Remember when you were 20. You thought you'd live forever. Have you ever said to yourself "gee it seems like yesterday I was dying to be 21" and now here I am in my 40's (50's etc)". Wow. How does that happen? Time flies. It's a blink of an eye from "gee I need to lose 10 lbs" to "gee I need to lose 50, 80 or 100 lbs".
And then there is the familiar "gee I didn't lose weight this year either".
Is that you?
Have you looked in the mirror and not recognized who you saw? Not been happy with what you see in the mirror? There's a beautiful person inside that person you see in the mirror. I hope you know that. But I can tell you being overweight is costing you.
It's a lot easier to be unhealthy than healthy. It's alwasy easier to keep doing what you're doing. But when the problem is overweight at some point it really becomes a problem if you've developed the habits of an unhealthy lifestyle.
Are you tired of being tired, fat and depressed? Tired of having to pass up the cute clothes and head to the Plus Sizes. Are you worried about your health? Diabetes, heart disease, etc.
I have a tip for you: Success at a healthy lifestyle starts in your head. Change starts in what you tell yourself.
Change. It was the election year buzzword. Change. We expect our elected officials to bring about change but when we are the ones needing to make change it suddenly becomes different. We don't have time. We hate to drink water but we guzzle six packs of soda and imbibe daily Starbucks. In fact, many of us drink coffee throughout the day "to keep going". We consume loads of preservatives, dyes and neurotoxins in processed foods and reach for tobacco products to calm our stress. We worry about herbs which have been used for thousands of years, but reach for the next best pharmaceutical without giving it a thought.
Here's some facts for you:
1. Each year prescription drugs cause 1 million injuries so severe they require hospitalization
2. Each year 2 million drug-related injuries occur during hospital care
3. Approximately 100,000 Americans die annually from taking prescription drugs CORRECTLY as prescribed.
Yet we never question taking a drug and most of us never look for an alternative. There is an alternative. You can live a healthy life with much less or no need at all for pharmaceuticals.
And the good news is some of us are starting to realize this and take charge of our health. Take for instance this question from one of my clients:
"ok, i already drink over 64 oz water a day, I work 10 hours a day doing p hysical stuff, not sitting at a desk, and have quit eating fried foods. I eat more fruit and veggies.. what else can I do?"
I read that and was in heaven... wow! a client who wanted to do more! I was thrilled with the question. It made my day! This person is working hard at gaining a better quality of life. She has a family and a job outside the home, has made changes and wants to know what else she can do!
Here's the suggestions I gave her:
1. You say you work 10 hours a day doing physical stuff, not sitting at a desk. Is it the kind of physical that builds muscle or the kind of physical which builds cardio? Cardio exercise is important but you also need physical exercise which builds muscle. Not only does muscle burn more calories but muscle is important for joint health. Physical exercise (ie strength training) which builds muscle is also important in building bone mass and has been shown to improve psychological health. So think about the kind of exercise you get at work. You might get the book called 8 Minutes in the Morning by Jorge Cruise http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=jorge+cruise take a look at either the original 8 minutes in the Morning or the one for Real Shapes Real Sizes. Either book would be a good way to get into a daily routine of strength building exercise. Everyone has eight minutes!
2. You're eating more veggies and fruits. That's terrific! I don't know what "more" is though! A serving is 1/2 cup. Are you eating 7 servings a day (men should eat 9)? What percentage of your veggies are eaten raw? A % should be eaten raw because your body needs the enzymes from whole foods in their natural state. Enzymes are destroyed when you cook food. Thats one of the reasons we see so much chronic disease these days.... many health issues are tied in with enzyme deficiency.
3. I would heartily recommend you get a juicer and make yourself a good green drink everyday. A tip on that: I've found adding an apple makes homemade juices taste better. I have a Jack Lalanne juicer but am about to move up to a Breville juicer. If you don't want to spend that kind of money go to walmart and get a Juiceman juicer. Folks who are avid juicers will cringe at that suggestion. However, that's what I started with and its plenty good to get a start at juicing. You have to start somewhere and everyone doesn't have $400+ for a super juice machine. (Not me, yet!) My prediction is you will soon want to step up to a better juicer though! Your kids will get into it tooo!! My great nephew Brayden loves to come over and make carrot juice !!!
