Boring Breakfast Solution #4 – 3 min. to finished

No more “I don’t have time” excuses, here is a 3 minute breakfast (perhaps quicker) that can be wrapped and taken on the go to eat.  Keepin it real here (not even a comb through my hair, lol).  Try it and tell me how it goes.

Here’s what you need:Breakfast Burrito Ingredients

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Negative thinking may be sabotaging your results.

I pride myself on bringing honesty into my relationships and that rings true to my professional endeavors also.  I approach every client with honesty and integrity.  Do I do nutrition right in my life everyday, day in day out?  NO!  Am I always working to make my nutrition more balanced, yes!  Especially in this new “season of perimenopause.”  I frequently loose and gain a few pounds, but I always know that I can rev my metabolism to get back to my ideal power to weight ratio.  There is not a quick fix, no pill, no instant result unless you want to do it in a manner that will not last.  I am interested in ways to keep my weight balanced and hormones healthy for the rest of my life, not just a short term.Negative thinking

I love how one article sums up just how negative thoughts about weight gains and losses can influence health in a nut shell…

“It likely doesn’t surprise you to learn that the mind and the body are intimately connected. But it may surprise you to learn that there is a growing body of research that suggests negative thoughts and emotions can be linked to poor health conditions.

Cynicism seems to be real trouble, for example. A 2014 study published in Neurology linked high levels of cynicism later in life with a greater risk of dementia and this was after accounting for other risk factors like age, sex, certain heart health markers, smoking status, and more.
Cynicism may also be bad for your heart. A 2009 study published in Circulation looked at data from close to 100,000 women and found that those who were cynical were more likely to have heart disease. And the cynical women were more likely to die during the course of the study than those who had a sunnier disposition.

Hostility isn’t such a grand thing to carry either. The journal Stroke found that people who scored higher on measures of unfriendliness as well as those who had chronic stress and depressive symptoms were more likely to have a stroke.
We cannot talk about negative thoughts without mentioning depression. This serious diagnosis can have an impact in several aspects of your health. It has been linked to an increased risk for type-2 diabetes, heart attack and a greater chance of disability later in life.
Emotions are powerful when it comes to our health. One theory is that when you are stressed out or depressed cortisol levels increase making your immune system less able to control inflammation making you more susceptible to disease.
It could also be that people who have a negative outlook are more likely to smoke and drink and less likely to be physically active. A bit of a chicken and egg question and hard to answer definitively.
But all is not lost, Debbie Downer. By changing your perspective, you can change your health. Our brains are constantly creating new pathways and regenerating cells. This process is key to lots of functions including mood stabilization. It is possible to create your own positive pathways.(www.bodyrock.tv/health/negative-thinking-making-sick/#ixzz3fPS76sJQ)

If this rings true to you, then it is NEVER too late to make a change.  Being aware of how you are really feeling and stopping that mindless reaching for satisfaction (whether it be the cookie jar or something else) is HUGE.  When cortisol levels are high, your weight loss, or fitness and nutrition goals are slowed down. Don’t go one more day thinking this way, but take small steps to recognize the stressors and remove yourself from them or in some cases them from you.  That is the down and dirty for today.

The Power of Protein Workshop

How much protein do I need each day?

Are all protein portion sizes the same?

How do I know if I am getting enough protein if I am vegan?

Protein is a foreign word to me, help?

Join me, a Certified Nutrition Coach, and learn the answers to these questions and more at…

The Power of Protein

Wednesday, August 26th

6:30pm-7:30pm at

Trails Recreation Center, Aurora, CO.

Register at Trails Recreation Center or through www.aprd.org

That much water? Really?

Okay, so now you know you need water throughout the day, everyday from my last post https://eatlivefit.net/2015/08/03/how-important-is-water/

But, did you know that drinking water at a certain time maximizes its effectiveness on the body?

  • 2 glasses of water after waking up – helps activate internal organs
  • 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal – helps digestion
  • 1 glass of water before taking a bath – helps lower blood pressure
  • 1 glass of water before going to bed – avoids stroke or heart attack I can also add to this… My Physician told me that water at bed time will also help prevent night time leg cramps. Your leg muscles are seeking hydration when they cramp and wake you up with a Charlie Horse.

