February 2023 – Newsletter

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February is underway… For those of you finding that a new week, a new month, a new year and this time even a new decade, enables a process of NEW ME. Not necessarily resolutions, but new goals — How are you doing on those?

Tips for keeping that NEW fire alight and alive:

MAKE YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE:

If you ever want to accomplish a goal… tell someone. If no one ever knew about your commitments, it may be all too easy to forget they ever existed and slip back into old habits. The success of sticking it out, often comes with accountability. Tell a supportive friend or family member or find a workout buddy or support partner on your healthy ways together, or even post on social media… there is definitely something to be said by putting your word to yourself out there. consider hiring a professional… trainers, and nutrition experts know how to support you in getting you on the road to success.

DO NOT FIXATE ON “ALL OR NOTHING”

So many of my clients tell me how difficult it is to accomplish big goals. One of the biggest mistakes is categorizing yourself as an ALL or a NOTHING personality. Idealistic restrictions or targeting drastic changes quickly is a common mistake. Instead of deciding to give up a whole food group, such as never eating sugar or bread again, focus on workable solutions that fit into your your lifestyle. People who try and do a 180 within days begin to over obsess about food, over exercise too quickly, thinking faster results are the only way the balls keeps rolling. Discovering this method does not work, usually results in giving up completely. Understanding that a balance is more likely going to produce maintainable and long-term results.

LAST ONE FOR NOW….

SET OBJECTIVE GOALS WITH APPROPRIATE TIMELINES

Running a 10k road race or losing 20 lbs both sound like great goals but without planning on HOW and WHEN you will accomplish these by, make result in them always being a mere idea versus something you can put into motion. . If you choose to make a long-term resolution, make sure you list several short-term time lines inbetween.

Open-ended goals may get lost in the shuffle. Without benchmarks or timelines, there may not even ever begin.

Example: I will run 1 mile 3 times a week until March, then I will increase this to 2 miles, or 4 times per week by April. Another idea: I will switch 50% of my sodas to carbonated water with added fruit starting tomorrow. Then in February, 75%, by the time you get to April, soda in your diet can be history!! or … and as you can see, progress is realistic and accomplishable.

In summary, state your goals so that they are measurable (objective) and you will be able to track progress.

If I were to choose a February theme, most people would opt for valentines day:

Hence: My HEART HEALTHY MISSION FOR YOU:

Examine your fridge…

Categorize the “not so great… versus the “better” versus “the BEST” options: Make sure you have low fat, low cholesterol, and high fiber foods available. Fresh produce with lots of color, plan B options when fresh is not always available, such as steamable bags of veggies, egg whites you can just throw into the microwave, frozen fruit and (Greek) yogurt you can blend into a smoothie…

Hide desserts: Store indulgent foods in the crisper so that they are out of sight, out of mind. Put fruits and veggies (easy snacks) in the front and center.

Analyze your good fat calories from the bad ones: soft trans-free margarine for butter (good brands include omega 3 fatty acids versus saturated fat. Greek yogurt for processed/sugary ones, egg whites for whole eggs, and lean meat, chicken breast and fish for fattier meats.

Butter or Margarine. That is the Question. Many people are confused. Butter is saturated fat, margarine has trans fats, how does one choose a table spread?

It is unfortunate that many consumers associate trans fats with margarine – when in fact margarine contributes only a miniscule amount of trans fats to the diet. It is important to note that most of the trans fat in our diets come from processed food, baked goods and fried foods.

Softer margarines are coming out with healthier versions made with olive oil and essential fats in tubs and sprays which have very little trans fats. Many stick “spreads” have also been reformulated to be trans-fat free. Other good choices are those made with the Omega 3 essential fats, such as Benecol, smartbalance, etc.

RECIPE SELECTION:

Slow cookers are a great way to save time in the kitchen and cook a variety of lean proteins. Look for some hearty chilis (popular in the winter months) to breakfast recipes, such as slow-cooked oats, or even some egg based dishes with vegetables.

