CEFB INTEGRATIVE LIFE COACHING
  • Home
    • Programs
    • About >
      • Contact
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Programs

5 Ways To Stay Focused On Sound Nutrition

6/26/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
In a world where gas stations contain more snacks and sodas than they do fuel for your car, and there is drive-thru on every corner, it can be hard to focus on good nutrition. The temptation is everywhere! Here are some simple ways you can stay focused on nutrition without obsessing!

  • Make a plan! 
​Plan in advance. Most well-known restaurants will have a nutrition menu available online. If you spend a little bit of time looking at the ingredients, calories, and other nutritional information on the menu, you will make a better selection when it comes time to sit down to order. While you may think that the salad is the way to go for better nutrition, many times restaurant salads have more fat and calories than their pasta dishes. It may be better to skip the chopped salad and go for the fettuccini. The point is you never know until you look.

  • Don’t Rely on Calories Alone 
​For a long time, people have been told that a deficit of 3500 calories would lead to a reduction of 1 pound of body weight (this is commonly called the 3500 calorie rule) Unfortunately, evidence shows that the body is much more complicated than that.

A study published in American Family Physician discusses how the body has many preventative measures in place to prevent weight loss. While someone who eats a 100 calorie deficit a day for a year would be expected to lose around 50 pounds they tend to only lose 10. This is because of factors like hormones, activity, and your bodies need to hold onto fat in the case of famine (think 500 years ago, or even 100).

Our bodies don’t follow a nice, neat trend line. Focus on the foods that will nourish your body instead of the number of calories, or your macros, or micros. We simply don’t understand enough about the human organism to predict weight loss based on these numbers.

  • Taste The Rainbow 
​No, this isn’t a license to eat all the Skittles you want. Eating the rainbow is about getting a wide variety of food based on the different colors available. Think about your diet, how much color variety do you have?

If you know there is a lot of color variety in your diet, then you know you are getting a good dose of phytochemicals.

What are phytochemicals? They are chemicals that produce the colors in foods like blueberries, strawberries, and peppers. Studies show that phytochemicals act as antioxidants and they work synergistically with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in whole foods to promote good health and reduce the risk of disease.

  • Follow The 80-20 Rule
​The 80-20 rule is a simple guideline to allow yourself to eat like the average person while still getting great nutrition. Experts recommend that 80% of the time you want to eat a diet made up of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Adding in a wide variety of proteins to ensure a healthy diet is also a good part of the 80%.

However, what about when it’s co-worker’s birthday? Do you have to decline the catered meal at the office? Or do you avoid the celebratory cocktail, an occasional glass of wine, or ice cream indulgence?

No! That is the other 20% of the food you eat. As long as you are eating well most of the time, you can forgive yourself for the other 20% and enjoy the hotdog at the ballpark, or popcorn at the movies.

  • Keep a journal
​Humans are really good at convincing ourselves we are doing the right thing, even when we aren’t. Accountability in nutrition is one of the most important elements of nutrition focus you can use.

You can write everything down and then review it later to see if it was in line with your nutritional goals. Many times, you may find your food journal reflects your emotional health. As you experience stress, you may reach for salty, high-fat, comfort foods. The quicker you learn this, the faster you can fix it.

If you don’t want to count, log, or pay too much attention to diet; but you still want to make sure you are getting good nutrition; aim for a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. If you hit this mark, you know you are focused on nutrition, without focusing too much on things like calories and numbers.

Hopefully these steps help you narrow your focus on your nutrition. Try them and see what works best for you. 
​
0 Comments

Bye Bye Sleeping Through the Night

6/20/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture

Have you said “bye bye” to sleeping through the night?
 
Are you feeling exhausted or “running on stress hormones” all day?
 
Do not fear, I have some great tips (and an amazing recipe) for you!
 
The science of sleep is fascinating, complicated and growing
 
Sleep is this daily thing that we all do and yet we're just beginning to understand all of the ways it helps us and all of the factors that can affect it.
 
Lack of sleep affects just about everything in your body and mind.  People who get less sleep tend to be at higher risk for so many health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer; not to mention effects like slower metabolism, weight gain, hormone imbalance, and inflammation.  And don't forget the impact lack of sleep can have on moods, memory and decision-making skills.
 
Do you know that lack of sleep may even negate the health benefits of your exercise program? (Gasp!)
 
OMG – What aspect of health does sleep not affect???
 
Knowing this it's easy to see the three main purposes of sleep:
  • To restore our body and mind.  Our bodies repair, grow and even “detoxify” our brains while we sleep.
  • To improve our brain's ability to learn and remember things, technically known as “synaptic plasticity”.
  • To conserve some energy so we're not just actively “out and about” 24-hours a day, every day.
 
Do you know how much sleep adults need?  It's less than your growing kids need but you may be surprised that it's recommended that all adults get 7 - 9 hours a night.  For real!
 
Try not to skimp!
 
(Don't worry, I have you covered with a bunch of actionable tips below.)
 
Tips for better sleep

  • The biggest tip is definitely to try to get yourself into a consistent sleep schedule.  Make it a priority and you're more likely to achieve it.  This means turning off your lights 8 hours before your alarm goes off.  Seven. Days. A. Week.  I know weekends can easily throw this off but by making sleep a priority for a few weeks your body and mind will adjust and thank you for it.
 
  • Balance your blood sugar throughout the day.  You know, eat less refined and processed foods and more whole foods (full of blood-sugar-balancing fiber).  Choose the whole orange instead of the juice (or orange-flavoured snack).  Make sure you're getting some protein every time you eat.
 
