Will you take The 66 Challenge with me?

The Healthy Eating Adventure is a 28 day program. During the course of the 28 days, we gain a good deal of knowledge about excellent nutrition and the practical application of that knowledge (we learn how to cook delicious plant-based recipes). An astonishing number of us lower “our numbers” significantly (how about a cholesterol reading that’s 50 points lower in just 28 days? Wow!)

Changing bad habits long-term, unfortunately, takes more than 28 days. Enter the 66 Day Challenge.

Research shows that it actually takes an average of 66 days to build a new habit! It occurs to me that New Year’s Day is a perfect time to begin doing just that. All you need is a short, doable list of habits you want to change…and a calendar to mark off each day for 66 days!

My List

• Eat three healthy planned meals a day, period (no snacks of any kind)

• Walk 10,000 steps, 6 days out of 7

• Meditate daily (even if only for 5 minutes)

New Year’s resolutions often fail. Why? Most people take on too much, setting themselves up for failure. Luckily for us, there’s a there’s a website to help us walk through the challenge. Go to:

http://www.the1thing.com/blog/66-day-challenge/will-you-accept-the-66-day-challenge/

Here’s what “The 1 Thing” says about the 66 day challenge:

It takes on average 66 days to build a new habit. That’s right, locking your door when you leave the house, having a cigarette with cocktails, checking your rearview before backing out and grabbing a latte on the way to work each morning are habits you’ve had to invest time in to form. You see, whether good or bad, consciously built or not, all habits are created equally – repetitious thoughts or actions time over time. So what’s the secret sauce to inciting such habits to get what we want out of life? We say it’s focus, and it’s so easy even a three-year old can do it.

In full disclosure, the website does sell some products (which you can choose to purchase…or ignore).

Will you take the 66 Day Challenge with me? Let’s have some fun!

Navigating tricky holiday waters

I recommend that you give yourself a free Christmas or Hanukkah gift and sign up for the Forks Over Knives blog. The following article was written by Rip Esselstyn for Forks Over Knives (www.forksoverknives.com)

Visiting friends and family who are not plant-strong can be very tricky and requires a delicate balance of grace and diplomacy. You want to do your best to stick to the plant-strong plan, but you don’t want to offend your hosts.

Here are some tips that will absolutely help you navigate these prickly waters.

1. Always offer to bring a dish or two to share. Start by calling the host and express how excited and thankful you are to come to their home. Let them know you’ve been on a roll with your plant-strong eating program and you don’t want to put them out by preparing a separate dish just for you.
2. Dinner parties where everyone is eating standard American food is not the best time to launch into all of your knowledge and education about nutrition. Even if someone asks or brings it up, you can tell them “I’d LOVE to tell you all about it, but now is not the time or place. Let’s talk sometime soon or go to lunch.”
3. Use Dr. Doug Lisle’s “seem strategy.” If there are people who are insistent in asking about what you are eating, there is a simple answer that helps to diffuse the most persistent people. If someone starts questioning you about your diet simply respond, “It seems to be working for me.”
4. Compliment the host. Even if you can’t eat the food served, be sure to compliment the host on how nice everything looks. Also, be sure to thank them for inviting you.
5. Eat before you go as an insurance policy.  When you have no idea what food will be offered, it’s a good idea to fill your belly with a healthy plant-strong snack* or meal beforehand. This will keep you satisfied and prevent you from diving into the contraband! A hungry tummy makes mental midgets out of all of us. *Note: check Forksoverknives.com recipes.
6. Bring dessert!  Everyone loves dessert! I love bringing some of my favorites: Blueberry Dumpster Cobbler, Date Nut Crust Fruit Pie, or Fruit Salad with Lemon Zest.* Everyone loves all of these and they are super easy to make! *Note: again, check forksoverknives.com recipes.
7. Sometimes the host will offer to make a dish that you can eat. Give some suggestions and tell them what plant-strong means. Again, be sure that you thank the host for their time and for being so considerate of the way you eat.
8. Drink water and skip the booze. Naughty food and a tipsy head make for a bad combination! Be sure to keep yourself hydrated with water during parties. This way you can not only be the designated driver but also the responsible eater!
9. Remember that it’s not all about food!  I love hanging out with my family and friends. Sometimes we make social engagements all about food, when they should be about the people who are there! One of the wonderful things I have discovered is that the longer you stay on the plant-strong path, the more friends you find in your life who are also plant-strong.

When you find yourself visiting friends and family who do not follow the plant-strong code of conduct, remember that you are the only one responsible for your health and nobody cares about your health and well-being as much as you! Stay plant-strong!

