Learning How To Balance

I found this article from Health.com - It's so important to set goals and  make changes that you can and will stick to.   Here are a few things to keep in mind when you're planning healthy meals: Downsize portions - Change your perspective on portion sizes. Anyone can eat healthy foods, but portions are often much too large. Using a smaller plate also help you eat less because the smaller portions make it look fuller.  Think protein first - When planning a meal, the first thing to think about is protein. If you eat a balanced meal of whole grains with protein and fat, most likely you will tend to snack less and cravings for sweets is practically nonexistent. Aim for at least one serving of protein at each meal, which equates to about five ounces of chicken, five ounces of canned tuna, or a couple of eggs. Color your meals.   Eat salads.  Prep veggies. Stock-up on non-perishables. Allow yourself to indulge. Read more here: Plan Healthy Meal...

How to Survive the Holidays...One Bite at a Time! October through December can be a minefield of challenges for those who struggle with the  eat-repent-repeat cycle . Food is everywhere, from your television to your child’s  trick-or-treat  stash. The constant exposure may eventually lead to cravings, overeating, holiday buffet-hangovers, guilt, and vows to do better tomorrow—or on January 2nd.  The best strategy is to eat what you love  fearlessly . While that may sound counter-intuitive, studies have shown that labeling the foods you love as forbidden can actually increase their power over you. When you think of the foods you love as "bad," you may feel guilty for even wanting them, and deprived because you’re not supposed to eat them. As a result, you may yourself visiting the break room in search of holiday treats.  Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat Banish the special occasion mentality.  You'll be less temp...

I found this article that really hit home with my last post so I thought I would do a "Goals - Part #2" just to keep that thought going.... This list is more geared towards weight loss goals but that may not be your goal at all...your goals may not have anything to do with weight but this will get your gears turning for ideas to set goals and (see image below) !! This article was from the blog Delightfully Fit - 50 ways to stay motivated to lose weight . I LOVE IT! It was written by one of my FAVORITE fitness writers, wellness coach and trainer - Jessica Smith.  I'm not going to list all 50 but here are a few that I wanted to touch on: 1) Think wellness not weight loss. Do you only make good food choices when you are trying to lose weight? This could lead to rebound weight gain if you go back to your old habits once you’ve reached your goal. You have to eat every day, so why not eat better every day? 2) Set reasonable goals. Ask yourself...

I don't know about you but by the time Friday gets here... I'm ready to ditch the logging (of food) and have a few bevies with a big piece of pizza. Then I beat myself up about it and do it again Saturday night. WHY CAN'T I STOP THE INSANITY??!! By Sunday I've come down off my craziness and get back on the "healthier choices" train! While this isn't going to help my "bailing on healthy choice weekend" - one of my goals this week is to prepare my lunches the night BEFORE - so at 8:30pm I'm going to head to the kitchen and get my lunch stuff together. This is going to help me have more time to workout in the AM and get out the door easier! One step at a time - it's a process! I ♥ this post (below) from Pieces in Progress (tumblr) - She has some great recipes, posts, At-Home workouts, motivational posts, etc. I'm constantly reading and looking for ways to jump start my brain for the weekend but I haven't found that switch yet! ...

We made this last night - Dan even liked it!!  I thought it was really good and easy!  As usual I made some modifications.... I rarely fix a recipe exactly like it says.  More so out of convenience than anything.  This time I actually tried to write down everything I did different so we can make this dish again!   ☺ Weight Watchers Cheddar Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta added by Hope Vaillancourt/Just A Pinch Link to the original Here is the original recipe - my notes are below: Ingredients 1/2 lb whole wheat penne pasta 4 slice bacon, diced 1/2 Tbsp light butter 1 large chicken breast, boneless & skinless, cut into bite sized pieces 1 Tbsp all purpose flour 1/2 pkg ranch dressing mix ( 1/2 oz) 1 c fat free milk 1/2 c fat free shredded cheddar cheese salt and pepper to taste Directions 1. Cook pasta according to package directions in boiling salted water; drain, return to pot, and keep warm. 2. Meanwhile, cook ba...

Instead of defining "normal" eating here, this article will focus on how to prevent binges and get back on track after them...  (Click on the picture to read more.) 

4 Tricks to Kick Your Candy Cravings to the Curb By:  Nicole Nichols   You've probably already faced your share of tempting bite-size candies and seasonal desserts over the past few weeks, but tomorrow is the day that candy will find its way into your home, office. (if it hasn't already).  So how are you going to avoid the temptation? How can you stop yourself from eating too many of those cute little treats before it's too late? Good questions.  I have a big sweet tooth myself . I love candy, desserts and sweets—I am only human. But I do try to make healthful choices about what I eat and  enjoy treats within moderation , which usually means turning them down more often than I eat them. It isn't always easy, but it IS possible. So here are some of my very own tricks to prevent overeating on Halloween candy—and kick those cravings for good!  Freshen Up -  This is an age-old tip to prevent mindless eating and overeating, but it really does work. Br...