CRAVINGS! (ugh)

OK. so we all get them... cravings... what are yours?  Chocolate, salty snacks, booze... when you get a craving, do you ever pause & wonder WHY?  There could be many reasons.. eating sweet makes us crave salty, eating salty makes us crave sweet, but WHAT ELSE.  How about when you come home from work & start eating mindlessly, giving in to all those cravings.  WHAT IF... when you came home from work there was someone stand there telling you how much they loved you, how beautiful you are, and gave you a big hug?  Would you then go & raid the fridge?  Could your cravings have NOTHING to do with hunger (um.. yep!).  Start to think about your world in terms of your relationships, career, spirituality, and activity level, then see if changes in those areas of your life could change your "cravings".  Maybe what you're really craving is outside of the kitchen!
What is your experience with cravings?

ATKINS?

How many of you have tried the Atkins Diet?  I have to admit, that I had a wrong perception of it. My program at school presents all diet theories. Atkins being one of them, I'm really amazed at how they are misrepresented in the media (and therefore wrongly interpreted onto peoples plates & stomaches!).  From what I'm hearing, it sounds pretty balanced & they even make accomodations for vegetarians who get their protein from plant sources.  The "diet" seems to encourage healthy, greens, and lots of dark colored veggies. They support healthy carbs & the elimination of white sugar & processed foods.  I'm going to keep listening. So far, it's not the hype I thought it was... seems really balanced & not a program that just pushes bacon, burgers, and sausage for all 3 meals. Any comments?

KEEP YOUR GOALS IN SIGHT!

Hello & welcome back after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend!

If you "fell off the wagon" this past weekend, please let it go...leave it in the past.

Starting today, re-affirm your goals & intentions for the program and for living a healthy lifestyle.  Then each day take steps toward reaching your goal.

REMEMBER... what you resist, persists.  What does that mean?  Well, if you resist the change (to lead a healthy lifestyle), then your same old unhealthy, overweight, lethargic body & mind will persist.  It's a good line to remember... what you resist, persists.

The greatest teacher lies within your own heart.  Be true to yourself & live an authentic lifestyle, it will all come together! :)  Please post how you're doing or what you need for support!

Eat Seasonally

I've been studying more about Ayurvedia and the very natural recommendation to eat seasonally. The recommendation is to eat what is available "from the land" during that time of year.  See if you can incorporate more Fall foods into your diets.  Consider, sweet potatoes, pumpkins & squash, apples, ALL KINDS of nuts and seeds.  Also, when the weather gets colder, it's a great time to add a nice warm lunch to your schedule.  Eating a hearty warm soup at lunch time (maybe with some multi-grain bread or small salad) will help you feel great & get you through to dinner.  Some people fear the fat in nuts & seeds but this is what your body needs to get you through the long, cold winter.

SERVING SIZE

So, you're all doing a great job adding lots of fruits & veggies (and water) into your lifestyle.  Now, how much food are you actually eating at each meal?  In today's world, even the plates that we eat from are SUPERSIZED!!! If we're filling up those HUGE plates, guess what? We're eating way too much!!!

Your stomach is roughly the size of your fist & can expand slightly with the meal.  When eating a meal, consider this... can all of the food fit into my hands (when held together to make a bowl shape).  That's about how big your meal should be.  Remember, SIZE MATTERS! :))

Veggies

Quick & delicious green veggie with dinner: saute organic spinach in a little olive oil & garlic. At the very end of the cooking (which isn't long) toss in some chickpeas! Cook for another minute or two. YUM!!!

Quick & easy is key!  What ideas can you share?

Question For You

What is the next small step you will take to move forward toward your goal?