Archive for food – Page 3

Let Food Be Your Medicine

04/19/13 Monika Comments (0)

Hippocrates, the father of Modern Day Medicine, said “Let Food Be Your Medicine”. I go a little further and add “Let Your Kitchen Be Your Pharmacy”.  We can’t deny the powerful effects of a healthy diet from reversing aging and the potential for disease, helping you think better, move better and ultimately feel better.  Drugs are not nourishing to the body, however healthy nutrients found in REAL foods and bio-available supplements are.  I am not saying that medicine isn’t necessary – surely they are in emergency situations and for those who are already suffering from a debilitating health condition.  But choosing a healthy diet is the key to a long and healthy life.

Here are 4 Simple Steps to Reversing Aging in your Body & Mind using Food:

1)    Choose fresh, whole foods – Stay away from cans, bags and boxes.  Foods closer to their Natural Form – those closest to Mother Nature are the real deal!  They have all the vital nutrients your body needs on a day to day basis.  Skip all the processed food today – they will only give you the  minimal amounts your body needs and more likely will rob you of what benefits you may have received, if any.

2)    A Calorie is Not a Calorie: OK – there is some confusion about this.  For years popular media, diets and general information has been overly focused on calories.  Calories are only a fraction of what comprises healthy eating and being overly focused on them can get in the way of choosing the right foods.  For example: a piece chocolate cake may have the same calories as say a piece of chicken, but they are completely opposite in their effects on your body.  The chicken is a great protein source giving your body necessary “information” to help you stay healthy and strong.  The chocolate cake on the other hand has very little “information” your body can use. It provides empty and/or negative calories, robbing you of your health and vitality.

3)    Vegetables are your Friends:  Yes, your Mom was right!  Even though when most of us grew up they didn’t taste as good as they do today – why because today they don’t need to be overcooked or come out of a can.  We have farmer’s markets, organic food stores, and we can even grow our own.  A dear friend told me the other week she happened to have a volunteer cherry tomato plant growing outside her apartment – she’s on the 2nd floor!  It’s a new version of Jack in the Bean Stock!  Good food can grow almost anywhere – take advantage.

4)   Don’t be shy about using Spices and Herbs.   Herbs and spices not only enhance the flavor of whole foods but many have therapeutic benefits.  Like Turmeric, often used in Indian Cooking, reduces inflammation in the body.  Ginger (gingerroot or powdered) has a myriad of health benefits – not only does it reduce inflammation it also helps with any congestion you may have as well as digestion.  Sip on some ginger tea when you have a sore throat or your stomach is upset – it works wonders!  Also, Cinnamon is known for balancing blood sugar. These are only a few examples.

5)    *Bonus* Stop skipping on the sleep – So, so, so important!  Although, not food I have to mention it because it does affect how you digest, process and utilize what you eat.  Without your body regenerating and getting sufficient rest you will suffer.  Without at least 7 hours of sleep your brain does not receive sufficient blood flow.  Your decision making ability, mental focus and physical coordination are affected.  And long term effects can be dramatic.

So go to Mother Nature and let her do her stuff!  Eat well, Live Well and YOU will Reap the Harvest!

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Scary Food on the Table

04/17/13 Monika Comments (0)

Recently I was perusing an on-line newsletter where they were talking about Weapons of Mass Destruction – but they weren’t arms, guns, etc – it was about food!  The food choices that we and our children are making unknowingly on a daily basis are very destructive.  It’s a crime that such food choices are even being offered in restaurants or grocery stores at all.  Eating these items on a regular basis translates into becoming a walking time bomb.  Yikes!

A few examples are:

Burger King Meat Beast Whopper (the name should tell it all):

910 calories
60 g fat (21 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
1810 mg sodium

Denny’s Fried Cheese Melt with Wavy Fries and Marinara (just the thought set my heart on fire – and not in a good way…)

1,260 calories
63 g fat (21 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3,010 mg sodium

Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad (yes, dear readers even the “blessed” salad is not what it should be)

1390 calories
6 g saturated fat
1672 mg sodium 

Ok – here’s one more…

Claim Jumper Widow Maker Burger (again a very suitable name for what it delivers)

1492 calories
29 g saturated fat
2648 mg sodium

(courtesy of www.eatthis.menshealth.com)

Let’s stop this madness! 

Here are 6 Tips to help you make healthier choices:

1. Stop the Salt. The right amount of Sodium for a healthy adult should be no more than 2300 mg./day not per meal.  And for those with high blood pressure or diabetes the Sodium content per day should be no more than 1500 mg.  So obviously the 4 meals I cited earlier are much higher than they should be.

