Slipping Up

Source: http://www.superstock.com/stock-photography/sad+cake

Lets admit it, we all slip up at one point or another. When our diets go astray many people often look for the quick fix to undo their flounder or worse, they give up. Truth is neither of these are going to get you any closer to your goals in the long run. While it may seem patching up your unhealthy meal with a day of hard core workouts or obsessive dieting is the bast way to get back on track, this is not the case. Whats more, trying to cover up your mistake may only lead to an unhealthy pattern of binging and extreme dieting which, in the long run, can only bring you farther from a healthy lifestyle.

So what should we do when we stray from healthy eating? The answer is surprisingly simple and even a bit cliché; stay calm and move on! The most important thing to remember is that one meal doesn't make or break your dietary goals. The trouble many people run in to (myself included) is that once they have one serving of an indulgent food they say to themselves: "Welp, my diet is shot for today! Might as well go all out!" and end up filling up on all sorts of non-nutritious foods. Instead of shunning these foods as a forbidden fruit, it is important to realize that they can be enjoyed in moderation. That is, having a piece of chocolate cake doesn't completely derail your mission to eat well, rather it's just a small pit stop on your way to reaching your goals. Many athletes and other healthy individuals recognize the importance of eating even the worst foods (nutritionally speaking) on occasion. Some even plan "cheat meals" in to their regular diet so that they have a time to try that homemade pie or anything else they may not eat regularly.             It is best, however, to enjoy these foods in good company as part of a social gathering rather than a private feast. When eating with others you will be less likely to take the "all out" approach and be more enabled to enjoy the food's flavor as a complement to the experience worrying less about eating a larger quantity in order to feel satisfied.*

The overall focus should never be on these exceptions though, because fixating on what you "can't eat" will only bolster cravings. Instead, concentrate on great tasting, healthy food. Finally, put your effort in to creating good habits based in wholesome food and when the time comes, enjoy that pice of birthday cake without any regrets because you know your on the right track and just making a small, yet needed pit stop.



*There are two main reasons we eat. The first in because we are truly hungry and our bodies literally needs energy in order to keep going. The second is attributed to our appetite, or our psychological yearning for a certain food or flavor. It is easy to get these two confused when we eat because even when we are hungry and in need of calories, our appetite often influences what we are "hungry for". Eating the right foods regardless of our mental cravings is therefore one of the biggest challenges to overcome when eating nutritiously. Whats more, our appetite is also effected by our emotional state because some foods and nutrients actually influence how we feel. Such emotional effects of sugar are explained by AskDrSears.com in noting the nutrient's ability to "trigger an increase in the hormone serotonin- a mood-elevating hormone." Accordingly, it is extremely important for one to learn to distinguish between these two factors that drive consumption. Developing the discipline necessary to overcome the temptations of one's appetite is then an essential skill to eating a healthier diet.



Sources:
Pivko, Debra. "Sugar Addiction Detox 101." Team Beachbody. 20 Jan. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. <http://www.teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/253>.

Awesome Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great nutritious way to start any day. The whole grain complex carbohydrates and fiber it provides will keep you satisfied and energized throughout your morning. Not to mention it tastes great and takes less time to make than stopping at the drive thru  on your way to work!

What you need:
- Oats, quick or old fashion (old fashion just take a bit longer to cook)
-Water, about twice as much as the oats)
-Mix ins, use dry or fresh fruit, nuts, cinnamon, or anything else you like (this is where you get creative!)
-Sweetener, use sugar, honey, stevia, or other to sweeten to taste

What to do:
1. Combine water and oats.
2. Microwave for 1-2 min.
3.Stir oatmeal and add more water if needed (to adjust thickness)
4. Microwave for about another min.
5.Stir in mix ins and sweetener
6. Enjoy!

Why Eat Healthy?

Every year thousands of americans "commit" to changing their eating habits, sadly only a small fraction of these people (about 5-8%) are actually successful in making a lasting change to their diet. So why do people struggle so much with losing and maintaining a healthy weight? Is it because healthy eating is a loosing battle? Or do most people simply lack the special skills needed to improve their health? Truth is, its none of the above.

