Food Affair

Food Affair

It seems that many of us have a love-hate relationship with food; can’t live with it, can’t without it, right? Sometimes we are complete control and oarticle-2021454-0D4493AC00000578-323_468x313ther times, well, we indulge in unhealthy behaviors for temporary satisfaction, then the guilt sets in.

If your personal goal is unique weight loss you must call a truce with food. How? Getting acquainted with Hunger.

There is a difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger, and understanding that will help you obtain your goal. Like most habits, acceptance is the first step; acceptance of your hunger and taking action based on your awareness will change your perception of food and eating habits. This acknowledgement will positively aid you in your long term affair with food, offering a unique weight loss solution.

 
Emotional Hunger VS Physical Hunger:

Hunger that is stimulated by sensory is emotional hunger. To indulge in this hunger is reactive eating and normally, you are dealing with cravings not nutrition. Emotional hunger leads to eating food for comfort, calm, to excite, pleasure or reward.

However, physical hunger meets a physiological need which begins in the stomach with an empty, hollow, often painful feeling. If you neglect this hunger, you may feel irritated, tired, or even dizzy.

Very few of us eat for purely physical reasons and emotional ones come from added external pressure or stress. Living in a society where billions are spent to target our senses to consume has created a society that eats main for pleasure. Whether it’s the cliché depressed woman inhaling a carton of ice cream or advertisement of all-you-can-eat buffets enticing you to gorge; the media can be your worse enemy.

*Tip: start a food journal and write down when you are hungry and why. You will begin to differentiate between physical and emotional hunger which will allow you to make better decision when it comes to your relationship with food*

 

Take Control The Relationship:

So, how do you take control back in your relationship with food? Learn what your emotional foods and triggers are. If you can understand your temptations that prompt you to reactively eat, you will become aware of your eating patterns. Remember, knowledge is power! Now, you can begin to change your eating habits and work toward eating for physical reasons instead of emotional ones.

Having a healthy relationship with food IS possible. Here are five steps to help you achieve your healthy relationship with food:

  1. Believe that you can have a healthy relationship with food.
  2. Start a food journal and write for 10 minutes daily. Also, keep in touch with your emotions, write about your day and how you feel.
  3. Differentiate between emotional and physical hunger.
  4. After every meal and snack, jot down whether you ate it out of emotional or physical hunger. You’ll get in touch with your physical needs and emotional cravings.
  5. For every meal and snack, use a scale of zero to 10 to measure how hungry you are. Zero is not hungry and 10 is famished. Concentrate on eating when you feel between six and eight on the hunger scale.

By adding these steps, you’re already on the path to mending your broken relationship with food. This is a unique weight loss solution and gives you complete control of your food affair.

 

On A Mental Note…

On A Mental Note…

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A unique weight loss has a lot of physical benefits, but it also has quite a few mental benefits. A healthy body produces a healthy mind.

You have every reason in the world to approve your weight – add mental health to the list! Weight loss is a confident booster; winning the battle with your BMI (Body Mass Index) or breaking that unhealthy relationship with food is fulfilling and mentally freeing. Let’s explore the reasons improving your physical health can improve your mental health.

 

You gain self confidence which means no more pinching at problem areas in disgust. No more body shaming at the beach or pool. This doesn’t mean you necessarily have the body you want, but that you are comfortable with it. It comfortability creates a healthy body-image of self, a realistic one.

  1. Endorphins!! Working out makes your brain happy! Exercise puts you in an amazing mood and in your amazingly new body. You will experience new highs of happiness…exercise high that is.
  2. Ending that toxic relationship you have with food will put you in good spirits. Food can be a crutch and can create a vicious cycle of consuming to feel better then feeling and looking worse because you consumed. “Comfort Food” is a friend to none, especially when you gorge based on your stress levels.
  3. While on the topic of relationship, people who battle with weight tend to opt out of relationships. Adopting a healthier lifestyle will create the confidence needed to go out in large groups and/or dates. And just like that, your social calendar is completely booked.
  4. A sense of accomplishment — you look good because you made yourself look good! Through exercise and discipline you achieved a goal that you set. Achievement is an emotional superfood.

Weight loss is a mental gain that improves your social life, your confidence and, above all, yourself. What an unique weight loss?! 

Battle That Belly Fat

Battle That Belly Fat

Here are some delicious and nutritions treats to help you with your journey on your unique weight loss.

Spiced Banana-Almond Smoothie

Smoothie

Ingredients

1 ripe banana

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon almond butter

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon honey

2 ice cubes

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth

 

Yield: 1 serving (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

 

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Honey Grapefruit with Banana

 

 

                           Ingredients

1 (24-ounce) jar refrigerated red grapefruit sections (about 2 cups)

1 cup sliced banana (about 1)

1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint

1 tablespoon honey

 

 


 

Pan-Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

 

Ingredients

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Cooking spray

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1/2-inch thick)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a bowl; set aside.

