Memorial Day?! Don’t Sweat It!
In: Dieting|Health|Healthy Eating|Motivation|Nutrition|Psychology of Eating|Special|Uncategorized|Weight Loss
15 May 2013
Spring has finally sprung! Just in time for summer.
The cold weather has tricked us into thinking we had more time to clean up our eating and get in shape. Now after a long season of baggy sweat pants and layers, you may be finding yourself with a large pile of snug-fitting summer clothing. What to do?
Don’t panic. You can still look great this season with a few tried and true tips.
First off, try on all your summer clothes and non-judgmentally assess the damage. Often times it is not as bad as we think. This benefit of this little exercise is that it will give you all the motivation you need to get moving again.
And moving is what you have to do to get yourself out of a sedentary funk. Now that the weather is warmer and the days are longer, sunshine and fresh air can do wonders for your attitude and body. So get shaking. Implement a fitness plan and stick to it.
Start drinking plenty of water to hydrate your body, get your energy levels up and make your metabolism more efficient.
Consider doing a detox to cleanse the body of chemicals you are exposed to on a daily basis through food, water and air. Toxins slow the body down making you sluggish and unable to lose weight. Even a mild detox can make you feel lighter, clearer in thought, less bloated, and a few pounds down. As an added benefit, you will also knock out poor eating habits and kick-start weight loss.
Start cleaning the heavy winter staples out of your diet, and begin eating healthier foods like salads, fruit, green leafy vegetables and fish—foods that your body will naturally start turning towards as the weather heats up.
Buy a few new pieces of clothing that look great on you until your present wardrobe starts fitting nicely again. We always feel better when we look in the mirror and like what we see.
And lastly, don’t sweat it. Attitude is everything. Rock what you’ve got whatever the size, and plan to be looking and feeling your best this summer.
Fennel Slaw
In: Dieting|Health|Healthy Eating|Nutrition|Recipes|Special|Uncategorized|Weight Loss
15 May 2013
This crisp, clean slaw is a perfect side dish to add some freshness to tacos made from last night’s chicken, to top a turkey burger, or as a healthy addition to a picnic buffet. Add some thinly sliced mango for a tropical twist!
½ Head savoy cabbage thinly sliced
½ Fennel bulb thinly sliced
¼ Red onion thinly sliced
¼ jalapeno pepper thinly sliced
2 radishes cut in half and thinly sliced
Juice of ½ a lime
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TBL chopped fresh cilantro
Combine all of your ingredients in a large bowl, taste for seasoning serve.
Serve 6
By Rose Hattabaugh
Are You Rationalizing Weight Gain? (VIDEO)
In: Dieting|Health|Healthy Eating|Lose Weight|Motivation|Nutrition|Psychology of Eating|Special|Uncategorized|Weight Loss|Wellness
8 May 2013
We are masters of deceit when it comes to the things we tell ourselves. One bite here, another bite there, all adds up to the same thing — weight gain. Whether you admit to the occasional slip-up, or rationalize that piece of cake, you need to get real about what could be causing the scale to slide.
So today, I have a created a video for you to see how we make sense of the nonsensical. I am calling you out on this one, take a look below!
Are You Rationalizing Your Way To Weight Gain?
Are You Teaching Yourself To Overeat?
In: Dieting|Health|Healthy Eating|Lose Weight|Motivation|Nutrition|Psychology of Eating|Uncategorized|Weight Loss|Wellness
1 May 2013
For those of you who have been on various diets, I want you to consider this; are you teaching yourself to overeat? It sounds strange doesn’t it? But hear me out.
Diets can mess with your head a little bit. They make us obsess and rationalize in ways we would not ordinarily do. But when we feel restricted, the tendency is to find a way to release the rules that bind us.
In weight loss, that means, “How can I eat more for less?” There is always that hankering thought of will there be enough, what if I am still hungry?
Many well-known diets promote the idea of good foods vs. bad foods, and the notion of “free” foods. So we diligently avoid things we should not eat, and feel virtuous when we are eating something good for us, even when it is more than what we need.
The concept of “free” foods suggests unlimited eating with no calories attached. So any time the thought of hunger strikes, we can run to these foods to satiate us both physically and mentally.
The problem with both of these scenarios is that we are usually eating too much, and when we are really not hungry.
Case in point; we know salad is good for us, so we eat an enormous amount because we can, not because we need it.
Unlimited ”free” foods like fruit, veggies, salads and soups allows us to constantly feed our nervous hunger, which is not really hunger at all. These foods become a crutch for those times when we are not really sure, or we are bored, nervous, stressed, etc. We turn to these “harmless” foods to get us through the day.
In the end, all foods count. Whether a food is considered healthy or not, should not determine when or how much you eat. A healthy weight is achieved and maintained by listening to the cues of the body.
Get into the habit of asking yourself these two questions:
Am I hungry?
Am I satiated?
Let the body decide; not some weight loss program, or eating rule, or food desirability. Eating when you are not hungry or to the point of discomfort, is like teaching the body to overeat.
Fortunately, that which is taught can be unlearned. Now that you know; change it.
Leave me a comment below about some foods you may be overeating just because they are healthy.
What To Do When You Feel Fat, Ugly & Out Of Control
In: Dieting|Health|Healthy Eating|Lose Weight|Motivation|Nutrition|Psychology of Eating|Recipes|Weight Loss|Wellness
25 Apr 2013
We have all had those times in our lives when we feel helpless and overwhelmed, eating out of control, and feeling fat and ugly.
As women we take care of everyone, except ourselves. When things get hectic, self-care will always fall to the bottom of the list. Interestingly, the first two things to be swept aside are healthy eating and exercise.
So when someone comes to me for weight loss, I tell them to think of excess weight as energy. This energy is stuck with nowhere to go. In other words, it suggests an imbalance in your life.
For women, this usually means too much energy is going out, and not enough is coming in.
When we live in this state of imbalance for a long period of time, the body will eventually rebel. Physical manifestations of this inequality may be weight gain, headaches or migraines, depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction and even cardiovascular disease. Since the body cannot speak, it throws out signals. It is up to you to heed the signs.
This is usually the point where desperate measures are needed to get you out of the vortex of despair. Fortunately, this can be easier than you think.
First, decide you have had enough and make the decision to change.
Secondly, when we feel strong we are better equipped to pull ourselves out of the hole we are in. Since healthy eating and exercise are the first to go, they must be the first steps to reclaiming your balance. When in doubt, I tell my clients to put one foot in front of the other. Literally. Walk, walk it out, keep walking. Walk yourself out of the inertia you are in. Move the energy.
Eat in a way that honors the valuable person you are. When you give the body the nutrients it needs, you will feel a renewed sense of vitality and the body will respond in kind.
And lastly, if you need help, ask for it. As women, we don’t ask enough. Know that there are people out there that will always grab your hand and pull you safely to shore.
Look at these moments of chaos as a sign that it is time to reassess and acknowledge what is really important. My hope is that you will realize that it is You.
Leave a comment below and tell me about a time when you have felt out of control, and how you regained your footing.
About Lighten Up!
Lighten Up! is a nutritional program that offers a unique approach to weight loss. Based on the premise that diets don't work, Lighten Up! takes the emphasis off of food and concentrates instead on behaviors. By assessing an individual's lifestyle, beliefs and eating habits, a customized nutrition plan is created that can be comfortably adopted for life. The result is better overall health, increased energy levels and natural weight loss. This means no more constraints or deprivation, just a new way of understanding and enjoying food - and life!
Mindbodywhole, LLC, 203-450-1064
Lighten Up with These 7 Tips
