I know, I know it’s absolutely something you do not want to be an expert in – right? But unfortunately, you may feel like you are. Whatever you do – you try this you try that – lose some weight gain it back and on and on… Sound familiar?

Here are my 3 tips to help make you more of a health expert and not a weight gain one – sound good?  OK – here it goes.

Your 3 Tips to Help Make You Your Own Health & Vitality Expert:

1.  Go Inside & Ask.  Do I want to be light or full? Do I want my clothes to fit or do I want that bowl of ice cream after dinner? Do I want a relaxing evening at home or choose to prove to my spouse that I’m right about something and end up arguing? Do I really need to watch YouTube videos until midnight or would listening to a meditation audio while I drift off to sleep at 11:00 p.m. be better for me?

You see, you are making choices constantly and making one that helps you attain a state of overall wellbeing is, of course, the best. However, the best choice may not always be the favorite choice. So try to go inside and take the time to process your thoughts and feelings first before making a possible impulsive or unhealthy choice.

2.  How Much Is Enough: You may wonder why controlling your portion size is so important. Well, it’s not just about the amount you’re consuming but also it’s about creating some discipline.  You see, when you begin to take good care of yourself, you start making eating the right food and the right amount a priority. Having discipline is a good thing and it can be synonymous with doing a loving thing for yourself. Discipline DOES NOT always mean limitation.

When you overeat you are usually compensating for an unusual or uncomfortable emotional state you are experiencing. Whether happy or sad on some level it can be difficult to accept how you are actually feeling in the present moment. Giving yourself a plan of action in the beginning of your day is helpful in keeping you in line and in-tune with how much food your body really needs. In my Skinny Jeans Weight Loss Program ™ I recommend weighing your food initially to help you discover the ideal amount of food for best weight loss results. Over the years I have heard many of clients admitting how surprised they were to find just how much in excess they were actually consuming. Their portion sizes were larger than their bodies actually needed to function optimally. Everyone has a portion size that’s best for them. These can vary depending on your exercise/activity level but generally women require approximately 1500-2000 calories/day and men approximately 1800-2400 calories/day.

3.  Dieting Shouldn’t Be Your Job: I’ve mentioned this several times in past blogs where I have warned you not only to avoid becoming obsessed with dieting but also to learn to reframe the entire concept of dieting. A  Diet actually means what you consume on a daily basis. If you are constantly dieting you are not learning how to eat for long term wellness. Taking your excess weight off in a healthy yet efficient way requires a system that supports fat burning and muscle maintenance and results in that sought after reduction on your bathroom scale.

Once you get to that “magic number” you must focus on doing everything you can to maintain that number or at least within a 3 lb. range.

For example, if you’ve lost 30 lbs. and your weight is now 150 –  try keeping your weight between 150-153. Once it starts going higher than the 3 lbs. you will need to go back to your original weight system/plan to get the extra weight off. The longer you wait to take this important step the more likely it is that you’ll gain even more weight and perhaps – wait for it -gain ALL the weight back – and I know you don’t want that to happen. You’ve worked hard to lose the weight so find the best way to maintain it. Pay attention to your weight fluctuations over time. Stop the uphill climb  before it gets out of hand. The more you follow this advice the less you will need to constantly be on a diet and the more freedom you’ll feel in this area of your life.

You are now becoming your own health expert – Congratulations! 

I just noticed Dr. Oz had a special article in this month’s O Magazine about this very topic. I wanted to create my own version of what a healthy fridge should consist of using my own fridge as an example. In this article I’ll help you determine what to keep, clean up or clear out of your fridge. What are the best and then the not-so-good ingredients lurking in your Frigidaire?

So here’s how to keep your fridge COOL and not scary. Let’s review what you should keep. Consider the following as your healthy refrigerator basics:

1) Nuts & Seeds: They are a must in every healthy fridge and diet. Store them in the cool fridge to maintain optimum freshness and preserve the delicate natural fats inherent in these nutritious morsels. This list includes almonds, chia seeds, hemp seeds and pine nuts.

2) Vegetables: Load you fridge with the freshest veggies available. Keep the crisper brimming with crunchy delights from the garden. In my fridge I have a pull out drawer filled with Romaine lettuce (the 3 bunch bag), lemons, limes, onions (1/2 portion), green onions and cucumbers. In my larger pullout I have all the rest – kale, chard, eggplant, carrots, cauliflower, red cabbage, turnips, etc.

3) Fruit: As I’ve shared before I have another fridge in my garage where the overflow goes – it’s filled with grapefruit, oranges and apples and extra cauliflower, or sometimes I purchase a huge bag of baby spinach and put it right in there as well.

4) Probiotics: Although not a food item most probiotics require refrigeration to preserve their potency. More companies are starting to manufacture non-refrigerated versions giving you more flexibility for traveling.

5) Dairy: Best to keep butter and cheese in special sections in your fridge especially your cheeses. Butter like eggs has a much longer shelf life than cheese. When you need a quick protein food choose low fat cheeses. Don’t be afraid to use butter – just use it sparingly.