Here is one of my favorite Chili recipes – easy to throw the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, and when you come home from work, dinner will be ready (with plenty leftovers to boot):

Ilana’s Turkey Chili

(4 servings. Each serving = 1 lean protein, 1 starchy carb, ½ lean fibrous veg)

1¼ lbs ground turkey breast (no skin)

1 tbsp safflower oil

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

2 cups water

1 14-oz can tomatoes

2 tsp minced onion

½ tsp garlic powder

1½ tsp paprika

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 – 3 tbsp chili powder (to taste)

1 cup uncooked kidney beans, soak overnight and drained.

Combine all ingredients into a slow cooker or crockpot. Set for 5 – 6 hours or until turkey is cooked. (This recipe can also be made in a big saucepan on the stove if preferred… still tastes great with a bit more monitoring.

Healthy recipe ingredient substitutions

This chart will help you cut fat and calories in your favorite dessert recipes. The next time you plan to bake, consider some of these healthy recipe ingredient substitutions.

Instead Of…	Use…
milk, whole	fat-free or 1% milk
eggs	2 egg whites per egg or 1/2 c. egg substitute per egg
sugar	Truvia/ truvia & brown or raw Sugar Blend
chocolate chips	dried fruit or dark choc/cocoa/cacao
nuts	half required amount, toasted first
white flour	whole grain flour / nut flour
cream, heavy	equal parts half-and-half and fat-free evaporated milk
cream, light	equal parts 1% milk and fat-free evaporated milk
sour cream	light sour cream or plain greek yogurt
butter	benecol, smart balance, omega 3/olive oil spreads
fruit-flavored yogurt	plain yogurt mixed with fresh or frozen fruit
whipping cream	whipped topping or evaporated skim milk (chilled)
syrup	sugar-free syrup or sugar-free preserves or pureed fruit
coconut	half amount required, toasted to enhance flavor
traditional pie crust	graham cracker crust
fruit canned in syrup	fruit canned in water or juices

Wishing you a heart healthy month in both relationships and physiology!

ILANA

FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER 2023

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February is often associated with Valentines; in February I usually focus on “heart health” for my newsletter theme.

Whoever coined the phrase “You are what you eat” was rather insightful, because much of what you eat can be a life or death matter. I cannot stress enough that proper nutrition should be the highest priority to help reduce the risk of heart disease, the number one killer of both men and women in the United States.

Taking a look at the food you eat is like taking an inside look into your heart. One key goal is to reduce the intake of saturated fat and cholesterol to help lower or keep blood cholesterol in check.

HEART HEALTHY MISSION : Take Stock of What is in Your Fridge

Separate the “better for you” foods from the rest. Make sure you have low fat, low cholesterol, and high fiber foods available.

Hide desserts: Store indulgent foods in the crisper so that they are out of sight, out of mind. Put fruits and veggies (easy snacks) in the front and center.

Substitute the high fat foods with lower fat ones: Some examples include skim milk for whole or 2% milk, soft trans-free margarine for butter (such as squeeze and tubs, and smart balance); low fat yogurt for full cream, egg whites for whole eggs, and lean meat, chicken breast and fish for fattier meats.

Butter or Margarine. That is the Question.

Many people are confused. Butter is saturated fat, margarine has trans fats, how does one choose a table spread?

Softer margarines in tubs and spray such as I can’t believe its not butter, have very little trans fats and many stick margarines have been reformulated to be trans fat free. Bottom line: Margarine is a healthier choice and many health authorities recommend it in place of butter. Other good choices are those made with the Omega 3 essential fats, such as Benecol, smartbalance, etc.

FITNESS – Turning what we eat into optimal fuel

Interval training is associated with fat burning is because the higher the intensity the more likely the physiological response is to overcome lipogenesis sensitivity (in layman’s terms, fat storage mode). To keep it simple, the mechanism is related to how the different hormones bind to either alpha or beta receptors. Before going into a physiology dissertation, in its simplicity, high intensity can overcome problems associated with alpha-receptor dominance in stubborn body fat. Well, why not keep the intensity high all the time, you may ask. The answer is that while high intensity can break down fatty acids in the cell, it does not burn fatty acids as a fuel, so that’s where the intervals become important. Switching between high and low creates that magic bullet.

