Archive for the ‘Health In A Hurry’ Category
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012
I was traveling for work last month, and after a few days I began feeling “digestively challenged.” I hadn’t brought as many fiber-rich snacks as I normally do, and I just wasn’t feeling myself. I mentioned this to my friend (and coworker) and she generously offered some of her fiber drink.
I’m not sure which brand it was, but it was a yummy orange flavor. It tasted really great, but a little too great… if you catch my drift. So, I asked to see the empty packet before she threw it in the trash. I was floored when I read the sugar content: For every 2 tablespoons of the product, there were almost two tablespoons of sugar. Yikes – there was more sugar than fiber! Lesson learned. It’s always better to get your nutrition (whether it be fiber, vitamins or minerals) from whole foods, whenever possible. You just never know what could be lurking in those powder drinks.
Instead, get your fill of fiber-rich foods, like flaxseed, fruits and vegetables when you can. Here are a few tips for getting enough fiber on-the-go:
• Mix a tablespoon of flaxseed with a little water and drink it down real quick. It doesn’t taste great, but you’ll get a good dose of fiber without any unwanted additives.
• Carry a bag of baby carrots along with you. When you get hungry, just pop them in your mouth a little fiber boost.
• If you do have to resort to powdered drinks, always check the labels for excess sugar and calories. If it seems excessive, opt for an apple instead.
Tags: almonds, apples, baby carrots, beans, brown rice, deborah enos, digestively challenged, dr. oz, exercise, Fiber, fiber boost, fiber drink, fiber rich snacks, flaxseed, healthy snacks, minerals, nutrition, powdered drinks, sugar content, traveling, vitamins, whole foods, work
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Wednesday, February 15th, 2012
If I’m craving something sweet the last thing that will satisfy me is a rice cake. To a certain extent, we are all emotional eaters. We are wired to eat emotionally from a young age. Cuddling with mom or dad while eating, cookies for a job well done at school, I think you can see a pattern emerging.
I’ve never had much luck telling my chocolate craving clients “oh come on, just put down the candy and have this carrot stick instead”.
After years of experience in this area (with clients and my own cravings) I have discovered two ways to handle cravings.
- Distraction: I have a list of about 3 things that can distract me from a food craving. I might go and do my workout for the day or just a quick walk out to my car. I might call a girlfriend to catch-up or make myself a cup of tea or coffee. What I’ve noticed is that if I can distract myself with these activities, it wasn’t really a craving, more than likely I was just bored.
- Just eat the darn cookie! Here is my process: I ask myself, do I really want it or am I just bored? If bored, the above distractions will usually work.
- I “mindfully splurge”. I pick a 100-200 calorie splurge (rich dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate). And then I totally focus on the goodie-I see it, smell it and slowly eat it-NOT IN FRONT OF MY COMPUTER.
- If I do treat myself to a sweet treat-never on am empty stomach. If I crave a sweet treat late morning I make sure I have a little protein before I indulge. This is usually a couple of bites of my turkey sandwich.
Tags: 100 calories, bored, candy, chocolate, curb cravings distraction, deborah enos, eat cookie, eat slow, proteint turkey sandwich, rice cake, rich dark chocolate, smell your food, treat empty stomach, workout
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Thursday, February 9th, 2012
Until recently, I thought I had a good working routine for lunch. If you ever came to see me at lunchtime, you’d find me hunkered over my keyboard, carrot sticks in hand. The lunch was healthy, and I saved about 20 minutes that I could later use however I’d like: starting dinner earlier; spending time with family; or getting an extra exercise session in after work.
All was well with my theory until I read a study on the subject. The study found that people who ate while working (or gaming) on the computer would later eat more than those who weren’t distracted by the computer during their meal. When we aren’t paying attention to what we’re eating, it’s as if the mind doesn’t register the meal and our stomachs end up grumbling too soon after. I knew it was time to change my habits.
I think we all know that if we watch TV when we eat, we consume more calories. But this was the first study I read that showed how the effects of mindless eating can persist throughout the day.
In the process of changing my habits, I went through a period of trial and error before I landed on these three tips that work for me…
- Book lunch with a friend. At least one day a week I get away from my desk to enjoy a good meal and great conversation.
- I resolve to eat at least part of my lunch away from my desk every single day. I might eat carrot sticks & hummus at my desk, but then I take the rest of my lunch to the break room and pray I run into someone!
- I take a green tea walk. I make a cup of tea, usually an hour before lunch, and then I come up with an excuse to go outside and enjoy the fresh air.
