Be Spontaneous!

I talk so often about planning.  Planning your meals and snacks, planning your exercise, or planning your strategy for attack at a potluck. Most often planning absolutely helps you stick to your healthier habits, but it is a little harder this time of year.  Planning can be difficult with more traveling, events with friends and family, house guests, strange work schedules (what day is it again?), and anything extra that may pop up out of the usual day-to-day routine that is typically so easy to plan for.  It was during times like these just last week that I found being spontaneous can work in your healthy habit’s favor too.

Last Tuesday, I had spent my last good long day at work before a few days off for Christmas, arrived home, enjoyed dinner, changed into warm pajamas and was sitting under a heated blanket on the couch listening to the rain come down outside.  Does anything sound better?  Soon however, as I was perusing Facebook, I came across a post from one of my Zumba instructors that expressed looking forward to the time ahead with family and food, but that “tonight, we dance!”  Hmm, I had not planned to go to class that night because I rarely do go to later evening classes, I had accepted that I would have fewer workouts this week, and I had already settled in, but “what the heck! I am going to go!”

It was fun! “I am being spontaneous!”  I threw off the blanket, got in some feel good workout clothes and headed out the door.  I am SO glad that I did!  So many of the Zumba regulars were there and we all had a blast dancing for an hour.  All smiles and sweat!

During times when you’re not sure you can “plan in” a workout, take any opportunity that presents itself.  Downtime visiting family?  Nice weather?  Huh, maybe a good opportunity for a walk, jog, run, game of tag or maybe touch football?  Or maybe you need this strategy just to get started at all, no matter the time of year.  Prefer spontaneity over schedules and plans?  Set a goal to take advantage of any exercise opportunity you’re given – then do it.  You could checkout Groupon or something of the like and let the coupons decide your workout for you.  Try a bunch of different workout styles and locations at a discounted price.  It will keep things mixed up and never boring or uninspiring (ex. you may take hip-hop abs somewhere, then hot yoga, then Pure Barre, then cycling, then Zumba, then kick-boxing, then Cross-Fit…you get the idea).  Be spontaneous!

On a different note, I also practiced some spontaneity in my food choices last week.  Nothing in the fridge?  Or is there…?  I was searching for some lunch and could have easily said that “we don’t have anything” and gone out for something, but instead I made it happen.  Out of a leftover wok dinner (chicken, broccoli, and carrots), whole grain tortilla chips, black beans (from our black bean encrusted fish dish posted a while ago, but enjoyed again last week), salsa, sour cream, and a sprinkle of low fat cheese came a rocking plate of nachos.  I successfully turned nothing into a healthy and filling something.

On occasion it could be fun to step outside your food box, be okay with the fact that there isn’t something ready and raring to go at a moment’s notice, and avoid diet sabotage.  What can you create with what you have?  A few random ingredients and a good imagination and you could create a new fav.

So plan when you can, but when you can’t, take advantage of opportunities when they come.  The alternative may be resorting to doing nothing and feeling all out of sorts by the end of the “out of the ordinary” weeks of Christmas and New Year’s.  Be spontaneous this month! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to all!

Be Stubborn

This is a hard time of year to be sticking to the healthiest of eating habits, especially if they’re new behaviors.  When they’re new behaviors, they are not quite habits yet and it really takes some discipline to stick to them through the barrage of temptations, potlucks, and sweets of this beautiful season.

Someone wise once told me that we can never truly get rid of old habits, but that we can choose to put new positive habits in their place.  Does that mean those old habits always linger waiting to retake their place at the head of, well, your head?  For instance, have you ALWAYS had something sweet after your meals?  That is a good habit to address during a time when you’re watching out for extra sugar and pounds, but it will not be easy to say “no” to your mind’s desire to have that treat.  It will feel as if you NEED the sweet for your meal to be complete.  What new positive habit could you replace this with?  Perhaps you could take a short walk after your meal or make your post meal-time a time for devotion or thanks.  Truly once your brain is engaged outside of food, then that NEED for your treat wanes.  When faced with the temptation to practice our old bad habit, choosing that new replacement behavior takes lots of practice and repetition, but you can do it!  Be stubborn!

