Wondering how to change up your recipes so you can lose weight and get your blood test results back to a safe range? Read on for fresh ideas on healthy recipe makeovers and where to start.
Eating healthily does not have to be as complicated as people make it out to be. Weight loss can happen while still enjoying your favorite recipes. This is accomplished in a variety of ways.
You can modify how much you eat by following the portion guide on the back of the product.
You can reduce how much and how often you indulge in those “often delicious yet less desirable” foods, while increasing your intake of healthy foods that are just as flavorful but not as common.
And you can modify ingredients that you add to your favorite classic recipes to make them more nutritious and weight-loss friendly, yet still satisfying.
With a little help from a health coach and some input from your dietitian or nutrition counselor, you can relearn cooking and eating so that you won't stay stuck on restrictive diets or constantly be running out for recipe ingredients just to stay on program.
Instead, say hello to a new way of eating that will result in weight loss, reduced body fat, improved health, more confidence, and tons more energy.
When paired with a sensible and consistent exercise routine, your new way of eating can also result in a healthier, fitter, and stronger body.
The Mainstays of Good Nutrition
Healthy eating and dieting trends come and go. But the basic nutrition that your body needs won't change no matter what the fad diets are preaching. Yes, there are different ways to prepare food. You'll find endless possibilities as you explore a wide variety of cuisines and cooking methods from all over the world. But when you think about all the different great recipes to try and meals to be enjoyed, there is one consistent fact that remains.
A good meal is a balanced meal, and a balanced meal is a healthy meal.
No matter what the menu, the plan to target your nutritional needs will always be to create a balanced and colorful plate.
Here's a simple list of essential ingredient types to include with every healthy meal:
Protein
Carbohydrates
Fat
Let's get into the finer points of each of those.
Weight Loss and Protein
Wondering about protein as part of your healthy eating plan? Our muscles need protein to function properly and to generate new cells. That means not just the muscles that you use to move your body, but also your busy, always-on brain, and the heart muscle which pumps life into your limbs.
When our nervous system gets stressed, our body craves protein. In fact, after a stressful or challenging encounter, even if we think we need carbs or sweets, what our body really wants, and needs is protein. So, if food cravings are hitting hard, don't just sit there starving. Find a source of healthy protein and get to snacking. You don't need a lot of protein to curb hunger pangs.
But you do need good quality protein that delivers nutrition.
When we think of protein, we think of meat first. What do you picture when you see the word protein? Chicken? Beef? Protein goes far beyond the traditional American menu that you may be used to consuming. In fact, if you look at world cuisine you will see that there are endless possibilities for getting your daily protein intake.
Fun Fact: some people in Thailand eat bugs for dinner… but let's leave that one alone for now.
Common sources of protein that you may or may not be aware of include:
Chicken, fish, pork, turkey, and game meats such as wild foul, rabbit, and venison.
Vegetarians get protein by way of eggs and dairy products as well as legumes and beans.
Vegans take their protein from nuts, beans and legumes, and some lesser-known veggies and grains that deliver protein, like oats and broccoli.
Soy protein is a particularly versatile form of sustenance that is often hidden in prepared vegetarian foods such as veggie burgers. In fact, anything that's billed as a vegan or vegetarian meat substitute is based on soy protein.
At its most basic you'll find soy protein in edamame or simple soybeans. Tofu is a form of protein made by sprouting edamame beans and then soaking them in a process that separates the bean curd which can then form into shapes to use in recipes.
You can make veggie burgers at home and play with different protein sources.
Blend up your favorite beans, nuts, brown rice, aromatics like onion, herbs, and seasonings. Dip in egg, coat in whole grain breadcrumbs or almond flour, and lightly fry in olive oil or spray with olive oil cooking spray and bake. Or try my hubby's delicious garden burger recipe by clicking here.
In our next post, we will discuss how carbohydrates can play a part in successful weight loss.
7 Sister's High School Level Online PE for Homeschool Kids Curriculum is a full semester, 1/2 credit high school course. It includes all that is needed to satisfy high school graduation requirements. Since it's online, it can be completed at your own pace
My son doesn't enjoy exercising. So, I chose this class to get him more motivated and to give him the opportunity to practice his planning and recordkeeping skills. I also chose this curriculum because it is led by a 10-year exercise veteran and I felt hopeful this would help. And I'm happy to say that:
This is a big deal if you know my son because he still has a long way to go. However, he is now doing push ups and sit ups on his own and is more conscious of his need to be more active. He also did his best to keep track of what he completed, and I see big improvements in this area as well.
The following is included in this well-written curriculum.
Suggested syllabus for the year (or semester).
Reading assignments which include explanations of different types of exercises.
Questions to help reinforce learning (fill-in-the blank, multiple choice, true/false, and some short answer).
Videos showing how to do the exercises.
Diagrams showing the muscles mentioned in the videos. You could use these to help teach anatomy!
Paperwork for keeping track. Great for teaching recordkeeping.
There are a total of four different workouts each to be completed in four weeks for a total of 16 weeks.
Nice recordkeeping logs that can be printed or your student can type in the answers using fill and sign in Adobe reader.
The curriculum is taught by Luke Josiah Samuel Hayes (video instructor). Samuel has numerous certifications including NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), and over 10 years of experience as a fitness instructor, personal trainer, and fitness manager.
