5 tips for healthier eating

Tips for Healthier Eating

At some point along the road of life, most of us set out to improve our eating. Often getting started is tricky, but most often it's consistency and maintenance that are the challenge. Here are 5 ways to support you in starting a new healthy eating habit and making it stick.

1. Take an inventory:  Make a list of the "healthy" and "not so healthy" eating habits you have. Number the "not so healthy" habits for both a) importance to you in changing it b) confidence you have in yourself to address it. Choose the habit that  a and b most closely align.

2. Keep it simple: Focus on making one healthy change at a time. Complete overhauls rarely work. Don't try to attack all the "not so healthy" habits at once. As your confidence in accomplishing one change grows you'll likely be motivated and have increased confidence to make further changes.

3. Focus on more: Try to work on incorporating more of the "healthy" habits, rather than focusing on cutting out the "not so healthy" habits. For example, don't say "I can't have any soda". Rather, "I will drink 32 oz of water, then if still thirsty I can have soda." When the "healthy" is included, the "not so healthy" often falls by the wayside. You'll find your tastes and cravings change over time.

4. Make a list: When grocery shopping, make a list ( you could even make a meal plan to base your shopping list from). Review the items that you usually buy. Is there one "not so healthy" item you can leave off this week? Then replace it with a healthier option. Again, keep it simple and don't try to make a complete overhaul. This will contribute to more immediate or longer lasting changes. Stick to the list and avoid shopping when hungry.

5.  Make time for a meal: Studies show families who eat together, especially healthy meals, maintain a healthier weight and have better emotional health. Put away the electronics, tv shows, and distractions. Focus on your eating. When distractions are removed, you can more easily focus on cues your body sends regarding hunger and satiety.

American Heart Month

 February often makes us think of LOVE, HEARTS, Chocolates and Valentine's Day. Did you know that February is also American Heart Month?
In the U.S. the leading cause of death for both men and women is heart disease. However, with just a few lifestyle changes,  you can help control and prevent it.

Here are 5 ways to be kind to your HEART this month.

1. Know your numbers
    Do you know what your numbers are? When was the last time you had your Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Glucose, and weight checked? If you don't know the answer to these questions, make an appointment with your Primary Care doctor. Having increased levels of LDL(bad) Cholesterol, low levels of HDL(good) Cholesterol, High Blood Glucose, and High Blood Pressure (over 134/90) significantly increase your risk of Heart Disease, Stroke, and heart attack. Excess weight, especially around the mid-section(abdominal area) can increase risk as well. By decreasing your weight just 10%, you can significantly decrease your health risks.
If you are unsure about any of these areas, check with your doctor and Orriant Health Coach to help create a lifestyle plan to improve these numbers and your overall health.

2. Get Moving

Your heart is a muscle. Just like your bicep and quadriceps it needs to be exercised to keep it strong and efficient. Ideally work for at least 150 minutes each week of brisk exercise that challenges your muscles and breathing(30 minutes a day). Try something like a brisk walk, bike ride, trips up and down the stairs at home or work, swimming, or an exercise class. Afraid to try it on your own? Invite a friend, co-worker or loved one to join the fun!

3. Eat the rainbow

Filling your plate with colorful fresh fruits and vegetables has been shown to improve heart health. Working towards 5 servings a day of fruits and vegetables is ideal. Fruits and Vegetables are naturally low in sodium, saturated fat, Cholesterol, and refined sugars. Fruits and vegetables also are high in fiber and antioxidants that can help prevent damage caused by processed foods and environmental factors. While doing your grocery shopping this month, steer your cart clear of the snack food isle and pick a some high fiber, high flavor produce!

4. Read the Labels

Pay attention to harmful ingredients in processed foods. Things such as Trans Fat, Hydrogenated Oils, High Fructose Corn Syrup, high sodium content, and artificial sweeteners can be harmful to the body.  Sodium can increase blood pressure and sugar can pack on the pounds. Choose foods with a short ingredient list with words you can pronounce! Usually the foods with the shortest ingredient list are healthiest.


