Smooth Operator…

June 30, 2017April 26, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch The Diet~

You are trying to be a healthier version of yourself! Instead of eating donuts and bagels for breakfast you have been proudly making smoothies instead. Good job! I am proud of you for making a positive change!

You have really been enjoying your healthy morning smoothie, but you expected the weight to just drop off. Why haven’t you seen any changes on the scale? What is going on?!

Here are some reasons why that morning smoothie may not be doing you any favors….

Yes, having a smoothie made solely from a variety of fruits is much healthier than eating a bagel with cream cheese! Keep in mind that even though fruit smoothies do have fiber and nutrients, they still have calories. and are still full of natural sugars.

I cannot even tell you how many times I have filled my blender with all the healthy ingredients that I can think of. Before I knew it, that yummy healthy smoothie has turned into a 650+ calorie breakfast.

Unfortunately, just because a food is nutritious doesn’t mean it’s low in calories. Certain foods such as avocados, dates, nuts, nut butters, whole milk yogurt, and oats can tack on a hundred calories each!

Even fruits like apples, pears, mangoes, cherries, and bananas can quickly add in extra calories. Don’t shy away from these healthy nutrient-rich ingredients — just use a small amount of each.

Making your morning smoothie with all kinds of different fruits could quickly turn your healthy smoothie into a high-calorie meal! Instead pair your fruit with a protein source such as milk, yogurt, protein powder, soft tofu, beans, nuts, or nut butter.

I have learned the hard way that instead of eyeballing and adding all kinds of tasty ingredients, measuring out ingredients is essential!

You will really want to keep the calorie count down especially if you’re pairing your smoothie with something else like a slice of toast or muffin.

Your smoothie should aim to have:
Calories: 300 to 400
Fiber: 5 to 10 grams
Protein: 13 to 20 grams
Carbs: 40 to 55 grams
Healthy fats: 10 to 15 grams
Sugars: 36 grams or less

The protein will give you lasting energy, the carbs give you quick energy, the healthy fats and fiber will keep you full longer. Sticking to this “formula” will help you to make a smoothie that will not only be filling but also help to maintain your blood sugar.

Ok, so you’re thinking thanks for all the info, that doesn’t help me when I am making my morning smoothie…

Here is what you really want to know, how do I make a smoothie that meets all of these requirements?

Here is a recipe that I love…

Chocolate Strawberry Banana Smoothie (365 cal)

5 frozen strawberries (50 cal)
1 frozen banana (90 cal)
1 cup spinach (7 cal)
6 ounces plain Greek yogurt (100 cal)
1/2 cup chocolate unsweetened almond milk (25 cal)
1/2 tablespoon peanut butter (95 cal)

Total: 53g carbs, 32g sugar, 8g fiber 8g fat, 26g protein,

This is another combo that I make the most often:
2 cups of greens (25 cal),
1 banana (90 cal),
1/4 cup blueberries (20 cal),
1/4 cup mango (50 cal) ,
1/4 avocado (80 cal)
1/2 tablespoon chia seeds: 30 calories or 1 tablespoon flax meal: 40 calories
total 295-300 cal.
I will also add some sort of protein either greek yogurt 100 cal, 1tbs PB 95 cal, or protein powder 130 cal

Here’s the calorie breakdown of other healthy ingredients you might want to add to your smoothie:

1 cup unsweetened soy milk: 80 calories
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk: 40 calories
1 cup coconut water: 43 calories
1 serving (about 35 grams) vanilla protein powder: 110 calories
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt: 83 calories
1/2 cup vanilla soy yogurt: 105 calories
1/2 cup coconut milk yogurt: 90 calories
1/2 tablespoon chia seeds: 30 calories
1 tablespoon flax meal: 40 calories
1 serving soft tofu (1/5 package): 60 calories
1/4 cup cannellini beans: 50 calories
1 tablespoon almond butter: 95 calories

I hope this is helpful and that you continue to enjoy your morning smoothies!

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Baked Kale Chips

June 16, 2017April 26, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch The Diet~

I am always trying to broaden my leafy green horizons.

So while “This kale salad tastes like I’d rather be fat!”…these baked kale chips taste so awesome that I cannot stop eating them!

