How to Curb Cravings

Having cravings is one of the hardest things to deal with when you are trying to convert to a healthy lifestyle. Ladies, you know that there is a certain time of month when you just want to put on some sweatpants, curl up with a bag of chocolate and glass of wine, and watch TV shows about women who kill because you feel like killing someone right about now (especially if you don't have enough chocolate).

Well I have good news and bad news. The good news is chocolate IS good for you! The bad news is kind you are eating is probably bad for you. So what do you do about your cravings for chocolate, sweets, fast food, and salty snacks?

1. Craving Chocolate
According to the User's Guide to Nutritional Supplements, studies show that women tend to crave chocolate before their period because of a lack of magnesium. Chocolate has a very high level of magnesium, but those sugar filled, high fat candies aren't a good substitute. The fat makes it difficult to absorb the magnesium and the sugar is just flat out bad for you!

So what do you do?

First, I would suggest taking a magnesium supplement. In addition to being great for curbing your monthly cravings it has also been shown to help you relax. Who doesn't want to kick their out of control craving AND feel relaxed when they have PMS?

We could do an entire post on Magnesium (and probably will in the future). Magnesium is used by every organ in the body, and is particularly important for the nervous system, heart, bones, and immune system. Low Magnesium levels are linked to a variety of problems, including anxiety, depression, diabetes, migraines, heart rhythm abnormalities, osteoporosis, PMS, and restless leg syndrome. Furthermore, most Americans are deficient and since magnesium is stored in cells, blood serum testing is nearly useless in diagnosing magnesium deficiency.

So where can you get magnesium? A great source is from dark leafy greens, so keep on eating those! Big salads, sauteed veggies, or even a handful of spinach in your smoothie (trust me it tastes good!) will give you a boost of magnesium. Nuts, particularly almonds and cashews, are also high in magnesium.

But if you just have to have that darn chocolate, consider some that is very low in sugar. I like World Market 99% cacao. At first you might find it bitter because you are used to eating sugary chocolate but assure you it helps with cravings and has very little sugar. You could also use unsweetened baker's chocolate. Most of the time, I try to get 90% or darker.

Need a brownie? Try this dairy free, gluten free recipe from Sweet Sugar Bean. Dates and figs are naturally sweet and then you add cocoa (I like dark cocoa) to get a fudgy chocolate brownie that is actually good for you!

Yes, these are healthy!

2. Craving Sweets
If you are craving sweets all the time, chances you are on a high carb diet. Cut back on the carbs and I bet you will see a difference. Here is a great article on what to do to get rid of your sugar cravings. It offers suggestions on some supplements to take as well. You will get through it! Trust me, I am a recovered sugar addict.

Sometimes you just want something sweet. Well, aside from the above mentioned brownie let me offer a few healthy replacements for a sugary treat!

•  Bananas-Throw them in your smoothie to sweeten it naturally or have it as a snack with a bit of natural peanut butter. 
• Medjool Dates-These dates are big, soft, and sweet. They are my go to sweet snack. They are great in protein bars or on their own!
• Yams-a baked yam with a bit of butter and cinnamon is naturally sweet. You will find that as you cut out sugar from your diet that something as simple as a yam is all the sweetness you need!
• Cantaloupe-One of the sweetest fruits out there, in my opinion.

3. Craving Salt
Salt cravings can sometimes mean you are dehydrated, so always drink lots of water! But it can also mean that pesky magnesium deficiency  Yep, not getting enough magnesium can cause salt cravings in addition to chocolate cravings.

 Please don't fill up on pretzels, chips and other salty junk food! Here are a few substitutes:

• Dill pickles-I find that something with vinegar curbs my cravings. I love pickles, especially dills or cornichons. The best cornichons are at Trader Joe's. Trust me. 
• A small potato with salt and butter-a little salt here and there isn't bad for you, so why not have a small potato with grass fed butter instead of those fast food fries?
• Popcorn-Pop some popcorn on the stove with a little oil and salt (don't use that crap in a bag! And no fake butter). Bonus: popcorn is high in fiber. 

