One of the very best reinforcements for healthier eating would be having more money left over when you go out to eat, don't ya think?
This would be particularly significant for families dining with kids or teenagers who typically want soda pop with their meals. But if you have a family of six, and everyone orders a soda, it could add $10-$12 to your bill.
Being "mindful" here ~ Water might not be as appealing since your palate is conditioned to the carbonated, sugary taste, but think about it this way: You're paying yourself at least $10 to drink something that's actually good for you. If you take the family out twice a week, that's at least a $20 savings, and if you're running through drive thru's in between, over a month's time you might even save most of a car payment!
If you do nothing else to change your diet, eliminating soda pop for most people will reduce their weight by 10 pounds over the course of a year.
Drinking lots of water, especially during the hot summer months, has a whole bunch of health benefits: it eliminates toxins, churns up digestive enzymes, makes your organs run more efficiently, and helps your body absorb nutrients. (Add a dash of lemon juice and you've now incorporated Vitamin C!)
We all worry about the high cost of health care, keeping our jobs, and other uncertainties presented by living in the 21st century. But this is one small step towards gaining control of your health that can turn out to be a huge investment ~ because we all know the first steps are the hardest, no matter what we want to accomplish.
Notice the extra dollars you have in your pocket, and how you're feeling minus the pop after a week or two in this practice.
And here's another very important thing to consider: Kids notice their parent's choices. Make the right choice often enough, and they'll be mindful.
They'll pay attention.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Water ~ A Step in the Right Direction
Never have there been more books or magazine articles about food.
We're obsessed by the topic, because it's so much a part of our daily lives. The foods we select, in large part, determine how healthy we are ~ and maybe how happy we are. We know what's good and what's bad, but our choices often override that information because our emotions are driving them.
If you're overweight and you feel bad, the easiest choice is to eat more of what makes you fat and sick. And so the spiral goes ~
So how do you define and then focus on a path that will make the difference you dream of?
My suggestion is to start with water ~ and then get moving.
Forget keeping a food log. Start with keeping a daily journal for three days of what you drink. Few people get through the day without some drink that contains sugar ~ the most popular choices being booze or soda pop.
Water is the elixir of life. After you get the habit going, I recommend investing in a water filter for your kitchen, or buy a filtered water bottle to carry when you're away from home. If you can't bear the thought of not having that sugary drink, reduce the daily number by one, then by two, and so on ~ and replace those drinks with water.
There are a whole list of health benefits to drinking at least 2 liters of water every day ~ not the least of which is it is a great appetite suppressant!
Do that, and add just five or ten minutes of walking, yoga stretches, or whatever gets your joints moving and your blood running.
Weight loss may not come right away, but you'll soon notice you have more energy.
So tip that glass of water!
Cheers!
We're obsessed by the topic, because it's so much a part of our daily lives. The foods we select, in large part, determine how healthy we are ~ and maybe how happy we are. We know what's good and what's bad, but our choices often override that information because our emotions are driving them.
If you're overweight and you feel bad, the easiest choice is to eat more of what makes you fat and sick. And so the spiral goes ~
So how do you define and then focus on a path that will make the difference you dream of?
My suggestion is to start with water ~ and then get moving.
Forget keeping a food log. Start with keeping a daily journal for three days of what you drink. Few people get through the day without some drink that contains sugar ~ the most popular choices being booze or soda pop.
Water is the elixir of life. After you get the habit going, I recommend investing in a water filter for your kitchen, or buy a filtered water bottle to carry when you're away from home. If you can't bear the thought of not having that sugary drink, reduce the daily number by one, then by two, and so on ~ and replace those drinks with water.
There are a whole list of health benefits to drinking at least 2 liters of water every day ~ not the least of which is it is a great appetite suppressant!
Do that, and add just five or ten minutes of walking, yoga stretches, or whatever gets your joints moving and your blood running.
Weight loss may not come right away, but you'll soon notice you have more energy.
So tip that glass of water!
Cheers!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Best Menu Picks
Eating out can be a challenge ~
Not only do you have to find the healthy stuff ~ typically, portion sizes are much too big. But I've sampled a few dishes here and there that are quite good, and I'll share them here:
Palisade Cafe ~ GREAT chicken curry sandwiches. (I sampled it last year before I cut meat out of my diet.)
