What Foods Can You Can Eat Every Day That Suppress Your Appetite

Are you currently trying to lose unwanted weight? Are you struggling with cravings and mindless eating? Are you feeling hungry, but you have reached your calorie limit for the day?

Try adding the following foods in your diet:

1. Ginger. Ginger has a strong, pleasant flavor, and helps you avoid overeating. I know ginger is a hard sell, but it has so many health benefits it’s worth getting use to. Start with Ginger tea, it’s mild and may help with you lose weight.

 I had the worst chest infection back in 2015 (Covid-15 perhaps?) I went through a round of antibiotics and that did not help. I fought this thing for 3 months; I could barely breath and every day was a struggle. Then one night while out, a friend could hear my labored breathing, she told me to eat a piece of ginger with raw honey 3 times a day. I did just that, it was hard at first but by day 3 I could breathe, and I have been a big promoter of ginger ever since.

• Add a little grated Ginger to your smoothies and meals. Make ginger tea or buy Ginger Tea bags. You can even eat slices of crystallized ginger.
  
  
  • Ginger is loaded with antioxidants, has fiber, amino acids, and helps your body ward off germs. Ginger’s antibacterial power helps keeps your mouth healthy. It’s a natural nausea remedy. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help sooth sore muscles, eases arthritis symptoms, lowers blood sugar, eases menstrual cramps, helps lower cholesterol, and helps you fight off chest infections. Basically, Ginger is the bomb!
    
    
• Avocado. The avocado fruit (Yes, it’s a fruit!) has many health benefits. It has more potassium than a Banana. Avocadoes are loaded with fiber which make you feel full. They have heart healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (the good fats), which has natural appetite suppressant properties.

• Although there are many calories and fat in avocados, they are a healthier option than junk food and sugary treats.
  
  
  • Have avocado toast for breakfast, not only is it healthy but you’ll be one of the cool kids. Apparently, it all the rage with the hipsters. You can also add it to salads and smoothies or use it as a base for sauces and dips.

• Cayenne pepper. Spice things up with cayenne pepper it will help suppress your appetite and aid in weight loss. One study found that using cayenne pepper can makes you eat fewer calories, so why not try it.
  
  
  • The chemicals in cayenne pepper help boost the metabolism, make you feel less hungry and help burn fat in the body.
    
    
  • Add Cayenne pepper to your meals as you cook. It can be sprinkled on salads and added to soups. However, be careful to not keep it near your cinnamon, you may grab the wrong spice and load your oatmeal up with Cayenne, I can tell you it’s a rude awakening.
    
    
• Apples. An apple a day keeps the doctor and unwanted pounds away.

The fiber and pectin in apples can make you feel full, so you’re less likely overeat.

• Apples are crunchy, juicy and sweet! They can feed the craving for sugar and the craving for something crunchy without sabotaging your weight loss goals.

• Apples take more time to chew than other foods. This gives your body the time to process what you’re eating and send signals to your brain that you’re full faster.
  
  
  • The multiple varieties of apples also keep things interesting, however my favourite are the Pink Ladies.

Simply put… they’re juicy, they’re crunchy, they’re Delicious!

Enjoy these natural appetite suppressants as you diet. Keep in mind that exercise and a generally healthy overall eating plan are also important for losing weight.

The Strike Sugar Movement starts tomorrow…Are you In?

As a follower of this blog you probably have heard me mention Tosca Reno author of The Eat Clean Diet and all around phenomenal woman.  (Yes I have a straight woman crush on her, what of it!) . For the month of September she is having a Strike Sugar Challenge. This means NO SUGAR (the white refined kind that is). If you can get some suga from a cutie you met at the pub, go for it and let’s hope he goes right for the thighs!

I’ve decided to join the Strike Sugar Movement because I really need to kick my chocolate covered blueberries habit, bad day or a good day I can eat a whole bag of these tasty delights, which negates all my efforts at the gym and in Muay Thai class.

I am daring YOU to take the Strike Sugar challenge with me. For the month of September NO Sugar, that means no Timbits, ice cream, chocolate blueberries, gum, soda, muffins, cakes, donuts etc … If you have to question whether something has sugar in it; it probably does so don’t eat it.

Get as many friends as you can to join the Strike Sugar Movement with you, share your tips with us and we will do the same. Summer is over, time to get back on track with the healthy habits. No excuses!

Good Luck and remember you’re not alone!

How much protein do we need?