4. Craving Fast Food

You might be trying to kick the habit of fast food. You like the convenience and you don't have time to make meals. It happens. Please avoid that preservative filled fast food at all costs. If you grab something quick, chances are you can find something more wholesome and natural at a local restaurant or in the quick meal area at your grocery store. 

• Rotisserie chicken-okay, I would rather you find a store that has free range chicken but I know that is hard to find. Rotisserie chicken is still going to be better than picking up that burger. Just throw some in a tupperware with some veggies and hummus and BAM! Lunch. 
• Oatmeal- Need a quick breakfast? Throw some oats and milk in the microwave and when it is done top it with fruit and nuts. You can even grab oatmeal at your local Starbucks, just don't add the brown sugar (and don't buy a Frappucino!).
• Salad-In a pinch you can buy that salad at a fast food restaurant or the grocery store, but bring your own dressing. Most of those dressings contain a lot of fat, sugar, and preservatives  Get a small plastic bottle with vinegar and oil in it to spritz on your salad. 

I hope these suggestions help you kick your cravings. If I can do it, you can!

Dietary Fat : Truth vs. Fiction

Remember the food pyramid? Ever heard the FDA/AHA dietary recommendation on eating fat? They all advise us to eat less of it - more specifically, they say to protect your heart by avoiding saturated fat, and replacing fatty foods with whole grains. This idea has been broadcast so loudly that it has become common knowledge.

But is it correct?

As the data shows, when the FDA spoke, Americans listened. Between 1971 and 2000, the percentage of fat consumed by the average male American decreased from 40% to 30%. Surely that means that we should see improved health, right? Unfortunately, that has not been the case. The CDC data shows during this same time, obesity rates rose dramatically.

How could this be? Let’s look at a couple of common misconceptions about dietary fat:

Myth #1: Eating fat will make me fat

Makes sense right? It’s all fat, so common sense says that it will go directly into storage on your body.  Well, as is often the case, common sense is wrong. Dietary Fat will only be stored as body fat if you eat more calories each day than you expend. If you don't, then fat will be used as a source of energy. Low-fat diets have not been shown to be a good method for losing weight. This study from 2009 found no link between eating a low-fat diet and weight loss.

In fact, there are some fats that are processed quickly for energy that can help you burn body fat. We have already described the many benefits of coconut oil in detail in a previous post.

In addition, fat does not stimulate any insulin response. Insulin is a hormone that signals your body to start sucking up whatever glucose is in the bloodstream and store it in body fat. The main dietary trigger for an insulin response is the carbohydrate. This is also important because high insulin levels are associated with high body fat. Not surprising since Insulin also makes you hungrier and increases how much you enjoy sweet-tasting foods. It’s a vicious cycle:

Eating sweet foods --> Big insulin response --> Hungry and craving more sweet food

In fact, many people have lost a lot of weight using a ketogenic diet - a diet where you eat around 70% of calories from fat while limiting carbs to 5%. The most common result of this diet is often dramatic weight loss, followed by decreased hunger and a more stable mood.

Myth #2: Eating saturated fat will raise my cholesterol and clog my arteries

This is a myth that just won’t die. It’s hard to find a major article about nutrition that doesn’t throw in a comment about avoiding saturated fat. For a complete history of how this myth developed and was perpetuated, I recommend the book Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. The first section of that book is devoted to explaining the history of how we reached the point where we are today – that is, the rise of the low-fat diet.

In summary, there has never been a solid study to show that saturated fat is linked to heart disease. You may be shocked to hear this, since "everyone knows" the opposite. Over the years, multiple studies were started specifically to prove once and for all that such a link existed (just a formality, since everyone knew that saturated fats were bad) - but the results showed no link. In fact, the results showed no connection between saturated fat intake and cholesterol levels.

