I just turned another year older and celebrated my wedding anniversary — the numbers are getting higher and are making me uncomfortable.  I hate to admit it, but this year, my birthday stung.  My bedside table is now covered with self help books, discussing the meaning of life, happiness, staying in the moment, what it all means, etc.  I find myself running from one thing to the next and never really enjoying the present.  Looking back, I also now realize that life is accelerating and time is racing past — and my kids are getting so big.  I am in desperate need of slowing down time. Motivated by the feeling that life is slipping away, I decided to create my Stay Young list.  It is a compilation of all the research studies I read everyday, the philosophical books I’ve read, the things that fulfill me, and my life’s lessons learned along the way.  I thought maybe other moms may be grappling with the same issues, so I thought I would share my list. If you feel the same way, I hope my list will help motivate you to slow down and create a list that works for you.

These activities are not in order of importance –

1. Simplify my life — drop any unnecessary commitments, say no, plan out the week

2. 20 minutes of quiet everyday — either meditate, listen to music, close eyes, read book

3. Wake up 15 minutes earlier and pray and meditate

4. Eat at least 5 servings of foods that help with blood flow everyday - these include the flavonoid containing foods, omega-3’s and monounsaturated fats

-berries, soy, garlic/onions, dark chocolate (10g), grape juice made with skin (Welch’s) or red wine 1 glass, olive oil 1 Tbsp, salmon or tuna, green tea…etc.

5. Yoga at least once a week

6. Swim twice a week (other days jog, spin and weights)

7. Play with kids for at least 20 minutes everyday

8. Write my husband a gratitude or love thought everyday and seal with perfume

This is what I am going to do to stay young — let me know if you have your own staying young list.

Tags: antiaging, baby fat diet, health, moms, nutrition, stay young, wellness

The Easter Bunny’s basket is full of heart healthy flavanols…well, as long as the basket is carrying chocolate.  A recent study, once again, showed that as little as a square of dark chocolate (about 7-10 g) can have a significant impact on your cardiovascular health.  In the study, 19,357 people between the ages of 35-65 were assessed.  Those who at an average of 7.5 g of chocolate per day over a ten year period had lower blood pressure and an estimated 39% lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke compared to those who ate the least amount of chocolate (average 1.7 g/day).  So, what’s the take away?  You can enjoy a moderate amount of dark chocolate (45%cocoa or more).  What is moderate? Keep it to no more than 20 g/day (about 85 calories).  That is half of a regular sized 40 g candy bar.  Help yourself to not overeat chocolate by either breaking the bar into pieces before you dig in or buy the individually wrapped squares of chocolate.  One of my favorites is the 60% cocoa Hershey’s Extra Dark Pomegranate - each square is 10 g and 43 calories.

Tags: baby fat diet, chocolate, dark chocolate, health, healthy eating, Hershey's, Hershey's Extra Dark, nutrition, weight loss

I just ran across and interesting study - taxing soda is estimated to help people drop 5 pounds a year.  At the University of North Carolina researchers looked at price, energy intake and weight and found that if the proposed 18% soda tax is implemented, people would consumer 56 fewer calories each day, which amounts to 5 pounds/year for young to middle-aged adults.  As the price of foods increase, the consumption of those foods decrease.  For now, New York has tabled the soda tax discussion.  However, it is interesting to note that soda had the largest price decline over a 20 year period, second to pizza. The price of a liter of soda went from $2.71 to $1.42, a staggering 48% decrease.  So, these foods are actually getting cheaper and (we already know) people are eating more.  Don’t fall prey to unhealthy choices because of cheaper prices — in the long run, it can end up costing you your waistline and health.  In my practice, one of the ways that I help my clients lose weight (and it is the easiest way to lose weight), is to have them cut down on their sugary drinks.  By cutting down your regular sodas by two 12 oz bottles a day - you can lose a whopping 29 pounds in one year!  Each 12 oz can has 140 calories.  Now, if you drink the 20 oz bottles, you can lose 54 pounds in one year.  It is really that easy — challenge yourself today to cut down by two.

Tags: baby fat diet, health, nutrition, soda, soda tax, weight loss

I am constantly trying to create and find healthy and quick recipes that my kids will eat between baseball games and gymnastics and basketball and dance…you get me.  Well, last night before baseball we created another winner that I want to share with you –

Turkey and Sweet Potato Tacos

Pre-cooked white turkey breast (or if you have the time, cook it yourself)

Sweet potatoes

Whole wheat/low fat tortillas

Start the sweet potatoes in the microwave — cook for 10 minutes or until they are soft.  Meanwhile, cut turkey into strips and heat (stick in microwave with the sweet potatoes for the last 3 minutes of cooking).  Put tortillas between two humid paper towels and heat for about 20 seconds, depending on your microwave.  Once everything is heated, cut open sweet potatoes and mash the insides with a fork (no skins). Then put the mashed sweet potato and cooked turkey in the tortilla.  Add a glass of low-fat or non-fat milk and you have a great meal.  My family loved it.