4. Green drinks are loaded with nutrition! Here's a green drink recipe: Juice together: papaya, banana and baby spinach. Or you might try: celery, carrots, kale, parsley and apple. Only make enough juice for you to drink right then. (Though if you add a chunk of ginger when you are juicing you can keep the juice for 24 -48 hrs)
5. If you are up for a super- super healthy green drink I would recommend you add some Boku. http://www.bokusuperfood.com/ I do not get any remuneration from the Boku folks. I simply think it's a terrific nutritious product. No, it's not inexpensive. But there is not any junk in it. It's every bit nutritious. You get what you pay for! If you are used to drinking sodas and eating sugary foods you will need to adjust to the taste of Boku. You can mix Boku with water by itself or add it to your green drink. I would suggest you add just a little Boku to your green drink and work up to label directions.
This client is making changes and seeing results. By changing her diet to one with more fruits and vegetables she is eating a more alkaline diet. This will help decrease inflammation in her body. There's a common thread between cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and autoimmune disorders. That common thread is INFLAMMATION. You can directly affect the level of inflammation in your body thru what you commonly eat.
Because she has changed her diet to one more plentiful with vegies and fruits she will naturally lose weight. She doesn't have to be tied to her scale. No one should be.
You, like this client, can make healthful changes, feel better, have more energy, and perhaps, decrease the amount of medication you take (with your physicians assistance). There's no time like the present to get started......
Check out my two articles for a blueprint to get started on your new healthy life:
article #1 http://www.naturalnews.com/024405.html
followup article http://www.naturalnews.com/025075.html
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Do You Have Time?
You know sometimes I just get so serious... rabidly serious about nutrition and health. Sometimes I get so serious I know I irritate the heck out of the people around me. I am quite conscious of needing to tell myself to lighten up or I will push people away instead of drawing them in where maybe I can help them. But there are moments when I reflect on what I've been thru in my own journey to conquering illness and on what I see in the hospital as a respiratory therapist and at those moments I know deep in my heart it is serious.
There's nothing light about losing the quality of your life thru illness; especially illness that you could have prevented. Preventable illnesses are incredibly tragic. Illness takes away a lot of the choices in life. In fact, it occurs to me one of the worst things about illness is the loss of human potential and the implications that has on the quality of an individuals life, as well as, the loss to society. I'd say at least 90% of the misery I see in the hospital is preventable. And if you check out the World Health Organizations website or read a number of books "The China Study" by T Colin Campbell, "Eat To Live" by Joel Fuhrman,M.D., "The AntiOxidant Miracle" by Lester Packer, PhD to name just a few; you will find I am exactly correct.
One morning earlier this year I was having breakfast with my sister. We were talking about what I'd just learned in one of the courses I was taking for my Masters degree. I was very excited about it. I said it was a crime everyone didn't know what I had just learned. My sister said no-one cared. I replied but if folks knew how much real control they have over their health and thus their quality of life they WOULD care. It's cos they don't know that they seem to not care. Am I being naive ? I hope not. Your life depends on it.
Just the other day a casual friend remarked she just HAD to lose weight. She's right. She's headed for a really bad life if she doesn't. She asked me how to lose weight. I gave her a few suggestions. She replied she couldn't do that to each suggestion. She doesn't have time and it's to expensive to buy healthy food. Ok so let's get this: she wants to lose weight but she won't change anything that she's doing. If she sticks with the decision she doesn't have time she will join the ranks of thousands of other people with chronic illness. What she's missing is that time is running out on her not having time to take care of herself.
Another friend stated she's losing weight by eating a high protein diet and generally eating less. But can't find time to exercise. Hopefully, she's eating just enough protein and not overdoing it. Excess protein is not a good thing. Eating less could be a good thing. But it's not really about eating less; it's about being aware of what you are eating, eating mindfully, eating a varied diet of vegetables and fruits and being sure to get all the nutrients her body needs. I hope she is. And she'll have to come to the realization exercise is a part of the deal. Good health isn't just about eating right and it's not just about normalizing your weight. The body needs to move as much as it needs for you to give it the right nutrients. What she's missing is that time is running out on her not having time to exercise.
These two folks are representative of the folks I keep bumping into in my quest to help others live a healthier life. I'm not picking on these two folks, really I'm not... it's just that they are both on my mind cos not only do I care about both of them greatly; they really are representative of the folks I keep bumping into.... folks with a time problem. Hey I know about time. There was a time when illness put me flat on my back. I know how time escapes you and how illness steals it from you. Illness stole quite enough of my time. It's not a fun way to learn about priorities. I'm NOT going back there. I hope they don't land themselves there. And I hope you don't either.
