Showing posts with label healthy meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy meals. Show all posts

Tuesday 15 September 2009

How to combat a Nasty Sweet Tooth

By Isabel
I can't tell you how many times each week I get the same email. "Isabel, I am doing great on your plan, but every once in a while, I'm still craving sweets!"

I am no different. I especially remember when I was pregnant, not only was I a bit more tired, I also craved sweet foods a lot more than I ever had before (my baby must take after my husband in that department).

I know that a nasty sweet tooth can be a real problem for a lot of people (not just pregnant folk). Many times cravings are an indication that you are not eating your meals in the right combinations or in the right proportions. That is why it is so important to find out your Metabolic Type (there is a whole chapter dedicated to this in The Diet Solution manual) and find exactly how many portions of each food you should be eating based on those results .

If you are following your healthy meal plans and the sugar monster is still out to get you, here are some healthy ways that I have been using myself to satisfy my sweet cravings:

1. Cut up some fresh fruit (berries, an apple, a pear, 1/2 banana) and put 1 tsp of raw, natural honey on top. One teaspoon goes a long way and gives your already sweet fruit a bit more of a kick.

2. Drink some Tea Juice. Essentially it is herbal tea sweetened with Stevia and cooled to be enjoyed as a cold drink. This really hits the spot at 3pm when I "think" I want a sweet treat, but this naturally sweetened beverage is enough to calm my cravings.

3. Mix some almond or peanut butter with unsweetened organic apple sauce and sprinkle cinnamon on top. YUMMY! This has been my pregnancy favorite! A great mid morning or afternoon snack.

4. Cut up one apple, spread almond butter or peanut butter on top and sprinkle some crushed raw cacao or organic dark chocolate on top.

5. A fruity herbal tea sweetened with stevia, xylitol or agave syrup in the evening is perfect right before bed to calm you after a busy day.

Remember you want to stay away from processed sugar and artificial sweeteners as much as possible. I personally use Stevia for all of my sweetening needs, but I know many people who also enjoy xylitol and agave syrup which are also great choices.

I think the best tasting Stevia can be found at http://www.stevivasweetener.com.

Monday 29 June 2009

3 Simple, Healthy Meal Plans You Can Start Right Now

Is really it possible to put together a simple and healthy meal plan? One which is not going to be complicated and impossible to follow?
Yes. It is possible and I will show you how. The healthy meal plans below will help you achieve your health goals while simultaneously shedding fat off your body.

Here are 3 healthy meal plans you can get started on right now.

Breakfast

Protein should be included in every meal throughout the day and breakfast is no exception. Make sure to include organic eggs, cottage cheese, raw nut butter or smoked fish as one component of your healthy breakfast. Carbohydrates should also be included in the form of oatmeal, sprouted grain bread, fruit and/or vegetables.

3 great sample breakfasts are:

Oatmeal with almond butter, topped with fresh berries and a bit of Stevia to sweeten.

2 hard boiled eggs, 1 slice sprouted grain toast and ½ grapefruit

Smoked salmon over sliced tomato and 1 green apple

Lunch

The same rules apply as breakfast. An easy way to ensure that you always have a healthy protein available for lunch is to pack leftovers from dinner the night before. Leftover hamburger, chicken legs or wild fish are all great to include in a salad or over vegetables.

3 great sample lunches are:

Baked Tilapia over sautéed spinach, green salad with chick peas (oil and vinegar as dressing) followed by ½ cup of pineapple.

Leftover chicken legs with ½ sweet potato and broccoli.

Lean hamburger over portabella mushroom and brown rice. Cooked vegetables or a green salad. 1 orange.

Dinner

You can really be creative with dinner. Look for recipes that are quick and easy and modify them with your own healthy ingredients as needed. Again, always remember to include protein and carbohydrates.

3 great sample dinners are:

Mexican salad: Ground beef over shredded lettuce and tomato, guacamole and brown rice.

Grilled Salmon over asparagus, green salad (oil and vinegar as dressing) followed by a fresh fruit salad.

Buffalo meat balls over rice pasta with sautéed broccoli.

Snacks

You never want to let your body get too hungry. Hunger often leads to binge eating of unhealthy food and makes sticking to a healthy eating regimen much more difficult. It’s important to keep snacks handy so you never experience hunger or a blood sugar low without having a healthy option nearby.

3 great snacks are:

2 Tbsp almond butter on ½ apple

Trail mix made up of walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds and dried fruit (no sugar added)

Cottage cheese and pineapple

Incorporating just a few of these meals into your daily eating regimen, you will start to see an incredible difference in your weight loss results. Following simple and healthy meal plans like these is the first step in achieving your health and fitness goals.