The Ale House ~ Wasabi Ahi Wrap (seared tuna with Japanese horse radish!)
Java City ~ Wonderful veggie sub for just $3!!
Naggy McGee's Irish Pub ~ Quite a few healthy options over there. I recommend their Vegetable Dumpling Stew.
Since I no longer eat meat, it takes me a lot less time to scan the menu. Sometimes you just have to settle for a salad ~ but local restaurants have also gotten pretty creative in that arena, too!
I suggest carrying an insulated bag to work or in the car where you can store raw carrots, raisins and nuts ~ or some other fresh combo ~ to stave off hunger pangs when you're most likely to eat stuff that's not so good for you. It's also a good idea to carry something along if you have children in the car. It might save you a McDonald's stop!
Not only do you have to find the healthy stuff ~ typically, portion sizes are much too big. But I've sampled a few dishes here and there that are quite good, and I'll share them here:
Palisade Cafe ~ GREAT chicken curry sandwiches. (I sampled it last year before I cut meat out of my diet.)
The Ale House ~ Wasabi Ahi Wrap (seared tuna with Japanese horse radish!)
Java City ~ Wonderful veggie sub for just $3!!
Naggy McGee's Irish Pub ~ Quite a few healthy options over there. I recommend their Vegetable Dumpling Stew.
Since I no longer eat meat, it takes me a lot less time to scan the menu. Sometimes you just have to settle for a salad ~ but local restaurants have also gotten pretty creative in that arena, too!
I suggest carrying an insulated bag to work or in the car where you can store raw carrots, raisins and nuts ~ or some other fresh combo ~ to stave off hunger pangs when you're most likely to eat stuff that's not so good for you. It's also a good idea to carry something along if you have children in the car. It might save you a McDonald's stop!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
A Centering Meal
Interestingly, as I was doing some work on the internet this evening, I was tempted to delay dinner.
But I was hungry, and I knew my choices wouldn't be as good if I waited. I had considered a new dish tonight, but I hated to divert too much from the mental track I was on.
Of course, that was exactly what I needed to do.
So I put everything aside and walked myself through the steps of preparing Spiced Chickpea Couscous. (A tip: I always keep my counterspace clear and my dishwasher loaded so I don't throw up my hands and consider carry -out!)
It didn't take long. A handful of shredded carrots and sliced onion sauteed, with some raisins, cumin and red pepper flakes added. Couscous (an African grain) is really easy to prepare ~ just minutes sitting in a cup or two of hot water (to boiling point). I ladled up the couscous into a soup bowl and topped it with the chickpea mixture, and I was done.
But here's what's interesting. I focused on the meal I was about to eat, and said a grace beforehand. A mindful prayer ~ not the rambled Catholic version our family recited at the start of every meal when I was growing up ~ but a true moment of gratitude for the nutrients I was about to receive.
There may be a lot of reasons - but I felt totally satisfied.
Lacking a sauce of some sort for the food to swim in, some might possibly feel deprived. But everything was good ~ so good that it seemed my very cells resonated with the energy I knew this dish was delivering.
My head was in a different place when I finished, and I'm still pondering all the reasons why ~
But I was hungry, and I knew my choices wouldn't be as good if I waited. I had considered a new dish tonight, but I hated to divert too much from the mental track I was on.
Of course, that was exactly what I needed to do.
So I put everything aside and walked myself through the steps of preparing Spiced Chickpea Couscous. (A tip: I always keep my counterspace clear and my dishwasher loaded so I don't throw up my hands and consider carry -out!)
It didn't take long. A handful of shredded carrots and sliced onion sauteed, with some raisins, cumin and red pepper flakes added. Couscous (an African grain) is really easy to prepare ~ just minutes sitting in a cup or two of hot water (to boiling point). I ladled up the couscous into a soup bowl and topped it with the chickpea mixture, and I was done.
But here's what's interesting. I focused on the meal I was about to eat, and said a grace beforehand. A mindful prayer ~ not the rambled Catholic version our family recited at the start of every meal when I was growing up ~ but a true moment of gratitude for the nutrients I was about to receive.