Here is a delicious, simple, and quick recipe for baked kale chips:

Ingredients

1 bunch or 1 bag of kale
1 Tablespoon olive oil (I prefer grapeseed oil)
1 Teaspoon seasoning of your choice (Mrs. Dash is great!)

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F

Line a non-insulated cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear or cut into bite-size pieces. (don’t skip this step, these things taste nasty!)

Wash thoroughly and dry kale with a salad spinner.

Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.*

*I prefer to add my oil and seasoned salt to a gallon sized zip top bag and shake it up until the kale is completely covered in the oil mix.

Spread out evenly on the foil lined baking sheet.

Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 15 to 20 minutes.**

**I like mine to be extra crispy so I bake the kale for 20-25 min (10 minutes on each side. Then mixed up and an additional 5 min.)

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Don’t Focus On Denial

June 9, 2017April 26, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch the Diet~

How true is it that all we want is what we can’t have! When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle it is so important to not focus on denial!

Occasionally enjoying a sweet treat or special meal is an absolutely necessary part of a living a healthy life. God gave us taste buds because He wants us to be able to enjoy our food.

Overly denying ourselves of the things we crave will only lead to eventual overeating of those things. When the temptations become too much, and they always do, will power alone will not be enough.

If going out to eat and having the bread basket in front of you makes you break into a cold sweat, that is not right! That is also no way to live! You don’t need to eat every single piece of bread in the basket, but enjoying one piece of bread should not be something that sends you into a 2-week carb binge.

If all you can talk about is how much you want to eat bread, chips, fries, cookies, cake or insert your food of choice here, you will eventually find yourself eating an entire cake and feeling completely terrible about it.

If you want a french fry, have a fry or two. You don’t need to eat an entire large fry, but a fry or two might be just the thing to keep you from derailing your entire healthy eating plan.

Don’t forget to implement the other parts of the list:

1) Make small manageable changes one at a time.
2) Set realistic goals and write them down.
3) Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.
4) Find healthy foods you love.
5) Get a routine and be consistent with it.
6) Let Yourself Indulge (within reason)

If you have enjoyed this “Ditch the Diet” posts you can read more about it by clicking HERE.

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all four.

Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Let Yourself Indulge

June 2, 2017April 26, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch the Diet~

Let’s review the ways we have already discussed on how to ditch dieting for good…

Here is the next way to add to the list:

6) Let Yourself Indulge (within reason):

Denying yourself can lead to unwanted binges. Instead, be strict with your diet leading up to the time before the indulgence. Truly enjoy the food that you are eating, and then, later on, DO NOT make yourself feel guilty about it afterward.

If you know you are going to a birthday party or a friends BBQ let yourself indulge within reason. Maybe you are going to a fancy restaurant or out for a celebratory dinner. There is no reason to binge on all the food that is there, but there is also no reason to force yourself to resist eating either.

indulge | lookingjoligood.blog

I have found that occasionally enjoying a sweet treat or special meal is an absolutely necessary part of a feasible healthy lifestyle. We are not talking about a strict diet, the whole point of ditching the diet is learning how to live a healthy lifestyle and enjoying your life!

If you have enjoyed this “Ditch the Diet” posts you can read more about it by clicking HERE.

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all four.

Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

The Great Carb Controversy Part 2

May 26, 2017April 26, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood3 Comments

~Ditch The Diet~

Always keep in mind, everyone’s body is different! We do not all have the same dietary requirements. Just because a diet low in carbs works for one person doesn’t mean that it is right for someone else.

Life isn’t a sprint it is a marathon. Personally, I choose long-term health over short-term results.

Not all carbs are created equal! While carbohydrates are an important part of your diet, that doesn’t mean that you can eat a bunch of processed foods like pasta, candy, cupcakes, chips, soda, and chocolate chip cookies.

There are two different types of carbs: simple and complex carbohydrates.

Complex carbs have a higher fiber content that makes the body work harder to digest them. They provide energy over a longer period of time.

These whole plant foods are great sources of complex carbohydrates:
• Green vegetables
• Whole grains and foods made from them, such as oatmeal, and whole-grain breads
• Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and pumpkin
• Beans, lentils, and peas

Simple carbs are usually processed packaged foods that are higher in sugar and lower in fiber. These carbs tend to cause a spike in insulin production.

