like a diet with benefits, right? Sure, this way of eating can be spot-on for certain individuals, and it may even be easy to sustain, but there's no way to avoid the shaky transition, which can result in some unsettling side effects, often called the "keto flu,""

5. THE BALANCED BLONDE has a great podcast also that you can listen to here, where she chats with Kelly Leveque and "total keto expert" Wes Okerson about the Keto diet. EPISODE #14!

Have you guys tried the keto diet? If so what are your thoughts?!

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lindafrancois · 7 years ago

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10 Easy To Follow Health Tips to Lose Weight!

Are you looking for ways to lose weight fast? Be careful in the pursuit of FAST, you may be left behind with FATS!

Although I just scrambled fast for you, opting for faulty weight loss diets and tips can indeed leave you with just fats.

To lose weight fast could be your priority, however, you shouldn’t lose it at the stake of your health.

It is not impossible to shed pounds fast without going for extreme diets or starvation. Don’t believe us?

We have compiled here a list of 10 healthy and easily manageable ways to lose weight fast. Try them and thank us later.

10 Best Ways to Lose Weight Quick!

1. Drink enough water to lose weight!

Drink enough water

The underrated water features on top of our weight loss must-do list. Although everyone talks about a healthy diet, a diet is a truly healthy when you consume enough water.

Follow this simple rule, whenever you feel hungry, drink water. Sometimes thirst can be disguised as hunger too. The temperature of the water can also help to lose weight.

When you feel like drinking colas, opt for a glass of cold water. Drinking hot water throughout the day helps eliminate toxins and keeps weight gain at bay.

Takeaway points: Drink water when hungry, drink water before major meals, choose a glass of cold water when you are craving for colas, fruit juice etc. Keep drinking hot water throughout the day! Make it interesting: Add a dash of lime / add chopped cucumbers, mint, watermelon wedge in your water/ add a wedge of orange/ make a berry laced water with strawberry.

2. Always have fulfilling breakfasts

Have fulfilling breakfasts

This could be a cliche but eating a heavy breakfast helps you in losing weight fast. Eating a heavy meal at the start of the day can prevent overeating as the day progresses and thus greatly helps to lose weight.

Research finds that our body, skipping breakfasts can cause weight gain and obesity. [2]

What happens next, it slows down our systems. So when you wolf down lunch, all that is getting stored as fat. So much for your weight loss!

Hence, even if you are not hungry early in the morning, reach out for a glass of oats or scrambled egg, smoothies or even the night’s leftovers are a good bet.

Takeaway points: At least grab a glass of oats in milk; scrambled egg with a toast; fruit smoothies; or the night’s leftover as breakfast.

Recommended Breakfast Recipe: Chola Dal Pancake!

Recommended Read: Breakfast 101; set the stage for good health.

3. Include 5 servings of fruits and Veggies

Have 5 servings fruits and Veggies

The World Health Organisation and Food and Agriculture of the United Nation recommend consuming at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables is a must. [3]

Another way to look at it is to consume 2 ½ cups of vegetables and fruits in a day. If you stick to it, you will realise you hardly have the appetite for anything else.

Filling up on fibrous veggies like cabbage, broccoli, beets can ward off hunger whereas killing off a sweet tooth with fruits is a good way to avoid desserts.

Takeaway points: Either consume 5 servings of fruits and veggies/day or 2 ½ cups of them a day. Fibrous veggies like cabbage, broccoli, beets are much better. Feel like having sweets, consume a cut fruit.

4. Ditch post-meal desserts

So you have a sweet tooth, is it? Before you reach out for the fried ones dipped in sugar syrup, stop! Count to 10 and walk away. Instead, go over to the fruit counter and chop yourself a ripe juicy piece of fruit!

However, be cautious in the amounts. After all, even fruits have sugar and eating a fruit after a meal can spike your blood sugars up too. So for the occasional indulgence, choose fruit.

Takeaway points: walk away from fried and sweet desserts. Instead, chop a juicy fruit and devour it.

5. Give up gassy fizzy drinks

Avoid the gassy fizzy drinks

It should read such on a sugar-free product package: Sugar-free but loaded-with-health-issues.

Do not believe us, read up the scary facts here. Not just that, ditch fizzy gassy drinks too if you want to lose weight fast.