2. At home keep serving dishes off the table. Researchers have found that when people are served individual plates, as opposed to empty plates with a platter of food in the middle of the table, they tend eat up to 35 percent less!

3. Think before you drink. The average person drinks more than 400 calories a day–double what he or she used to–and alone gets about 10 teaspoons of added sugar every single day from soft drinks.  Many of these drinks contain more than a day’s worth of calories, sugar and fat! Swap out sweetened teas and sodas for water or tea.

4. Practice total recall. British scientists found that people who thought about their last meal before snacking ate 30 percent fewer calories that those who didn’t stop to think. The theory: Remembering what you had for lunch might remind you of how satiated you are and how gratifying the food was, which then makes you less likely to binge on your afternoon snack.  This is one of the reasons why keeping a food diary, especially when you want reduce your weight, is an excellent strategy.

5. Always eat protein at every meal.  When you are maintaining a healthy weight eating protein with every meal helps you feel more satisfied for a longer period of time. Protein is the best nutrient for jumpstarting your metabolism, squashing your appetite, and helping you eat less at subsequent meals.

6. Start the day right. If you eat eggs in the morning instead of a bagel, you will be consuming about 264 fewer calories the rest of the day, according to a Saint Louis University study. Again, protein is more filling and much more sustaining than a starchy carbohydrate would be.

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Are You Afraid of Dieting?

04/12/13 Monika Comments (0)

You might be afraid of dieting – even the word scares most of us.  Why?  Because we feel we will fail.  You may not know this but 90% – 95% of Women’s Self Esteem is based on their body image.  Surprising?   Based on my nearly 20 years in practice I have seen, felt and heard the pain surrounding how we women feel about our bodies.  It can be heartbreaking and yet so real.  It affects everything in our lives.  We care too much or we don’t care enough.  I am not a big advocate for dieting, in general, because most diets are designed to fail and they do not take into account hormonal imbalance, improper sleep habits, stress and emotional eating patterns and physiological effects.  But most importantly they don’t take into account the crucial thing – one crucial thing – our thoughts.

Most of us want the Perfect Body.  So we decide to go on a diet and exercise. We essentially DO a Diet for a few weeks and then give up.  Do you want to know the Real Secret to Weight Loss?  You actually need to Become The Person who has a Perfect Body even before you have it otherwise your efforts will only be temporary…

You must change your thoughts in order to have what you want.  It’s really not the diet that counts, it’s who you have to be to follow the diet.  Millions look for the right diet and then focus on what they have to do rather than who they have to be.  Total new concept for most of us I know. A diet will not help you if you don’t change your thoughts.  That’s where the real work begins. It’s an inside job.

As I have been sharing with many of you lately “Your real work starts only after you lose your desired weight.”  Usually we can lose weight – the real miracle, however, is in keeping it off.  But even before the weight comes off you have to be ready to change on the inside.  When thinking of changing your eating, improving your health and deciding to “diet” you may want to ask some questions.

 6 Revealing Questions You can Ask Yourself before Embarking on a “Diet”:

1) Are you more committed to staying the same or to changing?  This is a tough one because you say you want to change – but do you really?  Are you willing to do what it takes – to stick to it no matter what?  Or will you be led astray the first time you are tempted with the chocolate cake or chips and salsa?  Sometimes it’s not the actual food but the addictive patterns that seem to develop after you take that first bite.

2) Does the pain of having more weight feel normal to you? I find sometimes we are very committed to our story – even though you say you don’t want to have the weight you presently have and feeling uncomfortable with the extra 10 + lbs.  After all what would you have to complain about or beat yourself up about?  I know this is perhaps harsh – these are the deeper questions you need to ask yourself. When you lose weight, as is often the case, you start seeing your life differently and the things that appeared “fine” may not be so fine and they require some changes to be made.  Yet when one thing changes, expect other parts of your life to change – and not too worry it could be for the better and hopefully it is for the better.

3) Are you ready to make a change in your life?  Change can be frightening.  We get so comfortable in our discomfort that we can’t imagine anything different and better.  We tolerate things when we needn’t tolerate them.  It’s a big decision to actually start eating healthy and not relying on whatever happens to be in the fridge, grocery store or drive-through. We go to dinner and feel we must have everything on our plate and oh we must have that divine bread in that heavenly basket which is calling our name.  Why would we want to give this up?  It’s entertainment, social and rewarding.  I can’t live without eating whatever I want you might say to yourself.  But what is the price?  When you stand in front of the mirror feeling hopeless when absolutely NOTHING fits you – are you ready to make a change then?