I’ve been told that I can be stubborn at times.  I believe I most often use my stubbornness for good…to stick to a plan or complete a commitment or to do my very best at something.  Other times it seems silly.  Just this week I stubbornly refused to put any of my bags down after returning from work and our Christmas party.  I was holding big bags and little bags, plus a box and a crock pot…up 3 flights of stairs (made it)…to the door (made it)…keys?  I was determined I would make it in without putting anything down.  Through some interesting contortions, I did.  Why?  For no other reason than because I decided I was going to and stubbornly stood by that decision.  What a silly example!  But sometimes it is that kind of silly stubbornness we need to stick to our plan to steer clear of sweets after meals, or maybe to forgo the extra helping at dinner, or maybe to skip the doughnuts that have become a weekend tradition.    

I used this idea again this morning when I talked myself down from jumping off my balanced breakfast cliff.  I had my usual big balanced breakfast, but oh I watched a fresh hot batch of doughnut holes being poured into a basket prior to church this morning.  I am not going to lie…I thought about it.  I thought about eating one, just one you know.  No big deal.  But, NO!  I am not hungry, they are not THAT good, and the sugar and calories are not worth it.  Plus, I know I wouldn’t feel so hot about it afterwards.  Today I stood by my decision not to eat when I’m not hungry or just because it’s there (an all too familiar situation recently).

Can you be silly stubborn beyond peer pressure, beyond your old habits, beyond your self-doubts, to stick to your healthier plan through a food filled season?!  This is where knowing what your goals are is important.  If you’ve only sort of thought about the fact that you would like to eat better or would like to lose some weight, it will be more difficult to stick to your plans and meet your loosely framed goals.  Set specific goals and write them down and/or share them with a friend.  It seems insignificant, but it makes a difference.  Your goals take on greater meaning when in ink and when you set yourself up for accountability.  From specific goals you can make plans and stubbornly stick to them.

I plan to keep control tomorrow too.  I enter into another food-focused day of Christmas celebrations at work, potluck style.  While everyone has been instructed to bring a heart healthy dish, there will still be a table of finger foods available to me ALL day.  I will take part, but plan to take along the main part of my normal homemade lunch and fill in the gaps with mostly fruits and veggies from our table.   A goal, a plan, and now I’ve told you – accountability.

More for Less - Recipe!

A great way to get good nutrition and make less food go further…make casseroles (or other one-pot dishes)!  When we aren’t feeling up to 5 days of cooking, we’re sure to make a good one-pot dish (meaning meat, veggie and starch all in one) to go the distance for at least 2 nights.  One of those dishes, we make tonight.  Well, to be fair it's not a one-pot dish completely (couscous on the side), but it's close.

We’re having an “African Sweet Potato and Chicken Stew,” originally from Eating Well’s March/April magazine of this year.  As usual, due to lack of all appropriate ingredients, I made a couple swaps so the recipe featured today is adapted from the original.

I think casseroles get a bad rap as dishes that can only come as ooey gooey and not-so-healthy, but au contraire.  They can be the perfect dish for the frugal and health conscious cook.  Budget is a consideration for so many families these days, making your meat or other higher dollar ingredients go farther by combining less of them with your cheaper items is one good way to save some dough.  Plus, combinations are endless even without a recipe.  I still prefer using recipes, at least as a guide, as I gain confidence in new and different flavor combinations.

In tonight’s dish we get both a flavor and nutrition punch from sweet potatoes, tomatoes, olive oil, natural peanut butter, and lean chicken breast among a bunch of spices and served atop whole wheat couscous. 

Definitely give one-pot dishes a chance.  I find only one downside.  When all components of my dish are served as one (protein, veggie, starch), I initially feel like my portion is less or not enough (visually).  I have overcome this by using smaller plates when I need to and doing my best not to begin my meal with the thought that I will not be satisfied/filled – the mind is a powerful thing.  Both by knowing and believing that my dish will be filling and by eating it mindfully there is never a question that one serving is enough.

We’ve made this dish on several occasions and it is a winner!  It's creamy, slightly spicy, slightly sweet, has a great mix of textures, and is super filling and nutritious!  Find original at: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/african_sweet_potato_chicken_stew.html

African Sweet Potato & Chicken Stew (Makes 4+ servings)

Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups stew & 1 cup couscous
(I serve ½ cup couscous and 1 ½ cups stew for reduced total calorie intake)

Ingredients

¾ - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (2-3 breasts)

2 teaspoons ground coriander, divided

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 large onion, halved and sliced

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed (1/2-inch)

1 15-ounce can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, chopped (juice reserved)
               OR 1 15-ounce no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juice

1 15-ounce Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes (semi-drained)

1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth

1 cup whole-wheat couscous

Instructions:

1. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon coriander and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sweet potato, tomatoes and their juice, peanut butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, cayenne, and the remaining 1 teaspoon coriander and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender, 14 to 16 minutes. Return the chicken and any accumulated juice to the pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous and the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serve the stew over the couscous.