The following Interval work out is a great start –

Good on any of the cardio equipment platforms (treadmill, stairmaster or stationary bicycle, etc).

30 minute work out.

Whichever piece of equipment you have chosen, figure out what is a moderate zone for yourself, and a high zone. If you have already had your heart rate test done, use zone 1 to 2 as the “off” time, and zones 4 and 5 as the “on” time.

Mins 0 – 4: warm up (zone 1) easy intensity of about 2 out of 10

Mins 4 – 5: moderate intensity : zone 3 (jogging, can hold a conversation)

Mins 5 – 8: low intensity, easy jogging, zone 1 to 2

Mins 8 – 9: high intensity zone 4 to 5 (cannot hold a conversation, all out work

Mins 9 – 10 : moderate intensity

Mins 10 – 13 low intensity

Mins 12 – 14 high intensity

Mins 14 – 15 moderate intensity

Mins 15 – 18 low intensity

Mins 18 – 19 high intensity

Mins 19 – 20 moderate intensity

Mins 20 – 23 low intensity

Mins 23 – 25 high intensity

Mins 25 – 28 moderate intensity

Mins 28 – 30 lowest, cool down (back to walking comfortably)

Home made frozen strawberry yogurt:

Blend together ½ cup Chobani 0% fat Greek yogurt, 1 strawberry Mix One^T drink

& ½ cup frozen strawberries (&opt’l Truvia ^T). Pour into Dixie cups and freeze.

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Healthy recipe ingredient substitutions

This chart will help you cut fat and calories in your favorite dessert recipes. The next time you plan to bake, consider some of these healthy recipe ingredient substitutions.

Instead Of…	Use…
milk, whole	fat-free or 1% milk
eggs	2 egg whites per egg or 1/2 c. egg substitute per egg
sugar	Truvia/ truvia & Sugar Blend
chocolate chips	dried fruit
nuts	half required amount, toasted first
white flour	whole wheat flour
cream, heavy	equal parts half-and-half and fat-free evaporated milk
cream, light	equal parts 1% milk and fat-free evaporated milk
sour cream	light sour cream or fat-free plain yogurt
butter	margarine
fruit-flavored yogurt	fat-free plain yogurt mixed with fresh or frozen fruit
whipping cream	fat-free whipped topping or evaporated skim milk (chilled)
syrup	sugar-free syrup or sugar-free preserves or pureed fruit
coconut	half amount required, toasted to enhance flavor
traditional pie crust	graham cracker crust
fruit canned in syrup	fruit canned in water or juices

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Recipe of the month:

Roasted Red Pepper Soup (serves 6)

5 whole Red or green Peppers

½ tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped carrots
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 small Russet potato
1 bay leaf
¼ vegetable stock
fresh basil leaves

Broil peppers in oven for 5-8 mins (or until skin blister). Low heat olive oil in a saucepan Add the carrots, celery and onions, season lightly salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes. Simmer until vegetables are tender (15 mins).Add roasted red peppers and simmer 10 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf and puree in a blender. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Chop the basil last to prevent discoloration. Serve soup in warm bowls, sprinkle with basil.

Cals: 76, fat: 2g, Fiber 3g, carbs:15g

Have a healthy month!!

ILANA

JANUARY NEWSLETTER 2023

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Happy New Year!

Nothing much changes from year to year, when it comes to making resolutions. Each year the following resolutions are most popular:

drink less alcohol
get a better education or job
eat healthy food / get fit / lose weight
manage debt /stress
quit smoking
go green
save money
volunteer to help others

In a study published in the American Journal of Health, researchers at the University of Missouri found that, after looking at over 99,000 participants, any method that utilizes recording and tracking activity and results significantly provided motivation for improvement. No matter your personal resolutions, remember that you can make resolutions at any time- it doesn’t have to be January 1^st– it can be today!

