Tag: healthy eating

Everything I know about weight loss and health Part 3

by Lynn, posted in Articles

If you haven’t read part 1 and 2 you should read those first.

One of, if not the biggest obstacle in becoming healthy and remaining in a place of good health is in your head. Literally. What you feed your brain is as important as what you feed the rest of you.

It isn’t just your thoughts. It’s your surroundings, people in your life, your career. What we say, do, encounter on a daily basis become noted in your brain. The result can be stress, depression, anxiety, brain fog etc.

So let’s begin with the basics.

Your home. Having a clutter free clean space is hugely beneficial. I can’t say that loud enough. I know it can seem daunting but really it’s easier than you think. There are a ton of blogs on this subject but I’ll add that I started with my walls. I removed everything, even curtains in a few rooms, painted the walls white and did not rehang anything.

Having open windows allows more of nature to come in. Then I decorated with plants. Research the topic.

Sleep is so very important. I use to be on the go early and late. I fueled with constant caffeine. It showed! It’s really important to get up at the same time every morning. So I adjusted my bedtime. At 9 I’m in bed. Period. Even if I can’t sleep yet. I meditate, read, unplug.

Reading is good for your brain. Feed it well.

Having a schedule keeps you on track and your body will learn when to expect sleep, fuel, movement. It will also help to keep your stress levels in check because you will find it easier to schedule in the important stuff like moving your body, family time, journaling, etc. I recommend a paper planner. Writing it is more powerful.

Stress promotes weight gain.

Slow down, unplug, move your body.

If you’ve made it this far thank you for reading. I hope that this will help you in your journey.

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Everything that I know about weight loss PT 2

by Lynn, posted in Articles

Welcome to part 2. If you haven’t read part 1 you might want to begin there.

Everyone has cravings. Some of us are stress or emotional eaters. Sometimes we are bored, or sometimes we are tired.

Planning for possible slips helps a lot.

If you work long hours or find yourself too tired to think about dinners, then meal prepping may work to combat this and it’s super easy if you are eating lean and green dinners.

If you find the cravings do you in then the following items are fantastic to have on hand, along with a well stocked pantry full of the right foods and zero wrong foods. For that reason I haven’t bought Oreos in 15 years.

Here are my go to items

Smuckers sugar free caramel syrup to go on apples

Smuckers sugar free chocolate syrup to go on strawberries or bananas.

Sugar free chocolate chips

Whole grain gold fish

Frozen Greek yogurt pops

Sugar free popsicles

Real popcorn

Plenty of fruit

Sugar free brownie mix

Sugar free pudding

Sugar free jello

Fat free whipped topping

The rest of my kitchen is stocked with whole grains, meat, eggs, veggies. I use canned black beans, and white northern beans, canned tomatoes, and no sugar added fruit.

There is only one bad thing in my kitchen. Splenda. I’m trying haha.

A word to those of you who really don’t care for veggies or meat. Me either! I eat chicken or fish. I pair them with a salad and fruit on the side. Having fruit for dinner helps kill those sneaky sweet cravings and they are nutritious.

Moving your body and strength training are both very important for good health. While they won’t help a ton with weight loss there are other factors that can help with long term success. Strong muscles burn more calories. A body in motion is like a well oiled machine. It pumps blood to all the right places, reduces stress, and it is after all what our bodies are meant to do, move!

So if you are not into “exercise” That’s ok, just move your body. I love using a fitbit to keep me on track.

Part 3 up next

Every thing I know about weightloss PT 1

by Lynn, posted in Articles

I’ve been coaching for 11 plus years. I’ve had weight-losses and gains of my own. I have personally tried nearly all weightloss programs, and I’m certified in nutrition and coaching. However, I am not currently coaching and I may not return to it. Here is why.

My own struggles have prompted me to ask “why isn’t this working” at various stages of my life. Helping others drove me to find solutions. However, you can’t unknow once you know something. It doesn’t simply just go away.

Here is what I know and what you can do to push forward .

Diets do not work for the long-term. Sure you can do a cleanse and drop some fluid while messing up your gut flora, or you can eat prepackaged foods while creating havoc with your health, or perhaps you decide to follow a trend and buy into the marketing of the latest new supplement.

We all have that one friend who swears that they are selling the next best thing. In our world today everything is marketing. From the placement of food items on the store shelves, the ads in magazines that are being endorsed by famous people, to the new diet pill that your Dr prescribed. Its all BS. All of it! Its time to take your power back.

Whatever it is that you believe in I want you to take a few minutes and just read with an open mind.

Having a healthy body and living at your best is as simple as deciding to do it, along with making the correct choices.

Everything that you do begins with a choice. There are always two choices. Always! Just knowing that you have two choices gives you back control. Pretty simple right?

Now its time to decide what it is that you need in your life. This gives you back power. Example

I want pizza in my life. So let’s say that I go on a restrictive diet, I lose weight, I succumb to wanting pizza, I regain some weight. That causes stress, takes away power and then I lose control. Sound about right? So now lets change that.

I decide that I want pizza in my life. I eat whole nutritious foods 6 days a week. On date night I enjoy pizza in moderation. I choose to not have toppings, just cheese. I begin to see a drop in weight. I never see a gain because I’m in control.

How easy is that?

So now let’s talk about an unrealistic weight loss goal. At each significant drop your body will require less calories to continue to lose or maintain. Portion sizes and moving your body become very important but the choice is yours. You must ask yourself the hard questions. At this point you need to think about what you want your life to look like.