Contrary to what they promise, these foods zap your energy in no time. Do yourself a favour, go drink a glass of water; eat a chilled wedge of a juicy fruit like watermelon or drink a glass of cold coffee (with low-fat milk for calcium)

Takeaway points: Artificially sweetened drinks pack in chemicals; fizzy gassy drinks are energy drainers. Choose water; cold milk /coffee, or a chilled watermelon wedge instead.

Recommended Read: Ways to beat the summer article link

6. Go SLOW while chewing your food

Yes, that is how slowly we advise! It has been proven that eating slowly gives time to your stomach to communicate that you are full and hence improves satiety that helps to lose weight. [1]

And while you are at it, nix distractions like that sitcom on the television; WhatsApp pings; Facebook updates or even an interesting snap!

You can alternatively do the following: after taking the first serving set a timer for 15 minutes. If you have finished the first serving, wait till the timer goes off and ask yourself ‘are you really hungry for seconds?’

Takeaway points: Switch off the TV and the internet. Chew the food slowly. Set a 15-minute timer after you have taken the first serving. If you are done before, ask if you are really hungry enough for seconds.

7. Do the HIIT workout

Follow HIIT workout regime

Time crunch, laziness keeping you away from exercises to lose weight? Time to do the high-intensity interval training (HIIT), sometimes also referred as accumulator workout.

It is high in intensity for short periods and burns maximum calories.[4]

These are some of the other exercises you could do for weight loss and you can also mix it up with this accumulator workout video! Happy exercising.

Takeaway points: HIIT of the flab now!

8. Get enough sleep

Get enough sleep

One of the easiest ways to lose weight! Definitely! Gone are the days that sleep is only for the lazies! Snooze for 8 hours regularly.

Did you know, people with messed up sleep routine or with little sleep have a major hormonal cocktail going on?

The result: increase in the levels of hormones which trigger hunger and reduction in the levels which signal satiety. For all those highly stressed sleepless people, here are 3 exercises to make you sleep better

9. Fi(b)re it Up like a Pro(tein) to lose weight

Include Fibre and Protein to reduce belly fat

We mean include more of fibre and protein into your diet in order to lose weight. Both of them help you feel full sooner by eating only a small portion.

So go nuts on nuts, lean meat, whole grains, fruits and veggies with edible peels. Another tip is while choosing dals, do not opt for the split or polished variety.

Opt for whole legumes that come with a non-attractive cover. That will also boost fibre intake!

Takeaway points: Nuts, lean meat, whole grains, fruits and veggies with edible peels, do not opt for the split or polished variety of dals: All good sources of fibre and protein.

10. Say goodbye to salty snacks

Let us tell you a simple equation, too much salt = water retention = not effective weight loss.

Also, most of the time, the snacks which are high in salt are most probably fried too, which is a total no-no if you want to lose weight. Veggie sticks or homemade crisps with salt and fat control work the best.

Takeaway points: Have a savoury craving, make the snack at home!

Avoid salty snacks to lose belly fat

Did you know detoxifying your body can even help you to lose 1-2 kgs? You can see that yourself by following Truweight’s detox phase to lose weight in 10 days! Book a free Nutritionist consultation here!

Diets are not like clothes that you try them on for a while when in fashion and then ditch them. Diets or eating healthy is a way of life.

Doesn’t mean you try on different exotic diets or ingredients. Try tweaking home cooked foods to ensure the foods help you lose weight.

Alternatively, God has blessed us with superfoods which will aid you to lose weight. Here is a list of 9 superfoods which can be incorporated into the diet.

So there you go, 10 super awesome and easy ways to weight loss fast! Try them on now!

Get FREE Weightloss Consultation Today!

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garcell06 · 7 years ago

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New Post has been published on myweightlossfun.com

New Post has been published on https://www.myweightlossfun.com/healthy-food-facts/coconut-milk-nutritionis-it-healthy-for-your-body/

Coconut Milk Nutrition:Is It Healthy For Your Body?

Coconut milk is undoubtedly a remarkable food packed with excellent health benefits.Coconut is basically the fruit of the coconut tree, also known as Cocos Nucifera and falling within the family of palm trees ( Arecaceae ).

This plant is usually grown in the South of Asia, Polynesia, and Malaysia. In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as “kalpa vriksha” in terms of its consumption precisely because all its parts can be used. It means “the tree that gives all that is necessary for life”.The name was chosen by Spanish and Portuguese sailors and explorers when they first arrived in America.

One of the main ingredients of Southeast Asian cuisine is coconut milk. Some western countries prefer to use it for curry preparation, while others use it in spicy sauces to regulate hotness and in desserts for consistency. Coconut milk can also be used as an alternative in many dishes: sauces, broths, as well as Dutch sauces, dressings, and emulsions such as mayonnaise.

