Weight Loss
Tomato Chickpea Curry – Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Soy Free
Jan 7th
This recipe is great for keeping off the pounds: the coconut oil helps to speed up the metabolism, the c
hickpeas are full of protein and fibre, turmeric is a known weightloos tool, the ginger boosts digestive enzymes and the chia allows you to feel fuller for longer. During the winter months serve it hot over brown rice or in the summer as a spicy summer side.
1 15oz can chickpeas (or 1 1/2 cups presoaked and boiled)
2 large onions chopped
1 1/2 square inch piece of ginger root (1 1/2 tablespoons chopped)
3 medium garlic cloves (3 teaspoons minced)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Juice of one lime
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 15oz can diced tomato (or 1 ½ cups fresh)
2 tablespoons premium white chia
1/2 cup washed, towel dried and chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
Peel onion, garlic and ginger and cut into small pieces. Place in a blender or magic bullet along with red chili, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and lime juice. Blend into a paste and reserve. In a saucepan, add coconut oil and heat on medium. When hot, add paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomato and premium white chia and sauté for 5 minutes stirring occassionally. Add cooked chickpeas, turn heat to low-medium and cook and stir for 10 minutes. Remove and add in cilantro and salt to taste. Serve hot or cold.
How to Lose 5 Pounds in 10 Minutes
Jan 6th
Yes, you read this correctly! It is possible to lose the 5 pounds of weight by simply reading. Reading what you ask? Well, reading a letter that you are about to write to yourself for next year’s holiday season. By writing a letter to yourself TODAY, you can prevent the onslaught of the 5-10 pounds of “extra you” next January.
Studies have shown that the average North American gains at least a pound over the holidays, and this one pound, on average will stay with you for life. So, even if you gain 5-10, like most people do, the odds are that even if you try hard to lose it you will likely carry that extra one pound beast with you to next year’s New Year’s celebration. That means that any weight gain over the holidays is a slippery slope over time to becoming a larger version of yourself.
So, this January I challenge you to take 10 minutes out of your day and write to yourself. The steps are easy: 1) print off this blog post; 2) answer the 5 questions below as honestly as you can; 3) put the envelope in your Thanksgiving or Holiday decoration storage boxes; and 4) when you open it next Holiday season tape it to your fridge. You will have a daily reminder from yourself on the hard-fact results of your over consumption of festivity foods. By doing so, you will consciously eat less, make better choices and you won’t have the 5-10 to contend with in the New Year.
So, print this off and let’s get started!
1. Have you gained weight from November 1 to January 1? If so, how much?
_____ lbs
2. Have you spent, or are thinking of spending, any money as a result of your weight gain? (i.e exercise equipment or videos, bigger clothes, weight loss programs, foods or supplements) If so, how much will these items cost you?
$ ___________
3. How much time every day do you think about your weight? (i.e how often during an hour do you think about: your appearance, weight gain, what people may be thinking about you, how you plan to lose it, assessing your shape, weight measurements, shopping for weight loss items, etc.
____ min/hour = _____ min/day = _____min/week.
4. Do you recall the taste of every poor fat forming food that you consumed over the holidays?
Y / N
5. Choose 3 words that describe how you feel about your weight gain – this can be the emotional feeling (i.e sad, angry, depressed, etc) OR physical feelings (bloated, heavy, etc).
________________________ _______________________ ______________________
Now put this in an envelope, seal it and mark on the front of it:
THIS HOLIDAY I AM GOING TO BE A BETTER BEING AND WILL LOSE 5 POUNDS IN 10 MINUTES.
When you open it, place it on your fridge and give yourself a healthy holiday hug!!!!
Best wishes for an excellent year ahead!
Ann
Foods that Increase Your Metabolism
Apr 22nd
There are great ways to boost your metabolism and keep off the pounds. Exercise is the best way to shed those lovey-dovey handles along with a sensible and nutrient rich food plan. Some great foods to consider adding more of are:
1. Beans as they have excellent levels of protein, great source of fibre and contain cholecystokinin a known appetite suppressant
2. Keep energy levels high with protein rich foods like Eggs and veggie protein like Hempseeds or lean meats and fish. Lean low fat protein allows for increased energy and a decrease in snacking and food cravings. It also allows for the building of muscles that in turn burns more calories.
3. Try to eat a salad before meals to ensure you get lots of vitamins and minerals upfront. Salad can be rich in folic acid, Vitamins C and E, carotenoids, and lycopene to help fight disease and sprinkle Omega 3 and fibre rich Salba on along with high protein hempseeds for a bigger boost. Add in quinoa as well for more protein and fibre.You will eat less of the main meal and will ensure that your digestive tract gets nicely hydrated.
4. Opt for a soup as a main meal which can be very filling and enjoyable. Avoid the cream bases and instead choose the broth bases with healthy flavour and veggies to fill you up with healthy fibre and vitamins. Better yet? Try a Miso base instead as it has live enzymes to help you digest!
5. Opt for fibre rich fruits and veggies. The fibre will fill you up and make you feel satiated for longer meaning you wont want to snack as much. Avoid the high sugar low fibre fruits like cantaloupe or melon and instead reach for a pear, apple or other citrus fruit that has pectin fiber which can help stabilize your blood sugar levels Reach for celery with huge amounts of fibre so it makes your body work hard to digest it, and get a lot of seed and anti-oxidant rich berries for tasty free radical fighting fruits.
6. Green tea is it an antioxidant, but can also boost your metabolism instantly through a substance called EGCG that affects the nervous system and works as an appetite suppressant. It can also help to lower the bad cholesterol levels in your body.
7. Spicy foods are a good way to suppress appetite naturally as hot red pepper contain capsaicin which is an appetite suppressant.
8. Choose Olive oil for salads and cooking over canola or other not-so-good choices. Olive oil is a monosaturated fat that will help you burn calories. For extra bang add apple cider vinegar with honey and garlic as a salad dressing for a big boost on your metabolism.
9. Calcium rich foods like Broccoli, Salba and low fat dairy products are good choices to ensure you have your daily calcium requirements. If not, your brain may send out the signals to eat more resulting in overconsumption.
10. Grapefruit naturally helps to reduce insulin levels so combine it with other foods to help your body turn calories into energy instead of storing them as fat.
……
Don’t forget that diets DO NOT WORK (read my book!) and to keep on moving!!!!
Last Excess to Ensure Success
Mar 17th
St. Paddy’s Day along with spring break always seemed like great timing to me. They come at the end of the winter months and both usually involve some kind of not-so-good excess. Whether it be food, booze or lifestyle, we all know that too much of anything isn’t balanced. With spring around the corner, both events are opportunities to say goodbye to winter’s excesses and hello to healthy routines.
Around this time of year, I like to reflect on what I did well over the winter, and where I fell off the wellness wagon. But for all of my reflections, the best one to illustrate my excesses are my pants. The pants never lie, and unfortunately mine are providing me with a whole whack of truth serum right now. So it is, once again, back to basics for me. Save the red wine for special occasions, have at least one salad a day, lay off the cheese and get back into a coherent exercise routine. I am taking my Salba daily to ensure that I feel fuller longer and to clean me out. I am getting protein at every meal so that I don’t carb out and sprinkling Mum’s Hempseed on my cereal and salad is an easy way to do this. Coconut oil has replaced my olive oil to help shed those winter rolls as well. I am swapping out grilled cheese sandwiches, which seemed like such a good idea on cold days, with a big spinach salad. My hope is to fit into my pantalones before May 1. Wish my waist luck!
So, with a little work, I am trading in winter’s Excess for spring’s Success.
Let me know your tip or plan to get rid of wintery excess!!