Resolutions: Most of us make them.

To be successful, we need goals, or rather, SMART goals. SMART stands for specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and timely. So, if you have a resolution or goal you want to accomplish, it’s time to take out a pen and paper and write it down.

Specific: Instead of saying “I want to get fit”, a specific goal would be something like “I will do 30 minutes of walking on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays”. Being less vague will help you pinpoint what activities you can perform, with whom, and at what time or on what days, to be successful in accomplishing your goal.
Measurable: It’s important to have a starting point and a way to measure the results. For example: “I will start walking around the block every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. In 1 week, if I have comfortable walked around the block on those days; I will walk around 2 blocks on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I will continue to add blocks until I have walked for at least 30 minutes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.” At the end of each deadline, you will better be able to see results and decide if you need to make adjustments to your goal.
Attainable: It’s important to choose a goal that is attainable for your unique needs and desires. It can be easy to open up magazines, watch television, or hear from a friend about the latest health trend that is or isn’t working for someone else and want to jump in. The example I have used above may be attainable or easy for some and maybe only a starting point for others. You should consider your attitude about certain activities and motivation as some may enjoy walking while others enjoy running while others enjoy swimming while others prefer to lift weights or go to an aerobics class. If you don’t enjoy the activity, your chances of success could be much lower. The same can be said about your limitations; if you have a health condition that prevents certain activities, it is important to seek out those you enjoy and can perform without risk of hurting yourself.
Realistic: Goals need to be realistic or you are setting yourself up for failure. Instead of aiming for a radical change, you can plan small, attainable goals with reasonable deadlines that will allow you to reward your progress and motivate you to keep going. For example, if you’ve only ever enjoyed walking/jogging a few miles a day, it wouldn’t be wise to sign up for a marathon within a month. Instead, a more realistic goal for someone who walks/jogs for run, but who is considering a marathon at some point, could start off with smaller goals of running 1 mile, then 3, then 5 over months until, eventually, their goal of running a marathon can be achieved safely.
Timely: Your resolutions and goals need to have a timeline. Both the short-term goals and the long-term goal should have deadlines to measure your progress against. Without a sense of deadline, one can lose their motivation to ‘get fit someday’ when instead, they can eventually ‘walk 30 minutes a day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday in 2 months’.

Only you can decide your goal and how SMART it is going to be for you. To help you out, you can use a worksheet, such as the one provided to better help you achieve your goals in 2019!

SMART GOALS
What do you want to achieve?	Specifics:What? Where? Why? Who?	MeasurableHow much? How often? How many?	Achievable? How important is this goal to you?	TimeDate you plan to complete your goal by?

ON THE SIDE: January is Folic Acid Awareness Month.

Foods high in folate include leafy greens such as spinach, citrus fruit, dried beans, legumes, nuts, and enriched products.
Folic acid is important for women of child-bearing ages to protect against neural tube defects.
The recommended amount for women of child-bearing age is 400mcg of folic acid. High doses may have negative health impacts. Remember! Moderation is key.

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Recipe of the Month:

Steal-cut Chai Oatmeal (Serves 2)

Want to spice up your oatmeal without taking up time in the morning? Check out this twist:

1 cup steel-cut oats

1 cup milk

2 Tbs. chia seeds*

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground ginger or
1 Tbs. crystallized ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch black pepper
1 Tbs. maple syrup, optional
1 Tbs. each topping of choice: shredded coconut, pistachios, nuts
Consider topping with additional fruits such as dried figs or bananas

*Interesting tidbit: chia seeds, which are becoming popular as of late, are an excellent source of fiber, antioxidants, calcium, protein, and omega-3-fatty acid.

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine oats, milk, chia seeds, cardamom, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and maple syrup (if using) in glass jar with lid. Stir, close lid, and refrigerate overnight.
2. Open lid, stir, and sprinkle with coconut and pistachios, if using.

