How To Kick Your Sugar Addiction

Sugar!! Why can’t we quit you! Once we establish the habit of cutting sugar out our desire for it lessens because we’ll feel the benefits such as increased energy, better mood, healthier skin & teeth and healthier organs.

Here are some tips to help reduce your added sugar intake.

1. Baby Steps! Start slow by eliminating obvious sources such as sugar in your coffee or tea, candy, soft drinks and baked goods like muffins and cake.

2. Read labels! Many foods have naturally occurring sugars so it’s more important to check the ingredient list when looking for added sugar. There can be so many hidden sugars in the foods you never thought would have them. Added sugars have over 50 other names so look for ingredients that end in “ose” & “ol”.

3. Fill up on whole foods such as Vegetables, lean meats and poultry, fish, nuts/seeds, whole grains and don’t forget fruit for your sweet tooth.

4. Drink at least 64 oz of water Per day. It helps those sugar cravings that may actually be a sign of dehydration. Add lemons, limes or other citrus to jazz it up!

5. Pre-plan your meals! You’ll be able to avoid easy sugary snacks if you have nutritious choices on hand!

After some consistency, really pay attention to your body for your rewards. You will be amazed at how quickly you start to feel good and you may even shed a few pounds.

Once you make these changes please let me know how you do!

Hack: How Not To Deprive Yourself!

Living a healthier life doesn’t mean deprivation! Developing healthier habits begins with unlearning the cycle of constant yo-yo dieting.

Start with realistic goals that fit into your daily lifestyle. Constantly depriving ourselves of the foods we love, continually feeling hungry or even forcing ourselves to eat healthy things we don’t like is a recipe for failure. So, instead of deprivation let’s make a habit around moderation! Pick a formula that works for you. I’m comfortable myself with the 90/10 rule but most people use the 80/20 rule (Eating healthy 80% of the time and treating yourself 20% of the time)

With the nice weather coming & the ease of Covid lockdown restrictions you might find yourself in a social situation that could be quite challenging. Remember, moderation and variety will definitely help you stay on that path for a healthier life.

So, enjoy that pastry or bowl of pasta or even a delicious drink on a patio! 💕😊

How To Save Time With Your BBQ

If you’ve been reading a lot of my posts you know I am an advocate for preplanning!

Warm weather often means outdoor grill & bbq time! Using your barbeque is a quick and easy way to do a weeks worth of food prep in a short amount of time without heating up your kitchen. You can place everything at once on the grill eliminating the use of pots and pans. You’re probably going to turn the barbeque on anyway for at least one meal so you might as well take advantage and throw more on! Here are some extra tips!

While enjoying your morning coffee/tea in the sun pre-plan your weekly menu before heading to the grocery store.

Gather a variety of lean proteins such as chicken, fish, top sirloin or sirloin tip. When in the grocery store also choose a variety of vegetables. Root vegetables are especially delicious on the grill!

Don’t be afraid of throwing fruit on the bbq! My favourites are pineapple and peaches! Grilling fruit removes the water & breaks down fibres that result in the better delivery of minerals, vitamins, and phyto nutrients. Besides -the caramelizing is delicious!!

Use foil to wrap your fruits & vegetables for even easier cleanup!

Invest in meal containers to dish out your meals for Quick and easy storage.

Experiment With different recipes & marinades using healthy fats and seasonings to avoid “chicken resentment” 😂

Happy Grilling & Happy Sunday! ☀️🍹🥗

Did someone mention drinks on the patio?

Speaking of summer and tomatoes one of the favourite drinks of Canadians is a classic Caesar(in a week it’s actually National Caesar day) What’s great about this is that an 8 ounce glass is a fun way to get two servings of vegetables in! Throw in a couple celery stocks for garnish and take care of a third! And it’s also socially acceptable to have this at any time of day! 😂

Stick to low sodium ingredients when possible. Vodka is also optional! But if you’re watching your waist line keep in mind the cons of alcohol when losing weight!

Please excuse me, after writing this I’m going to have to go enjoy this out of my deck now! Have a great afternoon/evening! 💕

-8 ounces of Clamato juice or low sodium V-8 juice (jar not can for best results)

-2 dashes of low- sodium Worcestershire sauce

-1 dash of Tabasco (or more depending how spicy you’d like)

-celery sticks

-celery salt- optional (I know I said low sodium but what’s a Caesar without this!)

-a lime (cut one half & the other half make 2 wedges)

-black pepper

Some recipes will say shake up all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker then pour but I actually prefer the ingredients layered.

-Rub the edge of a glass with a lime wedge and dip the rim in celery salt and set aside

-Fill your glass with ice, add Clamato or V8 juice, add squeezed juice of half a lime, then Worcestershire, then Tabasco, pepper it up to preferred taste. Garnish with remaining lime wedge and Add celery stocks

-Enjoy

Tip: get creative with different vegetable garnishes & olives(healthy fat)

What are some of your favourites??