4) Are you letting distractions sabotage your efforts?  Everything else takes priority – after all who am I you might ask?  Tommy’s baseball game is more important than my silly diet – right?  This work project needs to get done – after all it’s my job and it’s more important than getting to the store and stocking my kitchen with healthy foods. Oh, I’m having guests over this week and they’ll want to go out to dinner every night – I’ll just eat what they eat and not make a fuss.  These are only a few examples of how sabotaging your efforts can de-rail you on an ongoing basis.  There will always be something that comes up – always.

5) Are you wanting to lose weight for you or for someone else?  Does someone in your life let you know they aren’t happy about your present body shape?  They may not come out and say it (although some blatantly do) but you may hear some subtle and even hurtful clues and comments.  The proverbial question (which never should be asked of a man – it’s just so unfair to ask them) “Do I look fat in this?”  Is this really your perception or the observer’s?  It is a no win set up question.  But if someone in your life is making you feel less than because you may have put on a few lbs, make sure that it’s something you want to do and not just people please.  That, again, is a no win situation. People pleasing will never get you what you want in life.

6) Are you unrealistic about your weight loss goals?  I sometimes have clients come in wanting to lose weight quickly or want to be at a healthy weight they were at when they were 19 and now they are 50.   If this is the case, you are just setting yourself up for disappointment.  Setting realistic and healthy goals is a must.  You should never be losing more than 1-3 lbs per week.  If you are it is mostly muscle mass which is very unhealthy.  Yes, certainly the first week you will lose more, and most of that is water weight, but after that stick to a slow and steady weight loss pace. And expect a plateau – that is a natural phenomenon and will easily be remedied by tweaking a few things either in your diet or in your exercise regimen.

7)  Are You 3 Feet From Gold?  This is really about quitting – quitting just before you arrive. Don’t quit – you may be just at the point when you are about to make progress, whether it’s a plateau or you’ve lost all the weight you wanted to.  Again, after the weight comes off the real work begins.  Make sure you have a good maintenance strategy in place.  This is the most vulnerable time after you’ve lost the weight.  You may think you are safe and invincible and start eating “the weight gaining foods” – lots of starches, sugars, etc.  Your portions sizes may start to increase.  Or you may start eating late at night.  These habits are so tricky – they seem to re-enter your life when you least expect them to. So prepare yourself and find a professional support system.

Most important – remember always Honor Your Body and Yourself and treat yourself like Gold.

Are You are 3 feet from your own Gold?  

Don’t Quit. 

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The Weight & Digestion Connection

04/03/13 Monika Comments (0)

bowl

My mother always says “You appreciate health when you don’t have it!”

And not having a healthy digestion can impact everything.  In Ayurvedic Medicine – the 5000 year old medicine of India, they place great emphasis on the role of digestion.  Not only digesting what you eat but also digesting your thoughts and experiences in a healthy way.  Processing everything you experience beneficially– so you are not overcome with, at the very least, indigestion.

If you do not break down your foods you will be more vulnerable to weight gain, infection, mental fog and down the road – many various diseases if left unchecked.

With my weight loss programs we are ensuring that proper digestion is attained.  By taking out foods that may be indigestible to you such as some of the biggies – distressing foods like dairy, wheat and soy.  Of course, not everyone has a problem with these foods but many do.  Gluten sensitivity caused by not only wheat intolerance but also other gluten grains like oats, rye, and oatmeal is sometimes difficult to recognize unless you take them out of your diet for a short period and then re-introduce them.  Congestion is often a sign of a dairy sensitivity and possibly an allergy.  Great examples of this occurrence would be sinus issues, scratchy throat, headaches.  These are typical of sensitivities but how about some of the other more common digestive problems such as GERD, indigestion, bowel issues, gas & bloating – these stress your body leaving you depleted and unwell.

My 5 Simple Tips to Get Your Digestion in Shape!

#1  Eat Slowly.  You will eat less and digest better.  You will allow for time to warn your digestive system that you’re sending food down.  Contrary to popular belief your digestion actually starts in your brain – you start thinking about food and Voila – suddenly you start salivating preparing your body for chewing and digestion.  If you eat fast you will gain weight of course, but also set yourself up for indigestion, heartburn, belching and other unhealthy symptoms.

#2 Take Probiotics Daily. This is a must and Yakult will not do it – neither will yogurt.  They may taste good but they actually have very little active probiotic ingredients in them.  Pro-biotic means pro-life as opposed to anti-biotics which kill everything in its path.  You want to ensure good digestion by giving your body good bugs to fight off the enemy – like infection.  It also helps with staving off sugar cravings – when your stomach has sufficient good bacteria and enzymes, not only will you break down your food better, but you’ll feel more satisfied and eat less and make better choices.