There is so much information our there as to how much protein we should consume. I’ve been trying to figure it out for years now and some experts say to eat around 120 -150g daily and that is a lot for this gal. My goal is to get more lean muscle mass, and it is very important to get the right nutrients after a workout but I’ve been finding it very hard to get the correct information. I am currently taking sports nutrition and yesterday we discussed the role of protein for muscle development and repair. Here is what I found out and it actually makes sense to me. And I am happy to report that most of us do not need to eat 120 – 150g of protein for proper muscle growth and repair. Your protein requirements are based on your activity level and weight. Protein is important because it builds lean body mass, is needed for tissue repair. Also a small amount of protein is burned during physical activity.

So how much protein do you need?

For the general population the requirement is .8 grams of protein per Kilogram of bodyweight daily

Example: 68Kg (150 lbs) x .8 = 54.4g of protein daily

There are 4 calories per gram of protein. Example: 54.4 (grams of protein) x 4 (calories) = 217.60 protein calories. If you are following a 1500 calorie diet that is 15% of your total daily calories.

Convert pounds to Kilograms Calculator
http://www.calculateme.com/Weight/Pounds/ToKilograms.htm

Protein requirements for endurance athletes (marathon runners, tri-athletes etc) are 1.2g – 1.4g per kg daily.

Example: 68Kg (150 lbs) x 1.2 = 81.6g of protein
68Kg (150 lbs) x 1.4 = 95.2g of protein
Therefore a 150 lbs endurance athlete would need between 81 – 95g of protein

Protein requirements for strength athletes are 1.6g – 1.8g per kg daily

Example: 68Kg (150 lbs) x 1.6 = 108.8g of protein
68Kg (150 lbs) x 1.8 = 122.4g of protein
Therefore a 150 lbs strength athlete would need between 108 – 122g of protein

Now you may be asking yourself what category do I fall under? Things to consider are how many days do you work out, what type of training do you do? Are you a cardio queen? An iron sister? Or do you mix it up with cardio, weights etc.

For me, I work out 3 – 5 days a week. I do strength training, boxing and spin so my protein requirements are around 1.2g – 1.6g per kg per day.
So your meter of measurement falls between .8g (couch potato) – 1.8g (Hardcore body builder) try to estimate where you fall between that line.

If you work out 3 times a week 1.2g per kg would be a good protein intake.


Protein Supplements:

There are various protein supplements on the market and they have different effects on the body. (Listed in no particular order)

1) Casein: a milk protein that has good absorption levels due to extended exposure in the intestines. It is a time-released protein best taken at night or before going to bed. If you have a dairy intolerance then Casein needs to be avoided.

2) Soy or Vegetable: a protein that isolates and contains 90% pure protein. However be weary of Soy because it is one of the top 4 products that is GMO (genetically modified organisms). Make sure it’s coming from an organic soy source. Also Soy is a common intolerance for many people, so if you have too much of it, you could develop an intolerance. If you are vegetarian or have a dairy intolerance it is best to go with Vegetable based proteins.

3) Whey Isolate protein is the superstar of protein supplements; it has a full amino acid profile, is high in BCAA’s (branch chain amino acids). Whey Isolate yields a higher Whey protein fraction (90% of casein (milk protein) is taken out and there is no lactose so even if you have a dairy intolerance you can use a Whey Isolate supplement. Also if it is not an Isolate Whey protein it may contain wheat gluten, and other fillers. Whey Isolate is best right after your workout, or immediately upon rising because it digests fairly quickly and the absorption rate is high.

A great post workout snack would be an Apple with a protein shake (protein powder w/ water).

Food sources of Protein:


Meats:
1 oz low fat tenderloin = 7.5g
1 oz wild game, venison etc = 8.5g


Poultry:
1 oz skinless chicken breast = 8g
1 oz deli style chicken breast = 5g
1 oz skinless turkey breast = 8g
1 oz deli style turkey breast = 5g

Fish:
1 oz Bass (freshwater) = 6g
1 oz Cod = 7g
1 oz Halibut = 7g
1 oz Haddock = 7g
1 oz Herring = 6.5g
1 oz Mackerel = 7g
1 oz Salmon = 7.5g
1 oz sardines (oil based) = 6g
1 oz Sardines (water based) = 6g
1 oz Snapper = 7g
1 oz Tilapia = 5g
1 oz Trout = 7g
1 oz Tuna (fresh) = 8g
1 oz Tuna (oil based) = 7.5
1 oz Tuna (water based) = 6g


Seafood:
1 oz Clams = 7g
1 oz Crabmeat = 5.5g
1 oz Lobster = 5.5g
1 oz Scallops = 5g
1 oz shrimp = 6g


