Trying to lose a few pounds?

Eat a plate of apple wedges before each meal.

Eating a bit of high-fiber fruit such as apple or pear before each meal is a proven weight-loss booster.

A recent study divided women into two groups: one group had fruit before meals and the other group didn’t. The fruit group lost more weight, even though both groups followed the same diet plan.

Can you guess why?

Choosing fruit that’s high in fiber but low in calories and high in water content is the key.

Apples also have “diabetes-thwarting” effects.

They enhance insulin sensitivity, which is important because efficiently using insulin helps the body control blood sugar.

Go with organic apples or at least apples that are pesticide free.

Wash your apples well and DO eat the skin. The skin houses the compounds in apples that have shown strong potential against breast, liver and colon cancer.

To reduce the risk of developing asthma and boost overall lung function, eat a couple of apples a week.

It’s the quercetin in apples that is thought to be the possible reason for their lung-boosting benefits. Quercetin may also decrease the risk of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s by protecting brain cell membranes.

And if that wasn’t enough evidence for me to be singing about the virtues of apples, it turns out the pectin in apples appears to increase the levels of butyrate, which is a fatty acid that keeps colon tissue healthy.

Seems like an “apple a day keeps the doctor away” was great advice even before all the evidence from these studies was in!

I’m not one of those people who loves apples, but after pulling the information together for this blog piece I’m back on track with my apple intake, I promise!

shelli

Ever wonder why one box of salad greens lasts for two weeks and another one spoils in 48 hours?

I do.

Here’s what the pros have to say about their tricks of the trade for keeping produce fresher, longer.

Leafy Greens: These are first in line for the crisper drawer. It’s the coolest part of the fridge and also the most protected. Make sure your greens have elbow room, and, if you’re storing them in a plastic bag, toss in a paper towel to absorb and regulate excess moisture.

Tomatoes: Keep them where you can see them, on the counter, not in the fridge. Fresh tomatoes that get the cold treatment will lose much of their flavor AND when you return them to room temperature, their texture will change from lush to mush.

Strawberries: Not only strawberries, but any ripe berries are one of nature’s fleeting delicious treats. Because of this, buy the freshest berries you can find. Remove any that look like they are fading. Do not wash them and keep them dry until immediately before eating them.

Onions: Give them air! Hang onions in a basket or net bag, which promotes air circulation and helps keep them visible.

Segregate ethylene-producing fruits: Most people know that bananas should keep to themselves, but apples, avocados, and pears also produce ethylene, a gas that dramatically speeds up the ripening and ruination of any fruit or vegetable in close proximity. There are items you can purchase like reusable bags that you can use to store fruits in that will oxidize the gas and render it harmless.

Keep produce dry: Keeping moisture where it belongs is key to produce’s longevity. Anything that breaches the outer skin of a fruit or vegetable–a bruise, a spot of rot, or a cut surface–will accelerate decay.

Hope these tips help!

shelli

After exercise, Yoga can give you a leg up on recovery!

Whether you’ve been out for a long run, long walk, bike ride, or gone skiing, hiking, or golfing, your legs have taken quite a large portion of the brunt of the workout.

Try this Legs Up the Wall pose.

It’ll give your legs, feet and mind a break after your exercise efforts.

It also speeds recovery by draining fluids from the legs, stretches the hamstrings, and relieves tired legs and feet. Stay in this pose for 10 minutes and feel the difference!

1. Sitting on the floor, slide one hip as close as you can to a wall.

2. Swing both legs up the wall and shimmy your rear end as close to the wall as possible (you’ll be lying on your back). If this hurts your hamstrings, slide a few inches away from the wall.

3. Rest your arms on your belly, or stretch them away from you in a T, W, or V position.

4. When you are done, bend your knees, roll to one side, and rest there, taking a few breaths before getting up.

Try Legs Up the Wall Pose and let me know how it feels for you!

shelli

If you are not familiar with lecithin and why it’s such an important nutritional ingredient, you will find the following  3 facts interesting.

1. Lecithin is found in every living cell.

2. Its highest concentration is in the vital organs: the brain, heart, liver and kidneys.

3. In our bodies, it performs a wide range of vital functions directly affecting our health and well-being.

Here are some of the benefits lecithin provides:

1. In the brain: Lecithin is a vital compound for the transmission of messages from one nerve to another. This has a proven effect on memory, thinking ability and muscle control.