Per 1-cup serving:

Calories	400
Protein	16g
Total Fat	10g
Saturated Fat	2g
Carbs	69g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	62mg
Fiber	13g
Sugar	8g

Fitness Corner

Eating breakfast and working out in the morning can help rev up your metabolism to burn more calories throughout the day. By waking up both your mind and body with movement and nourishment, you may have more energy to be more productive. Why? Physical movement can better oxygenate the brain which enhances energy production. Working out in the morning can help you burn more calories throughout the day; researchers at Appalachian State University, NC found that cyclists who biked for 45 minutes burned an extra 190 calories after they finished exercising. Researchers indicated that the metabolism appeared to be boosted for up to 14 hours post-workout. Now that is an effective way to work hard now and reap the benefits later!

Wishing you a successful year…

and remember :

“NOTHING CHANGES IF NOTHING CHANGES”

How to Form Lifestyle Habits

Published on

Ilana Katz MS, RD, CSSD

Challenges are embraced, and once decided upon require the extra effort to ensure getting to the finish line. Does your resolve weaken before success? Do you risk stalling? Do you focus on outcome instead of process? Do you consider yourself an “all-or-nothing” individual? If you answer “yes” to either of these two questions, you may need to make more of your efforts habit-forming rather than forced. Athletes who are consistent with good habits are the most successful.

Athletes, or anyone for that matter, sustain momentum by embracing small, frequent victories. The all or nothing mentality tends to trigger disappointment time after time, because of interruptions and interferences beyond individual control (for example, you backed your healthy, pre-planned lunch that fits into your new eating goals but at lunch time, you find someone stole it out the office fridge).

Successful habits worth forming:

Become a morning exerciser: after hours exercise more than often does not happen. Schedules change, family, social and work obligations shift constantly. Research has proven that people who make exercise first thing on the agenda get hooked on the feeling of accomplishment before the rest of the world wakes up. Furthermore, the morning workout results in a rush of endorphins.
How to make this routine: Progress from just a couple of mornings a week. Knowing you can “sleep in” some days, makes getting up on the days you have committed to, much easier. Routine includes the night before: Get to be early enough the night before ; Lay out your gear (all of it, clothes, sweaters, fuel belts, water bottles, etc); set coffee machine on automatic (something to look forward to); put the alarm out of reach.
Become buddy accountable: find a partner in crime. Nothing keeps you from pressing the snooze button knowing someone is relying on you. Furthermore, having social time with your besties, while working out together makes it fun.
Be Patient: All new behaviors can be out of your normal depth at first. Habits require resetting the body clock and planning for the time before they stick.

Eat more color: Nutrient packed fresh earthy food are not only low calories, but their high-quality carb sources power workouts and daily living. Their anti-oxidants and other micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) keep the metabolism working at its best. How to make this routine: Don’t choke down the so-called superfoods just because they are super, rather make sure they are your super. Pick up the produce that you actually like and want to eat, even if it’s more expensive or not as much of a superfood as the well-known ones (like Kale, acai, beets, etc). When you buy these foods, plan them into your meal plan, don’t just let them turn bad because you couldn’t find a recipe that calls for them. Smoothies are a great alternative.
Snack Smart: Trade high calorie snacks, like chips and candy, for high nutrient snacks, like fruit, vegetables and healthy fats. Some great examples are carrots and hummus, apples and nut butter, tuna on cucumber slices, edamame and egg whites scrambled in a cup.

Cook at home more often: research shows that two or more restaurant meals in a week can add up to an extra 5 pounds of body fat per year. Master some easy kitchen basics for starters, without needing to turn into a top chef. You will be amazed at how controlling your own food choices helps you feel in control of life stressors in general, including your budget (cooking at home is always cheaper!). Some easy ways to make this routine is to look for quick easy cooking videos online; gear up your kitchen with the basics (knifes, cutting boards, pots and pans, Tupperware, and common ingredients like herbs & spices, olive oil and salt & pepper).
Take time to research motivating recipes: you can often find restaurant favorites in recipes online or at the very least, something similar. This way you will control the caloric and fat intake as you prepare your favorite dishes yourself. Plan time in your schedule to shop and go to the store with a list, stick to it.

