Good Home Cooking
As a Nutrition & Lifestyle coach, one of my goals is to inspire people to eat more home-cooked food. Over time, I have gradually increased the percent of food that I cook at home, and I have experienced the benefits. Here are a few of the often overlooked benefits of eating at home.

1. Know what you’re eating
The most obvious benefit to preparing your own food is that you know what’s in it. Did you know that people consume 50% more calories, fat, and sodium when they eat out? I also find that restaurant meals are heavy on things like rice and noodles, and lighter on vegetables. It’s tough to get your days’ worth of vegetables when you eat out.

I find that when I eat out, I gravitate towards less healthy foods. Restaurants tempt us with French fries, pizza, bread, and desserts. It is also a lot easier to overeat at restaurants because the portion sizes are typically a lot bigger than what we’d serve ourselves at home. (If you do eat out, you might want to order a salad and split the main course with the person you’re with — or ask for a doggy bag and put half of the food away BEFORE you start eating.)

2. Save money
I’ve realized that I can save a lot of money by eating more home-cooked food. This is true even when I’m buying high-quality organic fruits, vegetables, and meats. In our house we typically spend $100 per week for food for 2 people. This is usually enough food for all of our meals for the week. We’d likely spend more than twice that amount if we ate all of our meals out, and that’s figuring we’d be eating at relatively inexpensive restaurants. I figured $2 for breakfast, $6 for lunch, and $8 for dinner. Multiply that times 2 (for 2 people) and times 7, and the total is $224. Now I know most people don’t eat EVERY meal out, but this demonstrates how much you can save by cooking your own food.

3. Get your dose of Vitamin "L"
The benefits of eating home-cooked food go beyond nutrition, calories, and saving money. I know you’ve all heard the saying "you are what you eat" and I think there’s some truth in this. Have you ever cooked a meal with friends and been amazed at how good the food tastes? I had this experience last week when I cooked a basic stir fry with my friend Lisa. We had fun cooking, were able to choose the ingredients we love, and then sat down and savored a delicious meal. I believe that part of the reason the food tasted so good, is that it was made with love. Before you laugh, think back to eating your grandmother’s famous chicken soup (or other traditional food). The soup was the best you’d ever had, and even though you have the recipe, it’s never tasted as good as when your grandmother made it. Again, she put a lot of love in her cooking.

Do you think the same is true of restaurant food? Have you ever looked in the kitchen of a busy restaurant? What you’ll probably find is a group of tired, stressed-out cooks, running around busily preparing your food. If you believe in the idea "you are what you eat," do you want to eat the food made with love or the food made under stressful conditions?

Get Inspired!
Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for eating out. Going out to eat can be a wonderful, relaxing experience. I would, however, like to inspire you to prepare more of your food at home. If you love pizza, make a pizza. If you’re craving steak, make a good quality steak with some beautiful vegetables and a salad.

What's Your Metabolic Type?
Do you know what foods work best for your body? If so, great job! This can be tricky to figure out, but once you do, you’ll find it’s much easier to feel satisfied, have great energy, and make lasting changes in your body.

Have you ever beat yourself up because you had a tough time following a particular eating style or plan? I know that I have. A few years back I looked at friends and family who appeared healthy and at their ideal weight, and I tried to eat how they ate. I thought, “it’s working great for them, so this must be how I should be eating.” I would try these various eating styles and when they didn’t work (or I didn’t feel good eating that way) I would judge myself. What I didn’t understand at the time is that those eating styles simply weren’t the right fit for me.

What I have come to learn is that there’s no one right way of eating that works for everyone. This is at the cornerstone of the work I do with clients. Learning what foods work best for you is a like putting the pieces of a puzzle together. One way to help you with this puzzle is to determine your metabolic type.

What type are you?

The Protein Type
If you are a protein type it means your cells tend to burn carbohydrates too quickly. You need a high-protein intake in order to slow down your overly rapid cellular oxidation rate. Protein types do very well on a diet that includes plenty of high-density, high-fat proteins.

The Carbohydrate Type
If you're a carbohydrate type you need a higher percentage of carbohydrates in your diet in order to speed up your naturally slow cellular oxidation rate. Carbohydrate types typically do well on a low-fat, relatively low-protein diet -- one that includes liberal amounts of carbohydrates in the form of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

The Mixed Type
If you're a mixed type, it means you're somewhere in the middle of the other two types, which have more pronounced or clear-cut metabolic imbalances. You actually need to eat a mixture of protein type foods and carbohydrate type foods. This will keep your cellular oxidation rate, which is neither too fast or too slow, in balance.

Are you feeling confused about how and what you should be eating? I know how you feel because a few years ago I was exactly where you are, and I don’t want you to struggle (as I did) to figure out how to eat in a way that works for you.

Are you truly nourishing yourself?
When you think about feeding yourself, you likely think about breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course these meals are important, but I actually believe that what is equally important is how you feed or nourish yourself with things other than food.

