Intuitive Eating Principle #8

8. Respect Your Body. Accept your genetic blueprint. Just as a person with a shoe size of eight would not expect to realistically squeeze into a size six, it is equally as futile (and uncomfortable) to have the same expectation with body size. But mostly, respect your body, so you can feel better about who you are. It's hard to reject the diet mentality if you are unrealistic and overly critical about your body shape.

Intuitive Eating Principle #7

7. Honor Your Feelings Without Using Food. Find ways to comfort, nurture, distract, and resolve your issues without using food. Anxiety, loneliness, boredom, anger are emotions we all experience throughout life. Each has its own trigger, and each has its own appeasement. Food won't fix any of these feelings. It may comfort for the short term, distract from the pain, or even numb you into a food hangover, but food won't solve the problem. If anything, eating for an emotional hunger will only make you feel worse in the long run. You'll ultimately have to deal with the source of the emotion, as well as the discomfort of overeating.

Intuitive Eating Principle #6

6. Discover the Satisfaction Factor. The Japanese have the wisdom to promote pleasure as one of their goals of healthy living. In our fury to be thin and healthy, we often overlook one of the most basic gifts of existence--the pleasure and satisfaction that can be found in the eating experience. When you eat what you really want, in an environment that is inviting and conducive, the pleasure you derive will be a powerful force in helping you feel satisfied and content. By providing this experience for yourself, you will find that it takes much less food to   decide you've had "enough."

Intuitive Eating Principle #5

5. Respect Your Fullness. Listen for the body signals that tell you that you are no longer hungry. Observe the signs that show that you're comfortably full. Pause in the middle of a meal or food and ask yourself how the food tastes, and what is your current fullness level?

Intuitive Eating Principle #4

4. Challenge the Food Police. Scream "NO" to thoughts in your head that declare you're "good" for eating under 1000 calories or "bad" because you ate a piece of chocolate cake. The Food Police monitor the unreasonable rules that dieting has created . The police station is housed deep in your psyche, and its loud speaker shouts negative barbs, hopeless phrases, and guilt-provoking indictments. Chasing the Food Police away is a critical step in returning to Intuitive Eating.

Intuitive Eating Principle #3

3. Make Peace with Food. Call a truce, stop the food fight! Give yourself unconditional permission to eat. If you tell yourself that you can't or shouldn't have a particular food, it can lead to intense feelings of deprivation that build into uncontrollable cravings and, often, bingeing When you finally “give-in” to your forbidden food, eating will be experienced with such intensity, it usually results in Last Supper overeating, and overwhelming guilt.

Intuitive Eating Principle #2

2. Honor Your Hunger. Keep your body biologically fed with adequate energy and carbohydrates.

Otherwise you can trigger a primal drive to overeat. Once you reach the moment of excessive hunger, all
intentions of moderate, conscious eating are fleeting and irrelevant. Learning to honor this first biological signal
sets the stage for re-building trust with  yourself and food.

Use the Hunger & Fullness Scale to listen to your body and pay better attention to when you are hunger and
when you are full.

Intuitive Eating Principle #1

Intuitive eating is an approach that teaches you how to create a healthy relationship with your food, mind, and body. Over the next week or so we will focus each day on 1 of the 10 guiding principles of Intuitive Eating. 

1. Reject the Diet Mentality. Throw out the diet books and magazine articles that offer you false hope of losing weight  quickly, easily, and permanently. Get angry at the lies that have led you to feel as if you were a failure every time a new diet stopped working and you gained back the weight. If you allow even one small hope to linger that a new and better diet might be lurking around the corner, it will prevent you from being free to rediscover Intuitive Eating.

Skinny Mash Potatoes

Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower
1 tablespoon of cream cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of salt
5 or so dashes of pepper
Chives for garnish

Directions:
Wash and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Boil in a pot of water for about 10-15 minutes or until soft and cooked.
Drain and dry using paper towels. Immediately place in food processor or blender. You do not want the cauliflower to cool.
Puree the cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the top with chives and a few dashes of pepper. Serve!



Source: http://www.delightedmomma.com/2011/11/skinny-mashed-potatoes.html

Dimension to Health and Wellness

Frozen Banana and Peanut Butter

Ingredients:
5 medium ripe bananas
1 tbsp. all natural creamy peanut butter
2 oz. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt

Directions:
1.Peel one banana and mash it with the peanut butter and yogurt. Set aside.
2.Peel the other four bananas. Slice into half-inch thick slices. Smear the banana, peanut butter, and yogurt mixture on half the banana slices and top with the other halves, making banana sandwiches. Place on a wooden cutting board or a plate and freeze for at least two hours.

