Monday, November 24, 2014

Just say, No.

                Keep Calm and Just Say, No.

The way to say No in an environment where there is a lot of tempting food is to tune-in with your senses. Notice what you notice. Don't let food choices push any emotional buttons. Open a channel of honesty between your desires and your needs by staying in touch with how your body feels. Use the intuitive tool called patience to stay in touch with your goals. 

Patience comes with surprises, so don't worry about the unexpected. You will discover that patience is an emotional stress buster that makes it easy to say No to fattening foods and the pressure to eat. Being patient is how to give yourself inner permission to be flexible and avoid abusive eating.

Use these three types of patience to take control of eating choices.

GIVE YOURSELF CREDIT!  Be patient with yourself to stop self-defeating habits. Taking a pause before digging in will get you surprise admiration from others and results you want.
  • This means, before you commit to a meal, check in with self-respect. Notice if you feel dignified. Notice if you're really hungry.
  • Look at the food on your plate. Do you like the picture? Are being honest with yourself about what feels right?
IGNORE THE CLOCK. Patience with timing is not about waiting. It's about doing what you need to do to get where you want to go. Your body is on its own internal clock. If everyone else is filling up but you don't need to eat, then just say No to uncomfortable food choices.
  • Rushing when you eat cancels natural digestion in your mouth and is an automatic way to eat more than you need. 
  • Patience with timing allows events and people to catch up with your inner drive. There are no shortcuts to quality. 
  • Good timing, when it comes to eating, means taking time to make it good for you. 
TURN OFF SOCIAL PRESSURE. Patience with others has limits. Self-respect is the first instinct of intuitive thinking. Patience with others means acknowledging differences and maintaining your boundaries
  • If someone is pushing your button and disrespectful, sometimes it's best to just say Thank you and Good-bye. What you eat is personal. Being polite and at the same time respecting yourself, is being patient. 
  • If you are attending a buffet, carry a plate of radishes, pickles or celery around. Say No to carrying around temptation.
  • No and yes are equally important for staying in tune with your personal power. Take control by saying No to what doesn't feel right. 
Think less, sense more. Take control by flexing your self-respect muscle. Take time to be true to you. In time, this will bring you just what you need to stay in control.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Three Reasons to Eat Leftovers

Three Reasons to Eat Leftovers

Leftovers taste good. Often, flavors are deeper. With Thanksgiving around the corner, start planning your second taste now. When you store leftovers, be sure to refrigerate them in proper containers and to heat before you enjoy them the second time around.  As a general rule, don't keep leftovers more than 4 days.

1. Eat less.  

If you're a fan of take out, then you know the portions today are bigger than your fist*.  This is because our plates are bigger than they were 20 years ago. The fact is, most of us overeat because the food is there to consume. The next time you have take-out, before you start eating, put half away for another day.  The next time you prepare a meal that has over-sized portions, slim it down and save those goodies for another day.

2. Save time and money.

Spend less time grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning up.  Chances are you work hard and are often too tired at dinner time to focus on portion size or even home cooking. Once a week, make a meal (roast chicken, lasagna, hearty soup or stew) that can be a source of healthy eating for more than one meal. Divide it up by portions and then, know when you come home tired, the work is done and a healthy delicious meal is waiting for you.

3. Health Benefits.

Food is live nutrition. That's why we seek fresh food. Always smell your leftovers to make sure they are fresh. Then, enjoy the ease and benefit of a precooked meal.  
  • Interesting fact: Recent studies show that reheated pasta is better for you. Why? While cooled pasta has just as many calories as freshly cooked hot pasta, the starches become more resistant, which means lower levels of glucose, which keeps blood sugar in check.
Some people balk at the 'thought' of eating leftovers. If someone in your home feels this way, add something extra for the second round, such as a fresh ingredient or different spices. It's easy to turn a stew into a curry and just as simple to make chicken hash or a pasta dish using leftover roast chicken.

Pizza freezes well and is a nutritious leftover for when there is no time or desire to cook.

 Image result for images of pizza


*Eating portions the size of your fist is considered best for staying our optimum weight. In fact, when your stomach is empty, it is the size of your fist!

#janebernard

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Afternoon Pick-up

  If a 'junk food represents comfort, and you know that and eat it in moderation, can it be bad?

Only you know the answer. Listen to your body. Check in with common sense.

The secret to looking and feeling great is balancing what you want with how you feel. Give yourself emotional and physical balance to tune-in to your body and reduce stress.  Junk stands for justifying what feels emotionally satisfying. You don't need to justify your emotional needs. Instead, be kind to yourself.

The habit of having a 'junk food' in the afternoon because it's easy, is like ignoring a red light because you don't like the color. Ignoring the reality of effects of junk food or red lights is equally devastating. Tune-in to what you sense. The point of seeing and feeling is to respond. The more you do, the more balanced your life will be.

Take cues from your body. Eat for energy and health. Responding to what you sense is being kind to yourself. Sometimes you need a physical pick-up in the afternoon and blood sugar will drop. The result is a 'down' feeling. If you need a "pick-up" every afternoon, then try these:
  • Eat a good breakfast; then, have lunch an hour later than usual. Make sure lunch includes protein.
  • Instead of eating a candy bar, leave the room to take a 3 minute walk/stretch to refresh your body. This refreshes your state of mind.
  • Drink a glass of water; if you don't 'like' water, mix in a small amount of fruit juice for a flavor you find satisfying, but make sure at least 2/3 of the mixture is water. 
If you are still hungry,  eat what you want  and stop when you feel satisfied. To know when you're satisfied, make a commitment to enjoy the taste of your comfort food of choice.
  • Decide to enjoy a candy bar or other treat by eating it slower. Put it down between bites. 
  • Really savor the flavor and notice the taste with your tongue. Notice how your stomach feels.
  •  Don't feel compelled to finish the whole thing. Why not save half for another day?
Healthy living stands for happiness and energy. Happiness is not a constant and it's not rigid. That's why intuitive eaters are flexible about food choices. When you need a pick-up, get it. It's important to nourish your whole self. Think with your senses. They are a gift of life that keeps you in touch with the pleasure of taste, touch, smell and sound. Eating is sensual. Make the most of it!


 #janebernard