Your are still short several glasses even after adding all these to your agenda.  Here are a few more hints to get you to optimum hydration each and every day:

  • Drink only water with meals.  You want to taste your food and drinking other liquids will mask your tastebuds and in turn influence the taste of the food you are eating.  Save other liquids for in between meals.
  • Aim to drink 3/4 of your water intake for the day before 3 pm so that you do not end up getting up in the night to go to the bathroom.  Yes, initially you will have to go more often, but within a week, your body will adjust that and you will be able to go longer between bathroom breaks.
  • Take your water bottle wherever you roam!  Keep it with you,
  • Take a sip at every water fountain you pass, or from your bottle since you have that handy anyway, right?  Let the visual cue of a water fountain serve as a reminder to drink some now.

Finally, here is a quick chart to give you an idea of how much water you should take in each day personally.  This is general because it doesn’t take into account any medications/supplements taken, exercise frequency, duration and intensity, and/or your current level of hydration.  Let it be a “good rule of thumb” tool to use as a Minimum amount of water to drink. (8 oz. equals one glass)

Body Weight Ounces of Water Daily
100 pounds 67 ounces
110 pounds 74 ounces
120 pounds 80 ounces
130 pounds 87 ounces
140 pounds 94 ounces
150 pounds 100 ounces
160 pounds 107 ounces
170 pounds 114 ounces
180 pounds 121 ounces
190 pounds 127 ounces
200 pounds 134 ounces
210 pounds 141 ounces
220 pounds 148 ounces
230 pounds 154 ounces
240 pounds 161 ounces
250 pounds 168 ounces

Don’t be fooled by the “drink when you are thirsty” recent claims in the media, if your lips are chapped or you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

As always, I am here to help just an email away at eatlivefit@hotmail.com

How important is water?

 

 

don't be the same. Be Better

I often am asked why is water so important?

Here is the down and dirty truth:  Water is the second most important nutrient for our bodies.  The science speaks for itself:  60-80% of the human body is made up of water.

A Human Brain is 95% water

Blood is 82% water

Lungs are 90% water

Bones are 25% water

Muscles are 70% water

EVEN FAT is 20% water

“The water in our systems is constantly moving in and out of our cells and needs to be replenished.  Both voluntary movements (exercise, or even just getting in our car to go home) and involuntary movements (digestion, blood circulation, etc.) require water to work.  When we are dehydrated these actions suffer and as a result we feel tired, sluggish, and unable to concentrate.  Even a small water level drop in our systems (2%) signifies dehydration resulting in feelings of fatigue, fuzzy short term memory, difficulty focusing, and a noticeable reduction in physical performance, and headaches”(NAFC nutrition). If the body’s fluids are not restored quickly it goes from bad to worse quickly.  Good old fashioned water is the key to avoid feeling this way.

Thinking back, I remember the days when I was trying every new diet on the planet.  I remember reading that water staves off hunger so I jumped in with glasses in both hands.  Don’t get me wrong, staying hydrated is a great way to stave off hunger, but water alone cannot be a diet, you must have a good mix of food along with that hydration to keep your body functioning at optimum levels.  So many “diets” merely help you loose water weight, especially those that claim rapid weight loss.

The headlines are everywhere, “Loose 5 pounds in 10 days!” or “guaranteed weight loss!”  These quick weight loss offerings are often promising weight loss through water loss, which in turn will come back to bite you.  Dehydration slows down the fat burning activity of muscles and fat cells for one!  Feeling lousy, tired, and lacking motivation is another.  These are NOT ways I want to loose weight because my body does not like this state and will fight me to get back to normal hydration.

Need more convincing? Here is the latest scientific evidence of the role water plays in disease reduction.  Staying adequately hydrated will bring the following results:

45% reduction in incidence of colon cancer

50% reduction in incidence of bladder cancer

79% reduction in incidence of breast cancer

 

So, the next question is, how do I know I am hydrated?

Two easy ways to tell:

  • You should be using the restroom at least 4 times a day, often more.  The color of the water in the bowl should be watered down lemonade.  Any darker and you need to drink more.
  • Second is to pinch the top of the back of your hand, if the skin snaps back into place within a second or two, chances are your hydration is optimal.  If it is slow to recess back, you are dehydrated and should drink more water.

Finally, this is a daily balance.  One day you may be more hydrated because of the weather, and how you worked out, and what you ate.  The next day, you could eat the exact same and end up dehydrated due to medicine/vitamin changes, hormonal changes, lack of sleep, etc..  Hydration is a balancing act, so you WILL have days you need more water than others.

So raise a glass of water and let’s toast to better health!