Tags: carrots, chat with friends, deborah enos, exercise, green tea, healthy breakfast to lose weight, high energy foods, humus, out to lunch, sitting at computer, walk, watching television
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Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
In all honesty, I hate this topic. Out of everything I do to maintain my weight, this is what gives me the most trouble: It’s portion control.
I’ve always been a big eater. Even as a kid, I remember adults commenting on my “healthy appetite.” Of course, this was a nice way of telling my parents: “Quit letting your kid eat off of everyone’s plates.”
Because of my great love of eating, I’ve always had to make exercise my main priority. Otherwise, I’d have a serious weight issue. But now, as I get busier and travel more often for work, I find that my workouts are becoming less consistent. I might work out five times one week, and then only hit the trail twice the following week.
I’ve realized that if I cut back on my portions just a little, I can maintain my weight (and sleep better) even if I can’t get my exercise in every day. I don’t even have to cut back much: Just eating 100 fewer calories each day is one pound of fat not gained by the end of the month.
Although I really dislike measuring and weighing out my food, I’ve noticed that it does help to keep my portions under control. So, I’ve had to get a little creative and enlist the help of a few handy tools. One thing that has really worked well for me is the Portion Plate. I keep it on my counter and I use it during dinner at least once a week. It serves as a good reminder of the amount of food I should be eating each day.
Click here for portion control products.
Tags: burn calories, calories, creative, day, deborah enos, eating, enlist food, exercise, handy tools, healthy appetite, lose weight, love of eating, measure up, metabolism, portion control, portion plate, sleep better, weight gain, weight loss
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Friday, January 13th, 2012
10 Minute Dinner
1 package (roll) of Isernio’s chicken sausage
1-2 heads of washed & chopped broccoli
4 cups of cooked brown rice (I cook up a big pot over the weekend & store it in the fridge for easy use during the busy work week)
1 Tbs. of olive oil
1 cup of Easy Asian Style Sauce (see recipe below)
Directions:
Heat up the oil in a 12 inch pan. Add the sausage to the pan and cook for about 6-8 minutes. Add in the broccoli and cook until slightly soft, about 2 minutes. Cover the cooked rice with the chicken and veggie mixture. Drizzle with the sauce and dig in!
Easy Asian Style Sauce
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced or grated fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons sesame oil (you can use olive oil if you don’t have sesame)
½ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional, but I like how it makes the sauce “pop”)
Directions
1. Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger and sesame oil in a bowl.
Drizzle or pour over rice, chicken and veggies.
Since you made dinner so quickly, now you get to kick back and ENJOY!
Tags: 10 minute recipe, broccoli, brown rice, Isernia sausage, Isernio sausuage, newday recipe, recipe, soy sauce
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
It starts the night before…
I lay out my exercise clothes. I find it helps to setup the intention to exercise before my head even hits the pillow. It’s most helpful during those dark and rainy days when I’d much rather stay cozy in my warm bed. Knowing my exercise gear is ready to go gives me one less excuse not to get up and get moving. Even if it’s only a few-minute stretch and a set of lunges down the hallway, I do it.
I drink 8 ounces of water in the am. I usually wake up feeling a bit parched, so I always have a nice big glass of water before I reach for the coffee. Coffee tends to “kill” my appetite for plain old water, and I know I can’t go without hydrating myself. If I skip my morning glass of water, I end up feeling shaky and unfocused with the beginnings of a headache. Water is a simple way to boost my energy (and my health) first thing in the morning and throughout the day.
I eat at least 100 calories within the first 30 minutes of my day. Well, in all honesty, I’m still working on this one. During the week, I have a good routine: I wake up, grab my water, take a 100-calorie shot of peanut (or almond) butter and start my workout. On the weekends, it’s a bit of a different story. I sleep later and move slower. By the time I realize I haven’t eaten my 100 calories, I’ve already been up for two hours. This year, my goal is to eat 100 calories within 30 minutes of waking up – seven days per week.
Doing these three things every day really helps me be at my best, but now that I’m thinking about it, there is one more part of my routine that I wouldn’t think of skipping.
My health-boosting bonus tip
As much as I dislike doing it, I get up twenty minutes earlier than I “need to.” I spend that time being grateful for the beautiful day I am about to have, petting my dog, praying, and setting my intention for the day. After years of “being in a hurry” in the morning, I’ve found that a little wiggle room makes for a more peaceful day – and a less stressed me.
Tags: 100 calories, 30 minutes, 7 days a week, 8 ounces of water, beautiful day, boost energy, coffee, exercise, glass of water, goal, good routine, grateful, hydrating, hydration, lunges, meditate, peanut butter, pet dog, pray, rise early, stretch, to do's, workout, year
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