#3  Watch Food Combining. There has been some discussion for the last 20 years or so about mixing foods and which can cause digestive upset.  To let you know -it takes protein about 3-4 hours to digest, complex carbohydrates (like grains and beans) about 2 hours and fruit about ½ hour.  When you mix complex carbohydrates with protein they break down at different times often causing problems with lower bowel gas and discomfort.  You want to primarily pair protein with vegetables and complex carbohydrates with other higher water content vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, eggplant for example. This is a good suggestion when losing weight as protein and high water content vegetables are the best combination for initial weight loss.

#4   Wait Before Exercising Even though exercise is a good thing to do, especially if you want to lose weight, when you exercise immediately after eating all the energy in your body goes directly to your muscle system and not to your digestive system.  So the meal you just ate will simply be just waiting around to be digested after you finish your exercise.  This could take up to an hour or more.  Do you want food just sitting there – fermenting in your tummy?  No – you want it to go through the digestive process as efficiently as possible. When you rest after eating you’ll be giving your body a chance to make use of all the nutrients you just consumed.

#5  Biggest Meal At Lunch.  In Ayurveda they say “eat your biggest meal when the sun or “Digestive Juices” are at their height” which is usually midday. Most of the world eats this way – but not here in North America and, as I recall, the UK doesn’t uphold this tradition either.  This is THE best time for the hardiest meal. This doesn’t mean a 16 oz steak and potatoes – but you can have a great salad with protein or piece of salmon with mixed steamed veggies. This gives your body time to break down food slowly throughout the afternoon.  It may cause some sleepiness – witness “Siesta” time in many of our southern climates, a lesson perhaps we should learn to adopt. Start your day off light and end your day light, too with adequate protein and carbohydrates –  critical for overall health, weight loss and maintenance.  Happy Munching and Crunching!

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Want to Get Your Skinny On?

03/18/13 Monika Comments (0)

Is this really what it’s all about?  It’s seldom about what you are eating but more about what’s eating you.  Once you tackle and conquer this piece you will be well on your way to ultimate health, weight maintenance and happy days ahead.   Ok – I don’t want to convince you about life being perfect when you get here – to your ideal weight that is – it never is and never will be but you can get closer to feeling and being healthier if you get to the root of your hazardous eating habits.

I must admit – I am not perfect!  There I’ve said it – I struggle with sugar cravings maybe as much as you do. I am not as consistent with my exercise as I’d like to be. I sometimes do not get 6-9 servings of fruits and vegetables into to my diet on a daily basis.  I am not perfect nor do I want you to be either.  I do, however, want you to strive to make healthier choices – that is my mission – it’s my Skinny Jeans Mission.

Speaking of which – I have been on the hunt for the Most Flattering Skinny Jeans for my body. Just like you I Want to Get my Skinny On, too!  And since it’s my brand I NEED to Get my Skinny On (and keep it on)– and quickly before Bathing Suit season strikes.

I do not own a pair of Skinny Jeans and even though the Skinny Jeans Weight Loss Programs have never been about Skinny Jeans but rather about YOU fitting into YOUR Jeans – you know the ones you once wore when you were thinner. But let’s take it even a step further – this is not just about your Jeans but really it’s been about YOU Fitting into Your Life.  My program name just happened to coincide with the recent Skinny Jeans trend.

But back to my hunt for my perfect Skinny Jeans – it’s been a struggle.  The legs are too tight or the waist is too big – a dilemma – anyone else finding this to be true?

I have been told by women who want to lose 50 or more lbs that the thought of wearing a pair Skinny Jeans is a joke – something they can’t fathom or imagine putting on.  I will say this loudly and proudly Women over 50 lbs or over 50 years old can and should feel beautiful in their body and find a pair of jeans they feel comfortable in and look good in.

Here are the 5 Skinny Jean Truths to Consider:

Skinny Jean Truth #1 – Don’t Be afraid To Try them On:  As is everything in life – don’t be afraid to try something new.  Stretch a little (and make sure your Skinnies have stretch, too!).  You will never know until you jump in.  I realized this Truth during the past few weeks while embarking on my Skinny Jeans Treasure Hunt.  I really hadn’t been looking for these types of Jeans recently but now I was curious – how would I look in a pair? In my mind I had a vague memory of wearing Skinny Jeans before circa late 80’s, early 90’s. Remember them along with leggings?…who would have thought…Go ahead have fun with them.  The worst that can happen is they don’t fit.  Just like trying on a new habit – don’t be afraid to try it on for size.