Heat a nonstick grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt. Cook fish 4 minutes on each side or until it flakes easily when tested with a fork. Top with salsa.

 

Yield: serves 4 (serving size: 1 fillet and 1/3 cup salsa)

salmon
Salmon

Salmon Noodle Bowl

 bowl

 Ingredients

4 ounces soba buckwheat noodles or whole-wheat spaghetti

5 ounces asparagus, cut in thirds

Cooking spray

1 (6-oz) salmon fillet, skin off, cut into 8 pieces

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Zest and juice of 1-2 limes (3 TBSP juice)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper

4 ounces cucumber, skin on, cut into medium pieces

1/2 small avocado, cut into bite-size pieces

Preparation

Cook the noodles in boiling water until soft (about 6 minutes for soba, 8 for spaghetti). Transfer with tongs to a strainer. Add asparagus to same boiling water. Cook until al dente (about 2 minutes); rinse under cold water.

Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Coat lightly with cooking spray. Cook the salmon until cooked through, turning pieces (about 2-3 minutes per side). Reserve.

Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together sesame oil, lime zest and juice, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Combine the noodles, asparagus, and vinaigrette in a medium serving bowl.

Add the cucumber and avocado; toss to coat. Just before serving, add salmon. Serve warm or at room temperature, or make up to 4 hours ahead and keep refrigerated in an airtight container.

 

Prep Time:

Yield: Makes 2 servings (serving size: 2 1/4 cups)

 BOWL

 

Dark Chocolate & Oat Clusters

 

cluster

Ingredients

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

Preparation

Heat peanut butter, milk, and chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat 3 minutes or until chips melt.

Stir in oats. Remove from heat.

With a spoon, small ice cream scoop, or melon baller, drop 8 ball-shaped portions on a wax paper−lined baking sheet. Let set in fridge 10 minutes.

 

Prep Time:

Yield: 4 servings

Cluster
Spring Cleaning Your Workout Regimen

Spring Cleaning Your Workout Regimen

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Spring is in the air; it’s time to clean up and shape up! It is the perfect time to get in shape and commit to a workout routine that will help you achieve that summertime body. This season opens up a variety of fresh opportunities to take your workout to the next level and gives you a unique weight loss solution. These tips will take your everyday exercise habits and tune into your inner fitness guru.

Activewear

If you’re experiencing muscle fatigue and joint pain more often than usual it might be time to retire your current footwear. A good rule of thumb is to replace your walking shoes every 300-400 miles. Spring is time to change your sole mates whether it’s flex frame and well-cushioned for the walkers or shock absorbing for the cross training, it very essential for your active lifestyle.

Outdoor Workouts

Flowers blooming, warmer temperatures, and longer daylight hours means it’s time to take your workout outside. Go for a walk with a friend and ditch the treadmill. Or balance and clear your chakras with an outdoor yoga session in your backyard. Why not head over to your neighborhood park? With an exercise mat or ball to do lunges, leg lifts, and planks springtime just became the motivation and outdoor workouts are refreshing.

Snack

Food just comes alive during the spring, literally. Farmer’s markets are ripe to the brim with seasonal produce, like berries, spinach, arugula, asparagus, and fresh herbs such as parsley and mint. Indulge in the season with a delicious smoothie, using spring fruits or vegetables, to enjoy before or after your workout. Combine fresh berries, a banana, nonfat Greek yogurt, fat-free milk, vanilla extract, and your choice of a sugar substitute in a blender, and you have yourself an invigorating pre- or post-workout drink. Couple it with a Good to Go Bar for an easy and energizing burst of protein.

Exercise Buddy

Studies show that when you work out with another person, you’re more likely to stick with your exercise routine, so partner up and create a workout schedule. You can take after-dinner walks, set up a weekend date to hike, take a bike tour of a neighboring town, go for an interval walk on the beach, or rent a canoe or kayak to paddle along a lake or river. A game of tennis, anyone? The warm weather gives you and your workout buddy options to keep from routines in your workout regimen.

Challenge Self

Itweightloss-goals‘s important to keep taking your workouts to the next level, you don’t want to fall into a plateau with your exercise routine. To stay motivated, create an exercise inspiration board where you pin “before” photos of yourself, pictures of clothing you would like to wear once you reach your goal weight, and motivational quotes and images.
Paprika Shrimp & Green Bean Saute

Paprika Shrimp & Green Bean Saute

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Try something new tonight: Green beans brings color to the garlicky shrimp, as well as a crunch. Lay it on a bed of Spanish-inspired sauté butter beans and serve with quinoa or brown rice, for a deliciously nutritious meal.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups green beans, trimmed (about 12 ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 pound raw shrimp, (21-25 per pound; see Note), peeled and deveined
  • 2 16-ounce cans large butter beans, or cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

    PREPARATION

    1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put green beans in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until just fragrant but not browned, about 20 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Stir in beans, vinegar and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley.
    3. Divide the green beans among 6 plates. Top with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.