Do you or someone you care about need to lose weight? Bodynista offers a fantastic line of weight loss products from Total Life Changes to get you into the body you deserve and help you take your life back. Check out testimonials from people who have used Total Life Changes products. Shop for your new body by visiting our Total Life Changes Store Page. Trying to eat healthy can feel like a restraining order at times. You see something that makes your mouth water and you cannot go within 20 feet of it or you will break. This mentality is not really healthy either, but many of us can't enjoy just a bit, we completely over indulge. I like to find my weakness's and make healthy versions of them so I don't feel guilty about enjoying them. I am excited to share this recipe with you today. I love beans but I’m always surprised at how much I like them in sweet treats. And now, as Nutella! Black beans can transform your usual chocolate spread to one that is very, very healthy and dairy free. This super black bean chocolate hazelnut spread has:
The measurements below are approximate; it’s best to adjust and taste as you blend. This is on the sweeter side, reduce the syrup if you’d prefer less sweetness. If you don't have roasted hazelnuts at home, you can use hazelnut butter. Other substitutes can be peanut or almond butter if you’re not set on the chocolate hazelnut combo. Dairy free black bean chocolate hazelnut spread 1 can black beans 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup roasted chopped hazelnuts pinch of sea salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 tablespoon coconut oil Add EVERYTHING to the blender and blend until smooth! Simple as that. I would not make more than you can consume in a few days because it will go bad. You don't want to reach into enjoy some of your homemade chocolate creation to find it has grown fur.... I am speaking from experience! Do you have a healthy version of a sweet treat you would like to share? BodyNista Do you or someone you care about need to lose weight? Bodynista offers a fantastic line of weight loss products from Total Life Changes to get you into the body you deserve and help you take your life back. Check out testimonials from people who have used Total Life Changes products. Shop for your new body by visiting our Total Life Changes Store Page.
0 Comments
SUnless you have cooked Indian food, you may not be familiar the long time popular Indian spice, turmeric. This spice contains an active compound known as curcumin, which has reported health benefits that range from reducing inflammation to increasing circulation to protecting against certain cancers. Best of all, adding a little to your diet each day is easier than you think. Here are just a few things the turmeric compound, curcumin, can do for you: Boosts brain support Curcumin helps to keep the brain functioning properly. It has be found to cross the blood-brain barrier and bind with plaque. This has a positive effect on cognitive function and could delay, or even reverse, certain brain diseases like Alzheimer’s or dementia. Anti-inflammatory relief Turmeric could relieve inflammation better than over the counter medicines. Curcumin has been reported to ease inflammation caused by inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, pancreatitis and more. Cardiovascular health Curcumin can remove plaque build up in the arteries, preventing blockage. It also has been found to reduce bad LDL-cholesterol levels. Improves digestion Because curcumin is an anti-inflammatory, it can reduce bloating, gas and other problems in the digestive tract. Turmeric, with it's orange - yellow color and earthy taste, makes a wonderful addition to soups, chilis, curries, and stir-frys. How about drinking it? Another way to get some of this super spice is by making a turmeric latte! Turmeric Latte What you need: 1 cup of milk (dairy milk or non-dairy milk) 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey to taste What to do: Add all the ingredients to a small sauce pan and whisk until combined. Turn heat to medium-high and whisk vigorously until it begins to foam — but do not allow it to boil. Once the mixture reaches the thickness you desire, remove from heat and pour into a mug. Are you willing to give this super spice a try? BodyNista This will be my first year practicing Lent, and admittedly, I was 3 days late getting started, simply because I did not know that time had rolled around. What am I giving up? Meat (minus eggs), swearing, and beer. In partnership with my significant other, we should be able to do this. I like to stay fairly active with working out, so my first thought is to make sure I have enough alternate protein around to support my body.
I imagine a top concern for many people when they are considering a transition to vegetarian or vegan is where they will get a good source of protien, especially when they are active individuals. There are many vegetarian high protein sources that are very versatile. Some of best sources I have found are: Lentils, 18 grams of protein per cup Chickpeas, 12 grams/cup Tempeh, 41 grams per cup Black beans, 15 grams per cup Nuts and nut butters Tofu, 11 grams per 4 ounces Quinoa, 9 grams per cup Other legumes, varied Grains, varied Protein powder, 25 grams per serving If you are considering a transition from meat to no meat, whether temporary or permanent, make it a staple to add a protien at every meal. Otherwise you will find yourself loading up on carbs and the results will not be good. A few easy ways to get your protien in at each meal: - add nuts - add beans - snacks with nuts or nut butter - hummus Are you a vegetarian? Please share your tips, suggestions and recipes. BodyNista Life keeps you busy, but don't forget about taking care of you. We have all heard that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day". But why? The most obvious reasoning is that you body has not had any nutrition since you went to sleep, which is generally the longest period of time your body will "fast" during any 24 hour period. However, there is more to it than that.