2. In the bloodstream: Lecithin helps prevent cholesterol and other fats from accumulating on the walls of arteries and may help dissolve deposits that are already there.

3. In the liver: Lecithin metabolizes clogging fat and could reduce the chance of liver degeneration.

4. In the intestinal tract: Lecithin helps the absorption of Vitamins A and D and influences the utilization of other fat-soluble nutrients such as Vitamins E and K.

Lecithin also has positive effects on the skin, nervous system, and how you distribute body fat.

How lecithin works as an emulsifier and as a brain tonic seem to be of the most interest to people.

As an emulsifier, it helps dissolve fats and cholesterol.

While fats and oils are essential in your diet, it is important that they journey through your arteries rather than getting deposited on the walls of your blood vessels. Lecithin keeps these fat-like cholesterol particles in a clear solution so they move through your system properly.

To explain lecithin as a brain tonic, let’s go back to 1975.

That’s when scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology discovered that lecithin choline has a prompt effect on the ability of the brain to make an important chemical for nerve signal transmission called acetycholine.

In other words, they discovered that lecithin penetrated the blood-brain barrier.

At the time, only a few substances like alcohol and narcotics were known to be able to do this.

And it was also discovered that choline is taken up by the brain directly from the circulating blood. This meant that each time you took in lecithin there could be an immediate effect on the chemicals essential for signal transmission to the brain.

Why is this important and why am I taking the time to explain this to you?

Good question. Here’s my answer……..

We know all animals, including humans, show some degree of memory loss with aging. It’s a huge topic of conversation, right?

More and more we are seeing exciting possibilities of memory loss prevention.

There are studies that indicate that we can repress or minimize those age-related memory changes by using lecithin. If you’re noticing changes in your memory, think about experimenting with lecithin and see what happens.

Fish, egg yolks, cauliflower, cabbage, and grains (wheat germ) are some dietary sources of lecithin.

If you use a lecithin product, read your label carefully. Choline chloride is often listed as lecithin but it’s synthetic. Make sure it’s true lecithin and is natural phosphatidyl choline.

Don’t use gel capsules. Also, watch those labels because lecithin contains no protein or amino acids.

I know sometimes I can get pretty technical in these articles but I always want you to have the easiest, most actionable information at your fingertips so that should you decide to add something like lecithin to your diet you know WHY and have all the information you need boiled down to the basics!

So thanks for bearing with me when I get technical. I think we all benefit, and in the case of lecithin I know my memory and brain power have gotten better just from writing about it!

shelli

In the past few weeks I’ve received a few questions about the use of fiber products.

When you ask, I listen and then I write!

Most nutrition-conscious people today are aware of the importance of fiber in their daily diet. They may, however, not fully understand WHY it’s important.

They may not know that there are many types of fiber found in various foods which perform important, though different functions in their digestive process.

Fiber comes from three sources: fruits, vegetables and grains.

Fiber keeps your entire gastrointestinal system functioning smoothly. If your diet is low in fiber, which applies to many many people, the quickest and easiest way to correct this deficiency is to add fiber.

Many people think of fiber as a laxative.

Constipation does mean that your gastrointestinal system is functioning improperly, but it’s better to think of fiber as an internal regulator, rather than a laxative.

Fiber will help you maintain a normal transit time for food to pass through your body and make elimination regular and easy. You don’t want an internal rotor-rooter experience from a laxative, you want to allow your body to function the way it was intended to function!

Fiber From Grains

Fibers from grain are classified as crude fibers.

Bran is probably the best known from this group. Psyllium seeds, another crude fiber, have twice the bulking capacity of bran without bran’s tendency to rob you of essential nutrients as it passes through your system.

Psyllium, pectin and guar represent the best balance of fiber from grain, fruit and vegetable sources. If you use a fiber product look for this combination because it will not interfere with absorption once it’s in your stomach.

As for fiber filled fruits and vegetables, my prescription is EASY.

Eat them often, eat them in great quantities, wake up tomorrow with a smile on your face from your early morning elimination and do it all over again each and every day.