The other night after a futile effort to save him I saw a middle-aged man die. No-one middle-aged should be in the condition he was in. No-one of any age should be in the condition he was in. I will spare you the gory details which I can't expel from my mind. Time ran out on this guy. Time does that.
I see it all the time. The results of the standard american diet and a sedentary life. Overweight people. Massively overweight people. Gaping ulcers on their body. Diabetes. Leg amputations. Dementia. Heart disease. Re-do re-do cardiac bypasses. COPD patients who can't breathe but still manage to suck on cigarettes.
I see results that were preventable.
And folks who don't have time to eat nutritiously or exercise.
The clock is ticking folks....
How many times have you said to yourself I should eat better? or I should exercise more? or I wish I had more energy? How many times have you actually attempted to lose weight, get stronger, live healthier..... and failed? Don't kick yourself. Most of us have grown up living the typical american lifestyle; eating the typical standard american diet. It's not easy to change a lifetime habit and it's to your credit you have tried even if you failed. You just need a little support and guidance.
In early 2009 I'm going to give you an opportunity for support to change your life for the better; to put yourself on a healthy, positive path. Stay tuned.....
Join my email list and have my blog posts (and upcoming program announcements) emailed directly to you in a timely manner..... so you don't miss anything! Send your email addy to quantumwellness@charter.net put join email list in the subject line please!
Wishing you wellness and joy!
Pam Murphy,M.S.,RRT
Holistic Health Coach
314-397-0686 CST
There's nothing light about losing the quality of your life thru illness; especially illness that you could have prevented. Preventable illnesses are incredibly tragic. Illness takes away a lot of the choices in life. In fact, it occurs to me one of the worst things about illness is the loss of human potential and the implications that has on the quality of an individuals life, as well as, the loss to society. I'd say at least 90% of the misery I see in the hospital is preventable. And if you check out the World Health Organizations website or read a number of books "The China Study" by T Colin Campbell, "Eat To Live" by Joel Fuhrman,M.D., "The AntiOxidant Miracle" by Lester Packer, PhD to name just a few; you will find I am exactly correct.
One morning earlier this year I was having breakfast with my sister. We were talking about what I'd just learned in one of the courses I was taking for my Masters degree. I was very excited about it. I said it was a crime everyone didn't know what I had just learned. My sister said no-one cared. I replied but if folks knew how much real control they have over their health and thus their quality of life they WOULD care. It's cos they don't know that they seem to not care. Am I being naive ? I hope not. Your life depends on it.
Just the other day a casual friend remarked she just HAD to lose weight. She's right. She's headed for a really bad life if she doesn't. She asked me how to lose weight. I gave her a few suggestions. She replied she couldn't do that to each suggestion. She doesn't have time and it's to expensive to buy healthy food. Ok so let's get this: she wants to lose weight but she won't change anything that she's doing. If she sticks with the decision she doesn't have time she will join the ranks of thousands of other people with chronic illness. What she's missing is that time is running out on her not having time to take care of herself.
Another friend stated she's losing weight by eating a high protein diet and generally eating less. But can't find time to exercise. Hopefully, she's eating just enough protein and not overdoing it. Excess protein is not a good thing. Eating less could be a good thing. But it's not really about eating less; it's about being aware of what you are eating, eating mindfully, eating a varied diet of vegetables and fruits and being sure to get all the nutrients her body needs. I hope she is. And she'll have to come to the realization exercise is a part of the deal. Good health isn't just about eating right and it's not just about normalizing your weight. The body needs to move as much as it needs for you to give it the right nutrients. What she's missing is that time is running out on her not having time to exercise.
These two folks are representative of the folks I keep bumping into in my quest to help others live a healthier life. I'm not picking on these two folks, really I'm not... it's just that they are both on my mind cos not only do I care about both of them greatly; they really are representative of the folks I keep bumping into.... folks with a time problem. Hey I know about time. There was a time when illness put me flat on my back. I know how time escapes you and how illness steals it from you. Illness stole quite enough of my time. It's not a fun way to learn about priorities. I'm NOT going back there. I hope they don't land themselves there. And I hope you don't either.
