Words of Wisdom For This Week’s Recipes:

sherylwestestg on March 8, 2016

The biggest problem that families have is not preparing a weekly menu in advance. Failing to plan is planning to fail. So it is essential to shop in advance for everything you will need for the week. If necessary, buy new Tupperware containers and make sure that the produce that you buy is kept fresh.  I always start off the week by making a turkey loaf on a Sunday night, and basting with BBQ sauce on Monday before heating it up.  In our busy lives, people get home late and if they are totally unprepared they will have no option but to order in food that will not be nutritious, will have much more calories and sodium.  Ordering in does not allow for the necessary allotments of vegetables, carbs and protein. Eating at home, whilst you are trying to lose or maintain weight, is a better option.  In our social society it is impossible to avoid out and as I have always said.  If you are going out to dinner and are hungry, eat something ahead of time.  This will prevent you from demolishing the bread basket.

 

Grocery List for the week (The items on this list are suggestions. Please check each menu to ensure that that you the right ingredients)

 

Fresh Produce:

  •        Brussel Sprouts
  •        Asparagus
  •        Corn
  •        Spinach
  •        Sweet Potatoes / Regular Potatoes
  •        Squash
  •        Zucchini
  •        Field Greens and Butter Lettuce
  •        Lemons
  •        Onions
  •        Tomatoes
  •        Cucumber
  •        Portobello Mushrooms
  •        Small white mushrooms
  •        Red, Green, and yellow peppers (mini-peppers can also be used, remove to cut in ½ and remove seeds)
  •        Fennel and Leeks if you are going to make the parchment / foil  Salmon

REMEMBER YOUR VEGETTI: PERFECT DELICIOUS PASTA WITHOUT THE CARBS

Meat Options:

  •        Chicken Thighs
  •        Turkey Meat
  •        Pork Tenderloin
  •        Salmon
  •        Tilapia

Condiments and Other Ingredients: Bulger Wheat, Ketchup, Lipton Onion Soup Mix, TJ BBQ Rub, I enjoy the Sweet Chili Sauce from Trader Joes. If you desire more exotic spices go to Penzie’s Spices, next to Trader Joes. They will allow you to taste.

 

Be sure to check out our recipes this week for these quick easy meals.

http://swoldsite.wpenginepowered.com/healthy-recipes/

Heart Knowledge

sherylwestestg on March 3, 2016

A heart attack results from a blockage in the flow of blood to the heart, causing heart cells to die. There are many causes, such as smoking, inactivity and a diet high in calories, sodium and saturated fats. Heart attacks are a leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, and there are several ways to quicken your path to a heart attack.

Note that for optimum heart health an adult’s daily diet should consists of roughly 2,000 calories, fewer than 1,500 milligrams of sodium, fewer than 16 grams of saturated fat and fewer than 300 milligrams of cholesterol. Don’t be discouraged by nutrition labels. Foods boasting of zero trans-fat still might be loaded with saturated fats, so you might still be in luck. Also, these labels display information about one serving size, and the container might have several servings. So you might have the opportunity to double, triple or even quadruple those numbers.

Make Your Own Almond Milk in 2 Minutes Flat!

sherylwestestg on February 29, 2016

Almond Milk in 2 Minutes

Almond Milk in 2 Minutes

In my perpetual quest to for the cleanest, most natural eating and lifestyle, I’m always looking for the next step to take to go even further, even healthier, even deeper.  I went dairy-free several years ago, and haven’t really missed it.  Organic almond milk and coconut milk are daily staples in our house, and I can’t even imagine ever drinking real milk again!

Of course, as with everything, even this transition can come with its own challenges.  Store-bought nut milks have come a long way, but even the best of them have additives that, though still better than what you’ll find in conventional dairy milk, leave a little something to be desired.  Two ingredients are particularly problematic: cane syrup and carrageenan. Cane syrup, which is really no better than sugar, is something I avoid as much possible, and advise my clients to do the same. Sugar is super inflammatory, wreaks havoc on our hormones and digestion, as well as our waistlines, and can contribute to candida overgrowth, skin breakouts and PMS. Carrageenan is a common food additive that is derived from red seaweed, which acts as a thickener and emulsifier in milks, dairy foods, and many “health foods.”  Like sugar, carrageenan is highly inflammatory to the body, and has been linked to many digestive issues, and can even trigger IBS or gluten intolerance.

So, in my continued effort to practice what I preach, I’ve decided to switch over 100% to homemade nut milks!  And guess what, it’s so easy and awesome to do, that you can make this fun and mega healthy switch yourself too!  You’ll save lots of money, and feel super good that you’re making the healthiest choice for yourself and your family.