Get enough sleep: Sleep may be the one thing that has the most impact on making challenging actions routine. Everything seems unreachable on a sleep deprive mind. Sleep allows the recharging organs, repairing muscles and releasing hormones for rebuild, strength and nerve connections. Lack of sleep has been linked to every limitation you can think of (low energy, injury, moodiness, weight gain, dis-ease and disease, to name a few). Most adults require 7 – 8 hours every night. Easy ways to make this routine include declaring bed time sacred; unplug all electronics, prepare for “night time” ahead of time by dimming the lights, closing the curtains, put on PJs, stop eating, eliminate the caffeine
.

Eat breakfast everyday: glycogen, your first source of energy, gets used up during the night keeping your body functioning, so you are typically waking up on an empty tank. Breakfast is replenishment as well as setting the tone for a healthy day. Studies shows that breakfast eaters can accomplish optimal body composition easier than those that starve all morning. To make breakfast a habit, start off with something small, even if it’s just a piece of fruit and then begin to balance it out with some protein or good fat like a few almonds, nut butter, Greek yogurt. Think outside the box of traditional breakfast foods (anything is fair game, even leftover salmon and quinoa from last nights’ dinner).
Pre Prep meal plans and meals: – spend a low activity day preparing a weeks’ worth of food (particularly breakfasts0, from overnight oats, or using a slow cooker to cook once, eat multiple times.

Move More: Even athletes sit on their butts most of the day, especially those with day jobs. Making an effort to stand and walk during working hours reduces the risk of tight muscles, injuries, bad posture, weight gain, etc. Making moving around a habit by keeping track with an activity monitor (such as pedometer, apple watch, fit bit, etc). Use the tracker to look beyond daily goals of a set step count like never allow more than a two-hour period of sitting. Remind yourself by setting alarms on your phone or computer to stand and walk around the room at minimum. Some ideas are to stand and greet anyone that enters your office, pace while on the phone, hover in the back during a meeting (if appropriate of course).

Treat yourself to a rest/break day. Have a day in the week that you can look forward to. If you have developed a great habit of a consistent work out and eat well routine, find the pleasure in something you love as a treat. It helps to not indulge everyday, as well as provides the energy for constant motivation. A rest in the workout routine enhances recovery and reduces injury. A break in eating perfectly allows keeps the habit of a healthy lifestyle to stick. A great definition of “D.I.E.T” is Don’t Indulge Every Time

In conclusion:

Habits are brain behavior hacks. Make them ingrained and they will turn to auto-pilot mode. Respect your “WHY.” Write it down and monitor and embrace the benefits. Schedule your “WHY.” Block time in your calendar for your new behavior. Blab about it by asking friends, family and supporters to hold you accountable and even go as far as join you in your quest for habits of success. And finally, make sure your surroundings support your efforts by removing triggers of your bad habits to make the new ones visible and possible.

JANUARY 2023 NEWSLETTER

Published on

Happy New DECADE!

THEME: “decadent” goals

Not only is it a new year, but a new DECADE! Where do YOU stand on resolutions?

Are you like the majority of promise-makers? Most people resolve to improve health and fitness. Well, if you’re like most Americans (88%)^*, you have at least one resolution. And, if you are like the majority of these promise-makers, your resolution is probably related to health and fitness. ^*^{GNC Poll Research}

Within the wellness industry, surveys show that top resolutions include:

Lower my risk for the nation’s three top killers — heart disease, cancer, and stroke. How – engage in 45-60 mins of moderately-intense activity (eg., brisk walking, cycling, jogging or swimming) on most days of the week, supplemented this with a healthy diet.

Sharpen my mind and improve my mood. How – engage in 45-60 mins of moderate-intensity cardiovascular activity (eg., rollerblading, hiking, elliptical) on most days of the week supplemented this with a healthy diet.

To improve my immune function. How – engage in at least 60 mins of resistance training (e.g., weights, Pilates) 3 times a week supplemented this with a healthy diet. (see my article on Nutrition and the immune System)

While resolutions are well intentioned, unfortunately most people fail at keeping them.