 

 Serving Pictured: 1/2 cup couscous, 1 1/2 cups stew

Nutrient content of original serving (1 ¾ cup stew and 1 cup couscous): 612 Calories, 24 g Fat (Sat 4 g), 13 g Sugar (0 added), 35 g Protein, 12 g Fiber, 465 mg Sodium.

 

 

A Tiger's Tailgate

 

Cue a sea of orange, purple, tiger paws, flags, grills, music, food, drink, friends, family, spirit, tradition, and fun.  Whether you join me in rooting for the Clemson Tigers or your allegiance lies elsewhere, most of us have a pretty good time tailgating before and after our favorite team’s game…too good of a time?

With all the fun comes another challenging day for those minding their healthy habits and watching their waistline, especially when it falls amongst other food filled celebrations like Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Scanning the field of fellow tailgaters, I saw everything from homemade casseroles and treats to those big yellow boxes…you guessed it, Bojangles (or “JoBangles” as we like to say).  Some go all out and decorate for fall like it’s a new house, flowers and pumpkins and all, while other simply flip out their tailgate and decorate with empty bottles and plates.  There’s no wrong way to do it, but what DO you do when you’re looking to maintain control of your intake?

It would be so easy to throw caution to the wind and graze all day on everything that’s available, but with a few strategies you can still enjoy your time, while avoiding diet sabotage.  I’ll tell you how I handled it this weekend.

My 3 top strategies this weekend: take a few things to contribute to the food spread that do fit into my diet plan, be aware of hunger cues versus wanting to nibble just because it is there, and have more water than alcohol.

The dishes I brought included a homemade salad (spring mix greens, grape tomatoes, celery, mandarin oranges, slivered almonds, shredded parmesan, and balsamic vinaigrette – this was super easy and super tasty), our award winning chili (don’t get too excited…Sunday School Chili Cook-off winners 2013), and green grapes.

The salad functioned perfectly as a pre-meat dish to offer some color, freshness, and filling power prior to digging into the protein and dessert.  The grapes served wonderfully as a snack to nibble on when I felt like something more, but knew I wasn’t truly hungry.  Might as well get some fruit.  The chili was the perfect dish to fill and warm up with on the cool (cold!) night we had (topped with fat free sour cream and reduced fat cheddar cheese).

I’m proud to say we had some really great mains this trip too.  Mom picked boneless, skinless chicken breast simply marinated and a flavored chicken sausage, both grilled fresh right before hitting our plates.  We had chicken sandwiches with a little BBQ sauce and homemade slaw.  Of course desserts made an appearance…one of my brother’s specialties, a “like-crack” cheesecake and M&M cookies (novel idea ;)).  Our cream cheese based dessert was made with the lower fat Neufchatel, go bro!  Ultimately though, desserts come down to portion control.  I surprisingly was able to stick to 1 cookie and a 2 small slices of cheesecake the whole day (oh how I love baked goods!).  I was able to steer clear of more treats by sipping my water and noting my lack of hunger, having already enjoyed either our chicken lunch or chili dinner.

I’m proud to say they worked!  I had an awesome time and feel no lingering regrets of food choices.  Did I have more food/calories than usual?  Yes, a little.  However, I felt in control the whole day, was not pre-occupied with my food choices because the healthier options were available (plan and preparation makes a huge difference), and had a blast with the family cheering on our Tigers and sharing the Clemson experience with some Clemson tailgate first-timers.

Rock Confidence

No food this week, but a little about something I think impacts us as we try to make changes for a healthier lifestyle and body...confidence.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

 “I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14

Do you remember “What Not to Wear”?  I think they still make new episodes, but I remember watching it back in high school.  The TV show helps a nominated ‘poorly dressed’ person find a whole new wardrobe that expresses that person’s personality and flatters their unique body shape and lifestyle.  Stacy and Clinton would so often fuss at this person about wearing clothes that didn’t fit their body as it is in the present.  So many people either tried to get into clothing that was too small (those they wanted to get into) or too big (when they’d given up and decided just to make their body shape unrecognizable).  The prevailing theme of the end of each episode…a person in the exact same body as at the start of the week, but with a new comfort and confidence, not just in their new clothes, but their own skin.   All from a new set of clothes?