Skinny Jean Truth #2 – Invite a Friend:  Playing with clothes is fun with a friend.  Whether you are doing retail therapy or finding new ways of putting existing things you already own together in your closet.  Also, doing a Healthy Eating Weight Loss Program is also better with a buddy.  If your spouse is supporting you by joining you – your efforts will be much more easily rewarded and results will soon be visible for both of you.  You won’t need to battle with someone bringing tempting foods into the house – you’ll both be on the same page with your plates.

Skinny Jean Truth #3  YOUR Jeans may be another’s Nightmare:  Do not compare yourself to anyone else.   This will make you crazy and very unhappy.  Someone will always have less weight to lose, be a much smaller size, able to eat more or eat things you can’t.  Or maybe they don’t even need to lose weight. It’s just that way – we are all different and I want you to respect your uniqueness.  Know that your timeline is different, your genes are different and your background and experience is different – honor it!

Skinny Jean Truth #4  All Jeans lead to Rome:  If you put one foot in front of the next – you will eventually get to where you want to go.  If you expect overnight success with your weight loss efforts or healthy eating regimen – you may be disappointed.  You must do what it takes and You MUST take one step, then the next – each step builds onto the next. And then before you know it – Voila – you are there!  You have lost the weight, you are now eating 5-9 fruits and vegetables per day and you’re going to the gym every other day.  The first sign you’ve arrived at this point is that you feel something’s missing if you don’t do this new lifestyle habit.  And who knows maybe you’ll be in Rome buying your New Jeans.  Well, maybe…

Skinny Jean Truth #5  Find a Transition Jean:  When losing weight – slowly but surely – don’t deprive yourself.  Please don’t think of eating healthfully with quality proteins, good fats and fruits and vegetables as deprivation.  This is the way you should eat for optimal health.  As is with your eating, stop the deprivation mindset and buy yourself a few new things – like a pair of jeans – as you start to lose weight.  For example: if you have 50 lbs to lose – buy a new pair at the 25 lbs weight loss mark.  I suggest treating yourself half way to your goal.

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7 Revolutionary Lean Laws To Live By

03/08/13 Monika Comments (0)

You say you want a Revolution?  Well, maybe not!  Revolution requires an immense amount of focused effort.  I was recently asked by woman who was interested in our programs that if she did everything right and still didn’t lose all the weight she expected to would she be charged.

I feel as though I need to educate my readers and interested clients a little more.  It’s never about a number on the scale although we are very often led to believe that’s all that matters.  Revolutionary changes often take place on the inside.  The scale is not the only indicator of success in a Health, Weight or Wellness Program.  By far it’s so much more than that!

If you start out expecting a certain outcome and another one happens that could possibly be even better, deeper and more long lasting than the original expectation – wouldn’t you be happier? I would think the answer would be yes.

Let’s get to the 7 Revolutionary Lean Laws:

Law #1   Make a Promise to Yourself.  You probably find yourself keeping promises to everyone else but yourself.  If you plan to go to yoga tonight – go.  If you plan to stick with your healthy foods choices while out of town – do the best you can to keep this promise to yourself.  Don’t let other’s priorities influence your choices.

Law #2   Eat Slower.  Did you know eating slower not only helps your digestion but you also will eat less?  This does take practice but you can do it.  Take time to taste, savor and enjoy your food.  Do as the Europeans do “respect food” rather than overeating – possibly shoving it down and eating while doing something else.  Make believe you’re in a Paris Café if that helps.

Law #3   Have a “Vacation State of Mind”.  Don’t wait for Summer Vacation to relax and feel good – start now.  If you are constantly thinking about the future well, of course, you will not appreciate today.  As with food begin to savor the day’s richness and flavor. Plan for smoothness in your life versus always having complications, delays or misunderstandings.  It’s often just as simple as focusing on having ease in your life.  Difficulties create undo stress.  Why not choose to re-route these perceived difficulties and take a detour instead?

Law #4   Things I Miss List.  A client told me today that she’d like to start a “Things I Miss Journal” while doing her Skinny Jeans Program.  I thought that was a brilliant idea. I asked her to add not only food she missed having, which was her original idea, but also habits, activities or experiences that were not part of her life while on her Program.  This is an exercise in awareness. What I have noticed is that list changes and is replaced by a “Things I Like Doing that I didn’t Before”.  Like going to bed earlier, eating regular meals, having 6-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day or drinking more water.  It’s a sure sign that mind shifts are occurring and starting to anchor in.

