The Secret to Controlling Your Cravings

At least once a week I have a conversation with someone who wants to know what they should be drinking if they don’t like the taste of water and my answer is always the same…drink more water.  This is usually how the conversation goes…

Them: I don’t like the taste of water, what can I drink instead?

Me: More water.

Them: I just said I don’t like water that’s why I’m asking you what else I should drink.

Me: Yes, I know you think you don’t like water that’s why I’m telling you to drink more water.

Them: You don’t understand what I’m saying, I don’t like water!

Me: No you don’t understand what I’m saying.  The more water you drink, the more your body will actually crave water. 

And on and on this conversation will go turning into a bad Abbot and Costello routine until they finally get the message that there is no substitute for water.  It may take a week of adding fresh squeezed lemons, sliced fruit or you could even do the spa thing and add sliced cucumbers but find something that flavors the water until this “craving water” process takes place.

My favorite part of this conversation usually happens about 2 weeks later when they quietly admit that I was right and they are now enjoying water more.  I then tell them that it’s not “me” that’s right as I’m just the messenger, it’s their body that is right and is now craving what it wants and needs to survive. 

I feel the same way about healthy foods and have that conversation with clients, friends and family almost daily.  The conversation is text book and goes the same way… “I don’t like the healthy food, I don’t like salads, I’m sick of eating chicken, I like fried foods, I can’t go without sugar, I crave carbohydrates like chips, cookies, pasta, bread etc….”

Here is the basic principal that will give you the secret and therefore the power in controlling your cravings…Your body will crave and desire what you continually feed it.  If you feed it salty, sugary fatty foods that’s what it knows, and that's what it craves. 

The same is true if you feed it nutritionally packed, loaded with nutrients, bursting with vitamins and antioxidants foods as these will be the foods your body knows and therefore what it craves!     

Consuming high levels of sugar, fat and salt will actually trigger a chemical that stimulates the pleasure area of your brain.  The more you eat these kinds of foods the more you enjoy them and the more you will crave them.  Consuming these foods literally becomes an addiction and like any other addiction you believe you can’t live without it.  Unfortunately like any other addiction you also need to consume more to get that "high" which is why this country is suffering with such an obesity epidemic...we are literally addicted to food!   And what's worse, the more we eat the more we want and so the destructive cycle continues.

As stated earlier with the basic principle, if you crave what you continually consume then it is possible to crave healthier foods…this I know for sure as I am a prime example of this phenomenon.  I used to crave all the junk food and consumed a lot of it, I felt the addiction.  I am happy to say I now crave nutritionally packed foods because I feel energized and happy when I eat them vs. lethargic and miserable when I ate the junk. 

Personally I hear “You have so much willpower” or “it wouldn’t kill you to just eat a burger and fries once in a while” oh the remarks get better but you get the point.  What I try to explain to them is I don’t crave those sugary fatty foods anymore because I’ve replaced them with healthier versions and that’s what my body craves. 

I love eating my homemade turkey burgers and baked fries.  I enjoy a big plate of my homemade spaghetti sauce over spaghetti squash.  I like a big salad loaded with vegetables, lean protein and a balsamic vinaigrette on the side.  That’s what my body craves because that’s what I feed it.  I don’t crave sugar at all anymore as I beat the addiction years ago.  I literally had a candy drawer and if I could see the bottom I started to panic and refilled it immediately.

There are two ways to beat food addiction, you can go cold turkey and eliminate all processed foods, fast foods, saturated fats, sugars etc…or you can slowly start replacing these foods with healthier options.  There is no right or wrong way in my opinion as I believe it is all based on your personality and what you are mentally and physically ready for. 

Either option you choose I will tell you like any other addiction you will have withdrawal symptoms such as cravings, headaches, sadness, anger, irritability and these are completely normal.  Not fun, but normal.  Your body is literally detoxifying and eliminating all of the chemicals, sugar and junk out of your system.  As I said not enjoyable, but absolutely necessary.

There is an amazing reward for putting yourself through this process as you’ll experience unbelievable energy (no more 3:00pm slump), weight loss (bonus!), increased confidence (look out world!), reduced stress levels (seriously that alone is worth the effort), decreased risk of disease (you won’t miss all those doctor appointments I promise), increased immunity (bye sickness), improved sleep (blissful rest) and the list just goes on and on.