Coconut Milk Nutrition Facts

In coconut, half of the fat is lauric acid; this fatty acid chain is used as an antiviral and antibacterial agent to help fight disease. When absorbed quickly by the body, it provides energy.Lauric acid is converted into monolaurin, serving as an effective preventive mechanism against infections and, in the light of scientific studies, it can help improve high cholesterol levels and cardiovascular function.

The fact is that lauric acid and myristic acid, both of which are saturated fats in coconut, raise total cholesterol levels. It is generally ignored, however, that lauric acid has a higher content of good HDL cholesterol than LDL cholesterol with the result that your TC HDL(total cholesterol to HDL ratio) goes down, which is associated with lowering your body’s cardiovascular risk and can help in diagnosing the risk of atherosclerosis, which causes the formation of fat deposits in the walls of arteries.

Among other things, myristic acid works to increase cholesterol while not affecting TC: HDL, giving it a more or less neutral effect.

Carbs in Coconut Milk

There is not too much fructose or glucose in coconut milk with only 2% sugar, for this reason, it is perfect for a sweet treat.It is an energy drink that provides good amounts of carbohydrates. In turn, it is very refreshing as well as offering a fast energy boost. Use caution as it is higher in calories than other natural types of milk commonly used for consumption (almonds, soy, millet).

Coconut milk is made by squeezing the liquid from the grated coconut pulp and mixing it with water.Foods marketed as pure coconut milk are dairy-free products, and the term’milk’ describes only the color and texture of the liquid, akin to that of whole cow’s milk or cream, varying according to the amount of water added.

Coconut milk is at the top of the list when it comes to high-fiber content.A single cup of coconut milk is more than 5 grams of fiber, accounting for as much as 18 percent of the 28 grams of fiber required to support a 2,000 calorie diet.

Coconut Milk Allergy

With coconut milk being free of dairy, lactose, soy, nuts or cereals, it is the ideal solution for allergy sufferers.In addition to being also recommended among vegans and vegetarians, Coconut Milk is unlikely to have any adverse health effects, except for those who are allergic to coconuts.

How healthy is coconut milk for everyone? There are no limits to the age of people who can use coconut milk in general. The only thing to remember is to keep the milk refrigerated so that it stays as fresh as possible because if kept at room temperature it could turn sour in a couple of days.

This amazing milk does contain amounts of B vitamins that contribute to the metabolism and as a source of energy.It delivers a rich source of plant-based iron that is effective in preventing anemia from occurring and also vitamin K which serves to regulate blood clotting.It also offers a certain amount of vitamin C and vitamin E, which help to maintain cells and eliminate free radicals.

Coconut Milk Smoothie for Weight loss

The creamy texture of the coconut milk gives a rich, creamy taste to any smoothie and also a unique touch to shakes and other recipes.You can consume coconut milk on its own, if not, try it as you would like to use it as a base ingredient in soothing natural juices or smoothies with other ingredients including fruits or vegetables.

The active ingredients in coconut milk contribute to boosting your metabolism as well as helping to stimulate fat burning through natural processes.Adding a few drops of lemon juice to coconut milk will enhance its properties.

MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) in coconut milk have been found to promote energy expenditure and help boost physical performance.The high percentage of minerals and vitamins in coconut milk, make it ideal for detoxifying the body, helping to cleanse it of all kinds of toxins and waste from the body so that weight loss becomes easier.

Electrolytes in coconut milk such as magnesium and potassium, are necessary for muscle growth and strength after physical activity.Electrolytes help prevent the effects of burnout, heat stroke, heart problems, muscle aches or cramps, and immune failure, often in extremely hot weather, during exercise, or after a period of recovery or convalescence.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); Conclusion

For those with allergies or cholesterol, it is recommended to use coconut milk in moderation, either occasionally in a cake, as vegetable curry, cream soup as an entrée, or a creamy dessert.One thing to consider with coconut milk is its high calorie and fat content.

While the fat is definitely healthy, self-control of your portions is important, more so if you are struggling to lose weight.While you may not want to make it a common part of your daily diet, it may be the right choice to allow you to savor an occasional special meal and adhere to your healthy nutritional style.