Law #5   Falling From Grace.  Another client shared with me today that she’d fallen from grace and started eating foods that she hadn’t eaten in months. She consciously started eating candy, cakes and pasta again.  Her guilt was evident after all she’d reached her goal and had spent a lot of time and money to get there.  But her curiosity got the best of her and she wanted to know how those foods tasted again and also how much she could get away with without gaining any weight.  Well she did gain weight and didn’t feel so well which leads me to our next Law.

Law #6   Your Body Doesn’t Lie. Your body can speak to you loud and clear. Even if you get off track and do gain a few lbs you may find other things are going on in your body as well.  All of a sudden rashes, stomach aches, fatigue, irritability and hot flashes re-appear.  You thought you were done with these annoying symptoms once you lost the weight and now they are back with a vengeance.  It’s most likely due to you re-introducing foods that are not your friends back into your diet.  You may not have a full blown food allergy but rather a subtle and not so subtle food intolerance.  You just don’t feel as good as you did.  Cut out the food culprits whether it’s wheat, sugar, dairy or eggs for a couple of weeks and slowly re-introduce them one food at a time.

Law #7   Trust Your Gut. Digestion is key to having a long and healthy life.  If you suffer from digestive distress such as acid reflux or GERD, IBS, constipation or diarrhea it’s vital you correct this condition as soon as possible.  While visiting Canada last week my niece thanked me for introducing her to Probiotics.  She had been plagued with digestive “issues” and now with one simple remedy taken daily she is transformed.  She feels happier, lighter and healthier.  If you are not digesting properly you aren’t making the best use of the food you are eating.

These “revolutionary” Lean Laws can help you, too.  Take one step today.

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From Your Eyes to Your Thighs

11/22/12 Monika Comments (0)

Several years ago my friend and colleague Dr. Christopher Vogelmann – a chiropractor from the DC area – and I were jokingly (as we often do) discussingHoliday indulging. We were specifically speaking about Eggnog and agreed that this beverage’s key result is that the more you drink the more it will go “from your eyes to your thighs”.

Yes, no getting around it – this festive drink is highly caloric and potentially “dangerous” for any efforts of getting and staying in your Skinny Jeans. Which led me to think what else causes this during the soon to be Holiday Season?

Well most of the foods and drinks offered at this time of year fall in the same bottomless pit of regret and January redemption. So to avoid the possibly inevitable – this article will offer you some solution.

Here Are Your 5 Tips for Keeping It Off Your Thighs:

Tip #1  Eliminate the Temptation: Don’t start, be honest with yourself and remove the temptations from the premises.  It’s not only the candy bar or pumpkin pie, if nuts or cheese is your downfall avoid them, as well.  Keep them out of your house.  If a family member happens to love their crackers or ice cream enroll them in a healthier way of eating even if they don’t struggle with their weight.  Staying off these low nutrients types of foods is really good idea for everyone.

pizza

Tip #2  Keep Your Friends Close: Those friends I am referring to are the people in your life who support you in all and any of your efforts to stay lean and healthy. However, I am including in this friend category the actual foods that should be your best friends as well. These food friends are specifically vegetables, lean protein and quality fats. These friends are trustworthy, reliable and will always help you keep your thighs, tummy and everything trim on your body.

Tip#3  Beware of those EXTRA Non-Nutritious Calories: They add up oh so easily.  Think of a bank account – you spend a few dollars on this, $20 on that and $76 on something else and all of sudden you’ve blown your budget for the week.  Your food choices are kind of like that, too.  These little noshes here and there – at the family get together, while driving, while passing the candy dish at work. They all add up and can be astonishing if you were to calculate your nibbles. Or how about the chips and salsa – don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ll ONLY have one – you know where that will lead you? With holiday eating save yourself for the best indulgence – real, wholesome, nutritious food. These foods will give you more bang for buck and keep you healthy throughout the good and hectic times ahead.

dipandchips

Tip#4 Keep Your Cool: Maintain control.  You do in other parts of your life don’t you why not with your food?  If you are normally a pretty balanced person, however find yourself being stretched emotionally at work or in your personal life by some challenge. Taking a cooling off period versus engaging, which may take you in the direction you don’t want to be going, is a healthy thing to do. Give yourself a time out for a couple of hours a few days before making a decision and definitely don’t berate yourself – ever! Keep your cool, your control and your commitment to yourself to be good to yourself.

lady_meditating

Tip #5 Small Bites, Please: If you must try the “forbidden” food – go ahead and simply do it and then move on.  You might want to change the thought that you “can’t” have something because it’s “not on your diet”.  This type of restrictive thinking will only make you want it more, it’ll make you feel joyless and you’ll probably go over the edge and have a lot more of it!  Better to allow yourself a “food experiment” every once in awhile – trying the food will help you to satisfy your curiosity. So go ahead and have it. Feeling deprived and rebellious will make you overdo the forbidden food filling you with regret and a few extra lbs. Just take a few small bites and then be done with it.