I’m challenging you for one week to consume ½ your body weight in water plus more if you exercise.  Meaning if you weigh 150 pounds you will need to consume 75oz. of water plus more with exercise. 

I’m also challenging you to eliminate processed foods, fried foods, sugary foods, fat laden foods, any foods that do not have a nutritional value to them.  Replace them with natural food, foods that don’t have labels like produce, lean meats, whole grains and watch the magic take place.

As I said earlier if you feel you are not ready to eliminate completely I challenge you to replace a few unhealthy choices with healthier options.  If you can’t give up your chips, choose the baked ones.  If you can’t give up your whopper burger, choose the Jr. one. (I can’t even believe I just wrote that!)  My point is you can wean yourself slowly off of these toxic foods until your body no longer craves them. 

If there is one thing I’ve learned over the years of being a fitness trainer and weight management specialist is that people go about change in many different ways.  To be successful with a life change you must do what fits into your lifestyle.  Small changes become habits and if continually executed those habits become a lifestyle change.   Leading a healthy lifestyle not only adds years to your life, it adds quality to your life.      

However you get there you owe it to yourself to be the best you can be!  It’s worth it.  You are worth it.  The biggest investment you can make is in yourself so you can enjoy the company of your family, friends and loved ones for many years to come with an abundance of energy and zest for life.  

You get one chance at this life...enjoy it and live it well! 

 

© Trainer Girl System 2/28/13

TGS Spaghetti...it's what's for dinner!

TGS Spaghetti Sauce

 

Tonight we are having one of my absolute favorite dinners...Spaghetti. 

Personally, I prefer my spaghetti sauce over spaghetti squash (pictured) or steamed spinach, cauliflower or broccoli.  Sprinkled with some Parmesan cheese it's not only delicious but packed with vitamins and nutrients for a satisfying power house meal.   

This meal is also loaded with lean protein (99% lean ground turkey), packed with fiber (from the veggies) and contains a healthy amount of lycopene which is an antioxidant that makes fruits and vegetables red, orange or yellow.  Consuming foods rich in lycopene has many health benefits and is known to prevent or treat such conditions such as high cholesterol, heart disease and certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.

For you pasta lovers (like my family) I recommend Barilla Plus pasta (yellow box).  Before you turn your  nose up and think it's going to taste like cardboard give it a chance as I swear it looks and tastes like a regular pasta!  Here's the kicker though it is loaded with protein, fiber and Omega-3's which are the good fatty acids that fight inflammation in your body. 

This recipe is easy and can be made in under an hour...whip up a batch today and enjoy! 

TGS Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

2 – (29 oz.) Meijer Naturals Tomato Sauce

1 – Onion

3 – Garlic cloves

1 – Bay Leaf

2 – teaspoons dried Basil

2 – teaspoons dried Oregano

1-2 Tablespoons Sugar (start with 1 Tablespoon, taste, add more if desired 1 teaspoon at a time)

3 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

1 Package Ground Turkey Breast 99% Lean

Directions

In a large stockpot brown the turkey along with the garlic and onion, cook until no longer pink.  To the saucepot, add the cans of tomato sauce, bay leaf, basil, oregano, sugar, parmesan cheese.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover sauce and simmer for 30-60 minutes to allow flavors to combine. 

Note: This sauce can also be made substituting 96% Lean Ground Beef or Soy Crumbles for the turkey. 

 

Note:  Cooking Spaghetti Squash...carefully cut Spaghetti squash in half.  Place cut side down in a 9 x 13 roasting dish filled with 2" of water.  Roast in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Use a fork to pull the strings of squash from the sides. 

 

 

Make the Most of Everyday

As we near the end of February two things immediately come to mind with this quote. The first is swimsuit season and the second is how many people made a resolution to work out and have fallen off their original plan.

“Because the next few months will go by no matter if you workout or not…make them count.”

It’s a reminder that you still have a few months before shedding the boots, bulky coats, jeans and sweaters and exchanging them for flip flops, sweatshirts, shorts and tanks.