Tags: baby fat diet, health, healthy recipes, nutrition, weight loss

Do you reach for chocolate when you are stressed or overwhelmed? Your body might be trying to self medicate.  A study that published this past December shows chocolate might help decrease your body’s reaction to stress.  In the study, the participants were fed a dark chocolate bar (40 grams) for two weeks.  They found that cortisol (a stress hormone) was decreased.  You may have heard or seen the word “cortisol” recently — it is heavily covered by the media as a contributor to belly fat, headaches, cardiovascular health, blood sugar control, etc - all of the symptoms related to stress.  More research is needed to better understand the effects and if less chocolate will do the trick.   For now, we know that chocolate is a good thing, and bonus, it might help control the release of cortisol.  Here are some additional healthy ways to help deal with stress, the release of cortisol and the symptoms related to stress.

Eat foods that release the feel good hormone serotonin — eat your whole grains and fruit

Exercise, even if you only have 10 minutes — go for a walk, do some stretching, jump rope, shoot baskets with the kids, play chase and time yourself if you are short on time

Enjoy your chocolate in moderation – sit down, without distraction and truly savor a few squares of darker chocolate (at least 45% cocoa)

Practice deep breathing – when you inhale, fill your belly first, then your chest, then exhale and release the air from your chest first, then down to your belly

Find some favorite yoga poses – go to a yoga class regularly, if you do not have time, find some poses you like and do them throughout the day

Meditate – when you are stressed, practice your deep breathing and close your eyes for 10 minutes and focus on a beautiful scene.

Tags: baby fat diet, chocolate, health, nutrition, stress, Valentine's Day

This year the holidays came upon us fast. So, I had to find and create easy, delicious, (and kind of healthy)  candies and treats for our gatherings and gifts.  One treat in particular got great reviews, so I thought I would share it.  Also, you can feel okay about enjoying this treat – consider it a little healthy since it is made with dark chocolate, whole grains and has the option to add almonds and dried fruit. Plus, it will not add too many calories to your daily tab as long as you stick to two. 

Crunchy Yummies (my children named our creation)

Serving size = 2

Total time to prepare = 7 minutes

4 cups Kellogg’s Special K cereal (or any whole grain crunchy cereal)

1 lb dark chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla extract

red and green sprinkles

(optional almond slivers and/or dried cranberries, or other fruit)

Step 1. Melt all chocolate together in microwave. Start with one minute and stir 30 seconds to help chocolate continue to melt.  If the chocolate is not completely melted, then heat for another 15 seconds and stir for 30 seconds - continue this until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Be very careful not to overheat - the stirring will help the chocolate melt.

Step 2. Pour cereal, vanilla extract and melted chocolate into bowl and mix together

(optional - add almond slivers and/or dried cranberries or other fruit during this step)

Step 3. Drop spoonfuls on wax paper and add sprinkles

Step 4. Put in refrigerator for about 30 minutes and enjoy and share

Try it and tell us what you think.

Happy Holidays!!!!

Tags: baby fat diet, health, holiday treat, holiday treats, nutrition, weight loss

Have you ever stopped to think about how many processed foods you eat versus natural foods?  Most people rely on the convenience and availability of packaged and fast foods.  Think back to when there were not as many packaged foods and how people had to eat back then and how that impacted their health.  For starters, they were definitely thinner and more active since many worked and lived off of the land.  I read the other day that in the recent past we have moved from 50% of the population making their money off the land to now 2% of the population relying on the land for their livelihood.  (This may also explain why we have such issues with preserving and taking care of our earth and livestock.)  With all this in mind, I want you to challenge yourself to eat as they did back when convenience and packaged foods were not as readily available.  You may find that wholesome and natural foods are not that cumbersome and ultimately end up adding several to your diet and doing away with some of your processed staples.  So, here is the challenge - 1. Think about what you will eat today and replace two packaged foods with natural foods. For example, instead of eating a granola bar, energy bar or crackers for a snack eat about 1/4 cup of raw nuts (no roasting or salt added) and a piece of fruit. Some other great examples include switching - ready to eat breakfast cereals for oats, canned vegetables for frozen or fresh, white bread for whole wheat,  white rice for brown (try the brown Jasmine rice), whole wheat pasta for white, etc. (make sure to add a little more water and about 4 more minutes of cooking time to whole grain rice and pasta)

2. Continue to do this for a week.  Everyday think of the foods you will eat and try and switch two other foods to all natural, fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, raw nuts, bagged beans and lentils and whole grain carbs.

3. At the end of the week evaluate your changes and see what you can live with and continue to try and make changes to eat more natural and unprocessed foods.

4.  See if you can get down to no more than two processed and refined foods a day.

After your challenge, let us know the changes you made.

