Trigger Foods

What are trigger foods?  In short they are addictive foods that affect us both mentally and physically.  Usually they set off a pattern of bad behavior such as binge eating.  Have you ever known someone who can easily polish off a bag of candy or chips with out realizing how much they are eating until its gone?  I know I do, and being honest I've done it before many times.  That's what made me do some research, I needed to know that this was a real thing and that there are ways to avoid this cycle. 

The first thing you need to do is become aware of what you are eating.  If you find that you have cravings for certain foods, or that you binge on something you need to make a note of it.  After awhile you will notice a pattern.  For example, you know 1 or 2 french fries won't blow your diet so you decide to eat 1 just to "enjoy the taste" next thing you know a whole plate of fries is gone.  French Fries might be a trigger food for you and you should probably avoid them while following a meal plan.

Things to remember are, most trigger foods are high in fats or sugars or even both.  These chemicals set off a reaction in the brain that actually makes you crave more.  I've never met a person who binge eats celery sticks :)


To help you get started I'll share some common trigger foods.  Chocolate, cheese, ice cream, cookies, pretzels, crackers, icing, alcohol, candy, bacon, cereal, bread. 

Once you can determine your trigger foods, I would suggest removing them from your house.  If that's not possible because of other people in your house, put them all in the same cabinet or drawer and set that drawer off limits.  You should replace those trigger foods with healthy options like fruits and veggies.  Remind yourself often that removing these foods from your diet is a good thing and not punishment.  It's important to maintain a positive relationship with food even when we are struggling.  We need food to survive and to nourish our bodies to be be the best possible version of ourselves.

Hope this helps.  As always feel free to drop me a line and let me know if this post helped you, or if you have any questions :)



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Tex-Mex Chicken Tenders

4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast cut into strips
1 Pkt (1.25 oz) reduced sodium taco seasoning mix
1 tbsp. oil
1 can (14.5 oz) no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup sugar free apricot preserves


Coat chicken with seasoning mix.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add chicken and cook until lightly browned.

Add diced tomatoes and apricot preserves. Reduce heat and simmer, covered 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.


* Serving suggestion...serve over your favorite rice.

Feisty Turkey

1 Pound lean ground turkey
1 Cup Salsa
1 Tbsp Mrs Dash Fiesta Citrus
Cooking Spray

Coat skillet with cooking spray and put over medium/low heat. Add turkey to pre heated skillet and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash.  Use spoon to break up meat as it cooks.  Cook until no longer pink.  Add salsa to meat, turn heat down to low and simmer 5 minutes.

Serve over brown rice or pasta.

Enjoy!!

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New Month, New Start.

So how are those New Years resolutions coming along?  By now more than half of those who set weight loss resolutions have already given up.  Why?  Well in most cases its because they set goals but didn't take the time to build a plan.  Think about it, you wouldn't jump in your car and drive to another state with out directions. Sure you would most likely get to your destination but your going to waste a lot of time taking wrong turns.  Successful weight loss and maintenance requires a plan.  Not just a meal and/or exercise plan but a game plan for how you are going to handle all of the challenges and obstacles that are guaranteed to show up.

For me it wasn't until I did my first bikini prep diet that I realized how important this game plan is.  Anytime you decide that you are going to change your habits you have to accept that you will be around many people who didn't change and that's ok.  Just know how you are going to handle difficult situations, such as going to a birthday party.  Here's where your game comes in. Before you get there decide... are you going to indulge in party food but cut your portion sizes?  Are you going to bring your own healthy food?  Are you going to let yourself eat whatever you want and get back on your plan for the next meal?  None of these are wrong, as long as you plan ahead and stick to it.

I hope this helps you reach your goal.  If you would like help creating a personal "game plan" I do offer private coaching sessions.

Good Luck!
Jamie

www.livewellbefitcoach.com

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Roasted Cauliflower

4 cups cauliflower florets
1 tablespoon coconut oil or cooking spray
Salt, pepper and other seasonings such as Mrs. Dash

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Coat cauliflower with oil or spray lightly with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with seasonings.  Roast about 15 minutes or until lightly browned, turn halfway through roasting.

Enjoy!

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Power Food – Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is made from fermenting apple juice to hard apple cider, and then fermented again to produce the vinegar.  ACV retains all the goodness from the apples plus it’s fortified with extra acids and enzymes produced during the both fermentation processes.