The proponents of the myth, led by Ancel Keys, came up with excuses for why the experiment failed instead of admitting they were wrong. They cherry-picked data that supported their claim and ignored the data that didn’t.  They wouldn’t back down - The official recommendation to avoid saturated fats (which still exists to this day, both from the FDA and AHA) was issued before the studies were even completed.  Yes, the #1 dietary recommendation from our government is based on bad science. Consider the 1992 Framingham Study, which also showed no link between eating saturated fat and blood cholesterol levels - here is a quote from the director of the study:

"In Framingham, Massachusetts, the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower people's serum cholesterol...we found that the people who ate the most cholesterol, ate the most saturated fat, ate the most calories weighed the least and were the most physically active." Dr William Castelli 1992 (Director of the Framingham study)

So Why Should I Eat Fat?

OK, so maybe fat isn’t so bad for us – but how can it help? Fats and cholesterol play important roles in our overall health.

Simply put, your body needs fat to function properly. Your brain tissue is composed of about 2/3 fat. Your nervous system is also mostly fat, as is every cell membrane in your body. Much of the fat in the brain is in the form of EPA/DHA, a type of Omega-3 fat. Omega-3 fats, along with Omega-6 fats, are fats that your body cannot make on its own - they must be consumed in your diet. Omega-3 fats are the most important, simply for the reason that the standard American diet contains very little of them.

Omega-6 is important too, but not really a concern because we typically eat too much of them. Overconsumption of Omega-6 EFAs can promote inflammation, which is at the root of many diseases. In western diets, the average Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio is around 16:1. The optimal ratio is closer to 4:1. Studies have indicated many benefits of lowering this ratio, including a 70% decrease in overall mortality due to cardiovascular disease in people with a 4:1 ratio. So most of us would benefit from limiting Omega 6 fat consumption, in favor of eating more Omega-3 fats.

The benefits of Omega-3 fats have become fairly widespread - particular regarding overall heart health - but most people don't know that there are multiple types of Omega-3s, and they are not all the same. The Omega-3 you get from plant sources, such as flax oil or walnuts is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Many of the benefits of ALA appear to be attributed to the body's ability to convert ALA into EPA/DHA, the other types of Omega-3 fats.

 If you aren't a fish fan tilapia
is a mild option worth trying. 

EPA and DHA are readily found in fatty fish and seafood, and these are the most important types of fat you can eat. While your body can convert ALA into EPA/DHA, the process is highly inefficient in humans. Typically, only about 5% of ALA will be converted to EPA/DHA. The best direct source of EPA/DHA is seafood, but if you don't like to eat a lot of seafood, consider fish or krill oil supplementation. Smaller amounts of EPA, DHA, and ALA are also present in natural grass-fed beef, free-range chickens, and their eggs - but not in their grain-fed, farmed counterparts.



As mentioned above, EPA/DHA is important for your brain health, and consumption has been shown to be beneficial for treating ADHD, autism, depression, bipolar disorder, dyslexia, aggression, borderline personality disorder, and schizophrenia. Add in the decreases in overall mortality and inflammation, and it is easy to see how important these fats really are.

Would you want to miss out on the
 benefits of all this spinachy goodness?

Another interesting fact about fat is that it helps you absorb vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E, K are fat soluble. This means that they need fat to be properly absorbed by the body. In fact, a study from 2004 showed that people that used a fat-free salad dressing absorbed less of the vitamins from their salad.

So as you can see, the low-fat diet is not all its cracked up to be. In my opinion, the vilification of fat has had a profound negative effect on health in this country. Typically when you see a low-fat label on the front of a product, you can count on it having added sugar or artificial sweeteners, which have zero nutritional value and a load of negative qualities.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go eat a grass-fed ribeye steak, covered in butter.

Easy Gluten Free Energy Bites

There is no reason to buy sugary, preservative filled protein bars when you can whip this recipe up in no time! This recipe is gluten free and packed with nutrients.