There are tons of almond milk recipe variations out there, but as with most things, I prefer the simplest approach.  This yields a super creamy and rich milk that has just a touch of sweetness.  Just soak your almonds in water the night before, and take two minutes to make fresh almond milk in the morning!

 

Almond Milk in 2 minutes

2 cups raw almonds

4 cups filtered water

2 dates, pitted

A pinch of Himalayan sea salt

1 tbsp raw organic coconut oil

(Optional) 1/4 tsp organic vanilla extract

 

Directions:

STEP 1: Soak almonds (right in your blender!) overnight in fresh, cool water.  Make sure to cover your almonds with at least 2 inches of water.

STEP 2: Rinse your soaked almonds well.

STEP 3: Combine almonds with 4 cups of filtered water in your blender. The optimal water to almond ratio is 2:1, so if you want to make more or less milk, you can adjust your amounts accordingly.  Add dates, coconut oil, vanilla extract (if you’re using it) and a pinch of sea salt.  Blend on high for about a minute, or until smooth.

STEP 4: Using a cheesecloth or a nut milk bag, strain your milk.

STEP 5: Enjoy!  Your nut milk will keep in your fridge for about a week.

Now you can enjoy fresh almond milk whenever you want it, with no additives, and no drama.

How to Make Your Coffee Habit Work For You!

sherylwestestg on February 26, 2016

Coffee Habit

Coffee Habit

It’s no secret that coffee is one controversial little beverage.  About 98% of my clients come to me with a pretty serious coffee habit, and of those over 3/4 are bona-fied addicted.

Caffeine is a highly addictive substance that can contribute to a whole host of health problems when consumed in excess (over 1 cup a day).  The most severe of these concerns include:

Disrupted absorption of key vitamins and minerals

Increased risk of miscarriage and low-weight baby if consumed by pregnant women

Heart disease

High cholesterol

Anxiety

Rheumatoid arthritis

Gastrointestinal issues

Adrenal fatigue

Insomnia

Stress

Chronic inflammation

Weight gain

Basically, when you drink coffee, the neurons in your brain start firing uncontrollably.  This, in turn, causes your adrenals to produce adrenalin, which is what gives you that rush of energy.  Adrenalin is what puts your body and mind into a “fight or flight” mode — essentially, the biological equivalent of being chased by a bear.  This may help you power through your morning meetings, but it is certainly not doing your body any favors.  Not only are you more likely to experience higher stress levels, anxiety, and poor sleep, but you are also setting yourself up for inevitable withdrawal symptoms in the afternoon.

All of this equals a pretty intense roller coaster to put your body through!  And I promise you, in the long run, it’s totally not worth the short-lived boost of energy.

But fret not! Unless you’re pregnant, have anxiety, or suffer from chronic fatigue or sleep issues, you don’t need to get off the coffee completely! By following the steps below, you can make coffee work for you, and not against you, and you can take full advantage of it’s benefits (like decreased risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia and lower risk of stroke).

 

Step One: Break the Addiction

This means weaning yourself down to the point where you can take a couple days off of coffee altogether and not experience any withdrawal symptoms.  It’s the addiction to caffeine that causes the biggest problems for your adrenals, stress, fatigue, and anxiety levels, so breaking the addiction is key.  To do this:

Gradually replace 1 cup a day with black tea, then green tea, then herbal tea.

Gradually get yourself down to one cup a day

Skip a day a few times a week

Like magic, your addiction will be broken!  But as with any other, breaking an addiction takes time.  So be patient with yourself and take it one week at a time! I’ve had clients break a coffee addiction in one week, and others that have taken months.  Depending on the severity of your addiction, this step may take longer.

 

Step Two: Time Your Coffee Right

Once you’re down to one cup a day, the key is to have that cup at the right time of day.  Drinking that venti on an empty stomach on your way to work is disastrous for your digestive system, your pH levels, and your adrenals.  So make sure you sip your coffee with or after a meal (preferably breakfast) and not on an empty stomach.

To counteract the sleep disturbing effects of caffeine, make sure to switch to herbal tea after 3pm!  This gives the caffeine enough time to get out of your system, so you can sleep like a champ at night.