Example

I hate exersizing but I enjoy a walk. I can see walking as a daily commitment. I like having eggs but I can’t see just eating one egg so i ‘ll have two. For dinner I always do lean and green. I dont need a potatoe, or white rice. Because I made that easy simple choice dinners are not stressful. My choice, my power. I make the choices and my body will respond. I accept that I’ll be healthy, fit, and happy.

Calories. Yes it really is just about calories. Calories in calories out. Knowing that gives you power over all the BS. You get to decide how you want to spend your calories. Choices.

Example

I love bread but its not so important that I have to have bread with high calories so instead I’ll spend 35 of my calories on 35 calorie bread instead of 120 calorie bread.

Its no longer about a number on the scale. Its about you, your choices, and taking back the power. Once you do that life will be a much happier place.

Simply Lynns Slow Roasted Pot Roast

by Lynn, posted in Beef, Main Dishes

This really needs to be slow cooked in a crock pot, not instapot, for optimal everything.

Roast

Carrots

Onion soup mix

Minced garlic

Beef powdered bouillon

Corn starch

Water

Carrots

Place roast in crock pot with 6 cups of water. Add carrots. Make sure the water reaches the carrots. Cook on high for two hours.

Then

Add parsley and Garlic

Slow cook on low 4 hours or until it’s fork tender.

Then remove two cups of broth and set aside.

Add garlic, onion soup mix, beef boullion.

Mix corn starch with broth until it begins to thicken. Return it to the roast and allow it to slow cook another hour.

I’ve been making this for so long that I no longer measure. It’s ok, you’ve got this, don’t be stingy with the spices.

Accidental Food Blogger

by Lynn, posted in Musings, Recipes

Even though I have a background in nutrition, I didn’t set out to blog about food. It just seems to be happening that way at the moment. Probably because I am in a creative mode, searching for healthier alternatives, and pretty annoyed with crappy recipes.

This too shall pass as soon as fresh fruit and veggies become, well fresher and more abundant. Well not completely, after all there are amazing possibilities for fresh foods.

Last summer I was introduced to bright line eating. It felt good, wholesome, but it lacked grains. We need grains for heart health. Currently I haven’t had any sugar since November 2018. Only recently reintroduced heart healthy whole grains, and today a gluten free flour. Dairy has been minimal, with the exception of half n half, grass fed butter, and Greek yogurt.

So what’s left to eat? Real food!!! Crazy right? Anddddd that’s how I ended up here, blogging about food, on a blog intended for witty musings, and opinionated feedback.

For now I’ll just keep sharing my experiments, I mean..creations.

Why Yes, another Pizza!

by Lynn, posted in Main Dishes, Recipes

Because it’s Friday. I think it’s national pizza day too, but who needs a holiday to eat pizza!

This one is a protein bomb, reasonable carbs, and healthier topping choices.

Weight Watchers approved

Gluten free

Two ingredient dough

1 cup of flour self rising

1 cup of Greek yogurt

My tweek

2 cups of Gluten free flour

2 cups of Greek yogurt

3 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Two tablespoons garlic powder

Combine all dry ingredients, then add yogurt. Mix well, then kneed until it forms a nice ball. Roll out between two pieces of parchment paper.

Transfer to a pizza pan. I use a cast iron pan.

Bake at 425 until nearly done. Remove from the oven, add toppings. I used ragu sugar free sauce, 98% fat free deli ham, red onion, skim mozzerella.

Return to the oven to finish cooking.

The Best Salad Ever!

by Lynn, posted in Recipes, Salad

Yes, it really is. Simply made, and full of goodness. Chopping is the key to this yummy power bowl. I like to purchase a spring mix that has a bit of all the different greens. I chop them up into small bits. Then I do the same with all of the other ingredients. I enjoy cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and feta cheese, but you can add whatever you like, just remember to chop chop chop.

Bolthouse has a great dressing selection, but this is delish with a nice vinaigrette.

This is served as a main course for us.

Low carb snacky afternoon

by Lynn, posted in Recipes

Every day I need a pick me up. Hot tea and a pack of nuts is a nice combination. Other days I might have a choczero, or a fat bomb. It just takes a little something, a cup of hot tea, and a few moments of solitude.

Babybell cheese is also a great option. Prior to switching to keto I would include red grapes with that. I love fresh whole food and really miss having many of those options. I sure hope grapes are paleo approved because paleo is my end game.

Health for life.

14″ Fathead Pizza

by Lynn, posted in Main Dishes, Recipes

This will feed a family of 6 with a side salad.

Let’s just get right down to it

Preheat oven to 425

3 Tbsp of Cream Cheese

2 3/4 mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 almond flour

2 eggs

Salt sprinkle

Garlic powder sprinkle

Rosemary sprinkle

*I sprinkle 😁 you will need to work with this dough quickly.

Add cheese and cream cheese to a microwave bowl. Melt. Stir. Melt. Do this until it’s a melted workable texture.

Quickly add flour, seasoning. Form a ball. Add egg. Squeeze the eggs in. Yes get those hands in there. Form a ball.

Place on parchment paper and cover with another piece. Roll out then transfer to a greased pizza pan.

*you will develop your own techniques

Bake until golden brown

Now add toppings. It takes about 1 cup of sauce.

Put back in the oven just long enough to cook your toppings.

Tada!

Notice it didn’t stick much

And while it wasn’t as sturdy as a traditional pizza it was sturdy enough. If you let it rest until wsrm not hot then it’s more like traditional pizza.

Enjoy!!