Whey protein powder-An easily digestible way to add protein to your diet.
Almonds-Contain mono-saturated fats, vitamin E, and magnesium.
Dates-Loaded with fiber and vitamins and help aid in digestion.
Walnuts-A great source of omega 3 fatty acids.
Coconut-A good source of fiber.

Ingredients:
1/4 c natural almond butter
1 scoop vanilla whey protein (I like Optimum Whey Vanilla Ice Cream)
6 medjool dates, pitted
1 c walnuts, chopped
3 tbs water
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs ground flax seeds
Unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted, for rolling

1. Put dates and two tablespoons of water in the food processor until smooth.
2. Mix date puree and all remaining ingredients except coconut until it becomes a thick dough (if too thick or    too dry add a bit more water).
3. Roll dough into a dozen bite size balls and roll in coconut.

Enjoy!

Product Spotlight: Coconut Oil

You've heard about it on TV, on Pinterest, and Facebook pages. You wonder, "Could this stuff be as good as everyone claims it is?" I, just like you, am ever the skeptic. I am married to an even bigger skeptic. Part of Jen's focus in graduate school was on philosophical skepticism, for Pete's sake. So believe me when I say if we use it, it must be good!

So why use coconut oil?

Here are a few reasons:

1. It's good for your health. Gerald: Unlike most fats which consist of Long-chain Triglycerides (LCTs), Coconut oil is made up of mostly Medium-chain Triglycerides (MCTs).

Studies have showed MCTs intake is associated with increased energy expenditure, faster satiety, and increased fat oxidation. In other words, coconut oil can give a slight boost to your metabolism and satisfy hunger at the same time. Another study indicated that even when eating excessive calories, rats who ate large amounts of MCTs gained about 30% less weight than those eating LCTs, and showed a greater increase in metabolic rate due to thermogenesis. 

These positive effects occur because MCTs are processed through a different mechanism than LCTs in the body. LCTs must first be broken down by bile and enzymes into smaller fatty acids before they can enter the bloodstream. MCTs on the other hand, go directly to the liver, where they can be quickly broken down and absorbed without bile salts. This is also particularly important for people who have digestive problems, such as IBS or gallbladder issues. Many who experience pain or indigestion when consuming fatty meals can consume MCTs with no discomfort. 

Additionally, since the MCTs are processed quickly, they are available for energy much faster than other fats. For those who are limiting carb intake, coconut oil can be the missing piece that provides the quick energy many associate with carbs.

Jen: You can use coconut oil in place of butter in just about any recipe and on anything you would normally slap butter on, including toast. 76 degrees is the magic number when it comes to coconut oil: it's solid at this temperature or when colder, liquid when warmer. You'll generally find it in solid form at the store, and it is very shelf-stable, lasting a long time without refrigeration provided you keep contaminants out. If you add it to iced smoothies or anything cold, just be prepared to work with the solid texture and use some kind of blender (it might create teeny-tiny beads in the end product, but won't blend as a solid otherwise unless--you guessed it--you're blending it into a liquid that's warmer than 76 degrees). As a medium-chain fatty acid, it is well absorbed by the entire body, especially the brain.

Make no mistake: your brain NEEDS healthy fats, as do the rest of your organs and as does the rest of your body (we'll be covering healthy fats and the faults of a low-fat diet in a subsequent post). In fact, studies and anecdotal evidence have shown that coconut oil specifically plays a role in diminishing the signs of Alzheimer's and dementia. There are no comparable oils. Click here for one such story, further documented in the book "Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was a Cure?: the Story of Ketones" by Mary T. Newport (here is her article encapsulating the theory she sets forth in her book; it's the second link down, right under the link titled "Ketone Esthers article" and opens as a .pdf). An Alzheimer's patient has an insulin-deficient brain, and coconut oil as a medium-chain fatty acid has been shown to stabilize or even reverse the disease by acting as a sort of alternative fuel on this insulin-starved habitat. ALL brains make excellent use of coconut oil in this way; if it works in the extreme example of Alzheimer's, think of what it can do for you. Anecdotally, my dad swears by it for his creaky, arthritic joints, which are no longer creaky since he started taking coconut oil. He won't be without the stuff. He takes almost two tablespoons in the morning and again in the evening.