There is something about putting yourself together.  When you feel confident in who you are and how you look, you walk with a different confidence.  When I give a presentation, I like to put a little extra attention into how I look (maybe wear my hair down, pay extra attention to my outfit, or wear heels).  I feel especially put together and confident walking out of the door and thus have a nudge of extra confidence while speaking in front of a crowd.  That’s just one example.  I considered this concept after it was mentioned on two separate occasions with friends this week.

One friend, when complimented on her outfit and asked about the change in her wardrobe, simply answered, “I’m trying. [Why?] I feel better.”  She could tell a difference in how she carried herself just because she put an extra thought into her appearance.  The other was a friend at the gym.  We were discussing workout clothes and both agreed that having a couple fun, flattering workout pieces help boost your confidence and almost push you to work even harder because you feel so good!  Wearing clothes that fit your current body shape and make you feel good is WAY better than being daily disappointed in how something fits or succumbing to not caring. 

Of course I’m not saying all your confidence lies within your appearance.  Your beauty and confidence come from within regardless of how you dress.  Plus, we all have those days when sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt is our non-negotiable outfit even when going out (it’s inevitable that you’ll see someone you haven’t seen in months THAT day…always happened to me at Target or the grocery store.  Really?!).  Taking care to present yourself in a way that you feel most confident about yourself may be the strategy you need to stay motivated to keep up the hard work.

There is something about confidence.  Whether you have met your weight goal, are just beginning, or are partway there, be confident in who you are and how beautiful you are.  Present yourself that way.  Don’t “give-up” because you’re not where you want to be yet.  Rock confidence.  Then whatever you wear will flatter you. 

Don't stress...Plan

We’ve all been there; there at the head of a row of 3 or more tables long…tables filled with hot dishes, cold dishes, entrees, sides, finger foods and desserts as far as the eye can see.  What to do?  'Tis the season of family and friends gathering to fellowship and be thankful, and 'tis the season of having eyes bigger than our stomachs.

Well you can’t over-serve one item because what if there is something even better down the line that you now won’t have room for (although some would say you could just build UP)?  At the same time, this and that look oh so good, you’ve just got to have some, and if you pass by now you might miss out.  Then you get to the end and who doesn’t have a roll with dinner? 

You exit the food mile with a plate filled to the brim with a little of most available dishes, maybe sparing a couple repeats, and decide you’ll have to come back for dessert.  The story typically ends with you feeling over-full, consuming maybe double or triple of a normal meal, and if you’re working on controlling your intake, feeling a little, or a lot, guilty.

Can we both enjoy grand potluck and family holiday meals and keep our diet in check?  Absolutely.  It just takes a little strategy.  No, you don’t have to sit-out of events, but do go with a plan. 

·       Don’t starve yourself all day to save up for the big meal.  This equals bad news bears…super hungry + all you can eat homemade dishes = full on a scale from 1-10…14.

·       Do be very conscious of your decisions that day (you can save a little sodium, fat and sugar budget by being especially diligent to eat healthily all day).

·       Find a smaller plate (this may or may not be an option at an event, but if you can make it happen, make it happen).  Less white space to feel the need to fill.  Your eyes will reach “full” sooner than if you had a bigger plate.

 

 Which plate has more food?

(Dinner last night - 4 oz salmon, 1/2 cup whole wheat couscous, and a squash/zucchini/carrot mix)

Same food, same portion, different plates - I choose the left one. More food right? ;)

·       Plan to enjoy lean protein, lots of fruits and veggies, and a starch (or split your starch serving between a couple of your holiday favorites) and stick to it.  Don’t fill up on a plain yeast roll if you’d really prefer the oven baked mac and cheese…just don’t have both, pick a top priority and enjoy it.

        Example:  There may be mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, sweet potatoes, and mac & cheese.  While I’m sure I would enjoy every single one of these foods, it is the stuffing (especially if it’s how Mom makes it) and the sweet potatoes that would be my “top priority,” favorite or only get during the holidays, starches.  I would have a small serving of 2 dishes and not a small serving of 5 dishes.

·       Eat slowly, finish your plate and then fellowship.  Sip some water and enjoy your company to give your brain time to catch up with your body.  Your brain and body will concur in about 20 minutes that you are full.

·       If you enjoy adult beverages, do so in moderation (try alternating between alcohol and water).