Eggs (boiled)
1 Whole Egg = 6g
2 Egg whites = 7g


Dairy:
Whey Protein Isolate
1 oz Organic low fat Cheese = 7g
¼ cup low fat cottage cheese = 7.5g
½ cup plain organic skim Yogurt = 7g


Grains:
1 cup Quinoa Cooked (Gluten Free) = 9g
1 cup Millet Cooked (Gluten Free) = 6.1g
¼ cup Amaranth (Gluten Free) = 8g
¼ cup Buckwheat (Gluten Free) = 6g
¼ cup Oats = 6g


Beans and Lentils:
1 cup Lentils cooked = 18g
1 cup Black Beans cooked = 15g
1 cup Kidney Beans cooked = 13g
1 cup Pinto Beans cooked = 12g
1 cup Black-eyed peas cooked = 11g
1 cup Lima Beans cooked = 10g

Seeds and Nuts:
¼ cup Almonds = 7.6g
¼ cup Sunflower Seeds = 6g
¼ cup Cashews = 5g
¼ cup Walnuts = 3.8g

Soy / Other:
1 cup Tempeh = 41g
3 oz Seitan (a.k.a Wheat Meat) = 31g
4 oz Tofu firm = 11g
4 oz Tofu regular = 9g
1 cup Plain Soy Milk = 7g
6 oz plain soy yogurt = 6g
1 cup Soybeans cooked = 31g

The Classic Cinnabon

My Friend calls me this morning to tell me that she threw up; yes these are the calls that I get first thing in the morning. I ask why,  she tells me that she had bought a box of Cinnabon’s yesterday and she split one with her son this morning, and it made her sick. No wonder they are loaded with sugar and nothing good can come of eating one. It made me sick just thinking about eating something so sweet first thing in the morning. Now my curiosity so piqued so I had to find out how bad these things are:

The Classic Cinnabon has 813 calories, 32 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 5 grams of trans fat, 67 milligrams of cholesterol, 801 milligrams of sodium, 117 carbohydrates, 55 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, 15 grams of protein

The average female diet should be between 1500 – 2200 calories depending on your fitness and activity level. One Cinnabon could possibly be half of your calories for the day.

Did you know that 55 grams of sugar is equivalent to 13 teaspoons, think about this; would you put 13 teaspoons of sugar in your Tea/Coffee? Would you eat 13 teaspoons of sugar, hopefully not, so why eat it in the form of a Cinnabon. I’m not trying to make my friend feel bad, but it helps to see exactly what is in some of our  treat foods. I believe it was the combination of  sugar and grease first thing in the morning that made her sick. Breakfast should be one of your best meals of the day, your should feel energized and ready to take on the world after eating a good breakfast not running to the bathroom.

Half a Cinnabon is  400 calories, 16 grams of fat,  27 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber and 7.5 grams of protein. 

Instead for 384 calories, 3 grams of fat, 7.4 grams of sugar, 14 grams of fiber and 38 grams of protein, my friend could have had 1 cup cottage cheese with 1 cup blackberries and 2 slices of Ezekiel or whole grain toast. NOW that is a breakfast. Not only is it low fat, high in protein it has half your fiber intake for the day.

If you’re struggling with healthy breakfast options there are lots of resource out there, here is the breakfast recipe link to the Eat Clean Diet web site http://www.eatcleandiet.com/food_and_recipes/clean_recipe.aspx . I also recommend the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook the recipes are so easy and delicious that even this Single Gal can make them successfully.

http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=singal-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=1552100685&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr

Good Luck and remember you are what you eat! So eat clean and be a high-powered machine rather than a slow-moving slug.

Certified Organic…

As part of my healthy lifestyle I try to eat organic foods as much as possible. I realize that most people when given the choice would prefer organic foods, seriously who wants chemicals on/in their food? However the drawback to buying organic is the cost, unfortunately we have to pay more for food that is Certified Organic. Ironic isn’t it that we have to pay more for foods to be grown the way nature intended without pesticides, insecticides and herbicides.

Even as a Single Gal I find the cost of buying all organic a bit much even for one person, so I can imagine how much of a strain that can be for a family of 5. For those of you that have the luxury of a backyard and a green thumb I would highly recommend planting a garden, this way you can have fresh veggies daily. Have you ever eaten a tomato from the garden? It’s pure heaven. Now for those of you that do not have yards and would like to buy organic when your budget allows here is a list of fruits and veggies in which the highest pesticide levels are found. For us this mean these are the items we should buy organically if the option is there:

Apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, strawberries, butter, all berries, and peanuts. Corn & soy should be on your list of organics as well because these two items are known to be highly GMO (genetically modified organisms). This means the genetic material has been altered using the genetic engineering techniques.

