UnDiet...Week Three

Good Morning, UnDieters!


As of this morning, you are eating your apple a day and have sneakily trimmed some fat from your diet (and soon, your hips). Now it's time to get serious about fibre. The average Canadian only consumes about 14 grams of fibre a day, which is a far cry from the 25 to 38 grams recommended for better health. 


"Fibre, blah blah blah...." you say. "I have no issues in the 'going' department, so I must be fine when it comes to fibre" you say. 


Sure, staying "regular" is a key benefit of getting enough fibre but the benefits of roughage go way beyond logging bathroom time. Fibre ensures that the waste your body produces moves on out quickly, minimizing the amount of time you are exposed to potential toxins in your waste. That is why fibre is a key component to detoxification. 


On the way through your gut, fibre also grabs on to a few things you may not want sticking around. Like cholesterol. And fats. Fibre also helps to physically stretch your stomach and slow down the rate that your stomach empties, making you feel full and satisfied. Fibre helps delay the release of sugars into your bloodstream, helping keep blood sugars on an even keel to keep you energized and make weight loss easier to achieve.


So I am going to give you a trick to boosting your fibre intake. Get to know All Bran Buds with Psyllium. This dietitian's secret weapon delivers 11 grams of fiber in an 80 calorie, 1/3 cup serving along with a hefty dose of iron, magnesium and thiamin, a B vitamin. You can toss the buds on your favourite breakfast cereal, stir them into yogurt (or on ice cream....just not everyday please!) or hide them in a smoothie. No massive diet change required. Just a simple addition.


Check out the ingredients and nutrition facts for All Bran cereal. Looking for an organic option? Nature's Path Smart Bran is great...Gluten Free? I've got you covered...meet Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax

To your health!
Desiree


PS...I should mention that whenever I feature a product on my blog...it is NOT solicited by the company who makes the product. I will never feature any product I would not use myself and if ever a company asks me to feature something I already adore, I will be sure to be up front about it.

UnDiet...Week Two

Hello UnDieters! 


It's week two...still eating your apples? Good. Now it's time to build another healthy habit into your diet. The strategy this week: switch to skim!


I am all about cutting out calories and fat where they don't really matter so you can indulge when they do ( Hello, cheese plate! ). So this week, if you aren't already drinking skim milk, it's time to make the switch! If skim seems too drastic a change, take a single step down on the milk fat going from homo to 2%, 2% to 1% and then 1% to skim. Why bother? Each glass of skim milk saves you 41 calories and 5 grams of fat. Doesn't seem impressive until you do that for a full year and save yourself 14,965 calories which equals a potential weight loss of 4.2 pounds. Without cutting back on portions! In addition, milk fat is a source of dioxins, which is a major dietary toxin. Skim the fat, remove the dioxins. And all you did was switch your milks. 


Already drink skim milk or a vegetarian alternative? Make sure you get a glass a day, you healthy vixen you. 


Keep with it, UnDieters...although it may feel like you aren't doing anything, that's the point! The weeks will build and you are making over your diet for good. And since rewards are always fun, look for giveaways for UnDieters...coming soon!!

New Year...New You!

It’s resolution time again…whether your goal for the New Year is to lose weight, learn to sail or finally get that promotion, your body is the vehicle for all of your ambitions. So how are you fueling that body? Busy lives can leave nutrition on the back burner, as we mistakenly think that any food that fills our belly will help us get to the finish line. If you find yourself constantly relying on takeout and “instant” meals, soon you’ll be running on empty. Good food is the foundation of good health and a healthy body has the energy to help you achieve all that you want out of life.


I am all about the UnDiet...so much so that I created a special 10 week plan for Choices Markets, where I am the Nutrition Operations Manager when I am not at home with a little bambino! You can check out the Choices Markets "New Year, New You!" Program on their Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/ChoicesMarkets where each week you will view a new challenge. It is a great plan to get a jump start on the New Year (if I do say so myself)...and then continue you can continue the success each week back here on my blog with a full year of UnDiet!

To help you reach your goals, Choices Nutrition Team is offering informative seminars throughout the month of January and personalized nutrition consultations by donation in Vancouver, White Rock and Kelowna. Look for more helpful resources in store and at www.choicesmarket.com/nutrition.

Eat Drink...Be Local!

We talk a lot about local food here in Vancouver...but when it comes to eating, it is far more fun to use your mouth to actually eat! I am a proud East Van girl and 5 East Vancouver restaurants have collaborated to celebrate all that is great about eating and drinking in our hood...it's called Eat Drink Local Week! 

Between January 9 & 12 and again between January 16 & 19, for just $20 you can get a entree and a drink at Boneta, The Diamond, Cork & Fin, Two Chefs and a Table or Au Petit Chavignol. A thank you to Au Petit Chavignol and Boneta for vegetarian options (Wild Mushroom Mac & Cheese at Au Petit Chavignol? YES!!!)

Go have fun...go local!

Learn more at http://www.eatdrinklocalweek.com/ 

The UnDiet...Week One

Apples from my grandparent's trees

Good Morning and welcome to the UnDiet. 




No pills, powders or complex philosophies. Just one year, 52 simple changes and one healthier, more vibrant (and maybe tinier) you. 




This week's goal is "An apple a day". It really can keep the doctor away. So go buy 7 of your favourite apples and eat one every single day. That's it. I told you it would be easy.




Why apples? They are inexpensive, a local food for many of us and far overlooked in the nutrition department. A good source of fibre with plenty of antioxidants, they are an easy and delicious way to boost your defenses. You may eat the apple anyway you want as long as you consume the whole thing, so no peeling or just eating half. It would probably be better if you didn't bake it into a cake...but you're the boss.


If you like apples, keep eating one apple every day this month or even this year. Display your weekly apple supply in a nice fruit bowl on your counter as a reminder of your commitment to your health. Like all of the goals, the idea is to build goal upon goal so by December 31st you will have completely remade your diet one day at a time.


Learn more about BC apples at http://www.bctree.com/health/nutrition/apple-nutrition 


Now go back to sleep....Happy New Year!
Desiree