The other night after a futile effort to save him I saw a middle-aged man die. No-one middle-aged should be in the condition he was in. No-one of any age should be in the condition he was in. I will spare you the gory details which I can't expel from my mind. Time ran out on this guy. Time does that.
I see it all the time. The results of the standard american diet and a sedentary life. Overweight people. Massively overweight people. Gaping ulcers on their body. Diabetes. Leg amputations. Dementia. Heart disease. Re-do re-do cardiac bypasses. COPD patients who can't breathe but still manage to suck on cigarettes.
I see results that were preventable.
And folks who don't have time to eat nutritiously or exercise.
The clock is ticking folks....
How many times have you said to yourself I should eat better? or I should exercise more? or I wish I had more energy? How many times have you actually attempted to lose weight, get stronger, live healthier..... and failed? Don't kick yourself. Most of us have grown up living the typical american lifestyle; eating the typical standard american diet. It's not easy to change a lifetime habit and it's to your credit you have tried even if you failed. You just need a little support and guidance.
In early 2009 I'm going to give you an opportunity for support to change your life for the better; to put yourself on a healthy, positive path. Stay tuned.....
Join my email list and have my blog posts (and upcoming program announcements) emailed directly to you in a timely manner..... so you don't miss anything! Send your email addy to quantumwellness@charter.net put join email list in the subject line please!
Wishing you wellness and joy!
Pam Murphy,M.S.,RRT
Holistic Health Coach
314-397-0686 CST
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Pam's Rant: What Shall We Do?
I'm angry. I'm disgusted. I'm depressed. I'm sick to death of the state of things. And I imagine you are feeling those emotions too. The worst side of human nature is being exibited in the financial woes of Wall Street, the banks and real estate industries. I haven't looked at my 401K. I'm scared to see how much I've lost. How about you? It angers me beyond belief when I hear of the millions of dollars bank CEO's carried away with them. Where's my parachute?
My anger doesn't stop with the financial sector. I got an email today from Citizens for Health regarding the rrBGH in Yoplait yogurt http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/750/t/1086/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26047 . It's a crime rBGH isn't labeled on the ingredients of the products it is in. Not only is it cruel to cows given it, it is a human health hazard. http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/rbgh2.cfm . I think all the "Pink" campaigns mostly just make money for the industries promoting "pink" products. We have put billions of dollars into cancer research while cancer has become an industry with hospitals popping up exclusively for treating cancer. We have nearly totally overlooked the fact that the World Health Organization (W.H.O) has stated 70% of all cancers can be prevented thru good nutrition. Where's the nutrition education? Why haven't we seen this on the newspaper front page? I'll tell you why. It doesn't make anyone any money. So here ironically, we have Yoplait pushing their rBGH tainted yogurt and donating to breast cancer when there is a connection between rBGH and breast cancer. Read more: http://www.garynull.com/Documents/erf/breast_cancer_rbgh_and_milk.htm I think we ought tell Yoplait where they can shove their lids ladies! Don't you?
I'm pretty ticked off the health system I work for has decided to make a flu shot mandatory. I have a medical exemption from the flu shot. However, it still ticks me off. Why? Because if a corporation can decide it owns your body and force you to inject toxic poison into your body then we are on the path to lose every freedom this country was founded on. Your body is your most precious asset. No-one should be allowed to tell you what you have to inject into it. Indeed in Seattle a judge in 2006 ruled in favor of a group of nurses who fought a mandatory flu shot rule. They had a union fighting for them. Maybe unions are good things.
And I get ticked when I see pharmaceutical commercials on tv. Drugs do not create health. A healthy immune system creates health and good nutrition creates a healthy immune system. The heart of the problems with the health of the citizens of the United States lies in the reactive nature of our "health system". Diets of primarily processed foods and sedentary lifestyles do not create health. Reaching for the next best drug does not create health. We MUST be proactive and take responsibility for our health. Eating nutritiously and adding regular exercise to our daily routine is a MUST. Illness and old-age infirmities are NOT givens unless you choose a lifestyle of irresponsibility regarding your health.
The pharmaceutical industry with it's commercials and lobbying of our legislators has us like lemmings traipsing to our doctors for the next best script. Wise up folks. Take responsibility for your wellness.
