For Better Nutrition Be Bold!

Is losing that extra poundage you've gained during the last 2 months of feasting a New Year's 2016 Resolution?

So here we are...it's the first Monday in January 2016 and many of us are deciding to kick up health the "diet" we blew over the holiday season. Do not beat yourself up mentally if you've gained this past holiday season. It's the long term eating of better nutrition that will make the difference for you. Here's some of my ideas on that. Remember variety is good for you mentally and physically.  Good healthy starts in your mindset.

Today is the first day of the rest of your soon to be healthier life....don't think "diet" think health.
If you deny yourself the foods and flavors you love you will binge.   The key to losing and keeping it off is to love what your eating and yes smaller portion size too.   Trust me....I know how it is to lose a LOT of weight.  Without weighing and measuring food I took a new and healthy approach years ago and lost well over 100 pounds on my own.  No surgeries or diet pills.   Weight loss starts in you mind!!!  It's what is eating you that is keeping that weight on you!!

Keep track by first taking measurements
(you'll be glad you did)

Start by shaking up the grocery shopping routine!  Variety is the spice of life.  Are you bored, tired of the same old, same old foods?

Here are some out-of-the-box food ideas to incorporate into your diet, along with some stand-bys with benefits just too good to ignore: 

• WATERMELON – If you need an excuse to load up on this summer favorite, here’s one: watermelon contains lots of nutrients and cancer-fighting antioxidants like lycopene and vitamin C. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s 92 percent water, meaning it will full you up with minimal calories. 

• JICAMA – While this Mexican turnip may look like a fuzzy brown lump, beneath the surface is a fiber-packed snack that can work wonders for weight loss. With a high fiber-to-sugar ration and plenty of potassium (which the body requires for maintaining its water balance) – not to mention a delicious, light taste and crispy crunch – jicama is a winning snack to work into your diet.  

• NUTS – There are few foods smarter than nuts. Not only are nuts like almonds and pistachios packed with monounsaturated fatty acids, which help you control your appetite while lowering your risk of heart disease and diabetes, but they also contain protein that will keep you full AND increase your calorie burning potential for up to three and a half hours. Other nut benefits include increased vitamin E levels along with improved memory and performance. Not all nuts are created equal, so be sure to check out what’s best for your goals.  

• PURPLE CARROTS – If you think regular old carrots are a healthy eat, just wait until you try their purple cousins! In addition to the beneficial phytochemicals contained in the orange variety, purple carrots contain anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants with anti-aging properties. 

• MANGOES – These delicious fruits hold a number of benefits in their juicy orange flesh. Sweet enough to curb sugar cravings, mangos are also high in fiber, iron, magnesium and antioxidants. They also aid in digestion, so make sure you opt for the fruit over just the juice. 

• EGGS – The incredible, edible egg is making a comeback among fitness circles. Several studies have shown that egg protein outperforms other proteins in boosting muscle strength and development, thanks to its high concentration of the amino acid leucine. Egg protein also helps curb hunger over a sustained period of time while providing plenty of energy.  

• MULBERRIES – Change up the summer berry routine with this power-packed fruit. Like most berries, mulberries are low in calories, but these winners also contain plenty of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and the phytonutrient resveratrol, which has been shown to protect the heart. 

•  WHOLE GRAINS – While whole grains aren’t news, this research is: after analyzing the diets of more than 27,000 people across an eight-year span, Harvard University researchers found that those who ate whole grains daily weighed an average of 2.5 lbs less than those who ate only refined-grain foods. Researchers at Penn State University additionally found that those who ate whole grains lost 2.4 times more belly fat than their refined-grain-eating counterparts. This makes sense when considering how whole grains favorably affect blood-glucose levels, keeping your body from blood sugar spikes. Whole grains’ antioxidants help control inflammation and insulin (which the body uses to store belly fat).

The closer to eating food in it's natural state as Mother Nature planned them, the healthier you will be long term and your skin will thank you too!  Remember to hydrate yourself daily!

Here's a fun recipe to help you get started to a healthier you!!  Enjoy!!

Ciao for now!

JPKC

Mango cubed

Mango Banana Smoothie

1 cup cubed frozen mango cubes

3/4 cup sliced ripe banana (about 1 medium) 

2/3 cup milk or almond milk

1 teaspoon honey 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Place frozen mango and the remaining ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

Note: If using fresh mangos, peel and cube then arrange the mango cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet; freeze until firm (about 1 hour).

Fresh Ripe Mangoes at the Market