7 Homemade Coffee Creamers That Aren’t Loaded With Sugar

6 HEALTHY RECIPES THAT WILL MAKE YOU SAY: GOD BLESS AMERICA

Weekend Recipe: A Stress-Busting Smoothie

I embraced the coconut oil ‘health’ fad and tried cooking with it for a week – here’s the verdict

#best foods for weight loss #coconut milk benefits #Coconut milk nutrition #healthy foods #Low Calorie Meals #medium chain triglycerides #nutrition #weight loss tips

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wellpersonsblog · 8 years ago

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Reset: 3 Steps To Get Your Plant-Based Diet Back On Track

Sometimes life can be a minefield, littered with temptation and booby traps that sabotage our best attempts to take charge of our health, eat a well-balanced plant-based diet, and live at our best. Occasionally, we can trip up and find ourselves off course.

Maybe it was the constant temptation of so many sweets over the holidays, only to find that “I’ll just have one” snowballed into a week-long sugar coma.

Or maybe it was a crazy work week, and you just couldn’t find the energy to make dinner after stumbling through the door. A few days of eating take-out turned into a few weeks, and you still aren’t cooking many meals at home.

Perhaps it’s just hard to stay motivated when your not-so-supportive significant other brings tempting food into the house, eats it right in front of you, and then makes fun of you for not trying some.

However you fall from the straight and narrow, the important thing is how you respond to it and get back on track. Good eating habits take a long time to build, but they can easily slip away, and it can be hard to regain that initial momentum and motivation.

But with the right blend of planning and support, you can get your diet back on the right path, feeling your best in no time. Even if you’re busy, struggling with cravings, or just can’t seem to find the motivation and willpower to stick to it, you can get things back under control.

Here are the three steps to help make it happen.

Step 1: Make a Plan

Eventually, something will make you want to get back on track. Whether that’s a number on the scale or a favorite pair of pants that don’t fit quite right anymore, you’ve crossed the line in the sand.

This is a crucial moment because what you do with that initial motivation matters. If you immediately jump headlong into a complete life makeover, you often won’t follow through.

A successful reset starts with a good game plan. Here are two recommendations to make yours a success:

1. Start with just three days.

While three days may not sound like much, it sets you up with an achievable goal that has a hard start date and a hard end date.

The biggest challenge you face when getting back on track with your diet is the simple fact that it’s easier to not do it! It’s better to set an achievable goal that isn’t super intimidating.

2. Set clear rules and follow them 100%.

It seems paradoxical, but making a 100% commitment to a few clear rules makes it easier to follow through.

Clear rules help eliminate the need to make a momentary decision about whether or not something is on plan, and removes the possibility for justifying bad choices.

Also remember that you want to engineer a win—so be sure to craft achievable rules that fit within your current dietary program or lifestyle.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Three plant-based, whole-food meals each day

No sugar or flour

Ten minutes of yoga

Note that your rules don’t have to be only about eliminating things from your diet. It can be effective to work on “crowding out” the bad by making sure you get plenty of the good stuff.

Lists like Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen, NMA’s seven daily foods, or our “green light” foods, provide a framework to make sure you’re getting the most healthful, nutrient-dense foods. By focusing on those foods, there is less room for other, less healthy foods.

2. Schedule, Commit, and Create Accountability

As I’ve mentioned before, the biggest obstacle to getting back on track is simply not doing anything. So, once you have a plan, it’s time to put it into action.

If possible, choose a three-day window where you don’t have many social obligations and will have some free time to prepare food for yourself.

But know there will never be a perfect time, so just choose the best option. It shouldn’t be more than two to three weeks from now, and no sooner than three days. You need a little time for your commitment to sink in, and a few days to prepare as well.

Once you have your date set, take some time in advance to plan out three days worth of meals and snacks.

So here is some tough love from your buddy Matty J: Pull up your calendar right now and schedule your three-day reset. I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.

Ready? Go!

I’m still here! Waiting…

Okay, got it scheduled? Great. Now it’s time to up the ante and add some accountability. Ask a friend or two to join you (they can even set their own unique food “rules,” but the timing should be the same). Or better yet, make a commitment with a friend who can play ref, and commit to paying them 10% of your monthly salary if you don’t follow through.

Sound painful? It’s supposed to be.

When getting back on track, we need a little kick in the rear to make us change our ways. A little extra motivation (like some money on the line) goes a long way towards keeping you on track when temptation inevitably comes calling.

Now that you have a game plan, have scheduled your reset, and added support and accountability, you’re ready to go. All you have to do now is show up and follow through.

