Eating Healthy? Your Body Doesn’t Think So.

It’s a New Year and you have dedicated yourself to making this year different.  This is the year that you truly are going to start eating healthy and paying attention to what you put in your body.  You have already spent a good deal of time and money cleaning out your pantry and restocking it with good-for-you options.  Nutritional bars, 100-calorie packs, wheat products, baked chips, diet sodas – this stuff is bound to work, right?  Wrong!

All of your “healthy” foods and snacks are sabotaging your diet and could actually be causing more damage than good!  Why?  Because companies are great at feeding into our emotions (pardon the pun), and know what we want to hear and see when it comes to food packaging and labels.  They know that a good majority of people these days are more concerned about their health and what they put into their bodies.  So if they can ‘pretend’ that their junk-foods are actually good for you, they know that you will buy into it.

While I do agree that it’s great that there are so many options out that for us to choose from, adding “natural” or “multi-grain” to a product does not a healthy product make.  Here is a list of 7 “healthy” items that are sabotaging your diet and could actually be making you gain weight.

1. Diet Soda: Replacing regular soda with diet soda is not a good thing.  Period.  Anything with the word “soda” in it should be avoided [besides Club Soda (since this is only carbonated water].  Diet sodas are chock-full of artificial ingredients and chemicals that essentially “trick” our bodies’ chemistry into thinking that they are something that they are not.  All of these chemicals are known to be a potential cause for cancer, so why even bother?  Try adding a splash of fruit juice (fresh squeezed if possible) to your carbonated water and sip on that instead.  Trust me, it’s delicious!
2. 100-Calorie Packs: Just because there are only 100 calories in a pack of cookies, does not mean it is healthy!  There are still loads of saturated fats, sugars, artificial preservatives, etc. that really should be avoided altogether.  Plus, the majority of us won’t just eat 1 pack – they are so dinky and not very satisfying, so what would an extra pack or two hurt…?
3. Gluten-free Baked-goods: Eating gluten-free is all the rage these days, and many people think that by cutting out gluten, they will automatically lose weight. Unfortunately this is not true!  Yes, if you stop eating gluten because you have an intolerance your body will be able to better digest the foods that you do eat.  However, replacing Pound Cake with a slice of Gluten-free Pound Cake will not do you any good!  In fact, it can even be worse because of the additional additives that they add to give it its texture and “authentic” taste.
4. Wheat Products: If a food package boasts the word “wheat”, a good majority of consumers will automatically think it’s a healthy option.  Especially those who aren’t too familiar with reading product labels.  Here’s a tip: if “100% whole wheat” is not listed on the nutritional label, put it back.  There are plenty of truly good for you whole-wheat products out there, so don’t even waste your time trying to figure out all the little nuances.
5. Baked Chips: Just because they use the word “Baked” does not mean the product is healthy.  Think of it this way, if they use the word “Chip” the product is 99% not healthy.  Yes, baked products are better than fried and if you need your chip fix, it is definitely better to take the baked route.  However, try eating Baked Pita Bites or Dried Fruit Crisps instead.  Both have the same texture as chips do, but are much better for you.
6.  Splenda: My mom has always hated artificial sweeteners and never gave them to us as children.  This wasn’t so much a health thing as it was simply that she hated the after-taste of them.  Because of this, I’ve never used the “pink or blue” packets, but once I discovered Splenda (a “healthy” alternative), I was all over it.  That is until I discovered that Splenda is made with chlorine and is just as artificial and bad for you as the others.  Plus, there have been numerous studies that state the process your body uses to break down and store these artificial sweeteners is just like it does for regular sugars – in short, they can still make you gain weight like the others.  Plus, you are never truly satisfied by these sweeteners, so your body will keep craving more, causing you to eat even more of your ‘sweet snack’ then you would have otherwise.
7. Fat-free Dairy products: Just because something says “fat-free” on the label, does not mean it’s healthy.  This goes for dairy products too.  While I will say that having fat-free milk is better than the full-fat stuff, I’m still not a very big fan of dairy products in general.  One reason is because most people are lactose intolerant and don’t even realize it, so any sort of dairy in their system is going to cause them trouble.  The bodies inability to breakdown lactose properly will not only cause gas and an uncomfortable feeling in the gut, it can also slow-down metabolism over all – meaning your body is not burning food as quickly and is therefore, storing on your hips, love-handles, etc.  Moreover, dairy products are full of artificial hormones and antibiotics which are obviously not good for you.  But, if you still have to get your dairy fix, please, please only buy the Organic stuff.  At least this way you will be skipping out on all the artificial crap.

So next time you go to the store to make a couple “healthy” selections, think twice before you buy.  If you are going to put in the effort, you don’t want to sabotage yourself before you even have a fighting chance!

