Post Thanksgiving Cleanse!

Turkey day is officially over, by now you should have eaten at least 3 days of left overs, all of which included heavy starches, meats and hopefully vegetables.  If you are feeling sluggish as a result of eating too much and just want to cleanse and prep your digestive system and body for the coming Christmas holiday here are a few tips to get you started.

1.      After all the leftovers are gone, get into the habit of eating light again. Replace a meal with a healthy nutritious salad (recipe below), a delicious natural juice or smoothie that aids in digestion and cleanses all at the same time.

2.      Limit the amount of meat you eat daily. Dietary recommendations for meats or protein range between 5 - 6.5 oz. respectively for men and women.  Actual portion for meat is approximately 2-3oz.  Three ounce is equivalent to a pack of playing cards, a small thigh, drum or half of a bone in chicken breast.

3.      Eat added fish in place of meats; choose fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, Atlantic or Pacific mackerel, sardines and herring. These fish are loaded with omega 3 fatty acids and are naturally low in fat and cholesterol.

4.      Beans and peas base soups are an excellent way to get more protein and fiber! Fiber of course increases bowel motility when paired with accurate water intake. We need between 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily. One cup of cooked beans is equivalent to approximately 15g of fiber. Nuts and seeds, whole or in the form of butter or milk are also good non-meat protein choices.

5.      Juice or blend fresh vegetables, and fruits.  Add these spices; ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves for flavor and digestion (see juice recipe below).

 

Recipes

Raw Kale Salad

3 cups washed and chopped raw kale

1 cup shredded purple cabbage
¼ cup roasted or raw pumpkin seeds
¼ cup dried cranberries
Toss ingredients together, add a light, fat free dressing and serve.

 

 

Cleansing Smoothie

1 cup spinach

½ ripe bananas
½ cup almond milk

Blend all ingredients in blender pour and serve

Cleansing Juice

Juice ½ beet root, 3 carrots, and a small piece of ginger root and serve(can use a tsp. of ginger powder in place of fresh root).  If more juice is needed increase the amount of beets and carrot used.

 

Juice parsley, cucumbers, celery and and lime for another refreshing, cleansing drink!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Survival 101

 

1.    First and most important forget the diet!

 

2.    Take the guilt out of eating more than you normally would by:

a.   Preparing  foods in a healthy way

b.   Eating smaller portion of all foods selected

c.   Waiting at least an hour, to an hour and a half before having seconds

d.   Avoiding large amount of fluids before, with or after meals.

3.   Oven fry chicken is just as tasty as pan fried chicken.  Use a dry batter in place of a wet one when frying in the oven.

4.   Make steamed or roasted vegetables as sides. Avoid using bacon, smoked meats with your vegetables. (see below for great vegan collard greens recipe)

5.   Use natural ingredients; avoid using process foods as much as possible.

6.   If you feel sluggish after dinner due to over eating, go for a quick brisk walk or entertain

yourself, family and friends with a game of musical chairs, or a 15 minute dance off.  Dancing for 15- 30 minutes burns anywhere from 60 to 150 calories.

Recipe!

Vegan Collard Greens

 

2 large bunches collard greens

3 garlic cloves crush and chopped

1 small onion chopped

2 tbsp. Olive oil

¼ tsp. dried rosemary

Dash of salt for taste (optional)

Dash of black pepper

 

Wash and chop (or tear) collard greens.

In a tall stock pot heat olive oil, add chopped onions, garlic and dried rosemary, sauté for about 3 minutes then add collard greens.

Add one cup of water, cover stock pot and let simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Once collard greens are cooked add small amount of black pepper and salt, simmer for 5 more minutes then remove from heat.

 

*If you prefer your greens soggy cook longer (it is better to steam your vegetables than it is to cook them in water). For collard greens add just enough water to keep it from burning or sticking to bottom of pot.  If water dries out before greens are cooked add water as needed. Kale and turnip greens can be used in place of collards as well!!

