Finding Time

Found this great article that hit the core for me and I am sure for many others. Often people say that do not have time to eat healthy..but one really does. Just change your though process and make it a priority.
To continue the weight loss process you need to have good food available and a healthy attitude
At the beginning of the week take some time to think through your week-meetings, lunchtime, cooking time. Then try to plan the healthy meals that will be the easiest to prepare according to your schedule.
Market time consider the healthier choices. Fresh greens and fruit that is already precut and cleaned. Frozen prepared means that are the lowest in sodium, fat etc-check the labels.
In some cases, one can call ahead at the local market to order their deli choices. Now it is even possible to order you whole weeks worth of food on-line and have it delivered.
Use your slow cooker, and your microwave.
When you do cook, if possible double the recipe and then freeze in containers for a meal latter in the week.

Exercise: yes all, I am sorry to say that we still have to keep moving. Our bodies are made to move, walk, run, workout, to keep us healthy.
Think about meetings or outings at bowling alley, park, swimming pool. GET RID of the "all or nothing attitude" .Ever little bit of movement that you do during the day is a plus.

STRESS Yes my friends stress is still with us, everyday. It can lead to muscle tension, less sleep, and chronic illness.
One of the easiest ways to help relieve stress is breathing. Stretching is also good, and of course
getting enough sleep. Do not skip sleep. Try to stay on a schedule to get at least 7 to 8 hours a night. Our bodies need this to keep the mind active and alert so one can cope with the day to day.
spark peoples wellness coach, article from AHA

Health by Chocolate

Most of us are loving this new research. Saw a program on TV and wanted to get some info. Saw an article in Natural solutions magazine April 2010and condensed it.
The plant for the dark chocolate contains more than 700 compounds. WHAT?? The research is finding that dark chocolate is heart-healthy and can be cancer fighting.
'Cacao comes from a fruit or the seeds of a fruit tree. Check your labels to find the purest form of the beans-look for single ingredient .
Purest form in the Cacao nibs-natural form contain no sugar- taste fruity
Dark chocolate: Look for highest level of cacao in the source..then low level of sugar vanilla and soy.
Cocoa powder: is very old, discovered in 1828 by a Dutchman when he invented a press to remove cocoa butter from the beans. Look for natural to get the most out of the cocoa powder.
Some ideas..dark chocolate, fresh fruits and organic nuts;;
Cocoa powder sea salt as a rub or added to chili, stews.
So try some of these products and see what kind of effects you might have.

calcium

Calcium the essential body building blocks for for bone health for both men and women(learned this in my on-line class).
Eat the calcium, limit the foods that delete the calcium stored. Don't forget the magnesiuim and D and K. This is one time that supplements can be of a help.
Try these foods for good sources:
Diary--mild yogart cheese
Veggies and green... leafy green ones....squash, green beans asparagus
Beans: black beans, pinto , kidney white beans..
How are you guys at this kind of eating? Keep it up-very important.

Energy boosting

Can you get some added energy by eating the rights foods? YES, I believe anyway.
I read a couple of articles that agree and have listed some of the top foods. What foods help you guys keep it going?
MORE frequent smaller meals to keep your sugar levels even--first and foremost..
Whole wheat pasta
Oatmeal
Fruit smoothies
peanut butter
Dried fruits
Yams
Beans
Apples
Carrots and chickpeas--I am beginning to put chickpeas into anything I can think of.

Eat breakfast#1 idea for eating for energy
Avoid grease
Whole grains--keep this your brain
Iron-energy boosting mineral

Cutting calories

We are talking about shopping, recipes and now calories. Reember we are on a healthy eating plan not a diet. However, a person does need to cut calories and exercise, no matter what we are planning.
Don't eyeball-love this one. Do you under estimate how much you really eat? I do, so I keep a food journal. A record of what I eat during the day and when and even why.
Read the food labels
Watch size at home but especially when eating out. Order small and or wrap half to go.
Measure out the snacks and then put away the bag.
Buy the single serve proportioned if you are having problems.
HOLD THE FAT: fat has more than twice the calories per gram (WOW) think about that. Be conservative. Use herbs red peppers, sea salt, skimp on the butter, dressing and creams.
Fruits and vegetables are your friends-high in volume, fiber and nutrients.
WATER WATER through out the day. Watch the soda, fruit juices and alcohol.
REMEMBER these are ideas that help me and hopefully might help you. I am sure you have read them before, I just like to repeat and repeat..

