Starting the new year off on the right foot is something we all aspire to, but to ensure success it’s best to keep that resolution list manageable. What is the single best thing we can do for our health is a question Dr. Mike Evans – professor, health researcher, physician and health columnist – has asked. Please invest 9 minutes to watch his amazing visual lecture on You Tube: 23 ½ hours: What is the single best thing you can do for your health? The effectiveness of the treatment he prescribes is astounding.
January 5, 2012
Easy Tomato and Chick Pea Soup
This is one of my favourite soups. It’s easy to make and full of nutrients. The tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and lycopene, the chick peas are rich in fibre and protein and the spinach is full of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory micro-nutrients. Enjoy!
2 cups vegetable stock or water
1 28oz can tomatoes, undrained
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp sage
1 cup small pasta (I use whole wheat, brown rice or kamut)
1 19oz can chick peas, undrained
2 cups chopped spinach
1/4 teaspoon pepper and sea salt to taste
- Combine stock and tomatoes in a large pot
- Add onions, garlic, sage and bring to a boil
- Add pasta and simmer 7 minutes
- Add chick peas and spinach
- Cover and cook 3 minutes
- Stir in pepper and sea salt
August 4, 2011
Lentil Spaghetti
Lentils, a legume that originated in the Near East, have been eaten by humans for 13,000 years. 26% of its calories are from protein and they are a good source of iron, dietary fibre, folate, minerals and B1. This is a fast, delicious and nutritious meal.
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped (I’ve replaced the celery with chopped fennel bulb)
6-8 chopped mushrooms (optional)
3 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cups rinsed red lentils
14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 tsp marjoram
salt and pepper to taste
· Saute the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and mushroom in the oil.
· Add lentils, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock and marjoram.
· Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
· Serve over cooked whole wheat spaghetti.
Can’t Get Motivated to Exercise?? Just START!!
You’ve all heard the famous Nike Inc. slogan “Just Do It” along with images of fit, muscled people racing on a track, or running along an ocean-side road. You even make plans to “Just Do It”, but never seem to get around to “just doing it.”
Why? Changing habits is uncomfortable and activates fear in our brains. Habits form neural pathways in the brain and re-paving them with healthier routines takes time. More of the feel-good chemical dopamine is released in the brain for behaviours we’re used to. So, it takes time for new habits to produce that dopamine high.
When it comes to exercise, a better personal slogan is “Just Start“. Just start to exercise and don’t even think about finishing. Lace up your shoes and go outside for a few steps. Or, do a couple of squats and a push-up or two.
Here’s how you can Just Start:
1. Have one main exercise goal only: to start. Start moving on your treadmill, do a few sit ups…
2. If you feel better with a time constraint, aim for 5 minutes to start.
3. Stop trying to be perfect. You don’t need to look great or have the best technique.
4. Remember that your brain has to rebuild its habit pathways. It takes 3 to 4 weeks for this to happen. Aim for continuous, low level change.
5. Keep Starting. Start more often.
6. If you stop starting, don’t worry about it, just start again.
7. If necessary, get help from a personal trainer.
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” Samuel Beckett
Happy Starting!!
March 17, 2011
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
This is a stand-by in our house. It’s a very delicious way to increase your vegetable intake – and empty your fridge!
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup minced onion
1 large tomato chopped
6 cups mixed vegetables, finely chopped
These can be:
· bell peppers
· carrots
· celery
· corn
· green beans
· leeks
· mushrooms
· peas
· spinach, chard or kale
· zucchini
· cauliflower
· broccoli
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
pepper
2 to 2 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
Garnish ideas: grated cheese, paprika, minced parsley, sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
- In a large sauce pan heat 2 Tbsp oil over medium heat , add garlic and onions and saute until soft. Add tomato and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently. (If you need to make the mashed potatoes, make them now)
- Add stock and chopped vegetables, bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5-10 minutes. Add soy sauce and pepper to taste, and adjust seasonings as necessary.
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Use remaining 1/2 Tbsp oil to grease a pie plate. Arrange vegetables in it, then cover with a layer of mashed potatoes. Garnish with desired toppings.
- Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Enthusiasm: The Essential Ingredient for Success
What does it take to be successful? Whether we define success as building some muscle, strengthening our cardiovascular systems, losing weight or enjoying our job - how do we ensure we reach the goals we’ve set for ourselves?
As a personal trainer I’ve observed people begin a new fitness regime with very reasonable goals, goals that they KNOW will make them feel better and live longer, only to see them give up after a few weeks or months. I’ve asked myself what distinguishes them from someone who achieves their health goals? I believe the ingredient essential for success is ENTHUSIASM.
“Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by common sense and persistence,
is the quality that most frequently makes for success.” Dale Carnegie
Enthusiasm is defined as “an absorbing possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit”. It takes enthusiasm and persistent work to keep the momentum needed to pursue and reach your goals.