Does your car start when there is no fuel or energy source? Probably not. Think of your body the same way. Your body is not set to perform without "fuel" or food. Eating breakfast will make a big difference in how your body will metabolize glucose levels all day long. Your glucose level rises every time you eat, and your pancreas produces insulin to carry the glucose into your cells, where it’s used for energy. Research is finding that keeping glucose and insulin in the right balance has important effects on metabolism and health. Try having breakfast within an hour of waking up. This can seem like "even more I have to do before I get out the door" in the morning, but you will notice an increase in energy and alertness. If I am in a pinch on time, I go the smoothie route. This recipe is my go to. Smack Your Morning Smoothie - BodyNista Original Chocolate Protein Powder - I use 20g protein powder Spinach - handful, be generous, it's good for you! Lentils (plain and cooked) - approx 1/4 - 1/2 cup. I use lentils to bring my smoothie to 30 grams and they thicken up a smoothie nicely. I keep cooked lentils in the fridge for smoothies - plan ahead. Almond Milk - approx 1/2 cup Water - approx 1/2 cup Flax Seed - 1 tblsp Chia Seed - 1 tblsp Ice Cubes - 3 or 4 Blend it all together and you have a powerful breakfast you can drink before leaving or during your commute. What is your favorite smoothie recipe? BodyNista One food many of us miss once we decide to make better a lifestyle food change is pasta. Oh, the carby deliciousness. I have tried a few different noodle substitutes, but the best by far has to be spaghetti squash (I have tried cabbage, zucchini & carrots). I tried this over the weekend and it was AMAZING! It can be a bit time consuming to prep and cook the squash (but it is so worth it); make sure to plan ahead. Feeling like pasta??? Give this one a try. Not Your Mama's Pasta Recipe What you need: 1 spaghetti squash 1 jar pasta sauce Meatballs - I used Turkey meatballs Veggies - I used broccoli, onion, olives, mushroom, and spinach Prepping the Squash: Clean and cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Take out the seeds from the middle and place cut side down in a baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. After 20 minutes, flip the halves over and bake shell side down for another 20 minutes or until the inside of your squash is tender. Once the inside of your squash is tender, you can run a fork through the inside of the squash and the flesh will come out in strings like spaghetti. The photo below shows the flesh of the squash once I removed it from the shell. Step 1. Remove flesh of squash from the shell and place into a baking/ casserole dish. (Some of the broccoli escaped into this photo.......There should not be green things in your squash unless you put it there.) Step 2. Add meatballs. These are frozen pre-cooked turkey meatballs. If you do homemade, add them once they are fully cooked. Step 3. Add your veggies. Pick whatever you want, but don't skip adding veggies. Step 4. Add your pasta sauce. I used a mushroom flavored store brand sauce. Use whatever you like. Stir it all up in the casserole dish and bake it for about 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Depending on the "volume" of what is in your pasta dish, it could be more or less time - just be sure to check it regularly. It is done when everything has cooked and is hot - the meatballs are no longer frozen (they are hot and juicy) and the veggies are soft and cooked and everything has absorbed the pasta sauce. Do not let your dish cook to the point of being dry! There should be enough veggies in this to keep everything moist.