 

Step Three: Dress Up Your Coffee Like a Pro

What you put in your coffee can make it or break it in terms of the health benefit to harm ratio.  Here’s how:

Add coconut oil:  Have you heard of this new trend?  Well it’s pretty amazing and grounded solidly in nutritional wisdom.  Coconut oil helps to slow down the jittery adrenal effect of coffee, and maximizes the clean, healthy energy you get from your morning cup.  But here’s what’s even cooler! By giving your body a dose of healthy fats, you unlock your own fat burning potential and speed up your metabolism.  This means less cravings, and more healthy weight loss! Add 1-2 tbsp of virgin organic coconut oil to your morning cup and stir or blend.

Use non-dairy milk: Adding dairy milk to your coffee increases your risk of cancer, and exposes you to harmful hormones and antibiotics, which messes with everything.  The best part is, there’s a non-dairy milk for everyone! If you like skim, try organic rice milk, which is the lightest of the bunch.  Into 1%? Go for organic almond milk.  Love 2% or cream?  Shoot for organic coconut milk, which is the thickest and creamiest of the lot.  Just steer clear of soy milk whenever possible, since the estrogenic effect can be harmful.

Sweeten smartly: Adding sugar to caffeine is like sprinkling some crack on top of speed.  Both are super addictive, and both wreak havoc on your body.   Artificial sweeteners like Splenda and NutraSweet are even worse!  If you like your coffee sweet, try stevia or agave instead.

Food For Thought A Year’s Worth Of Sabotage

sherylwestestg on January 18, 2016

PLAN AROUND THE CALENDAR

Let’s face it. Monday is the universally accepted day to start a diet. Unless it’s of course January 1st falls on any other day of the week, and then we’ll start there. Some people will even attempt to give themselves. A birthday present of beginning their weight loss program on their birthday. But when it comes to finding the right day on the calendar, that day could be today.

Every month has the day that will sabotage your good intentions

  • January – super bowl parties
  • February – Valentines Day
  • March – St. Patrick’s Day and Girl Scout Cookies
  • April – Easter/Passover
  • May – Mother’s Day/Memorial Day/Cinco de Mayo
  • June – Father’s Day
  • July – 4th of July
  • August – Summer Vacation
  • September – Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year)
  • October – Halloween
  • November – Thanksgiving
  • December – Christmas & Chanukah

In addition to these hallmark holidays, there are birthday parties, anniversaries weddings, engagements, baby showers, bridal showers, bar/batmitzvahs, tailgating, business lunches/dinners, christenings and confirmations – which are all celebrated with food. You must remember that every day does not have to be celebrated with food. Remember that the days you can be good outnumber the days where you can cheat a little. If you budget your days wisely, you can stay on the program. Even if you slip a little, you will still lose weight and have a good time.

SO IT’S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMETHING. A GOOD DECISION TO START NOW.

Leap into 2016

sherylwestestg on January 12, 2016

Well the new year has started. For all of you who have made serious commitments to change old patterns and old habits, I sincerely hope that you are on the right track.

January is usually a month that everyone hits the gym. In addition to finding the new perfect diet or fad. All it is, is wishful thinking and wasted suffering. The best chance you will have is to find a plan that will give you structure. Doing it alone is very difficult, that is why having a weight loss coach who you are accountable to, is a great way to start.

To find a sensible plan that you will be able to adhere to. Not a good idea to put so much pressure on yourself. Saying I need to loose this very quickly, otherwise you will get discouraged and lose motivation. One has to realize that the weight did not come on overnight and you cannot expect it to disappear overnight. The one thing you have to have is PATIENCE. Time goes by very quickly and if one continues eating the right foods and portions , you will lose weight.

THERE ARE TWO MUSCLES
Your giving in muscle and your resistance muscle. Every time you give in, the probability of continuing doing it will most certainly lower your changes of change and success. If you resist on a consistent basis, your mind will be more programmed to think through. You will be less likely to act impulsively. The more you resist temptation it becomes the new normal. Losing weight is not ROCKET SCIENCE. It is all about discipline , making good choices, watching portions, drinking less alcohol, watching your sodium intake and to try to stay away from snack foods, sodas etc. They all have empty calories and usually one is to many and a 100 not enough. Exercising and drinking a lot of water has to be incorporated into the plan.

So with having this information , this is your recipe to success. Losing weight becomes a high, and the more you loose, and the lighter you feel
the more you want to achieve success.

NOBODY ON THIS PLANET CAN BUY THIN. Losing weight is the most sobering experience. Nobody is the “chosen one”.

I hope that everyone who reads this, will have a better understanding and a more realistic approach.

ALL THE VERY BEST FOR A SLIM AND HEALTHY 2016.

WHAT IS HANUKKAH ALL ABOUT

sherylwestestg on December 9, 2015

So Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and eight nights. It commemorates the re dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.E.C.

