I HATE Moderation!

Ok, hate is a strong word. But this whole idea of 'moderation' has got me way off track. 

The thought is always there, "I haven't had any sweets for X amount of time, it's ok if I just have one cookie." 

You know what happens next? 

"Maybe just one cupcake.." 

"Just one pint of ice cream.." 

Yea, that's right. And what's even worse is that this one is my hubby's because I ate all of mine in one sitting! 

"Hello. My name is Chrissy and I'm a sugarholic." 

There should truly be some kind of support group for folks like me. Im sure there is somewhere. 

Moderation. 

I see it as more of an excuse to eat junk. 

You think thoughts like, "well, it's just one donut a week [my church friends know what I'm talking about!]" or "it's a special celebration, it's ok if I have some cake."

But I know all too well that moderation can lead us totally off track from our healthy eating. It signals our brain to want and crave sugar again! And that's what I'm dealing with now. 

Getting back on track isn't always easy, especially with stress in the picture - which is what sparked my apparent need for Mr. Ben and Mr. Jerry - but it can be done. 

Just take some steps to get there

•Get rid of the temptation. Throw it away. Don't buy it. Get your husband on board to say no when you look at him with desperate eyes when you ask him to make an ice cream run. [My man is much too good to me - to a fault, possibly] 

•Make a plan. Not only plan meals and snacks, but plan what you're going to do next time you find yourself in that desperate situation. Maybe take a quick walk which will help remind you that your fitness is much more important. 

•Don't beat yourself up. I tell you that I've given into Ben and Jerry to encourage you that you're not a failure if you have done the same. Treat the next day like new. Eat a healthy breakfast. Workout. Just keep on keeping on. 

Maybe this post is just my confessional. But I hope to encourage you to just keep your eyes on your goals when things don't go perfectly. 

Now off I go to eat my veggies and meat. 

What About Fake Sugar??

Let's just keep talking about sugar, shall we? 

This time let's talk fake sugar. You know, the type of sugar in diet sodas, sugar-free Jello, Crystal Lite, Splenda, Truvia and the like. They go by the names sucralose, aspartame, xylitol, sorbitol, or mannitol. 

These types of sugars have zero calories, so doesn't that mean they won't make me fat? 

The simple answer: No. They will still make you fat. 

Read on to understand a few reasons why going 'diet' is still not good for fat loss. 

1. Artificial sweeteners can cause insulin resistance. 
This means that insulin starts to be ineffective, leaving the glucose wandering in your bloodstream instead of using it as energy or storing it as fat. 
Why is this a concern? This is the first step towards diabetes! 

2. These sweeteners are sweeter than sugar. 
When your taste buds get used to flavors so sweet you will continue to crave very sweet things, which are usually high in refined sugar which will lead to additional stored fat. 

3. Your body senses what's coming in.
Our bodies are pretty neat. They can sense what types of food you're about to put in it. If you're looking at a brownie or cookie, your brain knows that those foods are sweet so it will start to produce insulin in preparation of you eating those foods. It does the same thing with artificial sugar. When our insulin levels are high more glucose is then stored as fat in our body. 

4. Your cholesterol will rise. 
And not the good kind of cholesterol! Triglycerides can increase dramatically from sugar, including artificial sugars. Triglycerides are the form of cholesterol responsible for heart disease. 

Just these few reasons are huge. It goes to show you that calories don't matter. 

The quality of the food you eat is all that matters, and sugar - even fake sugar - is the culprit for so many health issues. 

Where are these things hiding? 

-Splenda. I already mentioned it by name. It may be tempting to bake a cheesecake with this for a low-carb, 'sugar-free' treat, but just don't do it. 

-Truvia. They get you with saying that it's a 'natural' sweetener. The fact is that it contains the sugar alcohol erythritol. So just put it back on the shelf. 

-Sugar-free syrups at popular coffee shops. Sucralose is what is used. No thanks. 

-Diet sodas. Of course, right? Aspartame, saccharin, or Splenda. None of it will help you with your fat loss goals or help your insulin regulation. 


So, please don't believe the lies that tell you that 'sugar-free' or 'diet' foods or drinks are healthier for you. Now you know that they're just as worse, if not worse as regular ol' sugar. 



For more reading on this subject:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25828597

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21505330

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26095119

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20739512_9,00.html

Last Minute [Sugar-free] Date Night Ideas

Another Valentine's Day approaching us, and with that comes the many, many treats, chocolates, sugary things our loved ones lovingly gift to us (if we are so lucky). 

