Keep Track of Your Eating Habits

Having an online food journal is a very effective tool that will allow yourself to determine if your current eating habits are healthy. The more you keep track of what you eat, the more you’ll understand where your diet goes wrong, and you’ll know if you are getting too many or too few calories. Logging your food will also help you know if you are getting enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins each day and help you keep your carb-fat-protein ratios in healthy proportions.

Throughout the day simply take note of what you are eating and BE HONEST! When you get a chance log each meal and snack into a free nutrient analysis tool.

*I use Diet Analysis Plus but it was required to buy for one of my Nutrition courses. Most of my clients use Caloriecount or Sparkpeople. If you have a smart phone you can actually download the sparkpeople app. and log your food anytime, anywhere! This tool made me very aware that I needed more protein in my diet. What are you lacking or getting too much of?

Free Nutrient/Diet Analysis Tools:

• www.nutritiondata.com
• caloriecount.about.com  <–I have my clients use this one. It provides your food and overall nutrition plan with a grade!
• www.sparkpeople.com
• livestrong.com/thedailyplate
• fitday.com
• foodcount.com
• myfitnesspal.com (also has iphone app)
• http://my.apexfitness.com/vsc/home.php <—Free 12 Week Weight Management Plan.

Ch ch ch Chia Seeds

Over the past few months I have become a Chia addict. Yes, I’m talking about the same seeds they use for the Chia Pet! I put these small seeds in yogurt, oatmeal, sprinkle on salads and in soups, drinking water, smoothies, shakes, etc.

Chia is a plant which, like flax-seed, contains a great deal of healthy omega-3 fatty acids  (5 grams in 2 tablespoons). This is a good thing. Omega-3s are known to reduce inflammation and help the body fight off some of the effects of aging. Unlike flax seeds, you don’t have to crush chia seeds in order for your body to use it and chia seeds do not spoil quickly, making it more convenient than flax-seed. There’s just so much nutrition in such a tiny package… I can’t get enough. They are also a natural energizer!

In the book Born to Run, McDougall talks about how the Tarahumara tribe (“the running people”) would put the chia seeds in water and they would create a gel for drinking. This is because chia seeds are hydrophilic meaning they hold around 10 times their weight in water(that’s why they turn into little gel balls). For athletes, this is a good thing, helping hydration during exercise. This also happens in your stomach (even if you eat the seeds raw) and some believe that the gel coats the stomach and restricts the absorption of calories, making chia a possible diet aid. I always drink a liter of “chia water” a couple of hours before my long runs to stay extra hydrated.

Besides Omega-3’s and great hydration benefits, two tablespoons of Chia seeds also have a respectable amount of fiber (7 grams), protein (4 grams) calcium (205 milligrams) and antioxidants.

Here’s a recipe for Chia Fresca that I found after reading the book, Born to Run:

• about 10 oz of water
• 1 Tbsp dry chia seeds
• a few teaspoons lemon or lime juice
• honey or agave nectar, to taste (optional)

Stir the chia seeds into the water; let them sit for about five minutes.  Stir again, and let sit for as long as you like.  The more it sits, the more gel-like the seeds and water become.  Add the lemon or lime juice and sweetener to taste. Enjoy your all natural energy boost!

Eat Cheaper and Eat Better!

One of my past clients posted this on his facebook page and I thought I’d pass it along knowing that there are a ton of us out there who are on a budget. You CAN eat healthy at a low cost!

Check it out, you won’t be sorry: Eat Cheaper & Eat Better

The Pyramid of Total Fitness

There’s no magic pill when it comes to getting fit and staying that way. The simple truth is being effective, a weight loss plan should combine fitness tips and health tips that include a controlled diet, regular exercise and a strong commitment. These simple steps are critical to both short-term results and long-term success.

Food Intake-
A healthy diet isn’t about eating less, it’s about eating smart. Learn how to eat better with simple meal plans that are easy to follow and develop a better understanding of what your body really needs. Try whole, organic foods. When I create a meal I make it as colorful & nutritious as possible.  A combination of education, moderation and the proper exercise regimen equals results.

Cardio-
Aerobic training and other cardio exercises help you maximize your results while boosting your calorie burn, heart function and immune system. By managing your workout frequency, intensity, time spent and type of exercise, you can hit your target heart rate and devise the perfect cardio plan.

Resistance Training-
Building strong muscles through strength training will help you burn fat, increase your metabolism and maintain healthy bones. All parts of resistance training (free weights, machines, cables, tubing and exercise balls) are part of a complete program.