What about setting one goal? Doesn’t matter what it is, just make it measurable and realistic. For example, lose six pounds in three months. Keep it simple! Set yourself up for success!

WORK OUT TIP :

If your goal is to exercise consistently, consider exercising in the morning on a daily basis. Statistics demonstrate that over 90% of people who exercise consistently are daily, morning exercisers! Even if you have to get up a little earlier, your exercise will be done and you’ll be energized for the day.

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Research has shown that listening to music may distract one from their “bodily awareness.” This can infact go both ways – reduces the concept of pain, therefore give up too soon (the mind is a lot stronger than the physiology we perceive to be hurting) – therefore music can enhance a hard workout. Furthermore, its not just listening, but controlling and creating a beat to ones own workout rhythm can have a even more reduction on perceived effort during a workout.

Bottom Line: be creative – make playlists. How many got some kind of music player device as a gift recently… books on tape can kill two birds with one stone too.

NUTRITIONALLY…

Upon waking, your body has been fasting for many hours and requires nourishment.

A balanced breakfast helps maintain health. Common breakfast foods include protein, B vitamins, essential fatty acids, and complex carbs – all important to improve concentration, mood and memory.

Breakfast is also linked to reduced risk of diabetes or excess weight gain, both by kicking your metabolism into gear and decreasing the chance of you grabbing high caloric snacks.

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Food Fun Facts

1. The oldest evidence for soup is from 6,000 B.C. and calls for hippopotamus and sparrow meat.

2. Pringles once had a lawsuit trying to prove that they weren’t really potato chips.

3. Pound cake got its name from its original recipe, which called for a pound each of butter, eggs, sugar, and flour.

^{_______________________________________________}

SUPERFOOD SELECTION OF THE MONTH – of all things – Chocolate

You’ve probably heard about the benefits of dark chocolate, but for most people, there is a bit of confusion between CACAO vs COCOA

While cacao and cocoa start from the same place, the way they end up (and what they go through along the way) has different effects on their nutrition benefits.

The start is the Theobroma cacao tree. This tree, native to South America, produces seed pods. Harvesters crack them open and take out the seeds, which are called cacao beans. You can eat cacao beans raw. Their flavor is like a very bitter form of chocolate, and it varies depending on the growing conditions (soil, sunlight, etc.) of the cacao tree. Beans are usually fermented and dried before they’re processed any further. What happens next determines whether the beans become cacao or cocoa.

The heavier processing (heating at higher temperatures) that transforms cacao to cocoa doesn’t just affect how manufacturers label the end product. This heat actually affects the beans on a molecular level, changing their structure and degrading nutrient content. Heavy processing is what makes cacao turn to “cocoa.” Much of the nutritional content dissipates in this state. That means that cacao, which is less processed, has more powerful antioxidant effects and health benefits.

It’s not that cocoa is inherently bad for you; it’s just that cacao is more beneficial. Baking with either kind probably decreases some of the nutrients and antioxidants, but unfortunately research quantifying just how much is non-existent at this point.

Bottom line: heating cacao or cocoa probably degrades some of the nutrients and lessens potent antioxidant effects. But cacao is the ideal choice because it starts with more of them than cocoa.

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Something healthy, nutritious and incorporates the choc fix!!

try this super powered smoothie. Cacoa antioxidants help prevent cancers, blocked arteries, and even tooth decay; flax seeds provide healthy essential fats, and berries offer fiber and vitamin C, all blended together in a grab and go breakfast.

Choco-Banana treat

¼ cup water (+ more if needed) and 5 – 6 cubes ice

1/4 cup cacoa nibs

1 Tbsp milled flaxseeds

1 frozen banana

1 scoop vanilla protein powder or 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

Stevia to taste (optional)

BLEND THE INGREDIENTS UNTIL SMOOTH AND YUMMY

250 calories     4g fat        0g sat. fat

18g pro          28g carbs (all good)

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Wishing you a fit and Healthy YEAR and DECADE!!

Ilana