Do you have sweet cravings? Craving sugar a lot?

For someone like me who rarely eats the sweets, being around family at holiday gatherings can be an overwhelming time for my tastebuds! Austen and I typically eat raw, sauteed or grilled fruits and veggies with chicken or pork for most meals. So coming to a meal where there are many processed foods and sweets is a party in my mouth! One might think it would be ok for just that one time, however I often find myself craving sweets or processed foods for days after those meals. Anyone else feel the same way? Here's an article I found that can help get rid of those lingering sweet cravings. I would encourage everyone to give this a shot, as that 1 milk chocolate egg after each meal does add up!

http://www.jointhereboot.com/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id=465&Itemid=595&lang=en

--Emily 

Fun, Free Fitness Ideas--At the park & your backyard!

Hey everyone! I'm sure we are all noticing this wonderfully beautiful weather we get to have all week and hoping to get late night walks in, or simply just open up our windows to keep the fresh air flowing! But if you're anything like me, you also want to figure out how to get a great workout while enjoying the nice weather!! Sometimes I simply just go for a nice run and enjoy the alone time to think. However....recently I find it most fun to gather a group of friends and do a mini boot camp in a nearby park. Help keep each other accountable while getting healthier! Want to know some exercises to do while at the park? That's what I'm here for! Here are some of my suggestions:

Push ups on a park bench

Run up and down the hills as sets of sprints

Pull ups on the monkey bars

Burpees or mountain climbers in the grass

Sit ups in the grass

Partner squats(backs together-hold at bottom for as long as possible)

Calf raises on the play equipment (hang feet off edge and go above and below the plane)

Lunges in a circle around the play equipment (usually it is a decent sized area so 2 or 3 laps will have those legs burning)

And if you have kids or a spouse, get out the gloves and baseballs and play catch. Try out a new sport like tennis or simply kicking a soccer ball around. And always be sure to stretch after you get done-take that time to sit and relax and really take in the gorgeous Earth around you while stretching your body to prevent injuries!

Be sure to take advantage of it this week while we have it! Get out there and move! 

--Emily

Chia Seeds--Not Just for Chia Pets Anymore

Do you remember those silly Chia Pets that grew hair after you put a slimy coat of seeds all over it? Well, as it turns out, Chia Seeds are very nutritious when added to your daily diet. 


Emily says: 

So I'm reading this little piece on chia seeds. I've never known much about them before, but they are actually something i'm going to try and add to my diet I htink. They are high in fiber, iron, calcim and antioxidants so you can add them as a snack. However this says that tey form a gel when you add them to fluid, so they recommend using them to thicken soups and stir frys for added nutrients in an already planned meal. Sounds awesome! 

We can get these from Trader Joes, Hy-Vee Health Market, and Whole Foods.

And this article-http://www.mychiaseeds.com/Articles/Top10ChiaBenefits.html- says that chia seeds made into a gel can replace HALF of the butter you put into things for baking.


Katie (our office manager) eats 1TBSP of them on a spoonful of Greek Yogurt before they turn into a "gel".


Check them out!  

Eating Out & Choosing Healthy

I've got a couple suggestions for you as far as eating out goes. We would all be naive to think we could cook every day for the rest of our lives. But why give up all your hard work for a night out on the town or a quick lunch in between appointments? Try these-

 

If you look on the website of Jimmy Johns they have an awesome way to find out nutritional information. You can 'X' stuff off to see how much the fat, protein and carb count go down with each ingredient and then be sure that your chosen meal is healthy. So if you get the Unwhich which is just a lettuce wrap you can even have some of them for dinner. One that I tried and really liked last week was the Beach Club Unwhich with no mayo (and no sprouts). Check that website out and see if you can find a few you like to have just in case the kids get hungry while you're out and about, or you get caught up in an appointment and don't have time for a decent lunch/dinner.

 

Also-check out the website for Pancheros. Avoid the cheese, pork, and sour cream, and almost everything else is a healthy choice.  Something him and I got during the program a few times was pork or chicken tacos with just lettuce and salsa. They will fill you up and stay within that range. They have a great website for nutitional info as well.

 

I encourage you all to check out the websites of some of your favorite restaurants and find something that you can still have while going there. It is important to do things like this because then you will be less likely to slip up when time gets tight or stress gets high. --Emily

Should Sugar Be Regulated Like a Drug?

I've been reading this article from the Food Matters website on whether sugar should be regulated the same way alcohol and drugs is. This is always a subject that fascinates me because while most everyone understands that brownies aren't a good food to have in our diet, barely anyone understands why and all of sugar's effects on the body. And wow, I'm totally amazed at the similarities between sugar and some drugs! I knew sugar was bad for us, but this is a step further than I ever pictured! The authors of this article really seem lay it out for the average Joe to read and apply. There needs to be more articles like this one that tell you why certain things are bad for us and our bodies-and in words that someone who isn't well versed in the nutrition world can understand. I encourage everyone to take time to read articles like this one and educate yourself instead of pleading ignorance when you step on the scale and see you a number 20 pounds heavier than you expected. Coming to next week's 8WW orientation is a great start to finding out how to improve your nutrition! Check it out!! 

http://foodmatters.tv/_webapp_516271/Should_Sugar_be_Regulated_Like_a_Drug

Written By Emily

"Full-Stage" Dr. Wes to Slim Jim

Think of all the people who give you health advice. Friends, Family, Coworkers, doctors, television, books, etc. Are the people giving you health advice healthy themselves? If not, they probably don't have the best advice or intentions towards making you healthy. 

We like to joke around with Dr. Wes when he refers to his "full stage" of life. Life at Palmer College as a poor student caught up with him and Katie who ate Ramen Noodles, Mac and Cheese, and all the cheap foods possible. Lots of late nights studying and no time for exercise made it difficult to be as healthy as possible. 

He always said, "How are patients supposed to take me seriously when I tell them that weight loss will help them be healthier when I am overweight myself?" 

Here's an article to prove that if you want to lose weight you should see a "fit" doctor first. 

http://www.acefitness.org/blog/2310/trying-to-lose-weight-find-a-fit-doctor/

Here's what Emily, our Personal Trainer, said: "I know I personally would never take a doctors advice about being overweight if they were themselves. It might make me stop and think about my current situation, however in the long run I would inevitably come back to the fact that it may not be that important to keep the body fat down if a doctor isn't doing it himself......aren't they the ones who are supposed to be experts on your body and living a health-filled life?!"

Come see us today whatever your health goal is. We've been in your shoes, searching for a healthier life. We understand and can help.