All of this begs the question: How much do I take? First, a disclaimer: always check with your doctor, dietitian, or health care provider before taking any supplement. We are not doctors; we've just done our research and know what works for us. While there is no recommended daily allowance (RDA) for coconut oil, at least a tablespoon a.m. and another p.m. is most often recommended. Throughout this post are references to books and websites as source material for recommended doses for various and specific health issues, so read on to check those out! Below I mention a book called "The Coconut Oil Miracle" that includes 50 recipes as a means to get coconut oil into your system aside from just taking it straight by the spoonful, and an internet search will find you many, many more recipes. And yes, coconut oil is technically a saturated fat, but certainly not all saturated fats are unhealthy. Coconut oil is phenomenally beneficial and does not act on the body with the negative results typical of most other saturated fats largely because it is a medium-chain, as opposed to long-chain, triglyceride. Research, consultation with your health care provider, and possibly some trial and error will help you find just the right daily dose for YOU.

Ways to cook with coconut oil:

Ginger: I make a quick salad to go with dinner where I saute a bunch of spinach, baby tomatoes (split in half), and minced garlic in coconut oil. When it is done I sprinkle some red pepper flakes on it and a bit of parmesan if I am feeling naughty. Its quick, easy and delicious! We also cook fish in it all the time.

Jen: Anything you cook or saute in butter or other oils can be cooked or sauteed in coconut oil. You can always start there as an easy segue into using coconut oil. I find chicken and shrimp especially delicious when cooked in the stuff, but honestly I also often can't taste the coconut at all. It is very mild in the first place, as far as I'm concerned. I recommend cooking a small batch of something in it just to see how you like the flavor in general.

I love to do what Ginger does as well and saute spinach in it, or kale is a fantastic alternative. Again, just about any veggie works so well this way; it's just a matter of taste-testing with the coconut oil as opposed to your current oil of choice. I also enjoy a tablespoon blended with my morning protein shake in my Magic Bullet, though in that case I wish the flavor was much, much stronger! Keep in mind what I mentioned above--that, since coconut oil is solid when cold, this will change the texture of any smoothie it's added to. I enjoy this texture. Why not give it a try?

Curry dishes? Phenomenal with coconut oil. It's an amazing addition to most Asian cooking, and in so many desserts, like macaroons. Think about how making the simple swap from an unhealthy oil made from LCTs to the MCTs in coconut oil on a regular basis can add up to disease prevention, control over your blood sugar, weight control, and a host of other benefits. We'll be adding more specific recipes here and elsewhere on the blog later; for now, these are some general ideas to get you thinking!

2. It's a great beauty product. Ginger:  It moisturizes your skin, soothes eczema, and many have testified that it has improved their keratosis pilaris (also known as chicken skin). I use it as a moisturizer not just on my body, but my face (and I am a long time acne sufferer...it doesn't make me break out!) and my lips. I wash my face with a combination of baking soda and coconut oil a few times a week and it has helped the texture of my skin. Its also great mixed with sugar and used as an exfoliant. And it smells damn delicious!

Jen: I, too, am a lifelong acne sufferer, and I swear by this stuff...though I was initially terrified to slather OIL on my FACE. I rub a pea-sized amount (again, it's generally solid at room temperature) between my hands to liquefy and pat it on my face about a half-hour before going to bed at night. I also put a few drops of emu oil and argan oil on top of that if I'm extra-dry, but that's another post! I rub the extra over my hair. Coconut oil is one of very, very few oils with a small enough molecule to absorb into the pores of your hair shaft, by the way, and it's miraculous as a leave-in hair treatment. It also has an affinity for proteins in the hair, unlike almost all other oils, which makes it, along with argan oil, one of the very best to use as a hair treatment. Alternatively, one could rub more of it on dry hair, leave it on for an hour or so for deeper conditioning, then wash it out. I do this weekly with pretty awesome results. It has helped heal old acne scars on my cheeks and gives my skin a fabulous glow (says me). It's an incredible makeup remover--just rub some over your dry skin and it will break up dirt, oil, makeup, and whatever else you have sitting on your skin. Rinse off thoroughly, then wash with your regular facial soap. It's brilliant anywhere on the body as a moisturizer. Plus, like Ginger wrote, it smells yummy naturally!

