Week Thirteen - Time well spent

Recently I was evaluating how I spend my time.  I do this periodically and have found this to be a wonderful way to weed out unhealthy and unproductive behaviors in my life.   I use  a similar evaluating technique with clients as a way to help them choose healthier food and exercise options.  
Below are some short exercises that can help you decide if your time spent on "things" is worth keeping these "things" in your life. 
1.  Think about and write down how many hours a day you spend on unhealthy behaviors.  Some of these might include: overeating, time spent preparing or driving to pick up unhealthy food, drinking too much alcohol (wasted "hangover" days), smoking, thinking/talking negatively.  These can also be things like spending too much time watching TV, on the computer or just doing nothing at all - being a little lazy.
2.  Look at those hours and think about the exciting things on your to do list NOT the chores or honey-do's but your bucket list.  For instance, learn to cook, plan a trip, learn a foreign language, take a photography class, work in your yard, play more golf, train for a race, spend more time with friends and family - whatever is fun for you.
3.  Ask yourself this,, "What would my day look like if I replaced the unhealthy, unwanted behaviors with a healthier option or something on my bucket list?"
4.  Go back to # 1 and really evaluate the hours of your day.  What behaviors that create guilt and frustration in your life can you change or cut out ?  What behaviors are unproductive?  If you are having a tough time with this, have a friend look over your list and help you decide - a good, honest friend of course!
5.  Visualize yourself in a new day (today!)  replacing those behaviors or activities that bring you down with activities or behaviors that bring happiness and excitement to your day.
6.  Formulate a plan, write it down and yes, just do it.  It's the only way you will achieve your goals.  If you want to eat healthier you have to make a plan to do that, if you want to exercise more make your plan and do it.  No one else can do it for you, no one can make you do it.  Others might be able to help you and inspire you and those are of course the people you want in your life.  Make a plan.
7.  Look over your plan every morning and stay focused on your goals.  Life has a way of getting in the way, we all know that.  It is up to you to make sure that doesn't happen.  Stay in the moment and create the desire for a better lifestyle and it will happen.  It cannot not happen if you truly want change.
I remember watching Oprah one afternoon, a few years ago,  when Madonna was a guest on the show.  Oprah was asking Madonna about her new love of yoga and how she stays in shape and most particularly, how she stays so thin.  Madonna's response was quite simple, if you want to be thin, you will be thin.  There is no secret or magic diet - it is your desire.  I love Madonna.
We know that being healthy is more than just being thin.  It is a combination of eating well, keeping our bodies active and living a positive lifestyle.  Good luck and have fun with this! 


~One Body, One Life~
Jennifer

Week Twelve - Recipes

I love the Seeds of Change sauces.  One of my favorite easy and quick week night meals is my own version of a Vegetable Jalfrezi.


Seeds of Change Jalfrezi Sauce
Brown Rice (I like the Lundberg's short grain organic brown rice)
2 cups Broccoli
1 medium Yellow Squash
1/2 chopped Red Onion
2 cloves chopped Garlic
3/4 cup Cherry Tomatoes
2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil of choice - I use hemp oil or olive oil for low heat stir frying
*all organic vegetables


Cook rice per package instructions
Add oil, garlic and onion to saute pan and heat on medium flame for roughly 2 minutes, add broccoli and squash until tender but not too soft.  Add tomatoes last, sauteing for 1 minute.
Add Jalfrezi sauce to vegetables mixing until sauce is just simmering.
Serve vegetables and sauce over rice and enjoy! 
*You can also add your favorite fish to this recipe

Super Energy Salad

4 Cups chopped green cabbage

1/2 cup chopped fresh Parsley

3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

For the dressing:

2 cloves garlic

Juice from 1 lemon (approximately 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup Tahini Sauce (I use Raw Tahini but either is fine)

Pinch of good sea salt to taste

*best to use organic ingredients

Blend dressing ingredients until smooth, add a few tablespoons of water to thin if necessary.  Toss cabbage, parsley and tomatoes together in large mixing bowl, add dressing and stir.  Chill before serving to allow flavors to settle.  

*This is a great salad to eat alone, in a wrap or would taste fabulous on a a fish sandwich - be creative!