And of course, exercise helps keep that smile on your face too, but you already knew that, didn’t you??

shelli

Do you use the words stress and overwhelm when someone asks, “How’s it going?”

Do you feel like there are times when your life is OUT of balance?

To each their own when it comes to what the word “balance” means, HOWEVER I feel there are certain steps we can all take and choices we can make in our lives that will put things in balance.

Remember though, that balance is a dynamic state of being so finding your own sense of balance is important. It will help you lead a happier, healthier and less stressful life.

So let’s get right to it with my top ten suggestions!

1. Have more fun.

Build fun into your life. Make fun a focus.

Even when you have to do things that are not fun, ask yourself, “How can I make this more fun?” Bringing attention to fun will help you seek it out!

2. Take five……or ten….or twenty!

Make sure you’re getting enough “me” time. When you do you’ll create the space to ponder questions and ideas about what a balanced life means to you.

3. Learn to say “yes” and “no”.

This may be one of the hardest ones to put into practice. Every no creates the space for a yes and every yes means you’ll have to say no to something else.

It seems to me if you can’t say no then you really can’t say yes! Does that make sense?

4. Go for quality.

Keep what’s working great in your life.

What’s not so great can be modified or let go of. The roller coaster rides are very stressful between the ups of great and the downs of what’s not working.

5. Establish quantity.

Think of your life as a pie with many slices.

It’s not that different things must take up the same amount of time, but rather that the pie reflects what you consider a good balance between the different areas of your life.

Take the time to actually draw a picture of a pie and label the slices and how much of the pie they occupy. Look at things like work, exercise, family and other important parts of your life. This visual representation of your pie will help!

6. Think positively.

Negative thoughts and energy are a huge drain on you both physically and emotionally. Choose to be a positive thinker and you’ll notice a difference in your energy and attitude. This always helps bring back balance and give you perspective on your life.

7. Listen to your body.

It’s a messenger of whether or not you’re in balance. Learn to tune in so you can tune up your life.

8. Appreciate both the process of life and the progress you make.

You’ll learn about yourself through observing your process when you make change and bring balance to your life. Too many times we forget to notice progress because we’re not THERE yet. Each step gets us closer, so don’t forget to pat yourself on the back and notice progress.

9. Creating balance is an evolutionary practice.

Your needs change, what matters to you changes, all kinds of things change. Allow yourself to re-evaluate your balance pie regularly.

10. Manage your stress.

How?

By practicing suggestions 1 through 9. They will help you create a balanced life that is less stressful!

shelli

I’ve been using this OH WELL technique with my students and clients so I wanted to share it with you, too.

When I start working with a private client, I ask them a bunch of questions.

Questions like:

What do you want from your training and nutrition program?
What type of health do you want?
What type of physique do you want?

I also ask them how consistent they are with their good health and fitness routines.

And I often notice a real struggle with compliance.

In other words, we all struggle at times with consistency and fall off the healthy habit bandwagon.

I picked up this technique I’m going to tell you about from Dr. Judith Beck.

If you apply it, you’ll succeed at a higher rate of compliance than you ever thought possible with all your healthy habits.

Why?

Well, it’s because people have a tendency to waffle back and forth in their nutritional decision making. Indecision sets in, rationalization sets in, and we become tense and opt for poor choices.

Have you ever had this experience?

You’re in a store and you head over to buy something that’s not really in your best nutritional interest. You talk yourself out of getting it and start to walk away.

Then you talk yourself back into buying it and you head in that direction again.

I swear, this happened to me one time and I must have walked a mile of indecisive steps!

It was like I was at the end of a fishing pole and someone kept casting me out and reeling me in…….over and over and over again.

I’m hoping I’m not the only one who’s gone through something like that!?

OK–where was I? Oh yes, the oh well technique!

So whatever thought you use to rationalize your poor choice, you faced a moment of weakness and the weakness won you over.

But because you’re an aware and self correcting model of good self esteem, you see the err of your ways and don’t want to repeat them.

That’s where the oh well technique comes into play.

Here’s what you do.

Each time you’re presented with a food choice that’s not on your plan, instead of debating the merits of the food or justifying “just one bite”, instead of talking yourself into making a poor decision, simply repeat the phrase:

“Oh Well, it’s not on my plan.”