Healthy eating tip 6

Enjoy healthy fats and avoid unhealthy fats

One does need healthy fats to nourish your brain, heart and cells. Foods rich in omega-3 fats are important and can reduce cardio disease, improve mood and might help prevent dementia.

Try to add these healthy fats to your diet plant oils olive oil, as well as avocados nuts and seeds.

Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids call polyunsaturated fats are found in fish such as herring, salmon, mackeral. Can be found in walnut, soybean flax seed oils. I have found that I am depending on supplements to keep these going and trying slowly to incorporate the food.

WATCH red meat, whole milk margarine's, candy, cookies, snack foods, fried food and baked goods. All the great food we want to eat.

Healthy Eating tip 5

CARBS

I think people in general just love carbs. Unfortunately the carbs we most crave seem to be the unhealthy, fattening ones. Chips, crackers, pasta. What's a body to do. EAT the good ones

(whole grains)

They are rich in photochemical and antioxidants which help protect against heat disease, cancers and diabetes. Try to include the good carbs daily in your eating. Go slowly is just starting out on this new way of eating.

Healthy examples--whole grains, beans fruits and vegetables. They are digested slowly which makes you feel full longer.

Unhealthy-- white flour, refined sugar and white rice. They digest quickly and can cause spikes in blood sugar which is not good.

Diet tips

I am back to WATCHIMG my weight again and it is going up sooo, I need to be careful.
Found a website that gave me some tips for continuing healthcastle. I am sure we all know this but I feel that at this time for me, I need some re-enforcements
Eat at least five servings of fruits and veggies a day. Do any of us really do this?
Portion size: We all know that the portions we receive especially at a restaurant at just to big. I general am able to get two meals out of mine.
Do not skip a meal. I am finding that I can no longer consume just three big meals a day which is not good for a person anyway. I eat smaller bits at least 4 or 5 during the day.
Wholesome fresh foods. Avoid the processed, convenient packaged food are higher in sodium and fat. Bring your lunch, do not stop for Dunkin.
Treat yourself. Remember we are not on a diet, but a NEW eating plan, so give yourself a small portion of ice cream, one piece of candy or a cookie.
LABELS: the mystery of labels. One must really educate ourselves to these labels and make them our friends.
Drinks: water, eater. Again I say water. Watch the sugary drinks(they are not your friends).
Food journal. YES we need to keep a journal. I know that I tend to forget what I eat during the day. Writing it down at night wakes one up. (Might also help with spending)
EXERCISE, yes I know. Who am I to say this. Miss no exercise. I keep it in my mind (which does no good). We all know we need to exercise, so let us get to it. SPRING has arrived. Get outside. RIGHT!!

Frozen dinners

Oh no! you say not for me. But I feel that you can say yes to these quick time savers once in awhile. I have been reading some articles that agree with me. These meals have really come a long way from the days of TV dinners. They contain more nutrients, less fat and salt and
PORTION control. Did you think of that?
Quick and Easy
Vegetables
Single serving for the single person
Easy prep for those times when we are feeling down, sore, pain, disability.
More Economical than eating out but not for every day use.

From one article found in Sparks a dietitian gave these hints :
Try for taste. Not all frozen meals are created equally.
Beware of pot pies, Hungry Man, extra cheese.
Choose selections that contain source of protein-no more than 300-400 calories.
Watch the saturated fat and sodium content.
Add a side salad with low calorie dressing or fruit to add a nice extra touch and balance to your meal.
I have found that I am eating more of these meals in order to add some protein to my diet. As I have mentioned, I do add salad or fruit. This gives me a variety away from from my vegetables that I normally eat for lunch and dinner.

Goals

A little more on goals: Start small-little steps make the goals work PAPER Track yourself on paper, journal, paint a correct picture Habits The smallest of actions done daily or weekly become a habit. We want our new life style to become a habit one action at a time. SEE your goal: They need attention. Think about your goals, read your goals, write your goals-surround yourself with your goal. Consistence: Isn't this what we want to do all the time UGH. This gives us power to manage our goals and be productive. Setbacks: yes we all make mistakes. Do not let that get you down. We have to be our fan! Trust: one has put much thought into your goals and your plan. Trust that plan and trust yourself. Especially in the weight loss category-it takes time. The weight did not go on at once and will not come off that quickly either. HAVE fun!! YES, I really mean this. Since I have started my healthy eating, I am having fun. Not thinking about the eating and loosing. Let us think of this as a discovery. I hope these thought might be of use to you and yours especially if you are on the healthy journey with me.