6) Eggs: It’s a must to keep eggs cool in order to maintain quality. Eggs have an excellent shelf life and are always good to have handy for a quick protein meal or for a special recipe.

7) Coconut Milk and Coconut Butter: Here also you want to keep coconut products cool in order to maintain freshness. Coconut has gained a well-deserved reputation as being a healthy dairy alternative.

Here’s what to dump:

1) Leftovers: If they are more than 3 days old, best to discard. The longer you save prepared/cooked foods the more degradation and loss of nutrient value. So avoid cooking too much at one time. This does take practice but it’s best to eat your food as fresh as possible.

2) Salad Dressing: Most dressings in the marketplace are heavily sweetened or have less than pure ingredients in them. Best to stick to olive oil and either apple cider vinegar or balsamic as a suitable and healthier salad dressing option. There are also several vinegar and oil gourmet shops starting to crop up everywhere. They offer some great varieties like Blackberry or Persian Lime Vinegars. Or how about Hazelnut Oil anyone?

3) Mayo: Unless its non-hydrogenated best to avoid. Hydrogenation is a processing method that damages fragile oils deeming them toxic when consumed. Best to either make your own version of mayonnaise or try using plain yogurt instead. It may taste a little more sour but it’s better for you.

4) Sauces: Avoid most prepared sauces. They are usually loaded with artificial ingredients and add unnecessary calories to your meals. Think of using fresh herbs like dill, mint, basil or rosemary instead. Or use warming spices like curry, cumin or cayenne. Or cooling spices like oregano or Herbs du Provence, for example.

5) Ketchup: This condiment is nothing more than sugar and artificial ingredients. You can’t really even claim any redeeming vegetable/fruit contribution of the tomato because it’s just tomato flavoring nothing more. Try instead using chili powder or sriracha sauce instead but beware these two have more punch than ketchup.

Chill out and keep your Fridge Healthy.

Ok – it’s time right? Well isn’t it? It’s March and I’m sure you are still thinking that you want to be healthy and lean this year. It’s not too late – in fact it’s never too late. So do you want that for yourself?

Let me give you a few tips on how to make that possible – how does that sound?

1.    Give up being perfect.  I know it’s a hard one to do. We’ve been so conditioned to always do it right. But you know doing it right isn’t always the best way to learn. Especially when it comes to weight loss and weight maintenance. I really don’t know anyone who has not had a period in their lives when their eating was a source of trouble for them. Hard to believe really – but most people struggle either with their weight, eating the right things, eating enough of the right things, eating at the right time, eating enough and not too little, or not too much.  As you can see the very nature of our food terrain is uneven and again to attempt to be perfect at healthy eating could set you up for failure where you stop trying altogether. Do the best you can one meal at a time.  This leads me to my next tip…

2.    The 80/20 Rule. If you can follow a healthy eating plan 80% of the time you will have 80% results and that’s pretty good – wouldn’t you say? Let’s face it 80% or even 50% is better than 0%. Setting yourself up for “being good” 100% of the time can only be sustained for a short period. So give yourself a break and aim for 80%. This way you will feel virtuous and strong in your commitment most of the time and you’ll begin to lay the foundation for a healthier life – now and in the future.

3.   Forget about the grains. I know, I know – how can you live without grains?  Well give up most of the grains –keep quinoa, millet and maybe some rice once in a while but that’s about it. It takes practice to steer clear of the bread basket, the cookies and even the foods that are marketed as healthy like protein bars or granola. But you will do much better without most grains. What about fiber – you ask? How will my bowels function and isn’t fiber also important for lowering cholesterol? Yes, fiber is critical and know there’s plenty of fiber in fresh fruits and vegetables.  Even protein contains some amount of fiber as well.

4.  Say Goodbye to Fruit Juice. What a dietary standard – how can you give this up, too? Well remember I mentioned fiber? You don’t get much of or any of that in fruit juice. Besides that – it is very high in fructose (or fruit sugar) which is challenging for your liver to process and utilize. Think of it this way you wouldn’t sit down and eat 8 oranges in one sitting – would you?  Well that’s exactly what you’re having when you swig down a glass of orange juice in the morning. And don’t be fooled by having that “heart healthy” bowl of fruit entrée as your entire breakfast – that will just set you up for blood sugar issues later in the morning. My rule of thumb is always have protein in every meal – including your breakfast –Always!

5.  Eat by the Clock. Make your meals not only a healthy habit but also a regular one. Plan to eat your meals pretty much at the same time every day. This sets up your body to get used to a regular blood sugar, digestion and energy cycle. Your body as well as your mind likes consistency and the structure a regular meal time brings. If you’re in the habit of missing meals, having long periods between meals or snacking regularly because you ran out of fuel – you’re on a slippery slope to having blood sugars as well as stress hormones issues down the road. Once these hormonal swings begin they will start effecting everything else in your body in no time. Give yourself the comfort of knowing you will be fed and nurtured on a regular basis. Your body will thank you.

Wanting to overhaul the not-so-healthy habits for healthy ones is always a smart idea not only at the start of a new year but, of course, always.

Simple Tips to get you started…

Welcome to Your Skinny Jeans World!