5.  Eat the "Good" Fat

Try to consume at least 3 servings of healthy fats each day. Foods such as Avocados, Almonds, Walnuts, Flax Seed, and fish have a good amount of healthy fat called Omega 3 fats and unsaturated fats.  Although higher in calories, these foods pack a nutritional punch and can help lower the unhealthy fast in the blood stream. In the end, helping the heart operate at its best.

These cookies are great way to provide fiber from oats and whole wheat flour to regulate blood sugar, and sneak in the fruits and vegetables for those picky eaters in the house! Great for a grab and go breakfast or afternoon snack.

Healthy Carrot & Apple Breakfast Oat Cookies

(Adapted from Ciara @ My Fussy Eater)

Ingredients

• 2 cup – flour, whole wheat
• 1 cup – oats
• ¹/₂ teaspoon – baking powder
• ¹/₄ teaspoon – baking soda
• ¹/₂ teaspoon – cinnamon
• 1 large – egg
• ¹/₃ cup – coconut oil
• ¹/₄ cup – honey
• 1 teaspoon – vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated – carrot
• 1 cup, grated – apple or pear
• 1 medium – banana

Optional

• ¹/₃ cup – chocolate chips, semisweet

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with grease-proof paper.
2. In a large bowl mix together the whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
3. In a separate smaller bowl beat the egg. Add the melted coconut oil, honey and vanilla extract and stir well. Add this mixture to the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
4. Add the grated carrot, grated apple and mashed banana and again stir until everything is well mixed together. If using the chocolate chips, add now.
5. Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch sized balls. The dough should make approximately 20 balls. Place each on the cookie sheet and press down lightly with a fork.
6. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

STORAGE:

• The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Quick, Creamy, A hint of spice, and heart healthy! Give this recipe a try and warm up during these cold winter days!





Avocado Chicken Tortilla Soup
(recipe and photo courtesy of Tip Hero)

Ingredients & Instructions:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil oil
1 cup chopped green onions
1 jalapeño, finely chopped (Remove seeds to decrease spice)
2 cloves garlic, minced
32 oz  low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 large avocados, pits removed, scooped out of the shell
1 Roma tomato, diced (or you could top with salsa)
Tortilla chips, monterey jack cheese, sour cream for serving (optional)
1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onions, jalapeño and garlic. Saute about 2 minutes until the onion has started to soften.
3. Add in the chicken breasts, cumin, and chicken broth. Let simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 10-15 minutes (it depends on how thick the pieces of chicken were).
4. Remove the chicken from the pot, then shred it into smaller pieces when it has cooled enough to handle.
5. In a glass blender jar, puree the cilantro and 1 ½ of the avocados with a portion of the broth until creamy. Add the rest of the broth and pulse a few times to combine. VERY IMPORTANT:REMOVE THE STOPPER FROM THE BLENDER LID AND COVER THE LID WITH A KITCHEN TOWEL AND HOLD IT DOWN FIRMLY. IF YOU LEAVE THE STOPPER IN AND THE LIQUID IS TOO HOT, PRESSURE CAN BUILD UP AND THE CONTENTS OF THE BLENDER COULD BLOW THE LID OFF AND COVER YOU AND YOUR KITCHEN IN HOT SOUP. Alternatively, if you have an immersion blender, you could blend the avocado into the broth inside the pot.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper Add the broth back to the pot if you used a regular blender.
7. Stir in the chicken and lime juice.
8.Garnish with the remaining 1/2 of chopped avocado, tortilla chips, cheese, salsa or fresh tomato, additional chile, etc etc.

7 ways to stay on track during the Holidays

I love the holidays! The lights, the smells, family gatherings, decorations and more. However, with the Holidays can come hectic schedules, parties and more parties, which usually means more and more food! Not to mention the neighbor and co-worker gifts that fill the countertops. Pair that with seemingly less time for exercise, and some would fear the year's hard work in fitness and weight loss is lost.

