Week Forty: I'll have a skinny holiday season please...

Reality check in time ladies and gentlemen!  It is two weeks until the new year and how are you doing?  Are you being naughty or nice...to your body?  Are you exercising regularly or telling yourself it is okay to take a break and start again in 2011?  Are you eating a diet of mainly healthy, nutrient dense foods or are you overindulging in holiday sweets because Christmas comes only once a year?
If you find yourself on the naughty list, here are some tips to help you get through the next two weeks and when you turn the calendar to January 1, 2011 you can be proud that the numbers on your scale are not reading "help".
-Replace one meal a day with a green smoothie.  Low in calories and the energy and health benefits are out of this world!
-Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate with water, water, water.  Can't say enough about this - just do it now and thank me later.
-Experiment with raw, vegan foods.  There are so many wonderful books, blogs and websites available to help you.
-EXERCISE everyday for at least 30 minutes.  Do it for an hour a day and you'll be amazed at how great you feel in 2 weeks.
-Tempted by sweets?  Imagine yourself on a beach or at a pool where you will most likely be in a few months on vacation.
-Try on warm weather clothes or better yet, your swimsuit.  Do you like what you see?  I hope so and let's keep it that way!
-If you do overindulge one day, detox the next day.  Drink water, a green smoothie or two, and just like that, good as new!
Best of luck with your eating and exercise over the next two weeks!  If the scale has already moved up a notch or two, don't fret just get back on track today.
~One Body, One Life~
Jennifer

Week Thirty Nine: Vegan (or raw!) Avocado-Chile Soup

This soup can be raw or cooked - either way it is vegan and delicious!

2 cloves garlic
2 chile peppers, seeds removed - jalapeno, serrano or pablano.  I use serrano.
2-3 ripe avocados
3 TBLS fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tsp hot, chile sauce
2 cups rice milk
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (I have substituted 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander  if fresh cilantro is unavailable)
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 TBLS EVOO
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
When making this raw, simply add all ingredients (minus the EVOO) to a high speed blender for  1 minute or until smooth and creamy.  Pour into small glasses and sip!

If enjoying this as a cooked soup.  Blend avocado, peppers, cilantro, hot sauce,  lime/lemon juice, cumin, salt, pepper,  1 cup rice milk in a high speed blender for 1 minute.  Saute onion over medium heat in 2 tablespoons of EVOO until soft, add avocado mixture and another cup of rice milk.  Simmer  for 5-10 minutes before enjoying.  

For a more pureed soup, which is what I prefer,  add sauteed onions and second cup of rice milk to blender with avocado mixture and blend before simmering for 5-10 minutes.  

*This recipe was written as a cooked soup (Natural Health magazine).  I blended it into a raw soup and it's now one of my favorites!

Week Thirty: Sexy People Eat Sexy Food

What is sexy?  Is it the clothes we wear?  Is it a certain body type?  Is sexy a state of mind?  This is such a personal question that I know if I ask ten people I will likely hear ten different answers, but I still like the question.  And more than liking the question, I like my answer - sexy people eat sexy food.  Yes, I believe that sexy people eat sexy food.  I have spent hours talking with people about food, observing people when they food shop, and when they eat.  All of these observations and conversations have me convinced that the sexiest people are the people who eat the sexiest food.  
What Sexy Is Not (necessarily)...
Sexy is not tight buns and big...biceps.  Sexy is not sweating in the gym day after day to build bigger, stronger muscles.  Sexy is not running/walking mile after mile each week to stay thin.  Sexy is not starving your body.  Sexy is not skinny.  Sexy is not fat.  Sexy is not eating a McDonald's hamburger "for the protein", and certainly not for the taste.
What Is Sexy...

Sexy is confidence.  Sexy is taking time to care for the body, and the mind (hint: this is the reason we women adore our male yoga gurus).  Sexy is engaging in new challenges.  Sexy is not being afraid of change.  Sexy is people eating, growing and buying sexy food.

What Sexy Food Is Not...  

Sexy food does not come from mass farming where animals are treated poorly, injected with hormones, *grown* in cages and in poor living conditions.  Sexy food is not factory made food.  Sexy food is not food sprayed with poison so it can *look* perfect.  Sexy food is not artificial and preserved.  Sexy food is not several courses of an expensive dinner.  Sexy food is not a meal after a meal, that which we call dessert.
What Is Sexy Food...
Sexy food is what we consume because we care about ourselves and our planet, the very same planet that we want our children's children to thrive on.  Sexy food tastes delicious because it's fresh and grown naturally.  Sexy food is raised humanely and kindly.  Sexy food is a morsel of something sweet, just a taste.  Sexy food is disease preventative not disease causing.  Sexy food is grown on a vine, tree or in the ground - harvested each season with care by real people, on real farms.  Sexy food is often scratched, bumped, bruised and delicious exactly that way.

Yes, I know that sexy people eat sexy food because this is what people tell me.  They tell me when they feel their best, their most confident, their sexiest and it's when they are at their healthiest.  I hope you can find your sexy food and that you love it as much as I think you will.
~One Body, One Life~
Jennifer

Week Twenty-Six: Why Detox?

One of my favorite quotes was said by Thomas Edison, "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."  A detoxification diet or cleanse is a step in the right direction toward disease prevention, and a fabulous way to begin a healthier lifestyle.  

Deciding to take on a detox diet is a process.  The first step in the process is deciding why you want to detox, what is your purpose?  It is wise to make a list of the reasons you personally want to detox before choosing one of the many options available.  Some of the reasons people choose to detox or cleanse are the following:

-Jump start weight loss

-Quit drinking caffeine and/or alcohol

-Take diet/lifestyle to the next level

-Help create awareness of dietary addictions

-Eliminate sugar

-Eliminate toxins from major organs (colon, liver, pancreas)

-Eliminate yeast and inflammation from the body

-Become aware of potential food allergies

Once you have a clear purpose, you can then choose the duration of your detox.  This is going to depend on your work and personal life schedule, and the time of year.  Be careful not to set yourself up for failure by attempting your first detox in the midst of a hectic time in your life.  For your first detox, I recommend a shorter duration, five to ten days.  As you learn to detox, you will better understand the changes that your body goes through and can then adjust the length of time for future diets. 

There are many benefits to a detox diet, and the longer the diet, the more changes and healing that will take place.  As you rid your body of pollutants and toxins some of the benefits that you may notice right away include:

-Increased energy

-Improved circulation

-Improved digestion

-Clearer skin

-Weight loss

-Improved sleep

-Clarity and improved concentration

-Feelings of euphoria or well-being

You may also notice some interesting sensations in the body and mind while dieting.  It is my feeling, and only makes sense, that the more toxins you put in your body daily, the more you will experience interesting or difficult side effects in the beginning days of your detox.  The good news is that these seemingly negative feelings are really positive, it means your body is being cleaned and restored!  Some effects may include:  Headaches, tingling sensations in the body, mood swings (usually only in the first couple of days), anxiety or restlessness (this is when I choose yoga or meditation), dizziness or lightheadedness and insomnia.  Be assured that these feelings are temporary, and are all a part of the process - it is the storm before the calm!  You are not going to lose your mind, crawl out of your skin, or wither away to nothing.  You will, however, feel challenged and very much alive and come out of the experience with a whole new idea of what eating and fueling your body means to you.  

I encourage you begin thinking and planning your detox in the upcoming weeks.  With autumn around the corner, a detox diet might be the perfect way to end your summer!  

~One Body, One Life~

J.

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