Coconut oil is also great for psoriasis and, as Ginger noted, eczema, both when taken by the spoonful and used topically. This little article recommends it anecdotally, and there are loads of other sources on this subject. This one recommends two tablespoons a day plus topical application for psoriasis. The Earth Remedies site offers testimonials on coconut oil's fantastic benefits with regard to psoriasis here and on eczema here. I mention psoriasis in particular because it is a skin AND joint condition (ultimately it is an immune system condition), and coconut oil can help with both the skin and joint issues when taken internally and topically. Click here to check out the section of the Earth Remedies site that includes a Table of Contents on the right-hand side of the page. Click on any of the health conditions on the Table of Contents list to read testimonials relating to how coconut oil helped in mitigating or eliminating whatever condition you selected.  


3. It has some surprising uses. Ginger: Need a degreaser? Grab that coconut oil! Got glue stuck to your hands? Slather it on and your hands won't be sticky! Seriously. This stuff is pure awesomeness.

Jen: Don't forget our furry friends, while we're covering the broad array of uses for coconut oil! I put about a teaspoon on top of my dog's breakfast. He LOVES it (okay, it's not much of a shock that he's a fan of it since it is, after all, food), and he picks the lump of it up first thing to devour before he commences with the rest of his meal. His arthritic back legs don't hitch at all when he rises anymore, and his coat is even more beautiful. Another fun use for coconut oil? Try giving a massage with it! It retains the perfect level of slickness without feeling greasy, and the benefit is twofold because it's so good as a moisturizer.

Ginger: My favorite kind is made by NOW. We buy it online at Amazon. I encourage you to get the purest kind you can so you get the maximum benefit.

Jen: I totally agree with Ginger. Get 100% virgin, organic, unrefined, cold-pressed, and pure coconut oil as opposed to what's often referred to as RBD: refined, bleached, and deodorized. I use Vitacost brand; click here to check it out. I like it because it's great quality in a giant 54 ounce tub at a great price. I'll be trying out Ginger's NOW recommendation, too! There are a ton of brands out there, but just keep our keywords in mind and compare prices to find what's right for you.

4. It is well-studied and information and recipes are easy to find. Jen: Several years ago, I picked up a book called "The Coconut Oil Miracle" by Bruce Fife. I was hooked on the stuff from that moment on. I know what you're probably thinking: "A BOOK? Seriously? They still make those?" Yep, they do, and I highly recommend this one. It covers the benefits of coconut oil with regard to heart health, germ fighting (it's naturally antibacterial because of the high concentration of lauric acid--pure coconut oil is about 50% lauric adic, in fact), weight loss, immune system health, fighting diabetes and blood sugar spikes, improving digestion, fighting signs of aging on the skin, and a massive host of other benefits. This stuff really is miraculous. It's also inexpensive, considering all it does.  After I read this book, I was greedy for more info, so I began scouring the web and found a mind-numbing amount of data. All you need to do is start anywhere--I suppose the post you're reading right now is as good a place as any!--and follow the path. Here are a few places I recommend:

The Coconut Research Center is a nice little clearinghouse of coconut oil info and lists many of the oil's benefits right on the homepage. There are also several video interviews with Dr. Bruce Fife, the author I mentioned above, on different aspects of coconut oil. For another great list of uses for coconut oil, check out the "333 Uses for Coconut Oil" post on Hybrid Rasta Mama's blog. I think Ginger and I both came across this some time ago when it was just "160 Uses for Coconut Oil"! I like this particular list because it offers a bit of explanation as to how the oil works to target many of the conditions specifically rather than simply listing the conditions that the oil helps.

