Healthy eating habits....

I noticed I've only been posting about P90X lately, so I wanted to change it up a bit,considering the purpose of this blog is " Healthy Living." I've been trying to work on creating a balanced eating lifestyle. I refuse to go on a diet ever again! Diets make you depressed, deprived and you end up hating yourself every time you cave in and binge or give up. I am not saying I am like a robot that follows a plan every single day, off course we all have what dieters call "cheat days." You don't want to be the person at a party, or event sipping water munching on carrots and telling people, "No thank you, I am full!" The important thing is to keep a memory log, of what you have been consuming and balancing it out throughout your week. My husband adores pizza! So, if we go out, I'll join him on 1 slice, which is satisfying enough. Off course, my indulgence wants to have half the pie with him, but technically its not necessary! Once you feel full, anything over that, is gluttony. Now, I am not setting 1 slice of pizza as a must, this is something personal. For me, if i am not starving, 1 slice is enough, for you might be 2 or 3... The point is, to not go overboard to the point where we all know, we've gone too far. I am teaching myself portion control daily, which can go a long way! Another great tip I am learning is, to never allow yourself to get " hungry." I always have snacks between my meals,and I try to make these healthy options. I have to admit, this is easier to do during the week, than on the weekends, depending on what my plans are, sometimes I don't have access, or I don't have a schedule eating time like I do at work, but I still try to make healthy choices. I've been trying out different recipes, and ideas, which I never thought of, and i am actually enjoying. I also try to alternate, so I don't get tired and end up binging in something that has a whole days calorie worth in it. The trick is, never deprive yourself, just control! Example, this week I was craving chocolate, so I had 1 lindtt chocolate truffle at work, which "hit the spot." With P90X, I am trying to cut carbs as much as I can for phase 1, but on the regular I don't ever recommend cutting out carbs, just (sounding like a broken record) control your portions. So here's what a healthy eating lifestyle should consist of:
This is not as hard as it sounds.. Deep down inside we all know what we should and shouldn't be eating. Remember " You are what you eat!" After I actually began to think ahead and plan my meals, it made a world of difference, for my health and my habits. In the beginning its hard, but you get used to it, and without realizing it, you're making better choices for yourself. I am learning that to loose weight healthy, is not to drink meal replacements and drop 15 pounds in a month, and feel light headed most of the time. To be healthy, we need to make the right choices, which will result to you reaching a healthy weight slowly. Also, what helps you maintain is a lifestyle, not fast solutions! I wanted to show you what I eat on a regular day, so I photographed my meals and snack, and here they are:
Breakfast: 1 whole wheat English Muffin toasted with light butter. (Sometimes I put honey or peanut butter)
1 Boiled Egg white ( I leave some of the yolk)
Lemon Tea ( hot water and lemon)
Sometimes I have coffee either black, or with skim milk

My normal alternative to this is either a bowl of whole grain Cheerios with skim milk, or a large grape fruit with honey and a yogurt.
Lunch: 1 healthy choice soup
1 large orange
I happen to crave soup allot, but another regular alternative is a wrap( I bring a can of tuna, wrap, cheese, and spinach and put all together at work), salad, or left over dinner from the night before.

Dinner: Collard Greens
Beats
Chicken and Vegetables
Black Beans

An alternative for me is either soup, tilapia fillet with rice, beans and salad, Chicken breast with anything, whole wheat pasta, wrap, anything I crave but with healthy choices.
Snacks: I have a snack between every meal... Sometimes more than 1.... Remember the key is, to never go hungry. I vary alot with snacks, this is what I had in this particular day.
I also like raisins, plums, strawberries, Kellogg's bar, wheat thins with cheese, banana with peanut butter, 100 calorie bags of anything (chips, cookies), crackers, baby carrots ect....
Its very important to drink at least 8 cups of water per day!!! I sometimes add lemon to my water for taste and health benefits ( see previous blog post.) I am also a BIG tea drinker, so I tend to have lemon with hot water, or regular tea throughout the day as well.
Remember, don't ever go on a diet again.... Discipline yourself to life a new healthy lifestyle!

A grapefruit a day....

I've always heard of the benefits of grapefruit, so I decided to start including it in my diet, having it for breakfast or as a snack at least 5 times per week. I did a little research to find out what's so good about this sour fruit and here's what I found.
Grapefruit is good for:
Appetite Loss: Grapefruit works as an excellent appetizer as compared to any other drug. It is said that smell of the grapefruit reduces the feeling of hunger. This is the reason why people include grapefruit in their weight loss programs. High fiber contained by this fruit can satisfy hunger and thus, avoids any overeating temptation.
Fever: The pulp or the juice of grapefruit provides assistance to the patient to recover easily from the fever. It reduces burning sensation that occurs during high temperature. It also cures several cases of cold and phenomena. Grapefruit juice, if combined with water, can quench the thirst.
Fatigue: Grapefruit is beneficial in the treatment of fatigue. It helps you to dispel your fatigue and general tiredness caused due to the routine work. It can bring about a refreshing feeling in you when you drink equal amount of grapefruit juice and lemon juice.
Indigestion: Grapefruit is useful for solving the problem of indigestion. It is very light as compared to other food articles and thus, acts immediately on indigestion by easing the heat and irritation caused in the stomach. It improves the flow of digestive juices, thereby improving the digestive systems.
Insomnia: A simple glass of grapefruit juice, if drunk before going to bed, can promote healthy and sweet sleep and thus, alleviates insomnia.
Diabetes: A diabetic patient can safely eat a grapefruit. The consumption of this fruit can reduce the starches from the body. If a patient is diabetic, intake of grapefruit can facilitate you to fight with this health issue.
Constipation: A glass full of fresh squeezed grapefruit in the morning is the best remedy to control the constipation. They result best in stimulating the colon and other parts of the body.
Urinary Disorders: Grapefruit juice is quite rich in potassium and vitamin C and thus, works as the best medicine in the case of scanty urination caused due to the liver, kidney or heart problems.
A glass of chilled grapefruit juice, especially in winter, will help you to get vitamin C. Grapefruit secures a high place amongst various citrus fruits. It's full with the benefits of nutrients, vitamins, potassium, lycopene and refrigerant. Along with these, it also contains calcium, sugar and phosphorous. It is termed as an excellent appetizer.Grapefruit, which is known as a powerful drug-poison eliminator, are many. It works as a natural antiseptic for external wounds. It works as a liver tonic for the human body. It contains high water content which helps in changing the complexion of the skin along with increasing the metabolism. The pulp of grapefruit supplies healthy bulk to our body which aids bowel action. It also helps to quench the thirst and thus, reduces the burning sensation that arises during fever.

(References: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Agricultural and Food Chemistry)