ACV is rich in minerals, like potassium, sodium chloride, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium as well as several vitamins including A, B1, B2, B6 and E, and Pectin a soluble form of fiber.

Here are some popular health and beauty benefits of ACV.

     Improves digestion.  May relieve heart burn, upset stomach, and diarrhea

      Improves regularity. 

     Glowing skin.  May fade age spots, clear acne, and relieve other skin conditions. 

       Decrease in joint pain, and stiffness. 

      May help break down fats so that the body can use them more efficiently.

 Improves the immune system.

   Relieves sore throat.

     Clears mucus from colds and sinus infection.

    Regulates blood sugar levels.

   Treats yeast infection and athletes foot.

Suggested use for most conditions is to consume 1-2 tsp ACV diluted in 8 oz of water before meals, taken up to 3 times a day.

On a final note… you must use raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar.  Conventional “clear” vinegars are distilled and do not have the same properties as the raw unfiltered vinegars.  You can find raw ACV in most health food stores or online.

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How to Stay Healthy During the Holidays (What I do)

The other day I posted a question on my Facebook page (Facebook.com/livewellbefit) and was surprised by the answers I got. The question was...during the holidays do u splurge or do you try to stick with your meal plan? 90% of the people that responded said they splurge, the other 10% said they try to choose healthy options even at holiday dinners.

I would fall into the 10% category. Here are some of my own tips I use to stay on track when the holidays are in full swing.

1. The day of a party I stick to my meal plan. Don't skip meals and try to save calories. This is like giving yourself an excuse to over indulge. So if you have a business lunch, eat your morning meals go to lunch and then make sure you get your evening meals in. Something goes for a dinner event. By skipping meals you are actually slowing your metabolism, not a good thing.

2. Stay hydrated. Holiday party's usually equal holiday cocktails. Egg nog...Yum! I always make sure to drink plenty of water during the day if I plan on going to a party in the evening. Alcohol is dehydrating. Have you ever noticed that you feel thirsty while you are drinking alcohol? This is especially true when you drink wine. Having a mixed drink like cranberry and vodka is a little better because the juice adds some hydration. The best thing to do if you are indulging is to drink a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink.

3. I only eat what I REALLY want. I pass on food that I can have anytime and pick the food that I only eat around the holidays. For example, I make peanut butter pie at least 4 times a year for special occasions but my Grandmother only makes pumpkin pie once a year I like both but I would rather splurge on the pumpkin pie. I can have peanut butter pie another time.

I hope these tips help. There are plenty of other ways to survive the holidays without gaining 10lbs but these are the tips I use year round to stay on track and still enjoy social gatherings.

Smile.
Jamie Lynn

What is holding you back?

Being in the fitness industry I see failure a lot. Everyone starts out on their journey full of energy, hope and drive. But more often than not that energy and drive fades and that journey becomes a battle. Why?? Is it because you set the bar to high? NO! Are you just destined to fail? Absolutely not!

Let me share a scenario I encounter often.

Most clients come to me with the basic knowledge that diet and exercise is the key to weight loss. So they hire me and work out a few hours a week and start eating better. Some will even follow a meal plan. A few weeks go by and they feel great. They are able to train harder. Their clothes fit better. The scale drops a few pounds. Awesome! Then a few more weeks go by and I notice a shift in energy. My client is struggling to make it to their appointments, when they do train they are struggling to get through the exercises. What happened? Everyone’s reasons are different but in general the client “gave up”. It’s no longer fun to work out, it feels like a chore. You’re craving junk food and feel deprived. And to top it off the scale hasn’t budged in weeks. So you assume there must be something wrong with your body. Sound familiar?

Most people fail for these reasons.

1. You didn’t give yourself enough time.

In a world of instant gratification it’s hard not to want to see results immediately. But it takes time, patience and sometimes even failure before we reach our goals.

2. You weren’t prepared to handle the challenges.

You need a support system. A friend, a spouse or anyone who supports you and has a positive outlook. Then you have to use them when a challenge arises.

3. Your heart just wasn’t in it.

You have to “BELIEVE IT TO ACCHIEVE IT”.



Hope this helps you to achieve your biggest goal. For more info or to set up a private consultation please email me at jamielynn@livewellbefitcoach.com.