Note: Professional Assistance is a great idea. A personal trainer will be with you every step of the way, eliminating guesswork and clearing a path toward your goal in a safe and effective way. With the help of a qualified trainer, you can avoid searching for answers and follow a direct path to your fitness goals.

Simple Ways to Cut Calories

Here’s a fact: If you can cut 500 calories from your daily menu or burn an extra 500 calories a day, you can lose about a pound of weight a week.

Here are some calorie-blasting strategies that will help you lose weight and burn more fat all day long without even stepping foot in the gym.

• Food Swaping– Cutting calories is as easy as swapping one food for another!

1. Bagel for a whole wheat english muffin to slash 220 calories.
2. A glass of whole milk for reduced-fat to save 70 calories.
3. Three-egg omelet for one egg and two egg whites.
4. Pork sausage for turkey sausage to cut about 125 calories each.

• Measure portions- So many of us have serious portion-distortion. Measuring out one serving can save you hundreds of calories and help you to realize what foods give you more bulk for the bite. For example, a cup of granola can have up to 600 calories, while a cup of high-fiber cereal has only about 120.
• Move on your lunch hour- Walk during your lunch for five days and burn 500 extra calories. Also, try wearing a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day, or about 5 miles—you’ll automatically burn 500 calories without even hitting the gym.
• Order wisely- Use hummus or mustard instead of mayo, and a roll for sliced bread on your sandwich, and cut about 200 calories. Opt for a salad with lite dressing on the side instead of fries to save another 300 calories for a total of 500 saved.
• Chew your food- Slow down when you eat! It takes 20 to 30 minutes for your body to register that you are full, eating more slowly allows you to get to the point where you feel satiated on fewer calories.
• Downsize your plate– Simply going from a 12-inch plate to a 9-inch plate will allow you to cut 500 calories without feeling deprived.
• Wait to have seconds– Wait 20 to 30 minutes to have a second helping. Then if you do opt for seconds, you’re likely to get a smaller helping because hunger hormones won’t be driving your appetite.
• Make over your sweets- Save up to 400 calories by eating fruit. Get creative! Slice one peach and one small banana into quarters, thread four pieces fruit each onto two skewers and brush with one tablespoon honey each. Grill each side for about 4 minutes, or until flesh is tender but still firm. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Leave something on your plate- Leaving a quarter of the meal on your plate can save up to 500 calories. Leaving a few bites of any potato or noodle dish cuts up to 100 calories alone.
• Play with your pets or kids– Playing frisbee with the dog, going for a bike ride with the kids. Family walk after dinner- everyone benefits!
• Take a stand–  Did you know that you can burn up to an extra 500 calories a day by standing rather than sitting? Try standing to make a phone call or try to squeeze in 5 minutes of push-ups or jumping jacks to burn another 50 calories.
• Drink up- Swapping water for soda can save you about 300 hundred calories a day if you drink two cans. Also, drinking 20 to 60 ounces of water daily might also help boost your metabolism so you burn even more calories. To make water more appealing, try adding sliced cucumbers, lemon/lime, or low-calorie flavor packets that offer fizz and a shot of vitamins.
• Try commercial cardio– Doing some kind of cardio, such as jumping rope or jogging in place, burns about 10 calories a minute. If you watch an hour of TV a night and add cardio moves during the 10 commercial breaks that typically air, you could blast up to 300 extra calories without missing your favorite shows.
• Sleep in- People who get less than 6 hours of sleep eat up to 300 calories more during the day because a lack of sleep triggers the production of the hunger hormone, grehlin. Each extra hour of sleep could save you 100 calories!
• Run some errands- Spend an afternoon healthy food shopping and unloading groceries to burn close to 500 calories. Cook dinner to burn 136 more.
• Switch up your workout routine- You can burn up to an additional 250 calories in a half-hour, or 500 in an hour, by incorporating intervals instead of just exercising at the same pace. Increase the calorie burn by picking up your pace to the point where you are so out of breath that you can’t even talk for 30 seconds, then slow down for one and half minutes to recover. Repeat for as long as you can!

*Note- All calorie counts have come from notes of mine from a Nutrition class I had taken in 2002.

What are you favorite ways to cut and burn calories?

Summer Fruit & Vegetables

Check out what fruits and veggies are in season this summer!

•  Greens
•  Corn
•  Hot Peppers
•  Kale
•  Lettuce
•  Beets
•  Bell Peppers
•  Blackberries
•  Blueberries
•  Raspberries
•  Boysenberries
•  Broccoli
•  Cabbage
•  Cantaloupe
•  Carrots
•  Cherry tomatoes
•  Tomatoes
•  Cucumbers
•  Garlic
•  Eggplant
•  Summer squash
•  Strawberries
•  Peaches
•  Watermelon