In our society we look to food to fill many needs such as entertainment, companionship, relaxation, and celebration. Do you find that you grab a bag of chips to entertain you at night? Do you use chocolate to help you relax? How about ordering a pizza and a pint of ice cream for some companionship? Trust me, you're not alone. This is a major area in which my clients come to me for support. Working on this often involves changing habits we've had for most of our life, so it's not always an easy thing to do.

I also struggle with this at times. A few weeks ago I was looking for a way to celebrate my accomplishments. I kept thinking about going out to dinner or getting a treat like ice cream. Then I realized I would be sabotaging my health if I always used food to celebrate my success. I turned my mind to some non-food things such as buying fresh flowers, taking a bath, or getting a massage. The benefits of choosing these things is that they truly nourish me, they are guilt-free, and the positive effects last longer than an ice cream cone.

Don't get me wrong, I believe there's always a time and place for pizza and chocolate. That being said, I have found that food becomes less important when we nourish ourselves with things other than food. Not only that, but we become happier and more fulfilled with life.

What can you do to start nourishing yourself with things other than food? I recommend making a list of things that are fun and relaxing for you. Include things that only take 15 minutes as well as things that take a couple of hours. Include activities that you do alone or with others. They can be free or cost money. I find it helps to have variety in your list.

Once you have your list, add in one fun and relaxing activity each day. I find it helps to schedule things on my calendar in advance, so I don't forget. Try committing to this for one week and see how it feels.

Your first step towards reaching your goals is to get support.

Eat What You Crave
What types of foods have you been craving lately? Some of the things I hear often from my clients are cravings for chocolate, sweets, chips, fried foods, and comfort foods. Are any of these on your list?

What happens when you deny yourself what you crave? Do the cravings diminish or get stronger? You may find that the more you deny your cravings, the more intense they get. And then you may find yourself binging on the particular food you were craving, leaving you feeling guilty and down on yourself.

I believe it’s better to allow yourself to eat what your body is craving, and there are two ways to do this without any guilt.

Option 1: Eat a small portion of what you’re craving. So, if you want ice cream, get a kiddie cup. If you’re out to dinner and want dessert, share it with someone. If you’re craving chips, buy a snack sized bag. If you’re also feeling hungry at the time, combine the food you’re craving with something healthy – to create a larger snack or meal.

Option 2: Find a healthier substitute for what you’re craving. Think about the type of food you’re craving and the particular qualities that appeal to you. Some of the qualities to think about are hot, cold, creamy, crunchy, salty, sweet, rich, and light. Once you’ve determined the qualities you’re craving, think about what other foods have those same qualities. For example, if you’re craving ice cream because you want something cold and creamy, you can substitute with a homemade smoothie.

Your goal here is to satisfy your cravings, while eating with pleasure and without guilt. Try one of these two options the next time you get a craving and let me know how you do!

Are you feeling confused about how and what you should be eating? I know how you feel because a few years ago I was exactly where you are, and I don’t want you to struggle (as I did) to figure out how to eat in a way that works for you.

Would you like support in figuring this out? It is easier than you think and doesn’t involve a fad diet that you can’t sustain. Let’s see if I can help. Call or email Gina (my client relationship manager) at mailto:amy@wellnesshealthcoaching.com or (888) 532-4216 and she’ll be glad to schedule you for a complimentary get-acquainted session by phone.

Simple Steps to Stay Healthy While on Vacation

Do you have a vacation planned this summer? I certainly hope you do! If you’re like one of my clients, you might be concerned about your ability to eat well and stay active while you’re away.

My goal for you is to have a wonderful vacation, during which you feel vibrant and healthy. If I completely let my wellness routine go while on vacation, I end up having low-energy, my clothes get tighter, and I simply don’t feel good in my body. This affects my ability to thoroughly enjoy my vacation. In an effort to help you avoid this, I have some strategies that I have developed that work well for me.

1. Stay active
Find fun ways to stay active on your vacation. This likely won’t mean going to a gym, though that’s always a possibility. Here are some ideas:

• Find a beautiful spot to go for a walk or a jog
• Hike
• Rent bikes (or take yours along if possible)
• Go kayaking or canoeing
• Swim

The trick is to weave these activities into your days away so you’re having fun and getting movement and exercise at the same time.

2. Bring food for the plane or car
Unfortunately the food options at the airport and on the road are usually not very healthy (or tasty in my opinion). Plan ahead and pack foods you enjoy in a small cooler or insulated lunch bag. Some ideas of what to pack include:

• Sandwiches (wraps are easy to eat when you’re traveling)
• Salad
• Hummus or other dip and vegetables
• Cut up fruit or grapes
• Trail mix
• Yogurt
• Brown rice crackers or Kashi’s TLC crackers

3. Allow yourself treats in moderation
I believe that food is one of life’s pleasures, and for me, vacation is a time to enjoy treats I don’t usually eat. If I try depriving myself on vacation I get grumpy and the whole thing backfires. What I have found to work well is to allow myself treats, but to limit it to one per day and really savor it. In the summer, ice cream is usually my treat of choice :).