Every workout doesn’t have to be hours in the gym so if you don’t have that much time to dedicate to working out, or you are just starting out and looking for ways to increase physical activity, these strategies are sure to bring an extra calorie burn to your day.

Take a walk during your lunch hour (stairs at your office or get some fresh air)

Park further away from the store entrance (I actually like to park by the cart return in the middle of the lot for two reasons; I don’t need anyone picking up after me by leaving my cart wherever, and there are no carts around to ding my car because they are where they belong in the car return)

Climb the stairs whenever possible instead of taking the elevator (I can’t tell you how many times I see people using the escalator when the stairs are literally right next to it…seriously?)

Walk and tell a co-worker information instead of using email (kick it old school!)

Walk around your house and clean while you are on the phone instead of sitting (you’ll enjoy your conversation and your clean house when you hang up…it’s a twofer!)

Run up and down the stairs during commercials while watching television shows

Go outside and garden, wash your car, do lawn work, shovel snow (don’t hire these jobs out)

Do walking lunges from room to room (killer calorie burn going on there!)

Do squats while folding the laundry, leave the basket on the floor and bend down to pick up each piece to be folded

Do some chair dips, bump squats, push-ups in your office when you feel you need major caffeine (trust me, this will naturally get the blood flowing!)

You’ve only got one life to live and enjoy. More importantly only one body to get around in…make the most of everyday. Invest in yourself…YOU are worth it.

Inflammation...A Silent Killer!

I'll be honest this is a long post but it is well worth the read especially if you are suffering with a chronic illness such as Fibromyalgia, Crohn’s Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, an auto immune disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes or cancer.  There is one thing that all of these illnesses have in common…Inflammation!

Inflammation is a natural part of the body’s immune response to injury.  It’s a signal to your brain that something needs healing and alerts you with the symptoms such as localized pain, redness and heat as the body increases blood flow to the injury, swelling and maybe even loss of function or mobility. 

This is what is known as “acute inflammation”.  It is generally a short term process that will heal within a few days with rest and/or taking an anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID) such as Ibuprofen.  Acute inflammation, although unpleasant, is one of the ways that our body will naturally protect itself.  Think of acute inflammation as the angel watching over you as it heals, protects and keeps you safe. 

Chronic inflammation is a completely different story as this evil villain will turn your body into a living nightmare!  This type of inflammation no longer has a pro-healing response as it actually sets out to attack and destroy the body.  When chronic inflammation occurs, free radicals take over, eventually damaging your DNA which in turn opens the door for a cell to become cancerous. 

To make matters worse, chronic inflammation is a silent inflammation, or as I refer to it a silent killer.  It is the first sign that your body is out of balance and disease is imminent.  You can’t feel it, you can’t see it but it is affecting your most vital organs including your heart, your brain and your immune system and this is all initiated by silent/chronic inflammation.  

If chronic inflammation is left untreated, or occurs for a length of time, you are at severe risk of developing a plethora of diseases.  Inflammation is the root cause of such chronic illnesses as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hardening of the arteries, cancer, arthritis, joint pain, weight gain and diabetes. 

It is also a large component of essentially every autoimmune disorder such as Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Sjogren’s Syndrome and  Multiple Sclerosis to mention a few.  Although “technically” they do not consider Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome an autoimmune disorder, they too are exacerbated by chronic inflammation which I’ve experienced personally.  I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 16 years ago and with simple lifestyle changes, I’m happy to say 99% of the time I am symptom free.  

Many factors can cause chronic inflammation, some are genetic which cannot be altered, but most causes are due to lifestyle and that can be changed.  The two main contributors in today’s deadly chronic inflammation are having excess body fat and our diet.  With knowledge comes power!  I am a firm believer in “when you know better, you do better” and I’m even going to take it to the next level and say that “you’ll also feel better”.

Now that I’ve probably freaked you out (please don’t hate the messenger lol) keep reading…I promise there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 

The time is now to combat deadly inflammation and fight back!  When you understand what is triggering inflammation in your body, you can employ strategies to neutralize and disarm it.  Knowing the enemy is the most important part of the battle. 