While I'm bitching let's talk about GM (genetically modified) foods. Genetically engineered foods have never been proven safe for human consumption. The media does not report that. In fact, it seems there has been pretty much of a media blackout effort regarding GM foods and the risk that comes with them. It was said they would help feed the world, help the environment. These good things have not happened. In fact, more pesticides/fertilizers are being used. Folks in third world countries are still starving. Food prices haven't decreased and there is scientific evidence there is serious human health risks with it. GM foods are not labeled in the United States but they are either labeled or outright banned in 40 other countries. Certainly we have a right to know what is in our food and/or if it is genetically modified. Why aren't our legislators protecting us?
Educate yourself regarding GM foods:
http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/gm-food/dn9921
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/charles-targets-gm-crop-giants-in-fiercest-attack-yet-951808.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-genetically-modified-foods/
I look at all the things I am mad about and I see one common thing. I see greed. I see the financial, pharmaceutical and biotech/food industries putting greed above human life. And I see an awful lot of us falling for their nonsense to the detriment of our health.
What Shall We Do?
First, we must each of us take responsibility for our wellness. How do you do that? Start with what you eat. Eat more whole foods. Gradually change your diet till you are eating ONLY whole foods. Your body was not meant to work with the chemicals in processed foods. Support the organic farmers in your area. It is healthiest to eat locally grown foods. You might even, as I did, decide to grow some of your own food. I only have a patio but growing plants in pots I was able to harvest a substantial amount of tomatoes, green beans, peppers and squash this last summer.
Second, add exercise to your daily routine. Find a form of exercise you enjoy. It could be walking, swimming, working out at a gym, working out at home; there's many forms of exercise. Check with your doctor first if you've primarily been sedentary or have any chronic health issues.
Third, get hold of your finances. Stop using credit cards. Get advice from a qualified financial advisor; work out a budget and stick with it. Much of the stress in life today comes from the financial area of our lives. Responsible management of your finances will do much to alleviate stress in your life. Stress is linked to many physical ailments. Need help whittling down your bills? Talk to Leo http://www.leoquinn.com/
In this election year vote wisely. I'm not going to share with you who I'm going to vote for or who you should vote for. But I will tell you you need to vote. Our country is on a precipice. Never in our lifetime has a vote been so important. Here's a comparison of the candidates: http://www.healthcareunited.org/candidates/
I know with recent events you may feel you and I don't have any control. But we do. We have our vote and our voice. We have the ability to take responsibility for our health and our finances. We really are in control if we choose to be.
Give this post a
My anger doesn't stop with the financial sector. I got an email today from Citizens for Health regarding the rrBGH in Yoplait yogurt http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/750/t/1086/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26047 . It's a crime rBGH isn't labeled on the ingredients of the products it is in. Not only is it cruel to cows given it, it is a human health hazard. http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/rbgh2.cfm . I think all the "Pink" campaigns mostly just make money for the industries promoting "pink" products. We have put billions of dollars into cancer research while cancer has become an industry with hospitals popping up exclusively for treating cancer. We have nearly totally overlooked the fact that the World Health Organization (W.H.O) has stated 70% of all cancers can be prevented thru good nutrition. Where's the nutrition education? Why haven't we seen this on the newspaper front page? I'll tell you why. It doesn't make anyone any money. So here ironically, we have Yoplait pushing their rBGH tainted yogurt and donating to breast cancer when there is a connection between rBGH and breast cancer. Read more: http://www.garynull.com/Documents/erf/breast_cancer_rbgh_and_milk.htm I think we ought tell Yoplait where they can shove their lids ladies! Don't you?
I'm pretty ticked off the health system I work for has decided to make a flu shot mandatory. I have a medical exemption from the flu shot. However, it still ticks me off. Why? Because if a corporation can decide it owns your body and force you to inject toxic poison into your body then we are on the path to lose every freedom this country was founded on. Your body is your most precious asset. No-one should be allowed to tell you what you have to inject into it. Indeed in Seattle a judge in 2006 ruled in favor of a group of nurses who fought a mandatory flu shot rule. They had a union fighting for them. Maybe unions are good things.
And I get ticked when I see pharmaceutical commercials on tv. Drugs do not create health. A healthy immune system creates health and good nutrition creates a healthy immune system. The heart of the problems with the health of the citizens of the United States lies in the reactive nature of our "health system". Diets of primarily processed foods and sedentary lifestyles do not create health. Reaching for the next best drug does not create health. We MUST be proactive and take responsibility for our health. Eating nutritiously and adding regular exercise to our daily routine is a MUST. Illness and old-age infirmities are NOT givens unless you choose a lifestyle of irresponsibility regarding your health.