The exercise routines were above Nathan's fitness level. However, the goals set out are something any beginner could eventually reach. This is why I plan to teach this course again next year.
I'm happy to have this online PE for Homeschool Kids curriculum to use again and again if needed.
As a certified Group Fitness Instructor, I recommend this course as an online PE for homeschool kids option. Kids who are resistant to exercise and kids who are not will both benefit from the instruction. Either way, something important will be learned and PE requirements will be met for High School Graduation.
Check out 7 Sisters Homeschool Foundations for Physical Fitness by clicking here.
There are so many awesome reasons for eating more vegetables, I hardly know where to start! And there are a great many healthy vegetables to choose from. Everyone should be able to find some they like. Below are 6 reasons you need more vegetables in your diet.
I do know that I like to be reminded of the nutritional benefits of consuming more vegetables, because I find that when I am reminded, I'm inclined to eat more of them! So, for starters we're going to look at 6 reasons you need more vegetables in your diet.
One of the reasons why variety in your diet is so important is because every unique food has something special to add. This is especially true of vegetables. In fact, I believe that's one of the main reasons God created so many different kinds of vegetables.
6 reasons you need more vegetables
Low in calories – eating more vegetables will fill you up without the overload of calories and will help with weight control
Small amounts of good carbohydrates and high in Fiber
The exception to “low carbs” being starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, winter squash)
However, all carbohydrates in vegetables are GOOD carbohydrates, so potatoes are not a BAD vegetable. And potatoes and other starchy vegetables are excellent sources of fiber when you eat the skin.
Vegetables are low in fat.
Avocados are an exception; however, avocados are excellent sources of monounsaturated fats which are good fats.
Naturally low in sodium when fresh (or canned with no salt added)
Rich in vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, B6, potassium, manganese
Now that we've discussed 6 reasons you need more vegetables in your diet, lets discuss 6 different vegetables and how their individuality can enhance your health when you eat more of them.
The wonderful thing about tomatoes is that they are available year-round, plus they are so versatile, you can sneak these vegetables into almost any diet, no matter how “vegetable hating” the individual is.
Tomatoes have a low glycemic index, are low in sodium (fresh, no salt added canned), are low in calories, and low in fat. Tomatoes are also high in fiber.
For example, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, which is about 8-10 tomatoes, only has about 27 calories, less than half a gram of fat, only 7.5 mg sodium, 5.8 grams carbs, with 1.9 of the carbohydrates being fiber.
High in Vitamins
The same serving size of tomatoes is packed with vitamins and minerals, as the list below shows.
Vitamin A (1241 IU – 25% US RDA)
Folate (6% US RDA)
B6 – (6% US RDA)
Vitamin C (18.9 mg 32% US RDA)
Vitamin K (11.8 mcg 15% US RDA)
High in Minerals
Potassium (353 mg 10% of US RDA)
Manganese (8% of RDA)
Choline (No established RDA, but significant to persons with Diabetes)
See Below for delicious recipe that contains tomatoes.
Bell Pepper
Low in Calories, (15 calories in one small pepper), fat, sodium (similar to tomatoes), and carbs, 6.9 carbs, 2.5 fiber
One of the best sources of Vitamin C of any vegetable. One small bell pepper will provide you with 100% of your needs for the day.
Also, a significant source of vitamin B6. This is important because vitamin B6 is low in many diets. This is because of high intake of enriched breads and cereals, which have been stripped of the outer bran and endosperm.
Bell peppers are not as good a source of potassium as other vegetables, but they do have potassium. And, it all adds up, right?
Broccoli
Low in calories, sodium, fat, and carbohydrates. For example:
“Beets are highly nutritious and “cardiovascular health” friendly root vegetables. Certain unique pigment antioxidants in this root and its top greens have been found to offer protection against coronary artery disease and stroke. These antioxidants also lower cholesterol levels within the body and have anti-aging effects.”
Carrots
Like most other vegetables, carrots are low in calories, fat, carbohydrates, and excellent sources of fiber.
One thing about carrots stands out, however:
Carrots are a supersonic source of vitamin A. For example, 1 cup chopped carrots contains 12,383 IU of vitamin A (a whopping 428% of US RDA)!
In addition, 1 cup chopped carrots provides 13% of your daily needs of vitamin C, 21% of vitamin K, and 6% of folate and vitamin B6.
And carrots contain more than 400 mg of potassium per 1 cup serving.
Mushrooms
Of course, mushrooms are low in calories, fat, carbohydrates, and sodium like other vegetables. However, mushrooms are totally unique on this list.
First, mushrooms are not actually vegetables. They are technically fungus. Second, mushrooms are “the only vegetarian food” that are known to have their own vitamin D.
I always suspected this is because they naturally grow in the sun. And that's what science says.
When mushrooms are exposed to UV (sun) rays, they make their own vitamin D. This increases the vitamin D content of them for eating. I don't know about you, but that is so cool!
According to www.Berkeleywellness.com:
“Mushrooms contain a “pro-vitamin,” or precursor, called ergosterol that is converted into vitamin D when exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This is like how your skin synthesizes vitamin D in response to sun exposure. However, commercially cultivated mushrooms are almost always grown indoors in the dark. As a result, they usually have negligible amounts of vitamin D. In contrast, wild mushrooms—notably chanterelles, maitake, and morels—are usually rich in D because they get sun exposure.”
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