If unhealthy foods are not around you won’t see them and you’ll be more likely keep your  thighs and belly healthy and lean all year long.

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Taming the Home Based Business Stress Eating Monster

10/29/09 Monika Comments (0)

A colleague of mine suggested a Skinny Jeans Program for home based business owners. This sounded like an excellent idea. When you work at home, the fridge can be WAY too close for comfort. Here are some ways to dampen the ghoulish “Fridge and Cupboard Raider” within. It escapes so easily, especially when no one is watching—no one except you that is.

Here are 5 Tips to Tame This Monster:

  1. What to do when you’ve lost energy and concentration. When you are working at home, it’s easy to not get started and procrastinate. Then once you get started, you can’t stop working. You go into hyper-drive and may even forget to eat for hours. Then you realize you are unable to think any longer. You think, “Hey I’m hungry, maybe eating something will help get my brain working again.” Often, because your blood sugar has dipped too far, you may reach for some stimulating sugary item just to keep you going. Better not to miss meals, so you can keep steady energy all throughout you work day.
  2. Feeling frustrated by some delay or a client not responding the way you had hoped. You automatically let your frustration take you to that box of cookies your son has stored nicely in the cupboard. You can’t help yourself and before you know it, you’ve eaten the whole box (and it was not even open before you came along). Not only is this one of the worse ways to gain weight quickly, you will also face a sugar dive in an hour or so after eating this box of cookies. To alleviate frustration, try leaving your office for awhile, go for a walk, go to the gym and avoid making a bee-line for nearest grocery store, fast-food restaurant, or to your fridge.
  3. You find yourself disorganized and can’t find what you are looking for all day long, you wish you had help, and you wish this was easier. You want to quit thinking that this is harder than you expected. You are being hard on yourself and feeling hopeless. You ask, “Why don’t I get a job? What made me think I could be successful?” You’re at the end of your rope. Sound familiar? Well that’s when those cravings happen, attacks of anything carbohydrate—chocolate, candy, cakes, the potato chips—all of the forbidden foods. So remember, try to organize your day the night before. That always helps. You have a game plan as you go to bed at night and then you can start fresh in the morning by looking at this plan.
  4. You’ve done a great job and sealed the deal. In celebration of your victory, you feel you should reward yourself with ice cream or a couple of drinks with friends. What you might do is reward yourself with a massage, a movie that you’ve been wanting to see, or for a really big win, perhaps an extended weekend getaway. The latter is somewhat of a delayed gratification; however, just knowing you will be doing something special like this for yourself may help you prevent overdoing it with food and alcohol.
  5. Can’t get the creative ideas you are looking for, you may even feel uninspired, or even bored. You start frequenting the kitchen often. Any excuse will do. Even if you think that might not be the case. I would suggest, especially while working on intense and demanding projects and deadlines, to keep a food log or journal. You might be surprised. More often than not you end up snacking all day long. Worse, you have your snacks on your desk. Please avoid that temptation. Keep everything out of sight and out of mind as much as possible.

(c) Monika Klein, B.S., C.N. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the “Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.” Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika’s services and programs, visit www.coachingforhealth.com.

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Skin Care—Skin Deep?

10/23/09 Monika Comments (0)

Beauty from within is a very ancient concept. The cosmetic, health, and beauty industries have been focusing on this for decades. Scientifically tested ingredients and nutrients are taking the beauty field by storm. With our reluctantly aging population, the market for anti-aging products is seeing a growth spurt—from functional foods and beverages to therapeutic supplements and body care. The variety of emerging beauty products—think ingredients that target stress relief, anti-aging, ultraviolet protection, overall wellness, skin hydration and hormonal balance—makes it hard to deny the field of anti-aging is here to stay.

Market analysis firms like Datamonitor expects this industry to grow over the next year to $3.6 billion here in the United States and $4.4 billion in Europe. Amazing isn’t it. We baby boomers absolutely care about how we age and we are not going down without a fight. That fight is a gentle fight—right? I hope so. Using natural approaches to our inner and outer health and beauty is essential.

