How To Eat Healthy When Dining Out (01/09)

Aloha readers! 
For those of you who may be starting your new plans to eat healthier and get more active in the new year, you may be wondering how to balance between eating healthy and being able to enjoy yourself when you dine out. 

This post-holiday season, you won't have to avoid the restaurants to lose weight or get fit. Today's post will give you some helpful and effective tips to eat healthy when dining out with your loved ones :) 

Skip the complementary bread basket - sometimes it's hard to give up free stuff, but the - often white - bread can easily pack on the calories. Another reason to opt out of the bread basket is saving your stomach room and calories for appetizer or dessert instead. 

(http://www.breadbaskets.com/category/Bread_Baskets.html)

Skip the soda - choose healthy, lower-calorie alternatives like water or milk instead. 

Browse the restaurant menu before going - knowing ahead of time what kind of items are available can help you make the better choices. You can also pre-select dishes that you are interested in, and ask the server is you can modify the dish to make it a healthier alternative. Many restaurants are happy to accommodate these changes, often without extra charge.  

Ask for a nutrition facts table - some restaurants have them implemented, or separate, into their food menu, or can be found online on their website. If you're following a calorie-tracking or macro-tracking diet, this will help you plan out ahead of time what to order. 

(http://www.buzztime.com/business/blog/calorie-labeling-menus-hinder-restaurant-sales/)

Ask how the food is prepared - ask for necessary modifications, Choose alternative cooking methods for foods that are deep fried, crispy, gratin, or dipped. Look for healthy alternatives on the menu that are prepared by grilling, steaming, or baking. 

(http://www.vodkaandbiscuits.com/2013/11/21/crispy-raviolis/)

Ask for sauce on the side - think back to how often a dish comes out slathered in sauce. This can easily pack on the calories, especially if the sauce is made from butter, cream, or oil. Ordering it on the side allows you to enjoy it in moderation - but be sure to pay attention to how much you actually use! Asking for it on the side doesn't necessarily mean they will give you less! 

Ask for a doggy bag - portion out half of your entree to take home with you. Restaurant portion sizes are often much larger than recommended serving sizes, and much more than you'll need in one sitting. Packed leftovers can make greater meals for later on that day or for breakfast/lunch the next day. 

(http://www.worldmarket.com/product/mimosa+take+out+boxes,+set+of+4.do)

Give yourself the option of appetizer or dessert - having both can often lead to consuming excess calories at one meal. Many appetizers like spring rolls and calamari are deep fried, but some items can be grilled or baked instead. If you choose to have dessert, consider asking how it is prepared. If there is any cream/whip creme used in cooking/garnishing, ask if it can be removed. Fresh fruit desserts may be a good alternative, if no additional sugar-rich syrups are glazed over it. 

Try out these tips the next time you dine out, and comment below what you tried and how the experience went! I would love to hear your feedback on these posts - because they're meant to help YOU succeed! Until then! 

Cheers! 

xoxo

Grocery Haul of the Week (05/11 - 05/17)

Aloha readers! 

It's been a little while since I've showed you guys my grocery trips; I had intentions of doing a grocery haul video, but it was almost 10PM when I got home last night and I was exhausted! 

So instead, I shot a simple photo of the things I got. 

I'm starting work in a few days, so I made sure to buy things that could be used in my snacks and as part of my main meals - so I can take it to work and cook it at home! 

So from the haul, I got: 

- Eggs and Smoked salmon (for my breakfast) 

- Bananas (pre workout snack + smoothies) 

- Yogurt (post-workout snack + smoothies) 

- Granola bars (snacks) 

- Turkey sausage sticks (some protein for my snacks) 

- Broccoli, Cauliflower, Mushroom (stir frys) 

- Raw Shrimp (Pan fried in lemon garlic sauce - yum yum!) 

Going grocery shopping is important to me because it allows me to buy the nutritious foods I need to help fuel my growing and changing body. Throughout my journey, I've 

learned many tips and guidelines about how to "shop smart" and "smart healthy". 

           

If you're curious or interested about learning how to eat healthier, or "eat clean", here's some sample grocery lists for you! 

                

 

Cheers! 

xoxo

How to Recognize and Deal with Emotional Eating

Hey guys! 

Today I wanted to talk about something that has been an issue for myself and many other people I know for a long long time now - Emotional Eating. 

As a female who has suffered (and still occasionally do) from emotional eating - or what is also known as stressful eating - I can relate and understand how defeated and down one may feel. 

We’ve all had one of those days where you just feeling down and perhaps even a little gloomy. Then what did you do next? Chances are, you probably ate something along the lines of sugary goods (candy, chocolate), baked goods (doughnuts, pastries), or ice cream for a “pick-me-up”. This is the response from our brain’s neurochemistry telling us that we need those foods to make you happy. The reason behind that is because these foods trigger a release of dopamine - a brain chemical that makes us feel a burst of pleasure and satisfaction.

There are many causes behind emotional eating, but in simple terms: emotional eating is something our brain has learned to adapt over time. It’s essentially a system that relies on “dopamine highs” from the foods we eat to make us feel happy and satisfied. 

 If you haven’t noticed, we tend to eat to reward ourselves - whether we’re sad, angry, or happy. 

As it happens more over time, it develops into a habit and your body is going to rely and demand more and more of these simple sugared, empty calorie foods to get that dopamine high. 

We’ve all got things in our daily lives that stress us out, and emotional eating is one of the many things we turn to to suppress and forget those thoughts. But is there a way to get out of this. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come easily. 

Emotional eating is caused by many different things: stress, boredom, influences from your environment, previous bad experiences with food, trying to cope with emotions, etc.

To overcome emotional eating, not only do you need to identify the trigger, but you also need to resort to other alternatives that help you control your emotions. Try calling a friend, going for a run, or doing some light reading - like this article :). The method that I have found that personally works best is implementing healthy lifestyle habits. Eating healthier, doing regular exercise allows you to be in control of both your physical health and mental health.

During physical activity different hormones such as feel-good endorphins (which make you happier), dopamine (a pleasure chemical that helps with prevent overeating and weight gain), and seretonin (helps with your sleeping) are released. The overall benefits from these hormones can help you curb cravings and relieve you from feeling emotionally upset. 

Implementing physical activity into my life has allowed me to control my eating habits and allowed me to reduce the number of emotional eating episodes I experience. Whenever I feel that itch to grab a cookie or a chocolate bar, I get up and start moving - whether that’s going to the gym, doing some push ups. 

In order to overcome emotional eating, you’re going to have to stop letting it control you, and be in control over it. 

I hope this has helped you understand more about emotional eating, and that you can overcome it and be in control once again. 

Have yourself a great weekend :) 

Cheers

xoxo

Selina :)