Many of us started the year with health goals such as weight loss or weight maintenance.
Statistics show that the average American gains 5-10 pounds over the Holidays.

What do you say about NOT becoming part of that statistic?

Whether your efforts have been consistent or more like a roller coaster pattern, none of us want to back track on any of the progress we have made.  I have compiled a list of 7 ways to stay on track during the Holidays.

1. Write down your goal. A goal unwritten is merely a wish. Write your goal and motivation and place it somewhere you will see it often. Let it remind you of what you want to accomplish during the Holidays. Let it build you up in confidence that you CAN succeed.

2. Get rid of the "D" word. Diet has gotten a negative connotation in our society. It has become what we "have" to eat or what we "can't" eat. I give you the challenge to rather see "Diet" simply as WHAT you eat. Keep the goal to eat sensibly through the Holidays. If you indulge on the pumpkin pie, let it be just enough to satisfy the taste buds. Don't wait until Monday to get back on track.

3. Use a fitness/food tracker. With hectic schedules it can be tricky to remember all that we are doing for exercise and all that we put into our mouths. Fitness trackers can help motivate by giving feedback on how many calories you've consumed, how many steps you've taken, and calories you have burned during the day. (myfitnesspal.com, sparkpeople.com, fitbit.com etc)

4. Schedule your workouts. Write down on a calendar or on your phone when/where you are going to exercise. Make an appointment with yourself. If you for see you cannot keep to your regular location and time, make sure to at least do some HIIT or Tabata training at home. 20 min of a good sweat is better than doing nothing at all!

5. Don't got to a party or gathering hungry. Going to a party hungry ignites the smells and emotional connections with food and is likely to lead to overeating. Have a reasonable snack before going such as apples and peanut butter, or some raw veggies. Also, while visiting at the party, keep a glass of water in your hand. This will keep the hands occupied and less able to reach for the goodies.

6. Enlist a friend! Guaranteed you aren't the only person on the block concerned about weight gain over the holidays. Form a workout group or challenge group with friends or co-workers. Add some incentive such as money, movie tickets, music etc. to the person who is able to maintain and not gain weight over the Holidays.

7.  Think rewards! Motivation is a big key to staying on track. Choose a reward for yourself and when you can get the reward. For example, "when I exercise at least 4 days a week from November to February 1st, then I get to buy new workout clothes." Perhaps each day you meet your goal for eating or exercise, place a token in a jar. When you reach "x" tokens, you receive "x" reward. (Preferably a non-food reward!) Rewards help us celebrate progress along the way to our ultimate goal.

Preserving the Harvest

How to freeze Fruits and Vegetables- make the most of the Summer/Fall Harvest

Have you ever run into a good price on produce or found that you had purchased more than you could eat before it started to turn? Read on to see how to freeze and preserve the foods so they don’t go to waste.

Vegetables: Wash the vegetables, then boil and blanch. A basic rule of thumb is to blanch (boil) the vegetable for 2-4 min, then put them in an ice bath for an equivalent amount of time. Strain vegetables and place on a baking sheet. Place in freezer for 2-3 hours, or until firm. Place in freezer bags and place in freezer for future use. (see a list here.)

Fruit: Wash fruit, remove stems and seeds, slice if desired, allow to dry. Then spread on a baking sheet and place in freezer for 2-3 hours, or firm. Place in freezer bags and place in freezer for future use.

Quick Tips

·     Freeze fruits and veggies when they're at their peak of freshness.

·     Freeze fruits and vegetables quickly.

·     Store in heavy-weight, air-tight containers or freezer bags.

·     Fill containers to the top and remove as much air as possible from freezer bags.

Once frozen, these can be used in soups, smoothies, casseroles, slow cooker meals and more. The nutrients are maintained and so is the flavor, without the worry of preservatives that may be found in frozen and canned foods purchased in the store.