Dr. Fuhrman’s Holiday Advice, 2nd look

As you know, at the HEA-Yuma, we’re BIG fans of Dr. Joel Fuhrman; in fact, it’s his nutrient-dense eating style that we recommend.  I thought you would be interested in hearing his advice as it concerns staying healthy during the holiday season:

Here are some strategies for staying on track during the holidays:

• Always keep your kitchen stocked with fresh and frozen produce.
• Keep disease-causing foods out of your home to avoid temptation.
• Budget time: plan out when you will shop for groceries, cook, exercise, relax, and spend time with friends and family.
• Bring healthy dishes to share when you attend holiday gatherings.
• Cook warming vegetable bean soups in large batches, and store leftovers in the refrigerator so you can quickly heat some up for lunch or dinner later in the week.
• Stay focused on your health — eating right is self-care. Do not allow the ubiquitous unhealthy foods around you to derail you from your health goals.
• Find a healthy living buddy. Commit together to your food and exercise goals. Getting support from a friend will firm up your commitment to yourself.

Don’t give in to “food bullies.” Friends, family or co-workers will inevitably push unhealthy foods on you; remain confident in your pursuit of excellent health and decline unhealthy foods in a kind and loving manner. Not only will you be pleased with your food choices, you will give the bullies a chance to learn from your example.

parties…parties…parties (2nd look)

Tis the Season!  Like you, I enjoy celebrating with friends at holiday parties.  I’m not willing, however, to face the New Year with weight gain (those nibbles add up!)  Here are 10 strategies to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain, HEA-Style (with a significant nod to WebMD):

10 Strategies to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

 

• Never Arrive Hungry. Have some healthy food before you depart for a holiday party…a small handful of raw nuts, a large apple.
• Divert Your Attention. There’s more to a holiday party than food. Enjoy the people!
• Pace Yourself. Eat mindfully. Chew your food well. Put your fork down between each bite.
• Call ahead. Don’t be afraid to find out what will be served. Plan accordingly.
• Outsmart the Buffet. Use the smallest plate available and don’t stack your food. Choose the simplest foods on the buffet.
• Limit Alcohol. It’s not just about calories but also about control. If you drink a lot, you won’t have as much control over what you eat.
• Watch the Dessert Trap. Go for the fruit!
• Bring Your Own Treats. Whether you’re going to a friend’s party or an office potluck, bring a low-calorie healthy treat that you’ll enjoy. No time?  How about visiting Edible Arrangements and picking up a treat from Veronica Ochoa?
• Limit Tastes While Cooking. If you’re cooking a new recipe, be mindful about the tastes. Limit yourself to two small bites, pre and post seasoning. If you’ve cooked the dish before, dare yourself not to taste the dish at all until it’s served.
• Walk It Off. Make a new holiday tradition: the family walk. It will burn some extra calories and, more importantly, get everyone away from the food for a while.
• Last–but definitely not least–remember how good it feels to be healthy and have boundless energy.  It’s simply not worth abandoning gains in those areas for unhealthy treats.

Thank YOU!

Among the many things, I am grateful for this Thanksgiving:

• Good friends
• Beautiful family
• Bountiful harvest

To each of you who has joined me on the path to good health through excellent nutrition, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 

 

 

 

 

More than one way to skin a…pumpkin

There’s no pie shell in this pumpkin pie mousse recipe but, after all, it’s the filling that’s the tasty part anyway, right?  I love Jo’s idea of filling custard cups with the yummy mousse, then topping with chopped toasted pecans.  I might be inclined to add a dollop of macadamia cream, too.

To make macadamia cream couldn’t be easier (well, actually, it IS easier if you happen to have a high-powered blender).  If you don’t, you will want to soak the macadamia nuts over night and then blend them with a tablespoon or two of water until creamy.  Adding a quarter teaspoon of vanilla is optional; we purists don’t want anything to interfere with the yummy taste of the macadamias.

So, here you go:

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Mousse By Jo Stepaniak

Serves: 2 servings, Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana, broken into pieces
• ½ cup canned pumpkin purée or sweet potato purée
• ¼ cup light coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch ground cloves or allspice
• Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
2. Spoon the mixture evenly into two small custard cups.
3. Serve the pumpkin pie mousse immediately or cover tightly and chill for up to 3 hours.

Notes

Pecan Pie Mousse Option: Sprinkle 1 heaping tablespoon of chopped toasted pecans over each serving. Leftover Tip: Don’t know what to do with the remaining pumpkin purée? Just freeze it in half-cup portions. That way, you can defrost it overnight in the fridge and be ready to make this scrumptious mousse first thing in the morning. Alternatively, use leftover pumpkin purée in a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie.

I’ll try this one!

I love acorn squash.  To me, it says,”Autumn has arrived!”  Carol Urling brought the following Dr. Fuhrman recipe to my attention and  I’m going to give it a try.  It has a festive, Thanksgiving air about it, don’t you think?