With every holiday all of the world and with all religions it is celebrated with food.

Some tips on what to eat and what not to eat

Latkes. Trader Joes make the very best Latkes. They are frozen, so best is to put them in a high oven on a cookie sheet or a wire rack makes it crisper. Is is usually eaten with apple sauce and sour cream.  So another trick buy ready made apple sauce and fat free sour cream.  If you want to go the extra mile make your own apple sauce, it will be a much thicker consistency. So bottom line, 2 latkes with apple sauce and sour cream is roughly about 150 calories.  If you fry them, your house will smell for days, in addition to piling on the calories. Honestly the baked ones taste better and their is not guilt or weight gain.

Also it is traditional to have “sufganiyot” (jelly filled donuts).  That is a hard recipe to lower the calorie content.  My best suggestion is that you buy Miss Meringues (available at Trader Joes, Publix,Whole foods) they are 25 calories a piece.  Sandwich then together with Cool Whip and strawberries. Its not donuts but a much better option for a slimming, healthier festive Hanukkah holiday.

If you are making a special festive holiday meal.  A hearty chicken soup is always a good option. Especially in the cold weather.  Making a chicken, turkey or fish main course will also be a lot lower in calories.  If you do happen to make a brisket, just make sure you cut off all the fat.  Once again sides do not have to be kugels. What about baked sweet potato fries.  (Also available at Trader Joes). Just make sure you do not go over the serving portion.  Lots of colorful grilled vegetables. Such as asparagus, Look at my pinterst recipe for the best broccoli of your life)  Colorful peppers and roast little tomatoes in basil, with a little olive oil, or just olive oil spray.

This way you really get best of both worlds.  Delicious traditional foods, tweaked to make it healthier for all.

Happy holidays.
SHERYL

Strategies to eat well this holiday season

sherylwestestg on December 7, 2015

1.  Holiday foods gifts are meant to be shared – take to the office or the neighborhood fire station
2.  Be prepared before you go to a party ‘ have a light snack prior to the event. Have a cup or two of homemade “free” vegetable soup. Boiled eggs (one with yolk the others whites only.  2 rice cakes with a triangle of laughing cow lite cheese.  It spreads well.  1 veggie burger. a can of tuna, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, mixed with cut up vegetables.
3.  Focus on vegetables throughout the day and watch your fruits.  (As you will be drinking them later)
4.  I love the Vidalia Chop Wizard available at Bed bath and beyond) Start off with chopping jicama, (available at whole foods, markets and now is already pre cut at Trader Joes. Chop cucumbers, red/yellow/orange peppers, carrots, radishes and red onion.   It is colorful and looks delicious.  Good presentation will make it much more appealing. Trader Joes has a tomato basil hummus which is delicious mixed with the vegetables. Just 4 teaspoons to give it some flavor or add some of your favorite salsa.
5.  Convenience stores have some healthy options , If that’s all that is available before the party. A banana/apple /protein bar/pickle.
6.  Drink a glass of water before and between all alcoholic drinks. Sparkling water & a slice of lemon or lime.
7.  A new idea – dried seaweed, its an acquired taste, (is available at most supermarkets) It makes a good salty snack. (it is low sodium)
8.  Mixed crudité with hearts of palm or artichokes. and 1 boiled egg
Just remember excess alcohol and salty food will leave you feeling unpleasant the next day. You know what it feels like – plan differently this year before you start the drinking/eating season.

How to maintain your weight through the holidays

sherylwestestg on December 3, 2015

December is a month for celebrating. Holiday cocktail parties, family gatherings, exchanging gifts with friends, family and business associates. Special New Year-dinners, they all are part of the holiday season.

While the chances of losing weight during the holiday season are probably slim, it is possible to maintain.

How does this work: If one decides to have a pig out/bindge one day. Just treat it like a carpet stain. You need to take care of it immediately. The chances are, if you get back to your normal healthy habits the next day, you can definitely recycle the gain. Don’t think “Well, I have blown it so now I may as well enjoy what is left of the holidays, eating and drinking whatever I want. Instead you need to tell yourself the opposite. One day I can recover from, a whole lot of back to back days I cannot. Try the no “lick and schmick” technique. (no little bites, licks and tastes) they all add up. One cannot just rely on exercising it off. That will not happen. Remember the 80/20 rule. Exercise is 20%, eating is 80%. So bottom line is that a little planning and moderation will go a long way in helping you enjoy the holidays, and yes it is absolutely delicious, have a little. Just stop at that.

It does not need to be a party in your mouth every day.