Items that have the lowest pesticide levels that can be lower on your organics list are:

Asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, kiwi, mangos, onions, papaya, pineapples and sweet peas.

I believe times are changing. The more we educate and become aware of what’s being done to our food the better our purchasing decisions will be. Once the demand grows the cost of organics will go down because of the supply and demand principle. Purchase something organic today and taste the difference!

Tips to keep you forever young…

The older I get the more I keep hearing act your age. What does act your age mean? I tend to hear this when I doing something deemed crazy (getting a black eye trying to snowboard) or silly (dancing in the grocery store singing the peaches and plums song to my mom). Does getting older mean we have to lose our sense of fun? Absolutely not! Being young at heart will also keep you young on the outside. Look at Diane Keaton at age 64 she is lovely, to me this women is ageless. Her agelessness comes from her attitude, she’s funny, charming, and has a great outlook on life. Getting older should not be a battle to look forever 21. Society should celebrate the beauty of age, not shun it because the harsh reality is you cannot avoid it.

Here are some tips to help us grow old with ease and agelessness:

• Think young. Develop an ‘ageless attitude about yourself and everything you do
• Act young. Do things that are fun. Find the fun in what you are already doing. I plan to learn to play the drums this summer
• Exercise regularly – exercise does not have to mean the gym, play with your kids, go for walks, go dancing with the girls, all movement is good movement.
• Rest often. Take ‘Power” naps everyday
• Drink 2 – 3 liters of water daily (this is the fountain of youth ladies)
• Start each day by drinking the juice of ½ a lemon added to a cup of warm water – to help cleanse the digestive tract, liver and kidneys.
• Consume organic foods whenever possible
• Make high quality protein a priority in your diet
• Consume fish regularly
• Avoid adulterated fats (e.g., margarine, shortening, hydrogenated fats/oils)
• Eat four cups of vegetables daily, preferably raw or lightly steamed – at least two cups which are greens vegetables.
• Replace white flour and white rice products with 100% whole grain counterparts
• Avoid tobacco
• Consume alcohol in moderation if at all
• Avoid concentrated and refined sugars of all kinds

Now if you have laugh lines be happy because that means you are always smiling. The little crinkles around the eyes mean you have a sense of mischief. Think about those lines differently because they tell the story of your life. Embrace them, love who you are and keep smiling no matter what life throws at you. Now go act your age, by that I mean take a pole dancing class, swing on a swing, dance until the wee hours of the morning, whatever makes you laugh and feel young at heart just do it!!

Cheers!

How to ease PMS

Have you ever had one of those months when you experience all the symptoms of PMS? Where you are so bloated people ask how far along you are, or your boobs are so sore that even wearing a bra hurts. Than there are the cramps that have you doubled over in pain and wishing death to all men. My favorite is the uncontrollable cravings for chocolate and fried foods because this just leads to zits. Oh joy, now we have been transformed into a pregnant prepubescent teen with french fry grease running down our chin. So naturally that just puts you in a fowl mood, and I pity the man that says ‘What’s your problem are you PMSing?” Word of advice for the men out there if you have made the mistake of uttering those words, run! Run fast, your life depends on it.
 
Now ladies we do not have to go through this every month, diet is the key to have a non-eventful period. Here are some steps that you can take to help ease these symptoms:

Foods to avoid

•  To prevent bloating a looking like you are in your second trimester, avoid sodium. Eliminate salt, red meats, processed and junk foods at the very least one week before your period.
•  To ease breast tenderness avoid caffeine. Caffeine also acts as a diuretic and can deplete many important nutrients.
•  Eat fewer dairy products. Sorry ladies this means you have to cut down on the cheese, at least for the week before and the week of. Oh while we are at it you should cut down on the wine (actually all alcohol) and sugars in any form. These foods cause valuable electrolytes to be lost through urination.

Foods and supplements to add:

•  Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, chicken, turkey and fish. Have high protein snacks between meals.
• Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day
• Take a calcium/magnesium supplement this will help with breast tenderness
• Vitamin B complex this helps regulate moods and reduces stress
• Invest in a good quality multi vitamin

Lastly get regular exercise. Exercise increases the oxygen levels in the blood, which helps in nutrient absorption and efficient elimination of toxins from the body. It also helps keep hormone levels more stable and the men in your life safe.

Let me know if this info was helpful and if there is anything that you would like to see for future Nutrition/Health tips.

Cheers!