The pharmaceutical industry with it's commercials and lobbying of our legislators has us like lemmings traipsing to our doctors for the next best script. Wise up folks. Take responsibility for your wellness.
While I'm bitching let's talk about GM (genetically modified) foods. Genetically engineered foods have never been proven safe for human consumption. The media does not report that. In fact, it seems there has been pretty much of a media blackout effort regarding GM foods and the risk that comes with them. It was said they would help feed the world, help the environment. These good things have not happened. In fact, more pesticides/fertilizers are being used. Folks in third world countries are still starving. Food prices haven't decreased and there is scientific evidence there is serious human health risks with it. GM foods are not labeled in the United States but they are either labeled or outright banned in 40 other countries. Certainly we have a right to know what is in our food and/or if it is genetically modified. Why aren't our legislators protecting us?
Educate yourself regarding GM foods:
http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/gm-food/dn9921
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/charles-targets-gm-crop-giants-in-fiercest-attack-yet-951808.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-genetically-modified-foods/
I look at all the things I am mad about and I see one common thing. I see greed. I see the financial, pharmaceutical and biotech/food industries putting greed above human life. And I see an awful lot of us falling for their nonsense to the detriment of our health.
What Shall We Do?
First, we must each of us take responsibility for our wellness. How do you do that? Start with what you eat. Eat more whole foods. Gradually change your diet till you are eating ONLY whole foods. Your body was not meant to work with the chemicals in processed foods. Support the organic farmers in your area. It is healthiest to eat locally grown foods. You might even, as I did, decide to grow some of your own food. I only have a patio but growing plants in pots I was able to harvest a substantial amount of tomatoes, green beans, peppers and squash this last summer.
Second, add exercise to your daily routine. Find a form of exercise you enjoy. It could be walking, swimming, working out at a gym, working out at home; there's many forms of exercise. Check with your doctor first if you've primarily been sedentary or have any chronic health issues.
Third, get hold of your finances. Stop using credit cards. Get advice from a qualified financial advisor; work out a budget and stick with it. Much of the stress in life today comes from the financial area of our lives. Responsible management of your finances will do much to alleviate stress in your life. Stress is linked to many physical ailments. Need help whittling down your bills? Talk to Leo http://www.leoquinn.com/
In this election year vote wisely. I'm not going to share with you who I'm going to vote for or who you should vote for. But I will tell you you need to vote. Our country is on a precipice. Never in our lifetime has a vote been so important. Here's a comparison of the candidates: http://www.healthcareunited.org/candidates/
I know with recent events you may feel you and I don't have any control. But we do. We have our vote and our voice. We have the ability to take responsibility for our health and our finances. We really are in control if we choose to be.
Give this post a
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Change Your Diet, Change Your Life
So you want to be healthier!!!! Changing your diet will literally change your life. You'll have more energy, less aches and pains and a healthier mentality. My clients tell me they know they need to overhaul their eating but they don't know where to start. Is that YOU?
Well, here is a strategy to help you get started on your new healthy lifestyle!
Start with eating approximately every 3 hrs. (i.e. 4 - 6 times a day, three meals and 2 or 3 snacks) ..... spreading the calories out benefits you a couple ways:
You maintain your energy all day.
You balance your sugar and prevent cravings.
And remember never ever skip breakfast. It sets you up for the rest of the day!
But what to eat and how much??
Let's look at your plate: divide it into thirds. One section will be for protein, one for a complex carb and the last for a fruit or vegetable.
So when you sit down to eat you will have one serving of a protein, a complex carb, and a fruit/vegetable. For example, have a 4 ounce piece of salmon with 1/2 cup of brown rice, and a salad.
The next meal substitute the salmon for turkey, the rice for quinoa, and the salad for asparagus.
Or substitute the salmon for chicken, the rice for a slice of whole grain bread, and the salad for broccoli. (Hint: I like to use flaxseed oil on my toast instead of butter! I even sprinkle it on my vegies!)
How do you do this for breakfast? Have a hard boiled egg with a few strawberries or a slice of melon and 1/2 whole grain bagel or english muffin. Or have a smoothie (soy milk, strawberries and banana).
Eating like this you will have approximately 300 - 400 calories per meal.