Death to the New Year’s Resolution

Happy New Year!  Another year has just begun, as has another list of our New Year’s Resolutions.  For the majority of us it’s all the same, eat better, lose weight, exercise more, la-la-la.  But then, come mid-February (and often earlier than that), our must-do, “this year I’m going to stick with it” plans, fall by the wayside and we fall right back into our old routine of “I’ll workout tomorrow” and “I’m only going to eat this way today.”

Why is this the way it always goes?  Why can’t we just stick to our goals already?!  Because this is what Resolutions are!  They are far-fetched “ideals” of things we wish could happen, but yet aren’t worth putting the effort in for.

I say it’s time to kill the New Year’s Resolution – in particular the one regarding weight loss and being ‘healthy’!  Why set yourself up for failure and disappointment?  

Instead, let’s make this year about “lifestyle” change!  Think about it as something you are not only doing for today or for instant gratification, but how this one decision is going to affect the rest of your life! 

This is NOT a 2012 goal or aspiration, this is a better you for years and years to come!

But how, you ask, do you make such a huge change overnight?  It’s hard enough sticking to a plan for a couple weeks!  Start with changing your mindset.

Here’s how to do it in 7 steps:

1. 1.       Think about the big picture and how you are going to feel 1 year from now. 10 years from now.
2. 2.      Think about your children and then their children.
3. 3.      Think about the role model you want to be, and the things that you want your children to accomplish.  How do you want them to feel about themselves?
4. 4.      Now, think of the past.  Think of how you have mistreated your body with the food you put in it and the lack of exercise you gave it.  How did this make you feel?
5. 5.      Now, tell yourself that the past is the past, it is behind you and that is where it is going to stay!
6. 6.      Look toward the future and ONLY think about the future.  You can’t go back and change the past, but you can make a difference for a better tomorrow!
7. 7.      Finally, tell yourself that you deserve to feel good about yourself and you deserve to be happy!  (Do #7 everyday.)

This list is not going to magically change you overnight, but it should get you thinking about you, the future, and how your role affects the future of those around you.  By changing your mindset and the reasons why you want to get healthy, the “chore” of getting there will naturally disappear.

I agree that New Year’s Resolutions are good in theory.  It’s great to have a goal or something to aspire to.  But the problem is, they are not personal enough.  It’s time to think about YOU!  Make yourself – and your health – the priority. 

10 Ways to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth this Holiday Season

As a child, Christmas, and the Holiday Season in general, was mainly about the gifts.  I know I’m not the only one who would lie in bed wide-awake on Christmas Eve, anxious to see what Santa was going to leave for me.  But as we got older, priorities changed, and while I’m sure we all still like the gifting part of the Season (to give is better than to receive!), parties and all the sweet-treats that go along with them are usually right up there as well.  Am I wrong?

Now, the only problem with this love of sweets and Holiday parties is how we feel after.  The over-indulging is great while it’s happening, but what about after?  The headaches and nausea that we feel… and the guilt!

I want you to enjoy your Holiday Season, and all the sweet-treats that go along with it, so I have come up with a list of 10 alternatives that will leave you satisfied, minus the remorse.  These are simple substitutions you can make when choosing what to eat, and/or how to make it.

1. Stevia: This all-natural sweetener is truly God’s gift.  It’s sweeter than sugar, but doesn’t have any calories.  Plus, it is completely free of chemicals.  Move over Splenda.

2. “Raw” cookies: Cookies that do not need to be cooked are often much better for you because they lack the binding agents, such as lbs. of butter, to hold them together while baking.  Although many still have loads of unhealthy ingredients, those that are made with dried fruit or jams, or ground nuts are sure to be at least a tad healthier.

3. Tarts vs. Pies: The Holidays are all about sweet indulgences, so I don’t want to take those away from you.  However, eating a tart will usually save you a vast amount of calories, sugar, and often belly-ache.  Moreover, if you skip the crust altogether, you will be doing yourself even more of a favor.

4. Raw cocoa: Unlike “chocolate” which is full of added sugars and fats, raw cocoa is truly good for you.  It is full of antioxidants and has a very deep, rich flavor.  A little goes a long way.

5. Vanilla Extract: Use Pure Vanilla Extract, but make sure you check the label.  Many extracts are made with corn-syrup – another ingredient that should be avoided entirely.

6. Whole-wheat flour: Use this instead of white-flour in baked goods.  The added fiber and nutrients will make your pastries (at least a little) more nutritious.

7. Fruit: Fruit-filled desserts often contain less artificial flavorings and sugars than those that are filled with chocolate, or creams, etc.  But be aware, just because there is fruit in it, does not mean it is healthy.  A raspberry on top of a cookie does not constitute health.

8. Molasses: Molasses is a very rich syrup and is often used in desserts around the Holidays.  Although not a “health food” by any means, it does contain a variety of nutrients that normal sugar does not.  Furthermore, it is quite sweet and therefore can be used sparingly.