4. Find a grocery store and buy some staples
Whether you’re staying at a hotel or somewhere with a kitchen, take a trip to the closest grocery store and buy food for snacks – or even some of your meals. At many hotels you can request a small refrigerator for your room. Things you might want to pick up include:

• Cereal and milk
• Fruit (especially those that don't require a knife such as grapes, berries, apples, bananas, and oranges)
• Whole grain bread and peanut butter or almond butter
• Baby carrots and hummus
• Yogurt
• Trail mix
• Cheese and whole grain crackers

5. Have one “splurge” meal per day
This tip is similar to #3, but relates to your meals. When you go on vacation, do you tend to go completely off your normal eating routine? If so, think about keeping two of your meals similar to what you’d have at home. Then pick one meal for more of a splurge. You can vary the meal depending on the day. This will keep you feeling healthy and grounded, while be able to enjoy some special meals.

6. Focus on the fun and relaxation
Do you sometimes find you put a lot of emphasis on food to provide fun and entertainment? During your next vacation, try to focus on the pleasure and relaxation you get from the surroundings, the people you’re with, doing things you enjoy, and slowing down.

3-Week Makeover for Your Food & Health: A Simple & Gentle Cleansing Program (by Phone)

I am excited to announce a special program that will walk you step-by-step through a 3-week cleanse - that is sure to kickstart changes in your body. The program starts in 6 days. If you sign-up today, you will receive a bonus 30-minute private consultation with me during the program.

Please note, this cleanse program is NOT about juicing, fasting, or taking lots of supplements. That type of program has never appealed to me, and I've developed a program that is both effective and more gentle.

I am thrilled to be offering this program because I have seen how cleansing (the right way) can have a powerful impact on your body.

The benefits of cleansing include:

• Getting your metabolism functioning optimally
• Quickly shifting your eating habits to a healthier level
• Reducing inflammation and bloating
• Increasing energy
• Reducing cravings
• Reducing stress
• Clearing up skin, digestive issues, allergies and congestion

If you are looking to make some changes before summer, I encourage you to sign-up.

Remember, we start in 6 days!

Click here to learn all about it and reserve your spot.

Easy 10-Minute Roasted Asparagus

It is Spring and that means it’s asparagus season. I find it difficult to believe that until a few years ago, I thought I hated asparagus. Now, it’s one of my very favorite vegetables. These green spears are one of the very first crops of the year and they have a very short growing season.

When selecting asparagus, look for firm, thin stems with deep green or purplish closed tips. Use asparagus within a day or two after purchasing for best flavor. Store in the refrigerator with the ends wrapped in a damp paper towel, and be sure to place the asparagus in the back of the refrigerator away from any light, since folate (which asparagus is packed with) is destroyed by exposure to air, heat or light.


Easy 10-Minute Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

Bunch of asparagus

Olive Oil

Sea salt

Cooking Instructions:

1. Wash asparagus and break off the ends of the stalks.

2. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt and spread on a cookie sheet.

3. Heat oven to broil and cook the asparagus under the broiler for 5 minutes. Turn the asparagus and cook for another 5 minutes.

3 Ways You Could Benefit from a Cleanse

1. Quickly kickstart healthy changes in your food.

Do you find it’s tough to stick to healthy eating habits all year long? You might find that you let some unhealthy practices creep into your life during holidays, when you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, or when on vacation. Once these habits creep in, you may find it difficult to change them.

If you aren’t feeling great as a result of the way you’re eating, cleansing is a great way to quickly shift your habits and move to a healthier level with your eating. The right cleanse will give you a structured and gentle way to make changes that last, even after you’ve finished the cleanse.

2. Get your metabolism functioning optimally

It’s likely that, knowingly or unknowingly, some of the foods you consume are congesting or toxic to your body. The organs that monitor your metabolism can’t work optimally when they have to deal with processing these foods.

What happens in this situation? The liver and kidney’s detoxification systems get overloaded, the brain’s weight control systems are disrupted, insulin resistance is promoted, your circadian rhythms are altered, your stress response is activated, your thyroid may not function properly, you may have increased inflammation, or damage to your mitochondria (your body’s calorie- and fat-burning furnaces).

Cleansing gives your organs a rest and the ability to clear out toxins that might be preventing your body and metabolism from functioning optimally.

3. Learn how to reduce stress and feel rejuvinated

A big part of cleansing is about what you’re eating, but an effective cleanse also works on reducing your level of stress. Why do you care about reducing stress while cleansing?

From my perspective, there are 2 key reasons. First, when we are in a state of stress, our body produces a stress hormone called cortisol. This hormone promotes weight gain around the middle, increases blood sugar and blood pressure. Second, it is very difficult to make good choices about food when you are in a state of stress because you’re feeling overwhelmed and/or tired. In order for you to be successful implementing food changes during a cleanse, it’s important that you find ways to slow down and take extra good care of yourself.

An effective cleansing program will provide you with a variety of specific strategies you can implement to reduce stress and practice self-care. This will allow you thoroughly enjoy the cleanse and, you’ll walk away with techniques you can implement after the cleanse.

Want to learn more about cleansing? Register for my upcoming F*ree Workshop-by-Phone.