Tid Bit of the Day: Lower your portion sizes!

Today, when talking to my younger sister about following a healthy diet, I realized something. While my sister eats much "worse" than me when it comes to food, she has one very important thing down pat: controlling her portions. 

Basically, she eats whatever she wants but downsizes everything. She explained to me that she loads up of greens, whole grains and fruits, and that if her roommates are making brownies, ya, she's going to have one, but just one. 

Then there's me, eating healthy meals such as ground lean turkey burger and snacking on whole raw almonds. But all the while, I'm sitting here constantly envying those people that can eat whatever they want and not gain a pound. Well, now I know their secret. They never overdue it.

So, here are some tips for those of you who are a lot like me to help you control your portions:

1. Pre-package snacks in a plastic baggy with the recommended or reasonable portion size (14 baby carrots, 20 almonds, 1 sliced apple,etc.) This will help you have a healthy snack on the go and not worry about eating the whole box!

2. Portion out meats ahead of time: Freeze portions of turkey burger or chicken so that they don't go old in the fridge and you don't eat the whole serving at once! If you buy Jenny-Os lean turkey burger, try splitting the portion into 4 and storing it in the freezer. Then you can get 4 dinners for the price of one!

3. Brush your teeth: If you find that you absolutely can't stop eating even though you've had more than enough and are starting to feel full, brush your teeth and know that means "I'm done for the night." Some people also chew gum, sip tea with lemon or have a taste of something really sour to signal their body (and mouth) to STOP. 

 

Coffee no more?

So, as you may already know, I am obsessed with the newest trends in health and fitness, constantly flipping through articles and finding the newest health foods and recipes.

And for the most part, I consider myself a healthy girl: I don't smoke, I drink a gallon of water a day and I eat 3 balanced meals and 2 healthy snacks per day. On top of that, I rarely allow myself to "cheat" and I exercise nearly every day. 

Healthy, right? Just about. I left out the fact that I consume a cup or two of coffee every morning after my breakfast. Yes, I've read that coffee really does have health benefits such as lowering chances of some cancers, and can be OK if you drink it in moderation, the real question is: do I really need it?

Before I came to college, I went 18 years without a trace of coffee in my body, so why now, 4 years later, do I rely on it each and every day? I realized the other day, I had become addicted, and I wasn't happy with myself.

For the first time, I took a long look at myself and realized I wasn't being all that healthy after all. 

So, this week I made a promise to myself: absolutely no coffee. Yes, I may experience headaches or mood swings, but I think in the long run I am helping myself and my body. 

I'll keep you updated on how it goes. But, ta-ta-for-now java!

"Thin Mint" Tummy Remedy

We all know that feeling when we eat just a little too much for dinner and feel like we're going to explode. It may be because you over-did it at your favorite restaurant, or maybe you ate way too fast. But good news for you: there is relief.

My new favorite after-dinner bloat remedy is... (drum rolls)...: PEPPERMINT TEA.

Studies have shown that peppermint relieves bloating by calming digestive muscles.

Simply brew one cup of hot peppermint herbal tea in a tea kettle post-meal and vuala: bloating be gone.

My favorite brand is Bigelow's Peppermint Herbal Tea (caffeine free), which also comes in lots of other yummy, soothing flavors like "Sweet Dreams" and "Chamomile." 

Guilt-Free Tuna Melt

The other day, I wanted to make something both delicious and filling for lunch. So I came up with this fabulous recipe for a tuna salad melt. Hope you enjoy!

-1 small can tuna

-1 TB olive oil

-Oregano(or herb of choice) to taste

-Dill to taste

-dash of salt and pepper

-1/2 apple (chopped)

-5-10 raisins

-1 piece Ezekiel bread (or whole wheat if you like) *I like Ezekiel because it's gluten free/wheat free and organic

-1 piece soy cheese (cheddar/jack/mozzarella, etc)

-few pieces arugula or spinach to top

1. Toast the bread with slice of cheese

2. In the meanwhile, mix together the other ingredients well

3. Spread the tuna on the bread and top with arugula

4. Eat the extras as a delicious side!

Mmmm : )

Delightful Trail Mix

Need a snack fix that won't destroy all that hard work you've been putting in at the gym? Go for my own, easy trail mix recipe for a snack that'll satisfy your sweet, salty 'n' crunchy cravings all in one!

What you'll need:

1 bag of Ghiradelli 70% cocoa chocolate chips

1 small bag chopped walnuts

1 small bag of organic shredded coconut

2 cups of whole grain cereal like Kashi or Fiber one  (or you can substitute 2 cups whole oats)

1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, etc.)

Combine in a large zip-lock bag and shake up the ingredients.

Then, you can grab a handful whenever that craving hits you : )

*Add in flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, Goji berries or a dash of cinnamon for some extra flavor. Make it YOUR trail mix the way you like it!

Go Shirataki!

Craving pasta but don't wanna pack on 600+ calories in one bowl? Don't fear! The new, hip thing out there in grocery stores is shirataki noodles. Found in both fettucini and spaghetti style, these "noodles" are only 40 calories for the entire 8 oz. pack! Quite the cal deal, huh?

Shirataki noodles are low-carb Japanese noodles, composed of lots of fiber and water. While they don't have much flavor by themselves, you can top them with anything-marinara sauce, pesto, tomato and basil, Alfredo sauce...the list goes on and on. 

I'm having shirataki noodles tonight, with lemon, olive oil, herbs and some roasted red pepper and onions, so we shall see how it goes. I'm excited, since I have an allergy to gluten and bakers yeast and usually have to avoid pasta. However, now I have my own little substitute, for hundreds less cals!

So, try 'em out and see how you like them...Could be your new cooking essential!

The "Life list"

Today, my friend and I began discussing our future over lunch—not the scary, finance related kind of stuff, but rather the things we want to do with our lives.

My friend said that she wanted to do plenty of things in her life (such as publishing a book), and that we only have one life to live. So I figured, it's true: we do only have one life to live, so we may as well live it…and I mean live it.

I think we all need to take a break once in a while, pause and just absorb the world around us. Then, you’ll more clearly be able to see what is truly important and what your real priorities are.

When I tried doing this, I realized that life shouldn’t be about all the little things, and the worrying; the weight loss and heart-breaks. Yes, those may be the “problems” in our lives at the time, but it’s important to know that they shall pass.

Rather, life should be exciting, exhilarating rather. Instead of focusing on what we did, should have done, etc. we should focus on the now and the “to-do's.”

Therefore, I came up with a personal list of things I want to do for ME, and only me.

Some of the things on my list were:

Write everyday
Take time to travel in a different country for a while
Never give up on my dream to work at a health/fitness magazine
Worry less (about guys, mostly)

As you can see, my list is simple, and you too can write whatever you want because it’s your personal list—that is, for no one else’s eyes but your own. While it may be short and sweet, writing a simple to-do or goal list felt refreshing. Give it a try and see…