Photo Source: http://www.the-food-guide-pyramid.com/

I believe that most struggles with weight loss come not from a lack of skill or discipline but rather from a lack of perspective. While the notion that outlook drives our ultimate success is not a new idea, it is one that is often over looked and rarely implemented in to modern diets. Part of the problem is that people are stuck believing that the only way to loose weight is to jump on a strict eating regimen which often neglects, or severely limits a single macronutrient (i.e. low-fat or low-carb diets). While such diets can work in certain circumstances, they can be a daunting undertaking for the average person just beginning to change their eating habits. Even the phrase diet is a bit ominous (die-t !? doesn't sound like a good time to me at all!). More times than not, programs like these result in a brief period of rapid weight loss fallowed by an eventual weight gain after completion leaving one in the same place they were and perhaps even a bit worse off* This frustrating cycle of loosing and gaining weight can easily lead people to give up entirely on healthy eating and weight control.

In order to create lasting changes in one's eating habits, a shift in this paradigm of dieting is essential. That is, when following a strict diet most people claim they "can't eat" this or "have to" eat that because they need to loose weight or stay on their diet. The problem with this outlook is that it positions eating as a chore, an unpleasant means to an end. Is it surprising that when we hate eating diet foods so much we often stray to less nutritious food or give up all together? Of course not! Eating should never be chore it should be an enjoyable, social activity. Instead of the rigid "I have to" view, we should take a more enjoyable "I want to" stance. That is, we should eat nutritiously not because we are told to, but because we want to nourish our bodies and feel good with wholesome, balanced foods. Daniel Pink describes this as "intrinsic motivation" or "motivation 3.0" in his book Drive. Eating good food should be a rewarding activity in it's self instead meaning that we do so because we enjoy nutritious food as part of a healthy lifestyle. As Pink explains, "extrinsic motivators", or expected rewards such as a specific amount of weight loss, can actually can make us despise the task of eating healthy and fixate only on what we can and can't eat. So don't chain yourself to a diet, instead decide why you want to eat differently and how you can change your current eating habits to support a happy, healthy lifestyle. A great way to get started is to write down why you would like to eat more nutritiously. Don't write "to loose ten pounds", instead keep your reasons to a more general, meaningful purpose such as: "so I can feel great on my morning runs". What ever your reason to eat healthy, write it down and clip it to your fridge (or where ever you grab food from and tend to eat the most) then next time you find yourself faced with the choice between a bowl of ice-cream or a cup of yogurt don't tell yourself you have to eat one over the other, just remember why you want to live a fit lifestyle in the first place.

*(When weight is lost rapidly without regular exercise, a good portion of what is lost is often muscle mass. Therefore if weight is gained back as fat the person will have an even higher body fat percentage at the same weight making it more difficult for them to loose that extra weight again.)

Health Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

Healthy Teriyaki Sauce

            This is a great sauce to serve with oriental style food and is sure to please. By replacing sugar with a natural low calorie sweetener in this recipe it is both health conscious and great tasting!

What you need:

-1/2 cup of water

-2 tablespoons soy sauce (reduced sodium soy sauce works as well)

-1/2 garlic clove, minced

-1 teaspoon grated ginger

-3 packets of Truvia sweetener (about 10 grams)

-1 tablespoon cornstarch

-2 tablespoons cold water

What to do:

1.    Combine the half-cup of water, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and Truvia in a small saucepan and bring to a boil while continuing to stir.

2.    Dissolve cornstarch in the two tablespoons of cold water and add to the sauce when it has reached a boil.

3.    Continue to stir and remove the sauce from the heat when the cornstarch mixture is incorporated and the sauce begins to thicken.

4.    As the sauce begins to cool water can be added if the consistency becomes to thick. 

5 Star Tuna Steak Recipe (from a can!)

Five star tuna steak (in a can)

What you need:

-one can of “chunk light” tuna

-olive oil or other cooking pan spray

-salt and pepper to taste

-a small frying pan

What to do:

1.Coat the frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat.

2.Open the can of tuna and use the top pushing down to drain out all the liquid.

3.Using a butter knife slide the blade around the sides of the tuna in the can to loosen it. Flip the can upside down and tap the bottom to pop the fish out in to the pan. The trick here is to try and keep the fish together for the most part so that it is more like a single piece of tuna once it has been cooked.

4.Sear the tuna for a few min on each side for a few minutes seasoning with the salt and pepper.

5. Carefully slide the tuna on to a plate and serve with steamed rice and your favorite steamed vegetable or stir fry mix. Finish the plate with soy, teriyaki, or another oriental sauce over the fish.