**Recipe adapted from  Jennifer Thompson's Healthy Bliss newsletter

Healthier and Tastier than Chex Mix, Snack Mix

6 Cups Multigrain Cereal (I used Barbara's Multigrain Shredded Spoonfuls recently and loved it)

1 Cup Pepitas

1 Bag Stacey's Bagel Chips

1 1/2 Cup of Newman's Own Pretzel Nuggets

2 Cups Peanuts 

2 Tablespoons homemade Worcestershire Sauce (there are several recipes for this online and of course store bought works fine too, just not quite as pure)

Approximately 4 Tablespoons Butter or Earth Balance Vegan Spread 

Celery Salt to Taste

Garlic Powder to Taste

Melt Butter, Worcestershire, celery salt and garlic powder in small pan on stove.  Mix all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl.  Stir in melted sauce.  Poor into large roasting pan or glass baking dish and bake in oven at 325 degrees for 30-45 minutes depending on desired crispness.  Stir every 10 minutes while baking.  Allow 15 minutes to cool before enjoying.
*Kids LOVE this!

I made a wonderful salmon and vegetable dish served over whole wheat linguini last night that my entire family loved.  It took all of 40 minutes to prepare and voila - dinner!

2 lbs. wild, sustainably caught Salmon Filet 

Lemon

Onion

For the Marinade:

Tamari or good Soy Sauce

Olive Oil

1 clove chopped Garlic

Grade B Maple Syrup (B is best but A works too)

Cayenne Pepper

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Mix 1/4 cup soy sauce with 3 tablespoons maple syrup in large mixing bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, a dash of cayenne, salt and pepper and mix well.  Place salmon in bowl and making sure to cover well with marinade and let sit for a few minutes flesh side soaking in liquid. 

Place salmon in glass baking dish,  brush small amount of marinade over the fish, squeeze juice from a few slices of lemon over salmon, slice onion and place in dish on and around fish.  Drizzle a bit more maple syrup over fish before baking.

Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees (time depends on thickness of fish - avoid over cooking salmon.  You will know it is done when the fish has a translucent color in the middle and is a bit flaky).  Remember that the fish will cook a little more when taken out of the oven so best to take out sooner than later!

Sauteed Vegetables

Red, green and yellow peppers

Red Onion

2 cloves Garlic

Hot Chili Oil

Chop vegetables and saute in chili oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until tender

1 lb Whole Wheat Linguini Noodles cooked al dente

Prepare Salmon first, once in oven start preparing linguini.  Next chop vegetables and save sauteing for the last few minutes.  Serve Linguini topped with a portion of Salmon filet.  Top with a portion of sauteed vegetables making sure to include chili oil from pan for great flavor.

Week Eleven - Think Small

Dishware from Anthropologie

I received these darling small bowls and measuring cups as a gift recently and just love them.  I love them not only because they are perfectly sweet to look at sitting on my kitchen counter, but because the bowls are the perfect portion size for  food.  It is much easier to gauge appropriate portion sizes when using smaller serving pieces.  The larger the plate or bowl, the more tempting it is to fill it.  I observe this behavior often when in restaurants and at dinner parties (I probably just got myself nixed off of a guest list or two!).  This over-serving ourselves is most always a subconscious behavior and is easily remedied by simply thinking small.  Here are some things you can do help you think small:
~Forget *supersize* anything, even if the cost is only slightly higher (movie theatre candy, popcorn, soft drinks, fast food joints are famous for offering this).
~Bigger is rarely better and generally costs more in the end.
~Dishware is most always larger than you think and you are probably eating more because of it.  Try this, fill your bowl, plate or glass as you normally would, then measure your portions to see how accurate you are.
~When faced with choices relating to food sizes, order smalls and eat slowly - I bet you are more satisfied and feel better than if you had ordered larger and ate quickly.  If you are still hungry reward yourself with a few bites of dessert!
~Consider purchasing smaller plates and bowls.  Use juice size glasses for drinks (except water of course - drink up!).
~Stay away from restaurants that over serve or eat only half and take the other half of what you ordered home.
~ Split a meal with your date.
~Try a Tapas restaurant (small plates).

~Show your family what appropriate portion sizes look like.  There is a book "The Diet for Teenagers Only" and it has portion size cut outs for kids (and adults) to learn from.  Overeating is often a learned behavior.  It is best to set a good example for your family rather than preach to them.  And on that note, kids generally know how much they need to eat - it is us parents who often convince them that they need to eat more by saying things like "clean your plate" after we have over served them to begin with.
~Our body has to work to digest all of the food we give it.  This digestion takes energy and when we over feed ourselves, we take necessary energy away from other vital tasks of the body (fighting off diseases & viruses).  

