What shall I have to drink?

As summertime approaches – BBQ’s, outdoor events etc, how can we sip away(alcohol) and not pile on the calories? So here are a few suggestions. Decide what you’re in the mood for – wine, beer, liquor? If wine - maybe add soda water/seltzer/diet sprite..even couple of ice cubes; if beer - choose the low cal/lite ones; with liquor it’s your mixers that are the main culprit – avoid fruit juices/sugared sodas – choose soda water/mix with a little juice for flavor/add slices of fruit. If you must have a sugared mixer fill your glass up with lots of ice so your have less, and let the ice melt a little. Try and stick to clear liquors.
Alternate an alcoholic drink with low cal non-alcoholic one/water. Try not to drink through a straw – you’ll drink it in no time! Always good too – before you go/as soon as you get there - drink a glass of water; often we guzzle an alcoholic drink because we’re thirsty – not so good it of goes straight to your head! Maybe sip more slowly, taste it...and enjoy!
Any other ideas out there for sharing?

Sick of the word ‘diet’?

If you go on Twitter /TweetDeck and put in a column for ‘dieting’ – there are tweets every few seconds on how people are dieting, or not, or can’t face it, or it’s not working, or they don’t know how to start. STOP!!!

Dieting to many now means deprivation, constant cravings and hunger, a limited list of foods!

Any success begins with the mind. There needs to be a shift in your ‘mindset’ about food. Learning how food can fuel your body, lessen your risk of illness and disease, give you more energy, reduced cravings and hunger, clearer skin, better sleep, better healing...and improved attitude and moods! This will give you the freedom again to enjoy food – all foods, and to eat, eat often and eat volume!

Whatever you call it – it can’t be short-term change;- its got to be a sustainable food plan for life! Literally!

***What are you doing to get a healthy eating plan for life?***

You may be interested in my published article ‘Food - Is it Fueling Or Failing You?’ http://EzineArticles.com/?id=3977223

Are you 'skinny fat'?

Did anyone see the Today Show this morning? It revisited a woman who they called ‘Skinny Fat’. She was normal weight and size yet her BMI (Body Mass index) – was 27%. This meant that the amount of fat inside her body was putting her at risk to the obesity related illnesses, ie metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, inflammation of her organs. To be healthy she needed to get her BMI under 25%. She made small changes that had a huge impact:- changed her diet – whole grains, more veges, moved more(not outrageous exercise). In 8 weeks she dropped to 22% and felt so much better – more core strength, energized, more stamina…more healthy!
This is my point exactly for ‘Naked in the Mirror’ – rethinking what you eat and getting real with yourself so that you can live your best life! Do you know your BMI? Mine is 18. Any doctors, gym etc will do it for you free…just ask.

So how’z about you?

So tell me about you. What do you do to assess yourself…your weight…your shape etc? What works for you..or what frustrates you? What have you heard that works for others?
What about the food you eat: - How would you rate your knowledge? What percentage of your food do you think is fueling you? What percentage failing you? How can you tell? How are your energy levels, your sleep, your skin, your moods? Do you get colds/flu often, or other ailments? And what about cravings? Are they bad? Can you control them?
Let’s get it all out there – then we can begin to address these things and change them!

Why 'Naked In the Mirror'?

Every morning when I get up, I turn sideways in front of the mirror and assess my stomach; how is it today? How am I doing overall? This is my quick assessment or check-in for me. My stomach is where I first notice any slight change in weight. Like most, my weight fluctuates over time for a multitude of reasons. But there was a time when I put on a lot of weight. I mean, lets face it – we’re all human and most of us love to eat. Food is a wonderful thing. And there are temptations everywhere. But, after much research, I now have the 'food mindset' for life, enabling me to be the healthiest and slimmest I have ever been! This is what I want to share.
Being naked in the mirror is not that comfortable for many of us. But this is about being honest with yourself, being aware - really aware - of what your are eating, whether it is fueling or failing you, and waking up to your real health!