  • During the day get some sunshine and exercise.  These things tell your body it's daytime; time for being productive, active and alert.  By doing this during the day it will help you wind down more easily in the evening.
 
  • Cut off your caffeine and added sugar intake after 12pm.  Whole foods like fruits and veggies are fine, it's the “added” sugar we're minimizing.  Yes, this includes your beloved chai latte.  Both caffeine and added sugar can keep your mind a bit more active than you want it to be come evening. (HINT: I have a great caffeine-free chai latte recipe for you below!).
 
  • Have a relaxing bedtime routine that starts 1 hour before your “lights out” time (that is 8 - 10 hours before your alarm is set to go off).  This would include dimming your artificial lights, nixing screen time and perhaps reading an (actual, not “e”) book or having a bath.
 
So how many of these tips can you start implementing today?
Picture

​Recipe (Caffeine-free latte for your afternoon “coffee break”): Caffeine-Free Chai Latte
Serves 1-2
 
1 bag of rooibos chai tea (rooibos is naturally caffeine-free)
2 cups of boiling water
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon almond butter (creamy is preferred)
2 dates (optional)
 
Cover the teabag and dates (if using) with 2 cups of boiling water and steep for a few minutes.
 
Discard the tea bag & place tea, soaked dates, tahini & almond butter into a blender.
 
Blend until creamy.
 
Serve and Enjoy!
 
Tip:  You can try this with other nut or seed butters to see which flavour combination you like the best.  Cashew butter anyone?
0 Comments

Why Your Waist Circumference Matters 100x More Than What You Weigh

6/7/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
 
You totally want to ditch your scale, don't you?

You may have this weird kind of relationship with your “weight”. 

​I mean, it doesn't define you (obviously).
 
What you weigh can matter but only to a certain extent.
 
Let's look at your waist circumference (well...you look at yours and I'll look at mine).
 
Waist Circumference (AKA “Belly Fat”):
 
Do you remember the fruity body shape descriptions being like an “apple” or a “pear”?  The apple is kinda round around the middle (you know – belly fat-ish, kinda beer belly-ish) and the pear is rounder around the hips/thighs.
 
THAT is what we're talking about here.
 
Do you know which shape is associated with a higher risk of sleep apnea, blood sugar issues (e.g. insulin resistance and diabetes) and heart issues (high blood pressure, blood fat, and arterial diseases).
 
Yup – that apple!
 
And it's not because of the subcutaneous (under the skin) fat that you may refer to as a “muffin top”.  The health risk is actually due to the fat inside the abdomen covering the liver, intestines and other organs there.
 
This internal fat is called “visceral fat” and that's where a lot of the problem actually is.  It's this “un-pinchable” fat. 
 
The reason the visceral fat can be a health issue is because it releases fatty acids, inflammatory compounds, and hormones that can negatively affect your blood fats, blood sugars, and blood pressure.
 
And the apple-shaped people tend to have a lot more of this hidden visceral fat than the pear-shaped people do.
 
So as you can see where your fat is stored is more important that how much you weigh.
 
Am I an apple or a pear?
 It's pretty simple to find out if you're in the higher risk category or not. The easiest way is to just measure your waist circumference with a measuring tape.  You can do it right now.
 
Women, if your waist is 35” or more you could be considered to have “abdominal obesity” and be in the higher risk category.  Pregnant ladies are exempt, of course.
 
For men the number is 40”.
 
Of course this isn't a diagnostic tool.  There are lots of risk factors for chronic diseases.  Waist circumference is just one of them.
 
If you have concerns definitely see your doctor.
 
Tips for helping reduce some belly fat:
  • Eat more fiber.  Fiber can help reduce belly fat in a few ways.  First of all it helps you feel full and also helps to reduce the amount of calories you absorb from your food.  Some examples of high-fiber foods are brussel sprouts, flax and chia seeds, avocado, and blackberries.
  • Add more protein to your day.  Protein reduces your appetite and makes you feel fuller longer.  It also has a high TEF (thermic effect of food) compared with fats and carbs and ensures you have enough of the amino acid building blocks for your muscles.
  • Nix added sugars.  This means ditch the processed sweetened foods especially those sweet drinks (even 100% pure juice).
  • Move more.  Get some aerobic exercise.  Lift some weights.  Walk and take the stairs.  It all adds up.
  • Stress less.  Seriously!  Elevated levels in the stress hormone cortisol have been shown to increase appetite and drive abdominal fat.
  • Get more sleep.  Try making this a priority and seeing how much better you feel (and look).
Recipe (High fiber side dish): Garlic Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprout
Serves 4
Picture
1 lb Brussels sprouts (washed, ends removed, halved)
2-3 cloves of garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
dash salt and pepper
 
Preheat oven to 400F. 
 
In a bowl toss sprouts with garlic, oil, and lemon juice.  Spread on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for about 15 minutes.  Toss.
Bake for another 10 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy!
 
Tip:  Brussel sprouts contain the fat-soluble bone-loving vitamin K.  You may want to eat them more often.
2 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All
    Affirmations
    Health
    Journaling
    Mental Health
    Mindset
    Morning Pages
    Nutrition
    Self Care
    Self-care
    Self Discovery
    Self-Discovery
    Self Love

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2022, CEFB-LLC. All rights reserved. cheryl@cefbcoaching.com ~ (540)300-1163
Terms and Conditions
  • Home
    • Programs
    • About >
      • Contact
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Programs