How do we maintain the enthusiasm needed to achieve success? Here are 14 tips: (more…)
December 27, 2010
Healthy Weight-Loss Tool Kit
40 strategies to help you lose excess weight:
1. It takes commitment: make sure you are motivated to make long-term lifestyle changes.
2. Have realistic weight loss goals – 1-2 lbs/week maximum. This means you need to burn 500 to 1000 calories more than you consume each day.
3. Keep a food and exercise journal. This increases your chances of success.
4. Focus on “process” goals (i.e. exercise regularly) instead of “outcome” goals (I want to lose 20 pounds) and write these goals, and why they are important to you, down in your journal.
5. Start small. Just do it. Eventually your new routines will become habits.
6. Plan for setbacks and identify strategies to help you overcome them and stay on course.
7. Review your goals regularly.
8. Maintain your goal weight in focus, even when you’ve reached it.
9. Move more! Get cardiovascular activity 5-6 days a week and strength training 2-3 days a week.
10. Increase overall exercise intensity. Incorporate interval training into your exercise routine – short bouts of higher intensity cardio.
11. Identify and resolve emotional issues that trigger you to overeat and find alternatives to eating such as calling a supportive friend, planning a trip, listening to music…
12. Be very aware of the biological issues leading us to over-eat: our brains release pleasure-producing dopamine when consuming calories.
13. Exercise your willpower. Studies show willpower is like a muscle – it must be exercised regularly in order to improve.
14. Take the time to plan, prepare and pack meals and snacks.
15. Eat breakfast.
16. Eat every 3-4 hours – 3 meals and 2-3 small, healthy snacks a day.
17. Make every meal a combination of lean protein, fiber-rich carbohydrates and healthy fats.
18. Increase water intake – approximately 2 litres/day.
19. Reduce portion sizes.
20. Reduce your intake of saturated (animal) fat and high glycemic index foods such as white flour, instant rice, sugar.
21. DO NOT keep high glycemic index/high fat snack foods in the house.
22. Reduce your intake of liquid calories. A study has shown that reducing calories in sweet beverages, including alcohol, had a greater effect on weight loss than reducing the same amount of calories in solid food.
23. Opt for high thermogenic foods – the foods that use more calories to digest: green tea, cayenne pepper, mustard, ginger, lean proteins, egg whites, soy, low fat cottage cheese and plain yogurt, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, rapini, brussel sprouts…).
24. Choose high-fiber carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans.
25. Eat in a calm environment.
26. Chew well and pause between each bite.
27. Take sips of water between each bite and breathe deeply during the meal.
28. Use 7-9” dinner plates instead of larger ones.
29. Wait 20 min before having a second serving or second course.
30. Eat until you’re 80% full.
31. Add fish oil to your diet.
32. Avoid being around food when it’s not time to eat.
33. Brush your teeth, chew gum or go for a walk when you have the urge to snack.
34. Use your imagination. Studies show that vividly imagining eating a specific food before you actually eat it leads to eating less of it when the food is in front of you.
35. Avoid fast food and restaurants.
36. Don’t obsess over the scale.
37. Eat well 80% of the time – occasional treats are important.
38. Treat yourself (a novel, a magazine, a movie, a massage…) when you have reached a short-term goal.
39. Turn off the TV.
40. Go to bed – sleeping 7-8 hours a day helps with weight loss.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Much lower in sugar and higher in fibre than most cookies, one of these satisfies the need for a bit of sweet and dark chocolate after a meal without compromising on taste!
3/4 cup butter (I use Lactantia Light Butter)
1/2 cup sucanat (or raw sugar or sugar of your choice)
1/4 cup lightly packed demerara sugar (or brown sugar)
1 egg
1 cup spelt flour (or whole wheat flour)
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup wheat bran (or wheat germ or hemp seeds)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cups Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate chips
Cream the butter, sugars and egg together. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and blend with the butter mixture. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet (I prefer a baking stone). Bake in a 350F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden.
New Science: Why We Overeat and What to Do About It
Two articles were published recently that give us insight into why we overeat and how we can keep those extra pounds off. In November science journalist Jonah Lehrer published an article called The Real Culprit in Overeating. Nutrition Action’s December cover story was New Clues to Why We Gain Weight. Here are the highlights. (more…)
September 2, 2010
Crispy Kale
Kale, from the brassica family, is a highly nutritious vegetable rich in antioxidants and anti-imflammatory properties. Kale is very high in beta carotene, Vitamin K and C, lutein, and reasonable rich in calcium. Kale, as with other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer properties.
Toss raw kale with olive oil to lightly coat the leaves. Spread on a baking sheet and pop in a 350F oven until crisp about 15 minutes.