3. Review Your Reset and Build Off Your Wins

While a three-day reset is a great thing to do on its own, you can get more bang for your buck by using this reboot as a jumping off point by turning these things into healthy habits.

After the reset is complete, take some time to do a review:

… Could you keep or tweak your rules to make sustainable progress long-term?

… What practices could you integrate into your daily routine?

Think of it as expanding on your three-day reset by adding a new rule or expanding on the ones with which you’ve already been successful.

If you’ve been making home-cooked, plant-based meals, can you commit to making healthy meals at home on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?

If you’ve been avoiding white flour and sugar, can you quit altogether, or limit yourself to just one treat in the evening or only on the weekends?

If you’ve been doing yoga for 10 minutes each day, can you tie your practice to a daily activity to create a stronger habit? Or can you sign up for a weekly yoga class that will create more accountability and help ensure that you follow through going forward?

Or if you’re ready to add a new rule, you could…

Start each day with a smoothie, full of fruits and veggies.

Have carrots and a healthy homemade dip at work and home for when you get a snack craving.

Limit alcohol intake to weekends only (or try taking a complete break).

Use water instead of oil when sautéing veggies for dinner.

Replace soda with sparkling water.

Notice that in each of the above examples contains one key element: 100% commitment to a specific rule or goal and clear boundaries.

This commitment sets the boundaries in advance, which helps to turn these practices into self-sustaining habits. Once the habits are established, we can rely less and less on willpower to stay on track; our healthy choices move towards becoming automatic.

And that, my friends, is the holy grail.

The best way to make continual progress is to schedule a weekly review to look back on the week and see how you did, ideally with your accountability buddy. Did you follow through on your commitments? If not, what could you tweak in the coming week to help you do better?

A weekly review provides continual support and accountability and gives you a chance to refine your approach. Establishing these healthy habits is a work in progress, and this is a great way to build a foundation for ongoing support.

Ready to Get Started?

Everyone struggles with making the right diet and lifestyle choices. Whether you’re hoping to get back on track after a rough week, or you’ve been struggling to reach your happy place for months, you’re not alone.

Getting back on track can be intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be. By engineering your three-day reset (here’s a free Reset Bonus Pack), committing to a few attainable goals, and getting some friends to join you on the journey, you’ll be on your way to a win in no time.

Believe in yourself. I know I do.

About the Author: Matt Jager is a wellness advocate, web developer, and yogi on a mission to give everyone access to the tools they need to live their best life. You can learn more at his website True Wellth, and download the free Reset Bonus Pack here to get started.

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organiclifestylemagazine · 8 years ago

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Homemade Two Ingredient Healthy Fruit and Nut Bars

You can improve your blood lipid level, lose fat, improve gut health, and increase your energy levels with one snack that you can easily make at home. All you need is two ingredients – nuts and dates.

But Aren’t Dates Full of Sugar?

Just one pitted Medjool date contains around 16 grams of sugar, which means that three dates have more sugar than a 12 ounce can of coca cola. Shouldn’t dates be vilified? Hide your kids, this vengeful plant will steal their health!

Let’s See What The Science Says

When healthy subjects consumed 100 grams a day of Hallawi dates or Medjool dates for four weeks, their cholesterol levels and BMI stayed the same, and their triglyceride levels decreased. This is a phenomenon that has never been found to be the case in studies done on the effects of sugar-sweetened beverages like soda on our health.

In fact, people who consume sugar-sweetened beverages regularly tend to have unhealthy cholesterol levels, higher triglyceride levels, more body fat, and high blood sugar. This is why people who are at a high risk for diseases like diabetes are strongly advised to stop consuming sugary beverages. But what about dates?

A High Sugar Food That May be Good for Diabetics

Even in people with type 2 diabetes, a disease that is characterized by a lack of blood sugar control, the consumption of dates does not cause significant changes in blood glucose levels. This indicates that dates may be a good sugar replacement for diabetics as well as healthy individuals. This finding seems like an anomaly that goes against everything we know about nutrition, at least until we dig deeper into the other components of dates.

“The Best Food for the Future”

In an article published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, the researchers concluded that “dates may be considered as an almost ideal food.” This is because they contain a high percentage of fiber, fifteen minerals, at least six vitamins, 23 amino acids, and a high antioxidant content. Together, these components help your body use the sugar that is in the dates so efficiently and effectively that when we eat them in small amounts, it only leads to positive health effects.

That’s Nuts!