Obesity is caused by inflammation

Let’s start with body fat.  I know this is a tough battle for so many people.  This article is to bring awareness to what is actually happening in your body and why it is so difficult if you have excess body fat to lose it.   Bottom line is if you decrease your body’s inflammatory response you will decrease your body fat storage and your excess weight. 

Fat is no longer considered a storage organ for excess energy (aka calories).  Researchers have found that fat is a major endocrine organ that produces hormones just as every other organ in the body.  And like any other organ if it is out of balance, and not healthy, it wreaks havoc in your system. 

When you have what is considered a “healthy” amount of fat in your body, your fat cells will release the hormones that control your appetite, release stored body fat and encourage a healthy active metabolism so you’re burning calories and releasing body fat. 

On the other hand, when you have an over abundance of fat tissue, your body releases too many hormones which cause dysfunction in your body.   These hormones are like tyrants sending inflammatory messages everywhere. They act completely opposite causing your appetite to become out of control, they protect and insulate your fat cells so you can’t burn them and basically shut down your metabolism which decreases your ability to burn calories.  And the real kicker with these evil hormones, they actually stimulate cravings and increase your desire for sugar, carbohydrates and high calorie foods making weight loss very difficult. 

One of the hormones that get activated in a negative way with excess body fat is insulin.  Insulin when working properly is a good guy.  It’s what pushes the nutrients into your cells and it allows them to either store the nutrients or use them immediately for energy.  Without insulin your cells would die from starvation.  This is what happens with type 1 diabetes when an individual does not produce insulin and is dependent on injections to survive. 

The problem with today’s society is that our bodies create too much insulin due to our poor diets and too much insulin makes you and keeps you overweight.  Insulin “insulates” your fat cells and literally puts a lock on them so they become unreachable.  To put it another way, all the dieting or exercising in the world is not going to work if your insulin levels are elevated.  Your fat cells are on lock down and you aren’t going to reach them as they are being protected. 

In summary, the more body fat you have, the more hormones you create that insulate your fat and produce enormous cravings for sugar, carbohydrates and high calorie foods.  So now you give in and eat these foods to comfort the cravings, which then creates more body fat, stimulating more hormones, putting you at a greater risk everyday for disease and it seems as if this nightmare cycle will never end. 

I hope you are still with me because this is where it gets good!   Living with inflammation doesn’t have to be a permanent state.  You can begin to heal inflammatory tissue and prevent any more from developing (therefore halting chronic disease it its tracks) by simply consuming an anti-inflammatory diet and avoiding inflammatory foods.  Think of it as eating your way to health.  Eating and health…win win in my book! 

 

Anti-Inflammation Diet:  Controlling Inflammation & Resetting Hormones

There is no one anti-inflammatory diet, rather it is based around foods known to decrease inflammation and avoid the foods that promote the inflammatory process.  Your body is designed to create inflammatory and anti-inflammatory chemicals which are triggered by the nutrients in the foods that you eat. 

The anti-inflammatory diet focuses on foods that are high in antioxidants (fruits & vegetables), monounsaturated fats (olive oil, avocado, nuts) and omega-3 fatty acids (cold water fish, fish oil supplements, walnuts), lean proteins (poultry, eggs, grass-fed beef) foods high in fiber (whole grains, fruits, vegetables) and spices (turmeric, cayenne, ginger, oregano) all of which are known to reduce inflammation.

This diet further emphasizes the avoidance of foods that trigger inflammation such as refined grains (white flour, pasta, white rice) red meat, foods high in omega-6 fats (sunflower, safflower, corn, cottonseed, palm oils), foods high in sugar, saturated and trans-saturated fats (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, commercially baked goods, fast food, deep fried food) and foods containing artificial flavors, colors, dyes and artificial sweeteners.  Basically anything that can sustain a long shelf life is loaded with things that promote inflammation in the body.      

