Health Tips of the Week 5

Almost forgot to write health tips for this week....... thankfully the week isn't over yet!



Our nutrition/weight loss seminar is over, so I guess I'm officially on my own now! Besides all the ice cream, cupcakes and cookies I allowed myself to eat this week I've been almost good at staying on track. I still try to eat every 2-3 hours and make sure I incorporate protein into most of my meals. I have to keep reminding myself I have a wedding in less than 3 months so I BETTER keep up with my healthy lifestyle (plus I promised I would continue to keep blogging about it!). By doing so it honestly helps keep me on track.

Lifestyle tips of the week:

- Coconut Oil is AWESOME! Incorporate it into your diet. It's proven to help prevent Alzeimer's disease and improve your memory. It's healthier for you than other oils and better than butter, making it excellent for cooking and baking (substitute it in for oil or butter). You can even add some into your morning smoothie. It helps lower cholesterol, fights aging (filled with antioxidants), helps control blood sugar, benefits digestion, boosts your metabolism and so much more. It's a great natural moisturizer for your skin and your hair too!

-Check your bread. Whole wheat sounds healthy but is often genetically modified and has added sugars making it worse for you than it seems. White breads and pastas are even worse for you because of how processed they are. A better alternative to both white breads/pastas and whole wheat is whole grains which are closer to their natural form. Check ingredient labels for sugars, to know what is really in the bread your eating. Your best bet (and my new favorite type of bread) is called "sprouted" bread which is the most natural form of whole grain bread and can be found in the frozen section of your grocery store. They include all parts of the plant the wheat comes from and include the naturally-occuring vitamins and amino acids that are lost in processed bread. They also have more fiber. Many sprouted breads include a variety of grains such as legumes, oats, and barely. Because it's so natural and has no preservatives it needs to be frozen to prevent it from molding. You can stick it in the fridge when you get home and toast each slice as you use it. It comes in different flavors including cinnamon raison! You have to try this bread.... completely natural and SO good!

- Don't let advertising fool you! ALWAYS check ingredient labels to know for sure! For example.. today I got a tub of Edy's slow churned frozen yogurt, assuming it was better for me than Edy's ice cream. When comparing ingredients, the frozen yogurt actually had more fat and less protein than the ice cream, making the ice cream out of the two a better option. You never know for sure until you compare label for label. Remember... you want more protein, less fat, and more vitamins to be healthy, feel good and loose or maintain a healthy weight.

Snack ideas of the week:

- Oatmeal with added protein. I love oatmeal for breakfast but always eat raw plain oats, because the packets are loaded with sugar. I heat up some raw oats in water or almond/soy milk in the microwave, then add some agave nectar or honey (natural sweeteners) to make it taste good. Oats already have about 5 g of protein per cup, but to get in some more protein to start your day, add flavored protein powder instead of a sweetener to flavor your oatmeal. I use half a scoop of vanilla whey protein to a cup of oats and it's delicious!

- Veggie burgers. Morning Star and Dr. Praeger's are a couple of my favorite brands, and by substituting a bun for a large leaf of lettuce makes a healthy and filling snack. Add salsa, tomatoes, or sliced avocado on top for extra flavor. Also easy to pack for lunch too!

- Seitan. This one's actually more of a meal than a snack. With 20g of protein per serving (and 3.5 servings per package!) this wheat-based protein tastes like chicken and is easy to prepare. I cooked it in it's own broth with mixed veggies, but it can be sliced and prepared in any way you would prepare chicken or meat (in a sandwich, chicken salad, etc.) and is completely meat free. Great protein source and also a good alternative for vegetarians.