Seriously, this is a great "pasta" dish. Do you have a recipe you want to share? BodyNista Are you looking for a creative way to eat healthy? I love experimenting in the kitchen. I like to make foods with a variety of veggies that taste good. Here is a twist I tried with stuffed peppers. I made a vegetarian version, but adding meat is definitely OK. * Suggested meat would be ground beef, ground turkey, or ground sausage. WHAT YOU NEED: - Green, red, or yellow peppers, whatever you want to stuff - I used 6 peppers - Lentils or meat of choice - I used approx 4 cups cooked lentils - Veggies of choice. Here I used 1 onion, approx 2 cups chopped mushroom, 3 chopped celery stalks, 4 cups leaf spinach - Salsa - 1 jar - 2 packs Taco seasoning or make your own WHAT TO DO: 1. Clean and core peppers. Coring refers to cutting the top off and cleaning the seeds from the inside. 2. Prepare your filling. Cook/stir fry ground meat separately with one pack of taco season. If using lentils, have those already cooked or start cooking them before you start cutting and cleaning veggies. They will take about 30 minutes to cook. Stir fry all the veggies together with 1 pack of taco season, just enough to get flavors flowing. If using lentils instead of meat, add lentils with veggies and use 2 packs of taco season. For even greater flavor, start with stir frying the onion only until they are a light brown and then add the rest of the veggies. Once everything is cooked, mix it all together and add the salsa. Do you or someone you care about need to lose weight? Bodynista offers a fantastic line of weight loss products from Total Life Changes to get you into the body you deserve and help you take your life back. Check out testimonials from people who have used Total Life Changes products. Shop for your new body by visiting our Total Life Changes Store Page. Do you or someone you care about need to lose weight? Bodynista offers a fantastic line of weight loss products from Total Life Changes to get you into the body you deserve and help you take your life back. Check out testimonials from people who have used Total Life Changes products. Shop for your new body by visiting our Total Life Changes Store Page. 3. Stuff the peppers and bake! Bake until the pepper becomes tender. The juices from the filling will be absorbed by the pepper helping it to soften. I baked mine for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees. It will depend on the size of peppers you use. Keep this dish healthy by avoiding a cheese topping. Try topping them with salsa or some homemade spicy guacamole. Did you try it? Did you like it? Have a recipe you would like to share? BodyNista Do you or someone you care about need to lose weight? Bodynista offers a fantastic line of weight loss products from Total Life Changes to get you into the body you deserve and help you take your life back. Check out testimonials from people who have used Total Life Changes products. Shop for your new body by visiting our Total Life Changes Store Page. If you are a regular at the gym, this time of year can be difficult for you. Your get away, stress reliever (GYM) is full of new faces and a lot less space for you do to your thing. If your like me, you could totally workout at home, but you know that you will be constantly distracted and your intense 20 minute workout will end up taking you an hour, if you don't too frustrated to finish. Getting into a fitness focused place where you can drop the kids off into childcare and focus on you is a wonderful way to wind down the day, followed by a glass of red wine before bed. There are many people out there who are starting a journey to make fitness a part of their life and run the risk of over doing it, simply because they may not be sure what to do. Many will cut back food consumption and pair that with intense workouts which could lead them on a field trip to the ER. So, how do you lose weight? While everyone's body responds differently, the general formula to weight loss and weight management is 80% food and 20% workout. Do you or someone you care about need to lose weight? Bodynista offers a fantastic line of weight loss products from Total Life Changes to get you into the body you deserve and help you take your life back. Check out testimonials from people who have used Total Life Changes products. Shop for your new body by visiting our Total Life Changes Store Page. What does this mean? This means that results are more likely to come from dietary changes than from working out, but a mix of both is the most optimal solution. For example, if working out is new to you or your considering making exercise a part of your life style, you are possibly wondering "how much exercise do I have to do"? The general rule of thumb is moderate exercise (break a sweat, raise heart rate) for 30 minutes 4-5 times per week, or HIIT (high intensity interval training) for 20 minutes 3 times per week. Your moderate exercise can be group fitness, a treadmill that incorporates hills and speed, a bike or elliptical that incorporates resistance. But, while this is spectacular for your heart, lungs, and body, it will give you nothing if you don't focus on what you put into your mouth. A couple of years back I had began taking intense boot camp classes geared toward athletes 3 days per week. Classes where 1 hour long and worked every muscle I never I had. They were the best work outs and challenges I had ever given myself. But, I was actually gaining weight, in circumference. I was the strongest I had ever been, but I surely was not shedding. I found myself wondering how am I working out this hard and not losing any inches? I later realized that those wonderfully intense workouts gave me such a monster appetite that I ate anything within arms reach. I was literally reversing the fruits of my labor. Do you or someone you care about need to lose weight? Bodynista offers a fantastic line of weight loss products from Total Life Changes to get you into the body you deserve and help you take your life back. Check out testimonials from people who have used Total Life Changes products. Shop for your new body by visiting our Total Life Changes Store Page. Now you may wondering what kind of food will help you move the needle? There are 1 million answers to this question. They range anywhere from no carbs to portion control to gluten free to vegetarian to damn near starving yourself. I don't know the right answer. I know what works for me and you will need to do some experimenting to see what works for you. Whatever you decide to try, make it is something you can live with, a life style change. Diets are temporary and so are the results. My current eating style follows the Slow Carb life style. I long ago gave up breads, pasta and starches. If I want these things, I have a dedicated day of the week that I can eat whatever I want. This day serves as a metobolic reset, and keeps the results coming. If you want to read more about this lifestyle, click here.