There may be a lot of reasons - but I felt totally satisfied.
Lacking a sauce of some sort for the food to swim in, some might possibly feel deprived. But everything was good ~ so good that it seemed my very cells resonated with the energy I knew this dish was delivering.
My head was in a different place when I finished, and I'm still pondering all the reasons why ~
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
No Food Cravings Tonight
Evenings are a time when food cravings that may have been silent through the day rear up to me noticed. It's like a place in our heads that takes over ~ especially if we contemplate something sugary or salty!
Makes sense. That's the time of day when most of us are likely to ponder what's wrong with our lives. Potato chips can look like a long-lost friend ~ not unlike a rum and coke might look to someone who drinks too much.
My husband is out of town, so there was less of an incentive to prepare something. It would have been easier just to snack tonight ~ and not on carrots! But if we are what we eat, it occurred to me that I needed to raise my vibrational energy level. So I decided I would cook up some greens.
It doesn't take much thought ~ and many combinations of good things will work.
I had some kale and some spinach in the fridge, so I sauteed some scallions (like little onions) and a clove of garlic in a dab of olive oil, then added some red pepper slices and some raisins, and then the greens (minus the tough spines). It only took about 10 minutes for that to cook, then I topped it with a sprinkle of cider vinegar.
I dished it up into a cereal-sized bowl, and then added about a 1/2 cup of pasta noodles from the fridge that I had cooked the night before. A dash of basil, and I was ready to eat.
I found that the meal tasted really good, and I felt really good afterwards. I had a few sliced strawberries to top it off, but that was it. I was pretty satisfied the rest of the evening. Even my thoughts vibrated at a higher level.
Pretty intriguing, huh!?
Makes sense. That's the time of day when most of us are likely to ponder what's wrong with our lives. Potato chips can look like a long-lost friend ~ not unlike a rum and coke might look to someone who drinks too much.
My husband is out of town, so there was less of an incentive to prepare something. It would have been easier just to snack tonight ~ and not on carrots! But if we are what we eat, it occurred to me that I needed to raise my vibrational energy level. So I decided I would cook up some greens.
It doesn't take much thought ~ and many combinations of good things will work.
I had some kale and some spinach in the fridge, so I sauteed some scallions (like little onions) and a clove of garlic in a dab of olive oil, then added some red pepper slices and some raisins, and then the greens (minus the tough spines). It only took about 10 minutes for that to cook, then I topped it with a sprinkle of cider vinegar.
I dished it up into a cereal-sized bowl, and then added about a 1/2 cup of pasta noodles from the fridge that I had cooked the night before. A dash of basil, and I was ready to eat.
I found that the meal tasted really good, and I felt really good afterwards. I had a few sliced strawberries to top it off, but that was it. I was pretty satisfied the rest of the evening. Even my thoughts vibrated at a higher level.
Pretty intriguing, huh!?
Monday, June 14, 2010
Our Refrigerators Are TOO Big!
I decided I'm not going to replace my big refrigerator. I'm going to look for something much smaller ~ like they have in Europe ~ or long-term stay hotels.
Between my husband's and my shopping trips, our fridge is crammed ~ so while I've pretty much memorized what's at the front of each shelf, I have no idea of what's lurking to the rear. You know, we Americans toss 40 percent of what we buy at the grocery store or restaurant ~ and I think the way we store food contributes to that.
It's painful to know you buy all that stuff when you don't use it!
I understand that young families probably need a bigger unit, but for one or two people, it seems you could manage rather well. First of all, you'd know exactly what was in there, or what you needed to buy, for the next one or two meals. Secondly, your stuff would be fresher because you'd be shopping two or three times a week. We're talking produce, of course.
As for all the discarded food, I'm quite intrigued with the idea of a neighborhood compost project. Lots of benefits ~ and more on that later.