·       Get away from the food…it’s harder to resist when you have the food staring you in the face and calling your name softly to return for more.  Get food off your mind (you’re no longer hungry) and put your back towards the food, or better yet find a different room.

·        Be the one to bring a healthier dish to the party…that way you’ll know at least one is there. 

You can enjoy the out-of-the-ordinary meals even while keeping an eye on your waistline.   Don’t stress over it, PLAN for it.  Don’t most things turn out better when you plan and prepare?  You can do it!

Anyone have their own strategies that have proven successful during the holidays?

Feeling Shlumpy

Do you ever get in a rut of feeling puffy, heavy, lazy, un-fit, and just overall blah?  I will call this “shlumpy,” as it just seems the only quasi word that fits.  Do you ever get in a rut of shlumpiness?  I have, and it can be terribly un-motivating.  You think at first that this could motivate you to get up and get going…say plan a trip to the gym tomorrow morning.  Then the morning comes and the shlumpy feeling takes over – oh, how it feels so much better and is so much easier to stay in bed.  You’ve made the decision once again to pass on the opportunity for added activity, and when you wake up later you feel disappointed and blah, again.  A vicious cycle that gets harder and harder to get away from the longer you are there.

When you’re feeling shlumpy, less motivated, and less confident in your ability to succeed, it is also harder to make healthier eating decisions.  You may get to a point of feeling like “well, I already feel icky so what will another doughnut do?”  It is no mystery that the way you feel about yourself can impact your food decisions.  Stress and emotional eating are real and tough beasts to tame, but climbing out of your shlump is a good place to start handling both a little better.

Go back to the last time you were in a good exercise routine.  How did you feel? When I am in a good consistent exercise routine, I want to keep exercising, I want to excel and challenge myself, and the more I believe I can do.  When I feel strong, active, lean, and fit (whether or not I have truly reached these milestones physically), I feel MOTIVATED.  It doesn’t necessarily take weeks or months to get to this feeling.  You just have to experience it once and then hold on to it.

The last time I was feeling more and more un-motivated, I was out of any sort of planned exercise.  Routine day in and day out, feeling less and less healthy and energized (even with controlled eating).  I decided to change something.  I started by heading to a boot camp style class held at our gym at the time.  Apparently no one else felt like sweating it out that morning because I found myself alone with the instructor.  Blessing in disguise.  He was kind enough to stay and give me a one-on-one boot camp style training.  AWESOME!  When I got home that day, at the risk of sounding cheesy, I wrote down how I felt and stuck it to the fridge.  I noticed such a change in one work out alone.  I felt and wrote “strong,” “fit,” “active,” “lean,” and “confident.”  I felt motivated again.  That was one day, one class, one 30 minute training, and it got me climbing quickly out of my shlump.  After that I took action.  I committed and planned at least 3 days per week that I would go exercise (cardio and strength training).  To get me started my hubby created my workouts for me.  I wanted to fashion my workouts like that which got me going in the first place – challenging and instructed (not of my own choice).  For a while my husband came and “trained” me, but then I just had him jot down workouts for me to take to the gym.  I got back into a routine and really saw progress not only in my physical strength, but in my desire to make good food decisions and in my confidence.

I was reminded of the impact of exercise this weekend after I finished with Zumba and getting my booty kicked in a weights class.  I not only felt great (tired, but great), but found myself seeking out a wholesome lunch.  I wanted nothing other than foods that supported my health and could help refuel and rebuild after my workout.  Exercise alone impacted my approach to food.  I didn’t want a piece of Halloween candy, I wanted fruit and protein!

I’m not an exercise expert, but I can tell you that it is an incredibly important piece to your overall health.  I think of that commercial – “a body at rest stays at rest, but a body in motion stays in motion” (or something like that).  If you can just take the first step and add a little activity, you may be surprised at how positively your mind and body react.  I hope it gets you motivated to not only keep moving, but to support your activity with nutritious fuel.  Don’t let yourself hang out in an un-motivated cycle feeling shlumpy.  Don’t let negative thoughts overtake your motivation to make a change.  One active day, one sweaty hour, one moment of strength and confidence could make all the difference.  Always remember too, you’re not making this climb alone.

From the founder of Pray Fit Ministries, Jimmy Pena:  “It's my experience that the more we focus on Christ, the stronger we are to either get over hurdles or to get over ourselves.  Make it a holy climb - one you make only by reaching for His hand.”

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” Psalm 28:7