First, though, some comments:

Unsulfured dried fruit is not always readily available in the grocery store.  You can probably order unsulfured apricots from Azure Standard or Sunshine Herbs (they may even have some on hand in the store).  If you’re not a purist, you can substitute the less healthy pretty dried apricots that are readily available this time of year.  You should give the unsulfured version a try, though.  They looks dry and unattractive in the package but, after soaking, the flavor is good.

Nutritional Yeast:  Unbelievably, I am now a big fan of the taste of nutritional yeast.  That wasn’t always the case but it turns out that it’s an acquired taste for many of us.  The recipe below calls for a tablespoon of it.  If that doesn’t appeal to you, I would suggest you just leave it out.

Raw Cashew Butter:  This product is not always easy to find in Yuma and it’s expensive!  You can easily make your own.  Soak raw cashews over night and then blend them with a small amount of water to a creamy consistency. (Start with a tablespoon of water and add a bit more as needed). 

Here goes:

Pecan & Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Joel Fuhrman, MD

 Ingredients:

1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded

1 shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1/4 cup celery, diced

1/4 cup diced red peppers, reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish

1/2 cup cooked quinoa

2 tablespoons pecans, chopped

1 tablespoon Dr. Fuhrman’s Spicy Pecan Vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons raw cashew butter

2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped

1/4 cup dried unsulfured apricots, diced

pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Bake acorn squash halves face down in 1/2 inch water for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Saute shallot, garlic, celery and red peppers in a hot, dry stainless steel pan for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the quinoa, pecans, vinegar, nutritional yeast, cashew butter, sage, apricots and cayenne. Turn acorn squash face up and stuff with quinoa mixture. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of diced red pepper on top.

Albuquerque Turkey

I remember a nursery school song my youngest son, Peter, used to sing:
“Albuquerque is a turkey
And he’s feathered and he’s fine…”

At the song’s end, a decision is made to spare Albuquerque from the Thanksgiving table:
“So for Thanksgiving dinner, I’ll have egg foo young instead!”

Thanksgiving. It’s our favorite national holiday. It’s a time when an ‘attitude of gratitude’ is the order of the day.

Among the many things I’m grateful for is robust health and a slimmer body. I’m absolutely not willing to sabotage my efforts by beginning the holiday season with a Thanksgiving feast that could last through New Year’s Day!

It turns out that the average American consumes between 3,000 – 5,000 calories during the Thanksgiving meal! That can add up to a weight-gain that tends, too often, to become permanent. So, to address the potential hazards of holiday over-indulgence, decided to do a little online browsing. Following is a compilation of some strategies I found there to help navigate treacherous Thanksgiving waters. I hope you enjoy them:

On Thanksgiving Day:
• PLAN (write down exactly what you plan to eat for the day)
• Make a decision: no seconds; no snacking on leftovers during clean-up
• Eat a wholesome breakfast
• Take a brisk walk in the morning
• Wear a snug-fitting outfit; you’ll be less likely to overeat
• Focus on the people, not the food. Thanksgiving is not just about feasting; it’s about celebrating relationships with family and friends.
• Seat yourself well-away from the hors d’oeuvre table
• Bring a delicious healthy appetizer to share
• If alcohol is served, try a wine spritzer…and switch out every other glass with flavored seltzer
• Don’t approach the Thanksgiving meal starving! Have a healthy snack beforehand.
• If the meal is served buffet-style, survey it in advance; decide on your selections beforehand
• Consider filling your plate with small (golf-ball sized) portions of your favorite foods
• Eat your meal MINDFULLY, enjoying the tastes and textures of the foods
• If you’re the hostess, tweak traditional recipes to make them healthier. For example:
o Roast sweet potatoes with herbs (instead of serving the usual gooey marshmallow topped dish)
o Top the green bean casserole with toasted almonds instead of southern fried onions
o Cream the mashed potatoes with plain nut milk (e.g. almond milk) and/or veggie broth. Flavor with roasted garlic and/or herbs
o Search out a recipe for a delicious vegan pumpkin mousse, instead of serving pumpkin pie. Garnish it with macadamia cream
• Establish a tradition of an after dinner walk (bike ride, etc.) Invite everyone to come along.
• If you’re on a weight-loss regimen, consider a maintenance mind-set for the day.
o You’ll be ahead of the game if you don’t gain weight over the holidays
• Make a date for a work-out the morning after

Even if you don’t decide to grant “Albuquerque Turkey” a stay of execution, hopefully you can incorporate some of the above ideas into your day of gratitude.

And, just so you know, I’m grateful that each of you decided to participate in the Healthy Eating Adventure.