So what about snacks? Well, here are some ideas for 100 calorie healthy snacks:
1. 2 domino-sized slices low-fat Colby or cheddar cheese
2. 1 cup sliced apples with 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter (I recommend organic peanut butter not the commercial peanut butter with added sugar).
3. 10 dry roasted cashews or 12-15 natural almonds.
4. One hard boiled egg.
5. 1 cup squash (baked acorn or butternut)
6. 5 oz. Turkey breast (roasted, no skin)
7. 25 pistachios
8. 10 cashew nuts
9. Half a small avocado
10. 3 ounces cooked whole-grain noodles with 1 fresh tomato and 1/2 ounce hard cheese
11. 3 handfuls of unbuttered popcorn, seasoned with herbs
12. 2 ounces of lean roast beef
13. 2 TB hummus and 10 baby carrots
14. as many cucumber and celery sticks as you'd like
15. Scramble 5 egg whites and cook in a non-stick skillet. Top with 1Tbsp of salsa.
And eating well is only one facet of your new healthy lifestyle! Do NOT forget exercise! Exercise is important to a healthy body. However, be sure to check with your physician before starting an exercise program; especially if you have been sedentary for a long time.
Did you know loss of muscle mass is a huge reason for a lagging metabolism? Being sedentary, as many of us are these days, is a great detriment to maintaining a normal weight. Muscle burns a lot more calories than fat. So get off that couch!!!
Find yourself a form of exercise you will enjoy and then DO IT! Hire a personal trainer to work with you to develop an exercise routine you can live with if you must. Do what you must do to get yourself off the couch and moving!
To your health!
Pam
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Well, here is a strategy to help you get started on your new healthy lifestyle!
Start with eating approximately every 3 hrs. (i.e. 4 - 6 times a day, three meals and 2 or 3 snacks) ..... spreading the calories out benefits you a couple ways:
You maintain your energy all day.
You balance your sugar and prevent cravings.
And remember never ever skip breakfast. It sets you up for the rest of the day!
But what to eat and how much??
Let's look at your plate: divide it into thirds. One section will be for protein, one for a complex carb and the last for a fruit or vegetable.
So when you sit down to eat you will have one serving of a protein, a complex carb, and a fruit/vegetable. For example, have a 4 ounce piece of salmon with 1/2 cup of brown rice, and a salad.
The next meal substitute the salmon for turkey, the rice for quinoa, and the salad for asparagus.
Or substitute the salmon for chicken, the rice for a slice of whole grain bread, and the salad for broccoli. (Hint: I like to use flaxseed oil on my toast instead of butter! I even sprinkle it on my vegies!)
How do you do this for breakfast? Have a hard boiled egg with a few strawberries or a slice of melon and 1/2 whole grain bagel or english muffin. Or have a smoothie (soy milk, strawberries and banana).
Eating like this you will have approximately 300 - 400 calories per meal.
So what about snacks? Well, here are some ideas for 100 calorie healthy snacks:
1. 2 domino-sized slices low-fat Colby or cheddar cheese
2. 1 cup sliced apples with 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter (I recommend organic peanut butter not the commercial peanut butter with added sugar).
3. 10 dry roasted cashews or 12-15 natural almonds.
4. One hard boiled egg.
5. 1 cup squash (baked acorn or butternut)
6. 5 oz. Turkey breast (roasted, no skin)
7. 25 pistachios
8. 10 cashew nuts
9. Half a small avocado
10. 3 ounces cooked whole-grain noodles with 1 fresh tomato and 1/2 ounce hard cheese
11. 3 handfuls of unbuttered popcorn, seasoned with herbs
12. 2 ounces of lean roast beef
13. 2 TB hummus and 10 baby carrots
14. as many cucumber and celery sticks as you'd like
15. Scramble 5 egg whites and cook in a non-stick skillet. Top with 1Tbsp of salsa.
And eating well is only one facet of your new healthy lifestyle! Do NOT forget exercise! Exercise is important to a healthy body. However, be sure to check with your physician before starting an exercise program; especially if you have been sedentary for a long time.
Did you know loss of muscle mass is a huge reason for a lagging metabolism? Being sedentary, as many of us are these days, is a great detriment to maintaining a normal weight. Muscle burns a lot more calories than fat. So get off that couch!!!
Find yourself a form of exercise you will enjoy and then DO IT! Hire a personal trainer to work with you to develop an exercise routine you can live with if you must. Do what you must do to get yourself off the couch and moving!
To your health!
Pam
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