In case you are wondering, I would say my current balance is more like a 60/40 with food and exercise respectively. I most definitely have room for improvement, and small steps = big change. What do you think about the balance of food and exercise? BodyNista Did I Cheat?No! I was worried that going into Grill Time Labor Day Weekend that I would be very tempted to have a bun, bread, cake, brownie, or some other deliciousness. I know, I am surprised too, but it was actually very easy to find foods that I already eat to make up a Gluten Free week. I feel like the first week is always the hardest and then you prove to yourself just how strong you really are, the rest is cake! What Did I Eat?Because I have been doing low carb for a while, I decided to relax on that a bit if I am going to do GF. Eventually, I would like to find a happy place and do both. My morning meals were things such as eggs, quinoa with almond milk and fruit smoothies. Snacks where generally nuts, greek yogurt, and apples. Dinner was mostly chicken and veggies. I did make and enjoy some GF black bean brownies for the Holiday. I like to make meals that will supply me for 3-4 days to free up evenings to spend with my daughter. Did I Lose Weight?I have not stepped on a scale in months! Because I do prefer building muscle to any kind of cardio, I realize the scale could be the mean girl; making me feel like I am not good enough. I focus on how my clothes fit and how I fill. I cannot tell any dramatic difference in how my pants and dresses fit, but I can say that I do feel good! I can tell that my love affair with food is coming to an end. It is a great feeling to eat only what I need versus everything that is available to me. I have read over and over that certain foods may cause a person to want more food even when they are no longer hungry. I know this all too well, but it is becoming a distant memory. Am I Dying of Hunger?Not at all! It's actually quite the opposite. I sit behind a desk most of the day, and all around me, I see people frequently snacking. I used to do the same - it was something that helped me focus. But I have seen the light! At times, I now need to make sure I sit myself down for a meal before it is too late since my appetite is a fraction of what I am used to. I can see GF is definitely helping me feel great!
Did you try going GF? How did it go? What were your hurdles? What did you love or hate about it? BodyNista I am sure most of you have seen, read, or heard the buzz about going gluten free. I have spent a decent amount of time pondering and researching why I should consider going gluten free; trying to determine if it is a marketing tactic or is there some legitimacy to this. I mean, gluten has been around forever, right?
Gluten is a protein composite found in wheat and related grains, including barley and rye. Throughout different articles that I read, there was one common theme that spoke to me - the typical symptoms that your body is one of the 18 million that does not process gluten well. Typical symptoms include:
I can testify that after a good dose of pizza or pasta, I will have GI issues for the next 3 days and my joints will feel as if I aged 10 years overnight when I wake up in the morning. I cannot be certain if my sleeping troubles come from gluten or my mind never wanting to shut down. However, even on my most restful nights, I do have spells of tiredness or lack of energy the following day. So, I have decided that giving gluten free a try can only help me. I have been working on limiting my carbs over the last month, so in my mind, I am half way there. I am challenging myself to be gluten free for the month of September to see what changes happen to my body. I expect that that I will lose weight/ belly fat, have a good functioning GI track, feel energized, and get some blissful sleeps. I will report my changes weekly. Join the challenge with me! I would love to know how going GF helps or doesn't help you. I have listed some common questions you may have at the end of this post. PS - I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. I am just a woman who is constantly looking for ways to improve her body:) BodyNista Q: What can I eat with a GF lifestyle? A: Gluten can be found in wheat, rye and barley. Click here for a great list of foods that are gluten free Q: Does going gluten free mean carb free? A: No, there are foods, such as rice and potatoes that are high on carb but gluten free. Q: What can I do to help me not crave gluten laden carbs? A: I use a product from Total Life Changes - Resolution. This product is truly amazing for killing my craving for carbs, sugar, and my food fixations. Click here to learn more about Resolution. |
BodynistaKhyrunnessa Rabbani - I am perfectly imperfect! Passionate believer if you love your body and yourself and the rest will fall into place. Categories
All
|