A head full of knowledge, revisited

Last Monday, I read Dr. Peirce Thompson’s report to the HEA captive audience (no, we didn’t really lock the doors to prevent escape, lol).  Because of considerable interest in that report, I thought I would re-post an earlier blog entry (May, 2016) which addressed the issue of possible food addiction for those who may be susceptible.  I offer it here:

Behavior modification…nutrition education…haven’t we heard repeatedly that using these tools almost guarantees success when the goal is weight loss? It’s so obvious that once Healthy Eating Adventure participants learn about the amazing health benefits of a plant-based diet, the majority of them begin to take steps to “modify their behavior”. They add lots of fruits and vegetables to their daily menu, change the way they cook and eat, and are delighted with the feedback they receive from their bathroom scales. They enthusiastically embrace this healthy eating style and are off to the races.

However, according to my (very unscientific) observation, it seems possible that about 10% of any group of overweight individuals may have an addictive relationship with food…which makes weight loss a particularly challenging goal. Nutrition education alone simply doesn’t touch their addiction. These folks may have gained a head full of knowledge, but still battle a belly full of food.

Luckily, for people who suffer the pain of any addiction, there is almost always a 12 step program to help them address the problem. It turns out that Overeaters Anonymous has provided 15 yes/no questions to help folks determine if they are compulsive eaters.  The questions are similar–but not identical–to those that were assigned as homework.

1. Do you eat when you’re not hungry?
2. Do you go on eating binges for no apparent reason?
3. Do you have feelings of guilt and remorse after overeating?
4. Do you give too much time and thought to food?
5. Do you look forward with pleasure and anticipation to the time when you can eat alone?
6. Do you plan these secret binges ahead of time?
7. Do you eat sensibly before others and make up for it alone?
8. Is your weight affecting the way you live your life?
9. Have you tried to diet for a week (or longer), only to fall short of your goal?
10. Do you resent others telling you to “use a little willpower” to stop overeating?
11. Despite evidence to the contrary, have you continued to assert that you can “diet on your own” whenever you wish?
12. Do you crave to eat at a definite time, day or night, other than mealtime?
13. Do you eat to escape from worries or trouble?
14. Have you ever been treated for obesity or a food-related condition?
15. Does your eating behavior make you or others unhappy?

If you have answered “yes” to several of these questions and would like to check out a local Overeaters Anonymous meeting, call 928-782-1305 or 928-782-2808. Overeaters Anonymous has a Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. meeting in Yuma and also a Thursday noon meeting. During winter months (well, actually from October – May) there’s an additional meeting in the Foothills.  The Tuesday and Thursday meetings are held at the Central Church of Christ, 651 W. 28^th Street.  The Foothills meeting is held at Gloria de Christo Church Mondays at 1 p.m. (Please note:  the meetings do not have a religious affiliation.) Information can also be found at www.oa.org

Oh, what the *%@*!

Last evening at the Healthy Eating Adventure we read a thought-provoking report written by psychologist, Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD. It’s titled “The Three Huge Mistakes That Almost Everyone Makes When They Try to Lose Weight”. It’s an interesting enough article that I thought it was worth a review:

In a nutshell, Dr. Thompson—who studies the neuro science of weight loss– says those 3 mistakes are:

• Relying on Willpower
  • We have a very limited amount, she says, and unfortunately our willpower doesn’t perform properly when we’re very hungry and our blood sugar is low.
• Underestimating the Addictive Power of Refined Foods
  • Says, Dr. Thompson, “edible food-like substances made out of sugar and flour release an unnatural flood of dopamine that hijacks the pleasure centers in the brain and cause cravings”.
• Building in Exceptions
  • Dr. Thompson says that incorporating exceptions into the very structure of a food plan…or allowing for “cheat days”…keeps our taste buds from learning to prefer real, wholesome food

The result of not understanding these three mistakes, Dr. Thompson says, can result in the “what-the-hell-effect” (when I read those words last evening, I heard lots of giggles…but Dr. Thompson assures us that this is actually a technical term)!

She says that those of us who struggle with food might have noticed that it seems like we’re either on our plan or off our plan and there’s very little middle ground.  So, those of us who are afflicted by extremes in our eating, might ask, “What can we do about it”?

Certainly not everyone who attends the Healthy Eating Adventure has an addictive relationship with food but—if you think YOU may have—(and I count myself in that group) here are some suggestions that may help address the issue:

• Write down your planned menu for the day…and don’t deviate from it
• Read something inspirational daily…something that will encourage you to keep on track
• Chart your progress
• Journal.
• Check out a 12 step program such as Overeaters Anonymous for additional support. There are three meetings in Yuma.

You may also want to check out Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson’s program: Bright Line Eating: http://www.brightlineeating.com