Then shrug your shoulders and move on and get busy doing something else like making better food choices, reading a book, talking with a friend, that sort of thing.

Yes, it’s a simple phrase but it won’t be easy in the beginning.

However, it is a powerful way to take back your power over your decision making.

One of my clients is a diabetic and needs to avoid high sugar foods. She’s having great success with this technique.

Another client entered a fat loss contest at work and she’s using the Oh Well technique to work her way towards the $1000 prize.

When you practice the Oh Well technique long enough, it becomes automatic and you won’t think twice about it. It’ll happen silently and you get to be in control.

Do remember to shrug the shoulders and act it out. Shrugging the shoulders helps release the tension that comes with making decisions.

If you’re someone who trades what you want most (like abundant health, or a fit and trim body) for what you want at the moment, try this technique.

If this phrase doesn’t work for you then pick one of your own like thanks anyway, or no thank you.

The idea is to turn your nutritional decision making into a “no big deal” proposition so that you come out on top and get the results you want!

PLEASE…….I can’t wait to hear about all the fun you have with this idea. Do email and let me know how it works. I’ll post a blog piece with real life stories from you all, so do give it a try!

shelli

No matter how you label yourself, raw vegan to heavy meat eater, here’s a super duper smoothie recipe that is abundantly healthy and delicious too.

A daily shake or smoothie is an easy way to incorporate more plant-based whole foods in your diet.

It’s easy to pack nutrients into a smoothie.

Liquid drinks make it easier absorb the nutrients and require less energy to digest.

The right shake can be used to support your activity level and recovery.

I have a smoothie every day.

Ideally, a shake should contain all the elements of a compete meal: protein, carbohydrate, and fat.

Here are the four main ingredients in this shake: Hemp protein, ground whole flax seeds, chlorella and maca.

1. Hemp protein is a raw whole food source. It’s a complete protein. It has gained popularity and hemp is now being used not just for food but for all sorts of ordinary items as well (clothes, bags, etc). Hemp protein is alkaline, easy to digest, and full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, and fiber.

2. Whole flax seeds (avoid flax meal that has had most of its health-promoting oils removed) are the richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids in the plant kingdom and a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber. Buy whole flax seeds, grind them yourself in a coffee grinder, and then store them in the fridge.

3. Maca is a South American root vegetable that acts as a powerful adrenal tonic. During times of high stress, maca is highly recommended. It’s high in sterols which help you gain strength, so maca is an important food for athletes.

4. Chlorella is another food good for stress reduction. It’s a freshwater algae with a protein content exceeding 65%. Chlorella is one of the most nutrient-dense superfoods on earth. It’s highly alkalizing and contains the highest concentration of chlorophyll found in nature.

After putting the four ingredients in your blender, you can mix in a banana. Use berries too because they are rich in antioxidants. You can try blending in raw pumpkin seeds for iron and ground sesame seeds for calcium, or raw carob powder for additional flavor and variety.

There are so many benefits to plant-based whole foods.

Just starting off your day with a shake like this goes a long way towards improving your health and well being. Try it and let me know what you think!

shelli

Learn to love healthy fats.

It’s as simple as that.

There are 3 types of fat – saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated.

Forget about that old “eating fat makes you fat” saying. I know it’s a hard one to let go of, so do yourself a favor and let it go!

Eating all three kinds of fat in a healthy balance (about equal parts of each) can dramatically improve your health, and even help you LOSE fat.

Your saturated fat should come from animal products. You can even toss in some butter or coconut oil for cooking. I wrote about making ghee (a form of butter) in a Joyinmovement newsletter so you can access that at www.joyinmovement.com. All my newsletters are archived.

Your monounsaturated fat should come from mixed nuts, olives, and olive oil.

And your polyunsaturated fat should come from flaxseed oil, fish oil, and mixed nuts.

Eat appropriate amounts of fat each day and vary your sources.

See, it’s as easy at that!!??

shelli

I’ve been thinking about the choices we all make and how they determine our destiny.

One of the main choices we make, and maybe the most important one, is how we spend our time.

I’m thinking in particular about what we might call our recreational time: the non working, non sleeping, non eating time.

Yes, I know some people think eating is a recreational activity, but for now let’s set eating aside.

And are all recreational activities created the same?