Industry experts say we are readily making the connection between what we put inside our bodies and our appearance. In general, most of us understand how our diets can have an effect upon things other than our weight and health. We know if a person is eating junk food and is overweight, her skin won’t be as healthy as it should be. We now understand as well, more than ever, that health does indeed equal beauty.

We are seeing beauty and cosmetic companies adding healthy fish oil, green tea, and resveratrol to their products. These additions are known to contribute to healthier aging. Even the NEEM plant used readily in ancient Indian Medicine called Ayurveda is being introduced into products as well. Topical use of this plant can help with fungal or yeast types of skin conditions. Also, skin care ingredients that help with the immune function of the skin are also being added and are becoming popular. These products address skin irritations such as itching, flaking, or scaling.

With this growing focus on beauty from within, adding nourishing nutrients from food and skin formulations that help with hydration are essential to maintain inner and outer beauty, and radiant health. Feeding yourself inside and out will increase protection from oxidative stress, which is the culprit for accelerated aging. Foods, beverages, and skin care products with powerful anti-oxidants called carotenoids and powerful vitamins are vital for health and beauty.

My favorite anti-aging ingredient is something called AgeLoc, which locks or stops the free radical damage of the skin. It literally stops the AR NOX enzymes, which are responsible for aging.

The scientific community and beauty industry will announce next week a new scientific discovery in anti-aging. It will have something to do with resetting your genes. Imagine changing the genetic code of your skin and resetting your genes so you can start looking much younger. Imagine that. Well I’m all for it. How about you?

(c) Monika Klein, B.S., C.N. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the “Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.” Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika’s services and programs, visit www.coachingforhealth.com.

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Need to Transform Yourself?

09/04/09 Monika Comments (0)

I like to consider myself an alchemist and an artist in the work I do. I help you transform your body and usually your mind. I’m sure you have heard when Michelangelo gazed at a piece of marble, he saw the beauty and essence of the piece of art he was about to sculpt. Sometimes I too feel like Michelangelo when I first start working with a client. I see what clients can become after our transformational work together. I feel confident knowing that my clients’ natural health and beauty will start shining through more brilliantly than ever in just a few short weeks. With my guidance, many of my clients transform their lives during the remarkable journey we take together.

Transformation doesn’t happen overnight however. We live in a quick fix culture. We want overnight results. Just take a pill, buy a new outfit, get your hair and make-up done, and all of a sudden, voila, we are changed, we are different…well not so fast. Is this temporary quick fix an illusion? Really true transformation does take time. It may not take forever, but it does take time.

I would encourage you to start thinking about the type of transformation you want to make in your health, your body, and your life. What do you really want to have? What kind of transformation do you want in your life today? What do you want in the next few months, in six months, by the end of 2009, or the end of 2010? What things do you really want to change and what do you want to let go? What do you want to become more of?

I urge you to think about some of the things you’ve tried before, which might not have turned out as you had imagined. Was your goal too vague or was it an unattainable quick fix? Or were you ever successful at something initially and it only provided short success? Even though transformation occasionally seems immediate, true transformation happens slowly and methodically, and inevitably gets you what you really want in life. You need to dream, to plan, and then take action.

When it comes to my business in health and weight loss, I help you make an intelligent and committed choice to lose weight and be healthy. Getting into your Skinny Jeans may be what you want. Even though that looks like the ultimate transformation, first and foremost, it’s really an inside job.

You start by making better food choices, being more consistent with your exercise regimen, you go to sleep earlier, and you stop watching too much TV. The changes start adding up and your lifestyle changes. You feel better about yourself and you look physically different, as well. You begin to feel healthier, lighter, and more vibrant, as if you can do almost anything. You feel more confidant and proud of yourself. The transformation of our Skinny Jeans Program doesn’t take forever and it doesn’t happen overnight either (as I mentioned earlier). However, somewhere in the middle it’s doable, realistic, and the results are astounding.

Like some of the things I hear daily in my office.

  • “I’m amazed I’m not hungry!”
  • “I’m amazed I’m feeling so much better!” 
  • “I can’t believe I really don’t need as much food as I thought I did!” 
  • “I can’t believe how good food actually tastes!”

Daily I see the healthy, beaming glow, which is an amazing transformation! Clients who I have phone consultations with will also tell me about the many compliments they are getting.

So is this something you want in your life this year? Or is there something else? We all want good health, great relationships, money, and work we love. What are the specifics for you? Take time to think about it, create your plan, and then get started.

(c) Monika Klein, B.S., C.N. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the “Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.” Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika’s services and programs, visit www.coachingforhealth.com.

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