Fruits and vegetable

I am taking a new course in the Universal class.com on nutrition. Since I am talking about fruit and veggies this week, I wanted to pass on another bit of information about these "wonder foods" as I call them. When possible eat veggetables in the raw RINSE all veggies and fruit before eating, but do not soak the,. Microwaveing veggies looses fewer of the nutrients. However, if you boil or steam, keep the lid on to help retain nutrients. Steaming is another great method of cooking veggietables but use as little water as possible. Sir-fry can be an alternative way of prreparation. Cook with glass, stainless steel or enamel pots. Be warry of cooper-can destroy some of the nutrients. So let us all keep on eating these great foods to be good to ouselves.

Healthy eating tip of the week

Fruits and vegetables. If you have notice the new food prymamid, it is now color co-ordinated. Makes selection easy and it is more fun. The brighter the the better. Fruits and veggies might be called the foundation of a healthy diet-low in calories, packed with vitamins minerals antioxidants and fiber -wonder food.. GREENS: These veggies are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc and vitamins. They help with the blood and respiratory system. Be adventurous. I do eat many veggies but am trying to be a little bolder and expand my preparation and eating of the other veggies in the world. Kale, mustard greens, Chinese cabbage are few of the veggies outside the box for me. What others are trying? Sweet vegetables:Naturally sweet vegetables and healthy sweetness to meals and might help reduce your sweet cravings. A couple examples of these interesting additions to your meal: corn carrots, beets yams, winter squash. I never thought of these being sweet but am giving them more of a try. Fruit: Vital to your diet. Provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Shop fresh and local when possible but keep a variety going as much as possible. Come on healthy eaters and join in the fun of eating veggies and fruit. They can save the day.

Healthy eating tip 3

Healthy eating is not only about the food-it is also about how a person thinks about food. New eating habits can be learned. It is important to slow down and THINK about the nourishment you are putting into your body.
Eat with others when possible. It seems that most humans are social people. Eating can create a social and emotional environment with many benefits. Eating with your children creates a great family time and the time to be a model. Eating in front of TV or computer can lead to mindless eating.
CHEW CHEW and enjoy. No shoveling allowed. Savor the tastes and textures of the items that going into your mouth.
Listen to your body. Many nutritionists make the suggestion to have a glass of water before a meal. Stop eating before you feel full. Believe it or not, your brain has to have a few minutes to realize that the body is full.
Eat breakfast and eat smaller meals throughout. I have come to enjoy eating five to six meals a day instead of the standard three BIG ones. This new pattern keeps a persons energy up and the metabolism going.

Tip of the WEEK???

Think of water and exercise as a food groups. These are both in the new Food
Pyramid.

Water is the flusher of waste and toxins. I have been told that I do not drink enough water which could be one of the causes of my low energy and headaches. I am unconsciously walking around in a dehydrated state.

Exercise: Be active as much as possible. The activity does not have to be what is called exercise. WALK, take the stairs, do some stretching at lunch. Even just standing and lift your arms is an activity. Breathing, which some of us do not do deeply enough. POINT is to Move the great body.

Healthy Eating

Besides taking a class on-line, I am reading many tips from Spark and toher sources. Find a great one from HELPGUIDE.org

Healthy eating tips. I a m going to break the ideas down into parts. Maybe some of you can find more information to add as we go along.

Set yourself up for success. We have talk about this, with the goal setting, exercising, so this might be a little of repeat.

SIMPLify: Think of the new eating plan we are undertaking as a color design, variety and freshness.

Focus on finding foods that you love and try to expand on these. Find new recipes, use fresh instead of frozen when veggies or fruits are in season.

START SLOW to make changes to your eating habits. Remember it takes time to change a habit. We all know that overnight is not going to happen. Small steps work better on anything we try. Go light salad dressing on the new colorful salad you are adding. Try a new veggie once a week and cook it different ways.

EVERY change you make is for the better. We do not have to perfect. Do not try and eliminate what you might consider "the bad food" all at once. IF you consider you missteps, just keep on trucking. Every healthy food choice counts.