If you've tried coconut oil and are a fan, we'd love to read your comments about how you use it as well as the great results you've obtained from including it in your diet. If you haven't yet tried it, we encourage you to do so! We offer some ideas in this post as to how to use it and what benefits you can expect, but a web search will find you even more by way of recipes and benefits. There are many books on the subject, so a blog post alone will certainly not do it full justice. In addition to the above-mentioned "The Coconut Oil Miracle," there's "Coconut Cures: Preventing and Treating Common Health Problems with Coconut" by Bruce Fife (2004); "Coconut Oil Cures" by Sharon Daniels (2013); "The Everything Coconut Diet Cookbook: the Delicious and Natural Way to Lose Weight Fast, Boost Energy, Improve Digestion, Reduce Inflammation, and Get Healthy for Life" by Anji Sandage (2011); and "Virgin Coconut Oil: How It Has Changed People's Lives, and How It Can Change Yours!" by Brian Shilhavy and Marianata Jader Shilhavy (2004). There are also several Kindle-only books (available for immediate download on pretty much ANY device), but not all of those are worth the money considering the general absence of decent editing in the "publication" process. The hard-copy books, however, I do recommend. Just start somewhere, anywhere (like here!), and I bet you'll be hooked, if you aren't already!

10 Healthy Habits to Start Now

By Ginger 

 To kick off the new blog, we want to give you some healthy habits to start out with. We will of course be posting more information behind some of these habits to help you along the way. 

10. Put down that soda.

I don’t care if it’s regular or diet. Caffeinated or caffeine free. Organic or otherwise. Its crap. Listen to me: SODA HAS NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE. If you want caffeine have some coffee or tea. Stop drinking man-made drinks from a can. They make you feel bloated and they are empty calories. High consumption of soda has been linked to obesity, diabetes, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and more. I found this great little chart that sums it up:

Want a soda now? 

9. Drop the artificial sweeteners.

Replacing sugar with Splenda isn’t going to make you healthy. Avoiding sugar is the best thing you could do. Did you know that there are scientific studies showing that artificial sweeteners make you fat? Its just another reason to put down that diet soda in #10. And why would you want to put anything artificial in your body? Do you even know what they put in those artificial sweeteners? Aspartame, for example, is made of up of three chemicals. Did you read that right? Yes, you did. The reason there are no calories in artificial sweeteners is because they are NOT FOOD. Why would you want to put chemicals in your body? And guess where you mainly find aspartame? Yep, in that awful nasty diet soda. I know I keep going back to that but…STOP DRINKING IT!

8. Don’t diet.

That’s right. Don’t diet. Make a lifestyle change. It might be a longer road but it’s better than a “quick fix”. Think of your external appearance as a reflection of your health. Your body is a very smart and efficient machine. It will adapt to whatever type of diet you eat. Why do people who lose weight on diets almost always gain the weight back? Because they go back to eating the way they did before. The solution is simple - Make being healthy a life-long goal. I promise you it is worth it. No crazy fad diets where you live on canned tuna and green tea for a month. That is not good for you at all. Make incremental, sustainable changes to your diet. With the right decisions and a little patience you will persevere! 

7. Read labels.

Do you even know what you are eating? Read labels. If you don’t know what it is, don’t eat it. If your food has a big long list of ingredients made in a lab, don’t put it in your body.  One of the best way to avoid foods with mysterious ingredients is to avoid prepackaged foods as much as possible. Buy fresh or frozen fruit and veggies, make your own salad dressing (it isn’t that hard..we will show you!), and plan meals ahead of time rather than reaching for that frozen dinner. Please please please don’t eat that frozen dinner. It is loaded with preservatives and you could eat such a fresh wholesome meal instead that would be more filling. I don’t know about you but those meals do not make me feel satisfied.

