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December 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

DON’T TRY TO LOSE WEIGHT IN DECEMBER, BUT DO TRY TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS WITHOUT GAINING ADDITIONAL WEIGHT

Thanksgiving is over, but the holiday season has just begun.

You may be wondering how you will ever survive the party-packed, sugar cookie crazed, eggnog induced haze that is December. Not to fear, Jaime, Certified Health Coach, is here!

Tips to get through the month of December:

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1st step to amplify weight lossDon’t Try to Lose Weight in December

That’s not to say it isn’t possible, but if you expect to lose weight and start to slide off your plan, the tendency is to just go all the way, and really slide- all the way into January. Let’s set the more realistic goal of not gaining weight during the holidays. Here are my top tips to enjoy the holidays without gaining weight:

2nd small step to weight loss Keep Moving!

Let whatever exercise routine you’ve created for yourself carry you until the end of December. If you don’t have one, come coach with me! When it’s time for travel and family gatherings, incorporate moving into holiday plans. Get the whole family to:

      • go on a walk before or after dinner
      • or ice-skating, skiing or sledding.
      • If you have a yoga practice, teach a yoga class to family members or invite them to go to a local class with you.
      • For those of you who find family time stressful, let the need for some alone time motivate you to go for a walk or a yoga class on your own
      • Just keep moving

Bring healthy food to holiday parties and gatherings 

so you know there will be at least one healthy thing to eat. Make sure to eat something before a holiday party as well- hunger can capsize the best of intentions. You can also bring sparkling juices like apple cider or pomegranate. They feel festive and will satisfy your sweet tooth. Some tasty examples include:

    • Carrots and hummus
    • a fruit salad (see featured recipe)
    • roasted veggies
    • or a dessert made with sugar and flour alternatives

Portions, Portions, Portions

You will likely be faced with endless buffets of food choices at parties and dinners this month. Take a deep breath before you fill your plate and take the time to look at all the food in front of you. Carefully choose the items you really want. For instance, I’m a big chocolate fan, but most other desserts I can take or leave. My advice is to leave whatever you don’t really really want off of your plate, and serve yourself small portions of the other foods. You might be satisfied with just a small taste of some dishes. Eat slowly and fully enjoy the foods you choose.

Primary Foods

Primary Foods nourish and fill us, even though we don’t put them in our mouths. Be conscious of how affection, laughter and human connection feeds you this December. You will likely be seeing friends and family over the holidays- let the love, joy, and celebration fill you up! Give and receive as many hugs as possible. Exchange massages. Watch funny movies. If you can’t be with your family during the holidays, reach out to friends or volunteer, but get your fill of holiday love.

 Stay hydrated! 

People tend to forget to drink water when they’re busy and the weather is cold. Make it a point to drink a big glass of water when you wake up in the morning before you get lost in the events of your day.

Take it easy.

Although a beautiful time of year, it can also be very stressful for many- obligations, shopping, traveling. Remember to schedule down time for yourself. Get enough sleep. Breathe. And try to enjoy the present moment, because in a few short weeks, it will be a whole New Year.

Happy Holidays! Enjoy…

Susan’s Famous Fruit Salad

 Ingredients:

  • Bananas
  • Kiwi
  • Red grapes
  • Apples
  • Oranges
  • Pineapple
  • One Lime
  • Unsweetened shredded coconut
  • Optional: Pears, Mangoes, other winter fruits.

Slice the fruit into bite-size pieces and put in a big bowl. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the fruit. Sprinkle in coconut. Gently mix together. Voila!

Filed Under: Guest Authors, Healthy Eating, Jaime Saginor Articles, Mindful Eating, Primary Foods, Superfoods
July 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Motivation to Pursue Dreams and Hopes: Understanding the Brain’s Reward System

If you struggle to stay on a path to health, weight loss, success, or any other, this video will help you understand how the brain’s reward system works.

Filed Under: Bellyfat and Depression, Healthy Eating, Mindful Eating, Primary Foods Tagged With: , , ,
July 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

EATING FOR ENERGY!

The ‘energy drink’ and ‘food bar’ industry is booming.

Everyone wants more energy, because when you have energy there’s no limit to what you can accomplish! But when we rely on non-nutrient forms of energy, like the sugars and caffeine you find in energy drinks and processed food bars, your energy level will be short-lived, followed by an energy crash which will then require another energy drink! Brilliant product idea, huh?

So how do we get the energy that we need for our busy, productive lives, naturally?

Here are my top four tips to eat for energy:

1.  Eat more whole grains.

Let’s break down why this is so important for your energy levels by comparing white and brown rice as an example. White rice is a refined carbohydrate. It is simply brown rice with the bran and the germ removed so you’re left with the starchy center, which is sugar, or glucose. Glucose is the form of energy your body uses. The problem is, since the bran and germ have been stripped, your body quickly and easily absorbs the glucose into your bloodstream, spiking your blood sugar level and giving you more energy than you need at one time, unless of course you’re running a marathon.

The bad news is, since your body doesn’t need all that energy at once, it will store the extra sugar as fat in case you need energy at a later time. Additionally, since your body doesn’t like to be so out of balance, it will try to lower your blood sugar level by producing insulin, which will then cause a blood sugar low, or an energy crash, which is the same thing that happens when you drink energy drinks or eat sugar.

By contrast, if you eat the brown rice, your body will have to break down the bran and the germ to get to the starchy center causing a slow release of glucose into your bloodstream, which means sustained energy over a longer period of time. Pretty cool, huh?

2.  Eat enough food!

Please don’t skip breakfast or eat just a side salad for lunch. Your body will not get the energy it needs and you will find yourself fighting uncontrollable cravings for more food, likely in the form of sugar and caffeine, the quickest forms of non-nutrient energy.

Give your body the energy it needs to get through the day by eating a proper amount of food at regular intervals. Don’t skip meals.

3.  Get more sleep and relaxation.

Seems obvious, right? But it’s still one of the hardest things for people to prioritize. Sleep and relaxation are part of ‘eating for energy’ because, for those who haven’t coached with me before, there are things in life that nourish us but don’t come on a plate. We call these Primary Foods, and sleep is a big one.

Sleep nourishes you. When you are tired or stressed, your body will crave energy, again, often in the form of sugar and caffeine. But if you reach for that energy drink, or that non-nutrient form of energy, you will further propagate the up and down energy deficiency cycle that you started with. So rest up!

4.  Get rid of relationships that drain you.

This is another Primary Food tip. Look at which people or relationships in your life might be draining your energy. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad, but maybe there are boundaries that need to be set or communication that needs to happen. Or maybe, every now and then, a relationship needs to end. Make sure the relationships in your life nourish you.

Now that you have more energy, what would you like to do? The sky’s the limit!

Cheers!

Filed Under: Food Cravings, Good Foods, Guest Authors, Healthy Eating, Jaime Saginor Articles, Primary Foods, Sugar