Makes four servings (about seven pieces).

Strength Training

Pumpkin Crunch Granola

Pumpkin Crunch Granola

Source: eatliverun.com via Tani on Pinterest

yields about 6 cups granola

Ingredients:
for spice mix—
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice

for candied pepitas—
2 cups pepitas (pumpkin seeds, raw)
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup honey
1 tsbp brown sugar
1 tsp spice mix
sprinkle of salt

for granola assembly—
4 cups old fashioned oats
remaining spice mix
1 cup maple syrup
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Mix together all spice mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Melt the butter in a skillet set over medium high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and 1 tsp of the spice mix. Toast seeds, stirring constantly, until golden brown. And honey and brown sugar and continue to cook while stirring for another two minutes. Carefully transfer and spread out candied seeds on a large sheet tray. Let cool for about 12 minutes, until no longer sticky. Break seeds up with a spatula to avoid sticking and set aside.
Place the oats, along with the remaining spice mix and salt, in a large bowl. Mix well.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine the maple syrup and the coconut oil in a large skillet or small saucepot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for two minutes. Very carefully, pour the hot syrup over the oats. Toss well.
Spread out granola on two large sheet pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, tossing every five minutes. When done, remove granola from the oven and let cool. Place cooled granola in a large bowl with the candied pumpkin seeds and toss well so everything is incorporated.

Time:
1 hour

Burning Calories during Physical Activity

Baked Cauliflower Poppers

Ingredients:
2 heads of cauliflower
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Wash and clean the cauliflower. Cut off and discard the stem. Cut the cauliflower up into small pieces.
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower pieces and thoroughly coat each piece.
Place cauliflower pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for one hour and turn 3 times during cooking until each piece has a nice brown coloring. The browner they are the better.
Remove from oven and enjoy!

Source:
Delighted Momma: Baked Cauliflower Poppers:

Dairy

10 tips to help you eat and drink more fat-free or low-fat dairy foods

The Dairy Group includes milk, yogurt, cheese, and fortified soy milk  They provide calcium, vitamin D, potassium, protein, and other nutrients needed for good health throughout life. Choices should be low-fat or fat-free—to cut calories and saturated fat. How much is needed? Older children, teens, and adults need 3 cups* a day, while children 4 to 8 years old need 2½ cups, and children 2 to 3 years old need 2 cups.

1. “Skim” the fat. Drink fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk. If you currently drink whole milk, gradually switch to lower fat versions. This change cuts calories but doesn't reduce calcium or other essential nutrients.
2. Boost potassium and vitamin D, and cut sodium. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt more often than cheese. Milk and yogurt have more potassium and less sodium than most cheeses. Also, almost all milk and many yogurts are fortified with vitamin D.
3. Top off your meals. Use fat-free or low-fat milk on cereal and oatmeal. Top fruit salads and baked potatoes with low-fat yogurt instead of higher fat toppings such as sour cream. 
4. Choose cheeses with less fat. Many cheeses are high in saturated fat. Look for “reduced-fat” or “low-fat” on the label. Try different brands or types to find the one that you like. 
5. What about cream cheese? Regular cream cheese, cream, and butter are not part of the dairy food group. They are high in saturated fat and have little or no calcium.
6. Ingredient switches. When recipes such as dips call for sour cream, substitute plain yogurt. Use fat-free evaporated milk instead of cream, and try ricotta cheese as a substitute for cream cheese.
7. Choose sweet dairy foods with care. Flavored milks, fruit yogurts, frozen yogurt, and puddings can contain a lot of added sugars. These added sugars are empty calories. You need the nutrients in dairy foods—not these empty calories.
8. Caffeinating? If so, get your calcium along with your morning caffeine boost. Make or order coffee, a latte, or cappuccino with fat-free or low-fat milk.
9. Can’t drink milk? If you are lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk, drink smaller amounts of milk at a time, or try soy milk (soy beverage). Check the Nutrition Facts label to be sure your soy milk has about 300 mg of calcium. Calcium in some leafy greens is well absorbed, but eating several cups each day to meet calcium needs may be unrealistic.
10. Take care of yourself and your family. Parents who drink milk and eat dairy foods show their kids that it is important. Dairy foods are especially important to build the growing bones of kids and teens. Routinely include low-fat or fat-free dairy foods with meals and snacks—for everyone’s benefit.

* What counts as a cup in the Dairy Group? 1 cup of milk or yogurt, 1½ ounces of natural cheese, or 2 ounces of processed cheese.

Target Heart Rate

Whole Grains

10 tips to help you eat whole grains

Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples. Grains are divided into two subgroups, whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel—the bran, germ, and endosperm. People who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases.