Yes, it is nuts, especially when you add nuts to the dates. In a study done on overweight adults, one group ate two dried fruit and nut bars that consisted of 340 extra calories, while the other group ate their normal diet. After 8 weeks their weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and blood lipids were remeasured.

What we’d commonly expect after 8 weeks of eating 340 extra calories per day is a weight gain of at least 5 pounds (and that’s with some modest math). However, the actual results will surprise you. After eight weeks of consuming 340 extra calories from two fruit and nut bars, the study participants had no significant change in weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, or blood lipids.

Even nut consumption alone is associated with a lower waist circumference, lower rate of obesity, decreased blood pressure, and healthier blood sugar and blood lipid levels, which makes them a healthy snack as well. This is because they contain vitamins, minerals, health-promoting fats, and antioxidants that make them highly satiating and even more healthy.

Whatever They Can Do You Can Do Better

Before you run to the store to get some fruit and nut bars or trail mix, it is important to know that many of them have added sugars and oils that can leach positive health benefits from the food.

One of the best fruit and nut bars that I could find is made by a company called LÄRABAR. However, these date and nut bars are much more expensive than if you made your own snacks at home with organic, high-quality ingredients.

And yes, making your own date and nut snacks with organic, high-quality dates and nuts will still be cheaper than buying a box of LÄRABARs that are produced with lower quality and non-organic ingredients by General Mills.

How To Make Your Own 2-Ingredient Super Snack

Just by blending your favorite nuts together with pitted dates, you can create a snack that will indulge your sweet tooth like a dessert and satiate you like a fatty meal, while still being healthier than a store bought “healthy” snack. It will only take you less than a half hour, and after you take your first bite you will be wondering why you’ve never made these before.

Step 1

Start with the ratio of 1 and 1/2 cups of your favorite nuts to 1 packed cup of pitted dates to make whatever amount of date and nut snacks that you would like.

Soak the dates that you are going to use in hot water for 5 to 15 minutes or until they are soft. If the dates are already soft, they may not need to be soaked.

Tip: Save the water that you use to soak your dates and use it to sweeten up your tea or smoothie. It may also contain some vitamin c and b-vitamins as well.

Health Bonus: Use Halawi dates rather than Medjool. Studies have found Halawi dates to have even more health benefits than Medjool dates (and they still taste delicious).

Step 2

Drain and save the date water for later use. Put the dates and nuts in the blender and blend them until the nuts are to your desired particle size and consistency. The mixture should be sticky.

Health Bonus: Use raw organic nuts that are soaked for at least 7 hours. The soaking process will help increase nutrient bioavailability and enhance digestion. Just make sure you dehydrate your nuts (at temperatures lower than 150 degrees Fahrenheit) so that they last longer and don’t mess with the consistency of your date and nut mixture.

Step 3

Take the date and nut mixture and form it into whatever shape you’d like.

You can roll them into little energy balls like these:

Or flatten the mixture into a tray or pan and cut them into bars.

Tip: If you store them in the fridge they will be fresh for 6 months or longer. If you freeze them they will last for about a year.

Health and Flavor Bonus: Cover your date and nut snacks with dried shredded coconut and/or cinnamon. The shredded coconut will add so more healthy fat and fiber with a coconutty taste, and the cinnamon will add some health promoting antioxidants.

Take Them to The Next Level with This Chocolate Snack Hack

If you love chocolate, but just can’t find a healthy way to add it to your diet this snack hack is for you.

Step 1

Put half of a cup of coconut oil in a pan and melt it at low heat.

Step 2

Once the coconut oil is completely liquified stir a half cup of cacao powder into the melted oil until it is a homogenous chocolatey liquid.

Health and Flavor Bonus: Add a quarter of a teaspoon of organic ground vanilla powder to the mixture to enhance the flavor and experience the many health benefits of vanilla.

Step 3

Remove the mixture from heat and cover your date and nut snacks with the chocolate. Sprinkle cinnamon and/or dried shredded coconut on top for a health and flavor bonus.

Put them in the refrigerator to let them cool and harden. In about an hours you will have a delicious solid chocolate covering over your homemade date and nut snacks.

Before You Indulge

Moderation is and always will be a key principle in maintaining your health, and it applies just as much to healthy food as it does to unhealthy food. Just as you can overdo it on sugary beverages and refined foods and destroy your body, you can do the same with these delicious date and nut snacks.

However, dates and nuts are very satiating foods so you will feel much fuller than usual after eating them. Only two to four of these small snacks will do the trick. Enjoy!