         

Small gelato cups from Freddo Gelateria, Naples, Florida

We can all enjoy fabulous food and drinks in small portions and be completely satisfied when we think small.  Notice how  this change in thought pattern affects how you think about food and portions.  Notice how your body does not need the larger portion of food and the less you put in your body the less your body actually craves.  Enjoy this beautiful week and keep in mind that your energy will come from the quality of food you give your body, not the quantity.  

~One Body, One Life~

Jennifer 

Week Ten - Beyond Food & Exercise

Upon my quest for good health, it did not take me long to realize that what I put on my body (lotions, shampoos, cosmetics, toothpaste, deodorant, shaving cream) was equally as important as what I put in my body.  Initially, I had a difficult time switching to natural products.  Shopping at department store make-up counters and pharmacies was a family affair and brought with it many fond, nostalgic feelings that I wasn't sure I was willing to let go.  However, after reading labels and doing my research, I realized it was the smart thing to do.  I found too many potentially dangerous ingredients are added to our favorite products because, like in the food industry, they are inexpensive and are potent preservatives.  Over the years I have found product lines that I trust and love but I do continue to read labels to be on the safe side. Some great companies have sold out to to large, mainstream companies increasing the risk of producing less pure products (for example Burt's Bees sold to Clorox and Aveda to Estee Lauder).  I encourage you to look closely at the products you use on a daily basis and see if you might replace them with healthier alternatives.  
Below are some of my favorite product lines and the products I have tried and/or use regularly as well as a word on one of the most controversial preservatives to date.
Parabens (methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl) - Watch for these preservatives in your products.  Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in cosmetics and beauty products.  Known dangers include increase risk of breast cancer.  Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen in our bodies,  they can have endocrine disrupting actions where they interfere with our thyroid, hypothalamus and ovaries.  New studies suggest that parabens may also be responsible for anxiety disorders and learning disabilities as well as an increase risk for Alzheimers.
Miessence - My new favorite line, especially their eye serum

Intelligent Nutrients (developed by Horst Rechelbacher founder of Aveda) - Hair, skin, aromatics 

*I was priviledged to meet Mr. Rechelbacher in NYC last year and had a lengthy conversation with him about his new line.  I love the products, and respect the integrity with which they are made and sold*
Aubrey Organics - Facial cleansers and creams - great prices
Alba Botanicals - Gentle Acai renewal scrub, day cream, skin toner
Organic Coconut Oil - As wonderful for your skin and hair as it is to eat and cook with!
Dr. Bronner - Soaps
Kiss My Face - Peaceful Patchouli body lotion and Chinese Botanical body lotion, toothpastes, lip balms
Giovanni - Shampoos, conditioners, relax sanitizing towelettes (their heavenly smell has you feeling like you visited the spa), body scrubs and creams
California Baby Products - hair detangler, shampoos, body wash, lotions
Dr. Hauschka - Skin care and make-up
*Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) is a nice, fairly easy website for researching your favorite products
I encourage you to find a local health food store to shop with (one that does the research for you and where you know you will find only the best products for you and your family).  In Grand Rapids, Michigan I like Harvest Health, in Naples, Florida I shop Food & Thought Organic Market, in Gaylord, Michigan I shop Jo Jo's Natural Market.  As much as I love Whole Foods and Trader Joes, they don't always carry the best, most pure products (Whole Foods does a better job than Trader Joe's, in my opinion).  I learned a few years ago that finding the right health food store is much like finding the right mechanic to fix your car - find one that you like and that you feel is trustworthy to get the job done and you will be happy.  Build a relationship with the employees as they are a great source of knowledge and are usually happy to answer questions.
One last note, I am a firm believer that less is more.  Companies, even the eco-chic organic kinds, are in business to make a profit and offer all kinds of products.  Choose your products wisely and spend a little more on quality products that you need - skip all of the extras.  Simplifying your beauty routine makes for a healthier lifestyle in and of itself.  Have fun exploring some new and healthy body care products this week as you keep in mind that this too is another step toward optimum health in our 52 weeks to a healthier you!
~One Body, One Life~
Jennifer