Around my house chocolates aren't allowed this time. That's just what the hubbs and I have decided this year. We have been working too hard to let every single holiday be an excuse to have yet another treat. 

Plus, the guilty, bloated feeling I'm left with isn't really worth satisfying my taste buds for a few minutes. 

Here are just a few different ways to treat yourself or your significant other for a special occasion:

• Cook a fancy meal at home
• This year we are making ourselves some fancy steaks and sauteed veggies. Add some candles to the table for an even better ambiance 

• Give yourself an at-home pedicure
• Or the real deal at a salon.. but I'm cheap

• Give the gift of clothes
• Every girl loves clothes, or a small shopping spree

• Soak in a hot bath
• I recently did this after a bout of the flu and it was surprisingly refreshing!

• Take a night out with the girls [or guys]
• Let your significant other off the hook to enjoy time with friends

• Check an item off your bucket list
• Tattoo? Polar plunge? Get adventurous together! 

• Call up your babysitter and go out to a movie
• If you're like us, we don't ever treat ourselves to a movie at the actual movie theater. Maybe it's because we now have a baby with a bedtime, or we have become even more tight with our budget - probably both - but going to a movie is definitely out of the ordinary for us.

• Spend the night under a cozy blanket and go star gazing
• My many years at camp has made me a sucker for just taking a moment to enjoy the starry night in the middle of nowhere. So relaxing. 

Enjoy your Valentine's Day, or any special night, with your loved ones! 

And remember that not every holiday has to be a reason to indulge in the sugar bowl. 

No-Pasta Chicken Alfredo

Eating low carb has its perks. Things like bacon, cheese, eggs, and butter are all fair game. And this recipe has most of those foods involved. Which makes this one of my all-time favorite meals! 

Ingredients:

3-4chicken breasts 

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp Dried parsley 

1 bunch fresh broccoli

2 tbsp butter

1 zucchini, made into zoodles (optional) 

3-4 slices cooked bacon, chopped 

Alfredo sauce:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Put chicken breasts on a foil-lined pan, season with salt, pepper and parsley. 

Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. 

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Melt 1 tbsp butter and sautée broccoli until tender. Remove broccoli from the pan. 

Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan, reduce heat to low. 

Pour the cream into the pan. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Simmer on low until sauce thickens. 

Mix all components together in the pan. Heat through. 

Slice cooked chicken breasts and serve on top or mixed in. 

Enjoy!! 

Healthy Goals, Healthy Body

Goals. They help us stay on track, help us stay focused and reaching for something. 

I like having a goal. But at the same time certain goals aren't worth making. 

Hear me out... 

I could have the goal to get to 150 lbs. 
Or I could have the goal of losing inches around my belly. 

I could have the goal of looking better in my swim suit. 
Or I could have the goal of getting stronger. 

Which goal is better? 

Let's go back to the goal to get to a certain weight. If we focus on getting to a certain weight on the scale we may be tempted to do extreme things to get there - like calorie restriction or excessive exercise, or both for heaven's sake! - things that aren't necessarily healthy. This type of thinking can make certain programs that promise fast results look pretty darn good. "I can get to my goal weight in 30 days? Sign me up!" 
But then what will you do when you get to that X lb amount? What happens after that? 

Start now by doing things your body recognizes as healthy instead of temporarily doing a 'diet' or exercise program for temporary results. 

It's not bad to aim for a certain weight or size of clothing, but if we can shift our goals to be less on aesthetics and more focused on health we'll find ways to truly get the healthy, strong, fit body we are all after. 

First, educate yourself on what your body needs to truly be healthy. What can your body handle doing for the rest of your life? 

Ask yourself these long-term questions. 

• What type of foods can my body have in order to feel my best? 

• What type of exercises do I enjoy and will be able to do for many years to come? 

• Are these things increasing or decreasing my stress? 

• Do these things help me sleep better?

• Are my hormones balanced, will this help get them in balance?

• [Women] Will this keep my cycle regular?  

• Are my sugar cravings gone? 

Friends, this is what matters. If you made it to your goal of 150 lbs by busting your butt in the gym and eating next to nothing; but you feel hungry all of the time, your cycle has gone away, or you find yourself moody or depressed, then what is the point? 

Focus on treating your body as healthy as possible in order for it to respond appropriately, and you'll get the body you're after by default. 

I'd be happy to help you get there!