The average American consumes far too many foods rich in omega-6 fatty acids which are found in processed and fast foods and too little of the foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are found in cold water fish, olive oil, walnuts and flax seeds.  And because we are busy, we are consuming too many convenient and fast foods that are literally causing us pain, suffering and without a doubt shortening our lifespan.  And what’s worse in this situation is that we are passing along these deadly habits onto our children.  According to the American Heart Association 2012 update, in children between the ages of 2-19 about 1 in 3 are overweight and among children 2-19 about 1 in 6 are obese.  Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight adults and it increases to 80% if one or both parents are overweight or obese.  The saddest statistic of all is our children are the first generation that are not expected to outlive their parents. 

Think of how your grandparents ate.  Think of the portion sizes in their generation.  Now think about how all the technology over the years, which was originally designed to “improve” the foods we eat, has back fired and caused an obesity epidemic.  These are basically Frankenfoods that we are eating and sadly feeding our children.  It’s time to get back to the basics, say no to these manufactures that are poisoning our health, mind and bodies with so called “convenient food”.  I’ve talked about this before so I won’t go into the tirade but disease, pain, suffering, time off work, medical costs etc…are NOT convenient and this is exactly what these foods promote. 

Well, it’s almost over!  What a trooper if you stayed with me because it means that you respect your health, your life and your loved ones enough to make the changes needed to create a healthy long life free of pain, disease and suffering. 

I’m attaching “The Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle” chart I created to hopefully make it easier to choose anti-inflammatory foods and spot those that are not.  Take a look at some of your favorite foods or convenience foods.  Flip those packages over and look for those ingredients that trigger inflammation.  If you are suffering with pain or disease and you are consuming a lot of these foods this is most likely why. 

Leaving on a positive note…remember you have the power to reverse inflammation in your body.   Foods without labels (fruit, vegetables, poultry, fish, eggs, brown rice) or foods with very few listed ingredients are usually filled with nutrients and a great choice.  One of my favorite mantras is “If you can pick it from a tree, dig it from the ground or it has a mother” this is most likely a great disease fighting, antioxidant rich powerhouse food so enjoy.  No…Cheez-It’s do not have a mother!   

To your success!

Trainer Girl System - Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle



Anti-Inflammatory Foods (Eat More)

Inflammatory Foods (Avoid/Limit) Eating

Foods high in omega-3 fats ·         Cold water fish (wild salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, tuna, halibut) ·         Fish oil supplements ·         Ground flax seeds, flax oil, chia seeds ·         Hempseed, hempseed oil ·         Walnuts, walnut oil ·         Canola oil ·         Monounsaturated fatty acids (extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts)   Foods high in antioxidants ·         Leafy green vegetables (spinach, chard, romaine lettuce) ·         Yellow, orange, red vegetables (squash, carrots, peppers) ·         Allium vegetables (onions, garlic, horseradish) ·         Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, cauliflower) ·         Whole fruits ·         Berries ·         Black, green, white tea, water   High quality proteins Fish, shellfish, organic poultry, grass-fed meat, organic free range eggs Low fat dairy   Foods high in fiber, complex carbohydrates ·         Aim for 30 grams daily ·         100% Whole grains (brown rice, wild rice, buckwheat,bulgur) ·         Fruits, vegetables   Anti-Inflammatory spices ·         Turmeric ·         Cayenne ·         Ginger ·         Rosemary ·         Oregano ·         Nutmeg

Foods high in saturated fats ·         Red meat, high fat meats, grain-fed meat ·         Highly processed meat (bacon, sausage)     Foods high in omega-6 fats ·         Sunflower, safflower, soybean, corn, cottonseed, palm oils ·         Processed foods, foods with a long shelf life (crackers, chips)     Foods high in trans fat ·         Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils ·         Commercially baked goods (pastries, cakes, cookies) ·         Margarine, shortening ·         Processed, fast food ·         Deep fried food     Foods high in refined (simple) carbohydrates, high glycemic index, excess sugar High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) ·         White flour (bread, bagels, English muffins, pasta) ·         White rice ·         Rice, corn cereals     Foods that may trigger an intolerance(personal) ·         Dairy ·         Wheat ·         Eggs ·         Artificial flavors (“natural flavor”) ·         Added colors, dyes (“natural color”) ·         Artificial Sweeteners (Aspartame, Saccharin, Sucralose, Acesulfame-K) ·         Preservatives (http://www.preservativehealth.com)