Below is my latest favorite dish:
Roasted Parsnips & Carrots
Slice some parsnips and carrots lengthwise into narrow wedges. Toss with a tablespoon or two of olive oil to coat, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I always use sea salt!) While they're roasting in the oven ~ all spread out on a griddle or pyrex surface (450 degrees) ~ mix a couple of tablespoons of diced scallions and chives with a tsp of rosemary and a tsp of thyme and sprinkle that over the veggies just before you serve them.
If you slice the veggies really thin, roasting time is about 45 min.
Yum!
Between my husband's and my shopping trips, our fridge is crammed ~ so while I've pretty much memorized what's at the front of each shelf, I have no idea of what's lurking to the rear. You know, we Americans toss 40 percent of what we buy at the grocery store or restaurant ~ and I think the way we store food contributes to that.
It's painful to know you buy all that stuff when you don't use it!
I understand that young families probably need a bigger unit, but for one or two people, it seems you could manage rather well. First of all, you'd know exactly what was in there, or what you needed to buy, for the next one or two meals. Secondly, your stuff would be fresher because you'd be shopping two or three times a week. We're talking produce, of course.
As for all the discarded food, I'm quite intrigued with the idea of a neighborhood compost project. Lots of benefits ~ and more on that later.
Below is my latest favorite dish:
Roasted Parsnips & Carrots
Slice some parsnips and carrots lengthwise into narrow wedges. Toss with a tablespoon or two of olive oil to coat, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I always use sea salt!) While they're roasting in the oven ~ all spread out on a griddle or pyrex surface (450 degrees) ~ mix a couple of tablespoons of diced scallions and chives with a tsp of rosemary and a tsp of thyme and sprinkle that over the veggies just before you serve them.
If you slice the veggies really thin, roasting time is about 45 min.
Yum!
Friday, June 11, 2010
A Challenge for Mindful Eating
I've just returned home from what what originally to be just a wedding celebration, but it was followed by a funeral. My large family all gathered for my nephew's wedding last Saturday, and as we drove back to our hotel after great celebration at the reception, we got the call that our brother had ended his journey with a terminal illness.
Our celebration shifted to mourning.
During those days leading up to the funeral, I noticed that none of us was taking time to eat. We "pieced" along ~ but mostly attended to each other. It was not too unlike the flurry of preparing for the wedding celebration.
But I had a chance to get a close-up look at my sister's eating habits because I stayed with her during my time in Ohio
While I noticed that her refrigerator is pretty sparce, she's frequently drinking water. She seems to have a lot of energy, and most of the time, she "grazes" on vegetables, fruit and nuts. But for all of her 30 years of working, she's always eaten breakfast ~ a standard fare of an egg, toast, cereal and milk.
She'll laugh and tell me it's so she has more money to spend on clothes, and while she could use a few more pounds of body weight, I noticed that she held up well with the pace and emotional demands of those days, and she slept like a rock as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The events of the week didn't affect her eating habits much ~ she still fixed her breakfast, and then just grabbed celery and carrot sticks ~ or some almonds ~ to keep her going.
But she drank five bottles of water every single day. (I'm going to buy her a filtered bottle that she can refill!)
It reinforced for me that water is central to nourishing our bodies, and our spirits.
Our celebration shifted to mourning.
During those days leading up to the funeral, I noticed that none of us was taking time to eat. We "pieced" along ~ but mostly attended to each other. It was not too unlike the flurry of preparing for the wedding celebration.
But I had a chance to get a close-up look at my sister's eating habits because I stayed with her during my time in Ohio
While I noticed that her refrigerator is pretty sparce, she's frequently drinking water. She seems to have a lot of energy, and most of the time, she "grazes" on vegetables, fruit and nuts. But for all of her 30 years of working, she's always eaten breakfast ~ a standard fare of an egg, toast, cereal and milk.
She'll laugh and tell me it's so she has more money to spend on clothes, and while she could use a few more pounds of body weight, I noticed that she held up well with the pace and emotional demands of those days, and she slept like a rock as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The events of the week didn't affect her eating habits much ~ she still fixed her breakfast, and then just grabbed celery and carrot sticks ~ or some almonds ~ to keep her going.
But she drank five bottles of water every single day. (I'm going to buy her a filtered bottle that she can refill!)
It reinforced for me that water is central to nourishing our bodies, and our spirits.
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