6. Learn that fat isn’t a bad word.

Everyone worries about fat. Fat isn’t your enemy. Did you know that your brain is mostly made of fat? And there are some great fats out there you should eat, like coconut oil (we will post more on good fats later). In fact, there are some essential fats (EFAs) that you absolutely NEED in your diet to maintain optimal physical and mental health. Instead of seeking out low-fat food, focus on getting enough protein each day and avoiding sugar and refined carbs.

5. Don’t be a sucker.

Don’t fall for all of the food marketing. Just because something claims it is organic doesn’t mean it is good for you. Nor is something low fat or low calorie necessarily the right choice.  As I said before, read your labels. But also look up the nutrition for any fast food that you think might be healthy. Most likely it is full of preservatives and artificial flavorings and sweeteners. I can think of a multitude of examples: that fast food sandwich meat is loaded with preservatives; that protein smoothie has a ton of fake sugar in it and barely any actual protein. But they claim it is healthy. And this exactly why you should...

4. Educate yourself.

Read scientific studies and articles. Verify the source of any nutrition information you read. After all it could just be some marketing scheme from the food industry. No really. I am not being crazy. Decide for yourself is something is healthy, if a certain supplement will benefit you, and if that Zumba class really burns 600 calories. And don't trust what someone says on Pinterest or a blog (hey I am being honest here. We do our fair share of reading and only want to help, but you have to go out and empower yourself a little!). 

3. Don’t be lazy.

Be active. Enjoy life. Get out there and try something new! You have to find what activities you like in order to enjoy exercise. You don’t have to love the gym. Its ok. Go for a walk. Take a hike. Get a bicycle or some roller skates. Do some gardening. Go for a swim. Just keep moving!

2. Learn to cook.

Life will be easier if you cook rather than depend on prepackaged or fast meals. Wholesome, locally grown food is so much better for you. Hate to cook? Learn simple meals. Pre-plan them for the week. You can make it work!

1. Track your nutrition

Tracking your nutrition is a great way to know what you are eating. It can be very enlightening. It definitely got me to change what kind of alcoholic beverages I have when I go to down to New Orleans on a Saturday night! It’s also a good way to track fat, protein, sugar, and carbs. Studies show that most people who are trying to lose weight underestimate how many calories they are eating. But it isn’t just about the calorie goal. If you are eating low calories but are eating crap, you aren’t healthy. If you decide to eat a super low calorie diet and are starving yourself, you are not healthy, even if you lose weight. And you also have to keep in mind that in the long term living in an extreme calorie deficit will cause your metabolism to slow down enough that your weight loss can stall completely. Once you have damaged your metabolism in this way, it can take months of normal eating for it to be restored. But the first step is to get an idea of what you are actually eating each day.

There are some great apps out there for nutrition tracking. Gerald and I use MyFitnessPal. We are able to customize our goals and we can put in recipes to review their nutrition numbers.  I think Jen uses LoseIt! I also know people that like SparkPeople. Find one that works for you and stick with it. 

Content coming soon!

Welcome! We're already looking forward to filling this blog with tons of fabulous, fun, and healthy insights and info based on our collective hard work and experience rockin' the healthy life. The three of us--we're dear friends and like-minded health enthusiasts--have researched our butts off on as many aspects as possible of physical well-being. We then gradually worked to apply that research with truly amazing and wonderful results over the last few years. We decided recently that these results (and our journey toward attaining them) were truly worth sharing so that others might become inspired to take some steps toward a longer, happier, healthier life, just like we did.

Check back in soon to read more about where we're coming from, our three stories (look for our full bios on the "More About Us" page coming soon), and our thoughts on nutrition, supplements, exercise, balancing health with indulgence and everyday life, and many other related topics that we think are totally relatable and hopefully inspiring and motivating. Each of our posts will begin with a byline on who is writing that particular post, and we look forward to engaging readers as much as possible, so please do feel free to comment on anything! We'll begin posting in earnest within the first week of February, 2013. This is such an exciting endeavor for us and we hope that it will be another fantastic tool to help keep us (AND our followers) on track!