1. Make simple switches. To make half your grains whole grains, substitute a whole-grain product for a refined-grain product. For example, eat 100% whole-wheat bread or bagels instead of white bread or bagels, or brown rice instead of white rice.
2. Whole grains can be healthy snacks. Popcorn, a whole grain, can be a healthy snack. Make it with little or no added salt or butter. Also, try 100% whole-wheat or rye crackers. 
3. Save some time. Cook extra bulgur or barley when you have time. Freeze half to heat and serve later as a quick side dish.
4. Mix it up with whole grains. Use whole grains in mixed dishes, such as barley in vegetable soups or stews and bulgur wheat in casseroles or stir-fries. Try a quinoa salad or pilaf. 
5. Try whole-wheat versions. For a change, try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Try brown rice stuffing in baked green peppers or tomatoes, and whole-wheat macaroni in macaroni and cheese.
6. Bake up some whole-grain goodness. Experiment by substituting buckwheat, millet, or oat flour for up to half of the flour in pancake, waffle, muffin, or other flour-based recipes. They may need a bit more leavening in order to rise.
7. Be a good role model for children. Set a good example for children by serving and eating whole grains every day with meals or as snacks.
8. Check the label for fiber. Use the Nutrition Facts label to check the fiber content of whole-grain foods. Good sources of fiber contain 10% to 19% of the Daily Value; excellent sources contain 20% or more.
9. Know what to look for on the ingredients list. Read the ingredients list and choose products that name a wholegrain ingredient first on the list. Look for “whole wheat,” “brown rice,” “bulgur,” “buckwheat,” “oatmeal,” “whole-grain cornmeal,” “whole oats,” “whole rye,” or “wild rice.”
10. Be a smart shopper. The color of a food is not an indication that it is a whole-grain food. Foods labeled as “multi-grain,” “stone-ground,” “100% wheat,” “cracked wheat,” “seven-grain,” or “bran” are usually not 100% whole-grain products, and may not contain any whole grain.

Homemade Banana Chips

Slice banana into thin chips, dip in lemon juice, and spread on a cookie sheet. Bake for 2 hours @ 200 degrees and flip. Bake for another 1.5-2 hours or until crisp. Homemade banana chips!

Source: nuts.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Go Lean on Protein

10 tips for choosing protein

Protein foods include both animal (meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs) and plant (beans, peas, soy products, nuts, and seeds) sources. We all need protein—but most Americans eat enough, and some eat more than they need. How much is enough? Most people, ages 9 and older, should eat 5 to 7 ounces* of protein foods each day.

1. Vary your protein food choices. Eat a variety of foods from the Protein Foods Group each week. Experiment with main dishes made with beans or peas, nuts, soy, and seafood. 
2. Choose seafood twice a week. Eat seafood in place of meat or poultry twice a week. Select a variety of seafood—include some that are higher in oils and low in mercury, such as salmon, trout, and herring.
3. Make meat and poultry lean or low fat. Choose lean or low-fat cuts of meat like round or sirloin and ground beef that is at least 90% lean. Trim or drain fat from meat and remove poultry skin. 
4. Have an egg. One egg a day, on average, doesn’t increase risk for heart disease, so make eggs part of your weekly choices. Only the egg yolk contains cholesterol and saturated fat, so have as many egg whites as you want.
5. Eat plant protein foods more often. Try beans and peas (kidney, pinto, black, or white beans; split peas; chickpeas; hummus), soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers), nuts, and seeds. They are naturally low in saturated fat and high in fiber.
6. Nuts and seeds. Choose unsalted nuts or seeds as a snack, on salads, or in main dishes to replace meat or poultry. Nuts and seeds are a concentrated source of calories, so eat small portions to keep calories in check.
7. Keep it tasty and healthy. Try grilling, broiling, roasting, or baking—they don’t add extra fat. Some lean meats need slow, moist cooking to be tender—try a slow cooker for them. Avoid breading meat or poultry, which adds calories.
8. Make a healthy sandwich. Choose turkey, roast beef, canned tuna or salmon, or peanut butter for sandwiches. Many deli meats, such as regular bologna or salami, are high in fat and sodium—make them occasional treats only.
9. Think small when it comes to meat portions. Get the flavor you crave but in a smaller portion. Make or order a smaller burger or a “petite” size steak. 
10. Check the sodium. Check the Nutrition Facts label to limit sodium. Salt is added to many canned foods—including beans and meats. Many processed meats—such as ham, sausage, and hot dogs—are high in sodium. Some fresh chicken, turkey, and pork are brined in a salt solution for flavor and tenderness.