Guilt Free Holiday Eating

It is a myth that the holidays will cause you to gain an extra ten pounds, at the most a pound or two unless you are binging callously and using the holiday as a reason to not be mindful and active. Whole Body Nutrition is providing you with a few tips to make this holiday season more festive and less stressful:

Enjoy a guilt free holiday by:

1.  Not overeating, eat what you want but eat small portions of it. Smaller portions leave room for some of the higher calorie treats we like to have during the holidays.

2.  Exercising as usual, and if that is not possible spend time ice skating, shopping, cooking, dancing or site seeing with your family.

3.  Plan ahead, if you know an office party or a dinner is coming up have a game plan to prepare for that day. Eating light for breakfast and lunch will leave room for a few extra calories. Just as important is, not skipping meals. Skipping meals will lead to overeating due to hunger.

4.  Control the things you know you can when cooking. For example use low fat milk, and cream, where necessary use only egg whites, use fruit and vegetable alternates to add sweetness to baked goods; bananas, applesauce, pumpkin and carrots are ways to sweeten naturally.

5.  Don’t panic, be positive and enjoy the season. It only comes once every year! Stressing and worrying too much can lead to emotional eating. People who eat because of their emotions tend to eat more and often choose foods higher fat, sugar, and salt.

Eating and enjoying food during this short holiday season will not make you fat or fatter. Weight gain is relative to the individual based on how much they eat each day, and how active they are during these days. We all know, doing nothing and eating a lot leads to weight gain, so do as much as you eat and enjoy t

he time with family and friends! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Your Holiday Guide to healthy eating.

What will you do to stay healthy this holiday season?

It is the season of Christmas parties whether at work or at home and of course ringing in the new years. All of these events are usually accompanied with great food, great friends, family and alcohol. If the thought of all the drinking and eating of the holiday season stresses you out, don't let it. Hopefully by now we have all started a healthy routine that will carry us not just through the holidays but through the rest of the year as well. If you have not started a healthy regiment there is no time like the present. Healthy lifestyle practices should not be abandoned or forgotten because we get caught up in the spirit of the holiday season. In fact it should be revisited and renewed. Look at what you are doing or not doing now and set some realistic goals in place for the coming year.

For the most part we know what to do to improve our health: eat more fruits and vegetables, eat less processed products, drink plenty of water, and limit sugary drinks and sodas and exercise. With countless number of treats and our hectic holiday schedule, this can become challenging during the holiday season.

Do not despair. Follow these simple tips to continue eating healthy, get some physical activity in and reduce extra stress.

1. Do not show up to any event hungry, if you are attending a holiday party it is wise to eat a small well balance meal prior to arrival. Hunger leads to over-indulging.

2. Drink wine and other alcoholic beverages in small amounts. We all know alcohol is loaded with calories so limit your intake.

3. Replace traditional ingredients like white sugar with more natural ingredients like raw cane sugar (brown sugar), honey, maple or brown rice syrup or use apple sauce, bananas, and even 100% natural juices to add flavor to treats without the sugar.

4. Nix the margarine, and the butter use natural oils such as olive, sunflower, canola or another vegetable variety in moderation.

5. Try new and healthier recipes for your main courses and treats. Visit websites like: www.bhg.com/recipes/ , www.foodandwine.com/cooking_guides/healthy or www.foodnetwork.com/healthy-eating.

6. Take advantage of winter activities such as ice skating, sledding, building a snowman with children or other family members or taking a walk in the brisk air.

7. Indulgence in small amounts is fine. Savor every meal and every treat in moderation.

8. Remember what the holiday is all about, sharing with family and friends don’t let the stress of hectic schedules, and counting calories make you lose sight of all the things you have to celebrate and be thankful for.

9. Plan ahead. Planning will help avoid unnecessary stress, which can lead to overeating and indulging in unhealthy foods.

10. Hydrate every day with water, dehydration can cause headaches, and tiredness. Drinking up to 8 glasses will keep you energized and focus on all your holiday activities.

Whole Body Nutrition wishes everyone a happy, healthy and safe holiday season!