Tags: all natural, baby fat diet, health, healthy eating, weight loss

Now that school is in full swing you may be able to find some time during the day to squeeze in a good workout.  Or, if you still have little ones at home, the milder weather will make it easier to stay stroller fit.  Whatever your workout situation, research shows that drinking low-fat milk is a great post work-out aid.  This is not only great for you, but it’s great for the kids after their sporting events and practices.  Low-fat milk offers a combination of carbohydrates and protein that replenish energy and help to build muscle (and may help you lose body fat).  Additionally, milk helps with hydration by replenishing lost electrolytes and fluid.  In one small study low-fat chocolate milk helped endurance athletes recover quicker after an exercise session when compared to an energy drink.  In another small study, cyclists were able to cycle longer after drinking chocolate milk when compared to an energy drink.  And in another study, healthy, untrained subjects who drank fat free milk gained more muscle and lost more body fat after a 12 week training program than those who drank a soy protein or carbohydrate beverage.  These studies support the notion that “Milk Does the Body Good.”  If you are worried about hormones, choose Organic milk.  Try this — After your work-out, enjoy a cold glass of skim milk and feel free to add some Hershey’s syrup.  For the kids, toss a few boxes of Horizon reduced-fat chocolate milk in their sports or snack bags.  They are shelf stable and so will keep just fine.

Tags: baby fat diet, health, healthy, healthy eating, lose weight, low fat dairy, milk, weight loss

Gone are the lazy days of summer.  Here we are at the beginning of another school year and the rushing around from activity to activity will soon commence.  With the refreshing start of a routine will also come hectic schedules and new commitments.  It is important to keep up your energy in a healthful way.  Your kids will also need energy to learn as well as enjoy their friends and extra-curricular activities.  Here are some tips to give you and the kids an energy boost for this new school year –

1. Eat breakfast - make sure you and the kids start the day strong with whole grains, fruit and lean protein.  Here are a few easy breakfast ideas

- whole grain cereal with at least 5 grams fiber and low fat milk and a piece of fruit

-low fat yogurt with granola and berries, whole wheat toast with all natural peanut butter and 100% orange juice

2. Pack a healthy lunch - for yourself  and the kids. If your child enjoys eating the school’s food, let them pick school meals twice a week and pack their lunch the rest of the week.  Also, whether you are going into the office, staying at home or running errands, pack yourself a lunch at the same time to make sure you do not skimp on lunch.  Here are some great packed lunch ideas -

- All natural peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread, banana and mandarin oranges in jello (for a treat) and low-fat chocolate milk (they can buy the milk at school)

- low fat cheese and whole grain crackers (at least 2 grams fiber), fresh berries, almonds mixed with semisweet chocolate chips (for a treat) and low-fat milk

- whole wheat tortilla wrapped with all natural deli turkey and low fat cheese, baby carrots dipped in peanut butter (or almond butter or sun flower butter), an apple and low-fat milk

- canned tuna or salmon mixed with light mayo and slice of low-fat cheese on whole wheat bread or whole wheat crackers, sliced red and orange bell peppers, low fat yogurt and water

3. Sleep - make sure you and your children get at least 7 hours of sleep

4. Exercise - fit in exercise where you can. For example, wear your running shoes to your child’s practice and walk/jog around the field.

Tags: back to school, energy, health, healthy eating, nutrition, weight loss

I live in Texas, where a 10 ounce or larger steak a few times a week is cultural.  We love our steaks in Texas, especially grilled steaks!  You can imagine how well my advice to have a one-3 ounce serving of steak a week is accepted here.  For most of the men I know the advice goes against being a true “Texan.”  Fortunately, my husband does not define his “Texan-hood” by the food that he eats, or we would be in big trouble since I rule the kitchen in our house. Now, there has always been support for limiting the amount of red meat eaten because of the saturated fat, cholesterol as well as the possible carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds) created by cooking meat at high temperatures (like grilling).  A new study now adds even more support for the advice we give on an almost daily basis — a large-scale study by the National Cancer Institute found that people who eat the most red meat and processed meat have a higher risk of death.  (News that will most certainly disappoint many of my neighbors and clients.)  The study reported about a 30% increase in risk of death from heart disease and cancer among those that ate the equivalent of a quarter-pound hamburger a day when compared to those who ate less than 5 ounces in a week (3 ounces is considered a reasonable serving).  This could be due to carcinogens that are created during high temperature cooking and the saturated fat and cholesterol.  They also found that “white meat”, i.e. chicken, turkey and fish did not increase risk and those who ate the most had slightly lower risk of dying than those who at the least. The main message from this study is that moderation is key — people need to decrease the amount of red meat and processed meats in their diet.  Eating a serving (3 ounces up to 5 ounces if you must) of red meat once a week is reasonable and can be part of a healthy diet.  Here is some advice for decreasing the health risk associated with eating red meat -

Buy lean cuts of beef that have the words “round” or “sirloin.”

For pork buy the loin cuts.

Select the “choice” and “select” grades for less fat marbling.

Before grilling your meats marinate with  beer or wine - it may help cut down the cancer-causing compounds created during high temperature cooking.

Tags: baby fat diet, cancer, health, healthy eating, heart disease, red meat, weight loss