9. Maple Syrup: There are plenty of “syrups” out there, so make sure to look at the label before you buy.  Grade-B is the best (and often most-expensive) syrup, due to the lack of refinement that it undergoes.  It contains many nutrients and is very rich.  Grade-A syrup is also pretty good, but avoid any “syrups” that contain corn-syrup, because these aren’t actually syrups at all.

10. Mulled Cider: There is nothing like home-made Mulled Cider for the Holidays.  The aroma alone brings Christmas cheer.  Filled with fresh apple cider, cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, and the like, this sweet drink will help to satisfy your taste-buds while being kind to your belly.  Don’t fall for the bottled junk though.  The added sugar that goes into it is equivalent to eating several cookies, and not worth it.

The Holiday season is a time to enjoy.  With so much stress going on all year long, it is nice to settle down and relax with friends and family, and enjoy a couple treats while we are at it.  But please note, after Christmas comes New Year’s and all the Resolutions that usually parallel it, so why not make a few smarter choices now so you will already be a few pounds ahead of the game?

For more Holiday tips and tricks please check out my other posts: Top 10 Food Substitutions for the Holidays, and Pre-Holiday Eating: the Do’s and Don’ts.

Top 10 Food Substitutions for the Holidays

You have enough going on this Holiday season to have to put anything else on your plate – so then why do you keep putting more stuff on your plate – literally?!  It’s so easy to get stressed out and over-whelmed this time of year.  The Holidays are supposed to be all about cheer, and giving, and love – so then why do they feel like stress, and anxiety, and…

Let me make this easy on you.  You know that you should be eating healthy, and you know that healthy eating will make you feel better.  You just don’t know how to do it – especially this time of year when there aren’t a lot of healthy options to choose from. 

Well, here are 10 simple food substitutions that you can make this Holiday season, to help you feel better about the food you are eating and the way you are treating your body.  After all, why wait until January 1^st to start your annual “get healthy” kick? 

1.       Almond milk (Rice or Soymilk can work too): Almond milk has a creamy texture and a very neutral taste (just make sure you buy the Unsweetened).   It has less calories than fat-free milk and is much easier on your digestive system.  Plus, it had additional nutrients that you just won’t find in cow’s milk.

2.      Yogurt (Organic): Use yogurt instead of cream in recipes.  It will thicken them up without adding all the fat and calories.  Greek yogurt works great, as it is a bit thicker than regular yogurt, but either can work.

3.      Stevia: This is the greatest substitute for sugar.  A little goes a very long way.  It is calorie free and is 100% natural (unlike all the other sugar substitutes out there).  Just make sure you adjust the wet-ingredients in a recipe if you are replacing it with sugar because the ratio will be off.

4.      Whole-wheat flour: Substitute for white-flour in recipes, or ask for whole-wheat pastas, breads, etc. when ordering out.  White flour is white because they bleach it – and you know that can’t be good for you!

5.      Brown rice: Just like white-flour, white-rice is refined to get it down to that white color, stripping away most of the nutrients.  Brown rice has a better texture anyway, so eat up.

6.      Coconut oil (Organic, un-refined): Use this in place of butter.  It has the same consistency as butter does (hard when cold, liquid when warm), and can be substituted ounce for ounce in recipes.  And while it is still a saturated fat, your body processes it differently than butter, and it can actually help speed up your metabolism.  I will warn you that it does have a slight taste to it (which I happen to love; especially on fish and in baked goods).

7.      Raw cocoa: Unlike “chocolate” which is full of added sugars and fats, raw cocoa is truly good for you.  It is full of antioxidants and has a very deep, rich flavor.  A little goes a long way.

8.      Sweet potatoes: Known as a Holiday treat already (because of the loads of sugar and butter that is usually added to them), sweet potatoes have a surprising amount of good for you qualities.  Substitute them for white potatoes (baked, in casseroles, etc.) and enjoy the added vitamins.  Please, forego the butter and sugar though.

9.      Home-made Spiced Nuts: Who doesn’t love Spiced Nuts over the Holidays?  But why eat them with all the extra sugar and oil, when you can just as easily throw some raw nuts on a cookie sheet, coat them with a little bit of Grade B maple syrup, a pinch of salt, and toss them in the oven on 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes?

10.   Tarts vs. Pies: The Holidays are all about sweet indulgences, so I don’t want to take those away from you.  However, eating a tart will usually save you a vast amount of calories, sugar, and often belly-ache.  Moreover, if you skip the crust altogether, you will be doing yourself even more of a favor.

See, not too bad, right?  Just making a few simple substitutions will make a vast difference in how you feel during, and after this Holiday Season. 

Stay tuned for more tips in my next blog where I will delve deeper into how you can eat sweet Guiltless Gourmet-style this Holiday Season.  And check out my previous blogs, Your Guideto Lighter Choices this Holiday Season, and Pre-Holiday Eating: the Do’s andDon’ts, for even more great advice.

Enjoy!