It seems to me they fall into three categories:

1. those that are fun but are harmful and damage us in some way (like getting drunk)

2. those that are mindless distractions and don’t harm or necessarily help us

3. those that require some energy but are pleasurable and have lead to self improvement (like Yoga, for example)

Many choices fall into the middle where they neither harm nor help us.

It may seem that choices we make when we set them apart from one another don’t have much consequence, HOWEVER, when we start to add them up and see patterns, they really do determine so much about the quality of our lives.

No matter what you do in life, I think everyone needs at least a few hours every day to spend doing pleasurable things. Something that isn’t work!

I say that to remind myself, because I enjoy my work so much that even I have to be reminded of this!

So what’s your something else?

Let’s think of them as Gold choices, Silver choices and Bronze choices.

Gold improves you, Silver helps you pass the time, and Bronze damages you.

Let’s also look at some possible characteristics of each of these:

Gold Choices

These might be intellectually challenging choices and emotionally rewarding ones as well. They require a good amount of energy though they give back what they take. You often feel good about yourself as well as how you’re spending your time when you make this choice. Right now for me, studying Japanese, which I do every Saturday, falls into this category.

Silver Choices

These are often the choices we make when we don’t feel like making choices. They are easy to make when we don’t much care how we spend our time. Think of the times you mindlessly watched TV or spent too much time chatting and wish you had that time back.

These can be relaxing times when you want to chill out. You’re looking for something simple and mindless. Choose these wisely as they can often lead to feeling more drained than relaxed and actually leave you feeling more like you’re in the Bronze zone.

I think of a time a few weeks ago when what should have been a half hour conversation with a friend turned into a MUCH MUCH too long of a me listening and him talking and complaining about everything that was going wrong in his life chat. It left me drained for days and I can assure you this will never happen again.

The silver choices can be the tricky ones because we want them closer to the GOLD choices than the Bronze ones!

Bronze Choices

We all have our vices. Think of these as the things you do to sabotage or hurt yourself. It could be something like procrastination or any addictions that challenge you.

These often provide both pleasure and pain, which is why they can be tricky to spot.

It can often be overindulging in something that might be a silver choice. I can think of women I know who have exercise addictions. They may feel like they are having a great time, but they are really hurting themselves.

We often pick Bronze choices because we are weak and in a self destructive mode. When we regain our strength, our choices tend to move up to the silver and gold categories.

I’ve noticed a few things.

When we’re at our best and feeling confident and full of energy and our self esteem is in a good place, we choose the GOLD choices.

If someone were to ask, “How are you feeling?” and your answer would be, “So so,” you’d likely make a Silver choice.

When self doubt creeps in and we’re feeling pretty crummy about ourselves, we are susceptible to those Bronze choices.

So……

Take some time and make a list of YOUR GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE choices.

Here are some ideas.

1. Gold choices might include:

Listening to music
Yoga or Tai Chi
Playing an instrument
Watching a movie that inspires you
Reading a great book
Having great sex

2. Silver choices might include:

Getting a massage
Watching a live sporting event
Watching movies or TV shows you find entertaining
Reading novels that entertain you

3. Bronze choices might include:

Getting drunk
Watching stupid or degrading TV shows and movies
Doing things you’d be ashamed to talk about

Create a list that works for you!

Remember though that……

Gold means:

The activity/experience is intellectually challenging. It teaches you something worth knowing or develops a skill worth having.
It develops you emotionally.
It is energizing and gives you more than it takes.
It leaves you happy with your choice and feeling like you’re doing the right thing.
It builds confidence and self esteem.

Silver means:

The choice is intellectually and emotionally easy. It’s comfortable and enjoyable.
It is usually passive rather than active. Doing too much of it is not good for you. Think of sitting on the couch and staring at the TV screen. A little bit of it is OK but too much leaves you with the feeling that you’ve wasted your time.

Bronze means:

The choice is physically or mentally damaging.
It harms you intellectually, emotionally, and physically. Over time, when you engage in Bronze choices, you become less capable of peak performance in all areas of your life.

What will making different choices do for you?

Making better choices can’t help but create a better and more fulfilling life. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll discover about yourself, or maybe not.

Maybe you knew you were a GOLD medal winner all along!?

shelli