Some food sources of simple carbohydrates:
• Table sugar
• Brown sugar
• Corn syrup
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Jams, jellies
• Fruit drinks and juices
• Soda
• Candy

The body and brain function best with an optimal level of glucose, and the best source is from complex carbohydrate foods.

How can you eat carbs and not gain weight?

It is ok to eat simple carbs every once in a while, but a diet full of simple carbohydrates like cookies, pasta, white rice, and white bread is what leads to weight gain and feeling yuck.

Make some simple changes from simple carbs to complex carbs. Eat brown rice instead of white rice. Have an orange or an apple instead of drinking a glass of processed juice. Eat a whole grain English muffin instead of a white English muffin. Instead of having chips try eating air popped popcorn. Make your pizza with a multigrain dough. Have plenty of your favorite veggies cut up and bagged for easy access and snacking. If you have a sugar craving eat a piece of fruit

Making simple changes from simple to complex carbs will help take the confusion out of eating carbs. Then when the weight is off and you are in maintenance you don’t even have to think about it anymore because you are already used to eating a healthy balanced diet.

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

The Great Carb Controversy Part 1

May 19, 2017April 26, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch The Diet~

Let’s REALLY talk about carbs, yup I am going THERE…

No other nutrient has caused so much confusion or controversy.

Keep in mind that what you do to lose the weight is what you will have to do to maintain it.

Let me say that again:

What you DO to LOSE the weight is what you will have to do to MAINTAIN it!

What you DO to LOSE the weight is what you will have to do to MAINTAIN it! | lookingjoligood.blog

This is why it is important to choose a healthy BALANCED diet that will help you to have LONG-TERM consistency in your health and nutrition.

While it seems as if completely cutting out carbs might be a quick way to lose weight fast, is it the best for your body?

We need a balanced diet to have optimal body functioning. Any diet that requires you to cut out an entire food group will not keep your body working at its best long term.

I am going to be completely honest, I don’t like extremely low-carb diets! I’m an active person, I love to do high-intensity exercises. I require a larger number of grams of carbs per day than someone that isn’t very active.

With a low/no carb diet, yes, the body will adapt. It will learn to break down other nutrients and use them as fuel for the brain. But this is what the body does in survival mode, it is not optimal. This is how the body reacts during times of starvation. This is the body’s last resort!

Sure, we can cut carbs temporarily if we need to lose weight quickly. But for most of us, keeping carbs too low for too long can have disastrous consequences.

Restricting your carb intake too drastically can lead to:
• decreased thyroid output
• increased cortisol output
• decreased testosterone
• impaired mood and cognitive function
• muscle catabolism
• suppressed immune function.

In other words: Your metabolism might slow, your stress hormones go up and your muscle-building hormones go down.

A truly balanced diet is one that will give your body all the nutrition it needs to function properly. Balanced nutrition comes from a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

While it is great to see results on the scale, what is going on inside the body is more important. | lookingjoligood.blog

While it is great to see results on the scale, what is going on inside the body is more important.

lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all three.

Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

High Five for Fiber!

May 12, 2017April 26, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

Fiber refers to certain types of carbohydrates that our body cannot digest. These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract intact and help to move waste out of the body.

Diets that are low in fiber have been shown to cause problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids and to increase the risk for certain types of cancers such as colon cancer.

Diets high in fiber; however, have been shown to decrease risks for heart disease, obesity, and they help lower cholesterol. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products. (See the 4 Fs of Bowel Health post for a more detailed list of high fiber foods.)

Fiber helps to keep everything moving down and out.

The majority of American women do not get enough daily fiber. Most people should aim for 25–35 grams of fiber a day.

An added bonus to fiber is that it keeps you feeling fuller longer, as well as slowing down the absorption of sugars and the release of those sugars into your bloodstream.

If you are not used to eating a fiber rich diet you need to take it slow! Don’t just start eating all the high fiber foods that you can find. Start with a little bit at a time and increase your intake by one fiber rich food every two -three days depending on how your gut is responding.

You cannot just increase your fiber without increasing your fluid intake. You will end up with a lot of gas and possibly even more stopped up!

Keep in mind that losing weight and being healthy are so much more than just choosing a “diet plan” and following it.

Are you interested in learning more about ditching dieting for good? You can read more about it by clicking HERE.

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all three.

Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

What I Eat In A Day Weekend Edition

May 7, 2017June 2, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch The Diet~

As you may remember, I follow a model of eating called 80/20 which means 80% of what I eat is clean/healthy foods and 20% is “splurge” foods. I also eat intuitively. Meaning if I am hungry I eat until I am satisfied, and if I am not hungry, I don’t eat. Sounds simple right? Some days are easier than others especially if there are warm chocolate chip cookies in my house.

As you will see, I am a bit more strict with getting in all my veggies during the week, and not as much on the weekend.

Breakfast 375 calories

I love Honey Nut Cheerios! Starting the day off with something sweet often helps me to stay on track for the rest of the day.

Kellogg’s – Honey Nut Cheerios, 3/4 cup /28 g 110 cal
1% Milk, 0.5 cup 55 cal
Trader Joes – Ancient Grain & Super Seed, 1 TBS 60 cal
Greek Gods – Greek Yogurt – Vanilla Honey 113.5 g/1 cup 145 cal
Regular Coffee Black 10 oz <5cal

Can you eat pizza and lose weight? Yes you can! You just have to be aware of the type of pizza that you are eating. I made my pizza at home with a multigrain crust and reduced fat cheese and baked chicken.

Lunch 456 calories

2 pieces of Multi Grain Pizza with cheese and shredded chicken 250 cal ( 1 serving 125 cal)
1/2 California Avocado 120 cal
1 1/2 cups Baby roman leafy greens 6 cal
1/2 cup Halo Top – Ice Cream 80 cal (serving size 1/2 cup 80 cal)

Snack 90 calories

12 Caramel Mini Rice Cakes, 90 cal (serving size 8 mini cakes 60 cal)

Dinner 685 calories

Hamberger Roll, 1 roll 140 cal
2 pieces Bacon 80 cal
Ketchup/Mustard 15 cal
Ground hamburger 86/14 4 oz 240 cal
1 slice Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese 80 cal
Trader Joe’s – Veggie and Flax Seed Tortilla Chips, 7 chips 130 cal (serving size 7 chips 130 cal)

YES, that is a hamburger bun! Yup, a burger with a bun is not going to derail your diet! Just like eating pizza won’t kill you, you can enjoy a burger with a bun and still stay on track and lose weight too.

Here is a rough breakdown of my macros

1,605 calories

Protein 72g -288 cal from protein

Fat 74g -667 cal from fat

Carbs 158g-632 cal from carbs
Fiber 24 g

Water 90 fl oz

The biggest difference in my weekday and weekend eating habits can usually be seen in my macros. I tend to let myself eat more fat and less fiber.

I hope these examples of what I eat in a day can help you to make some healthy choices! I will post these “What I Eat In A Day” posts every once in a while.

Are you enjoying these Ditch the Diet posts? You can read more by clicking HERE.

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all four.

Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Carb Confusion

May 5, 2017April 26, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch the Diet~

Today we are going to be talking about the most controversial of macronutrients – carbohydrates.

As we have been discussing recently, there are three macronutrients: Carbohydrate, Fat, Protein. Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories (or energy) for our bodies.

No other nutrient causes so much confusion or controversy as carbs.

Carbohydrates are the macronutrient that our bodies need in the LARGEST amounts. Believe it or not, you can be successful eating hundreds of grams of carbs a day, as well as eating fewer grams per day.

According to the Dietary Reference Intakes published by the USDA, 45% – 65% of calories should come from carbohydrate. (Carbohydrate provides 4 calories per gram.)

Why do we need this amount of carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel and easily used by the body for energy. They can be stored in the muscles and liver to be used later for energy. All of the tissues and cells in our body can use glucose for energy.

Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, the muscles (including the heart) to function properly.

Carbohydrates are important in intestinal health and waste elimination.

Which foods are carbohydrates?

They are mainly found in starchy foods like grain and potatoes, as well as fruits, milk, and yogurt. Other foods like vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and cottage cheese contain carbohydrates, but in lesser amounts.

I will be talking in more details about fiber and “good” carbs vs “bad” carbs in another Ditch the Diet post.

Keep in mind that losing weight and being healthy are so much more than just choosing a “diet plan” and following it.

Are you interested in learning more about ditching dieting for good? You can read more about it by clicking HERE.

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all three. I would also love to follow you on Instagram and Twitter as well, so let me know your username in the comment section below!

Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

What I Eat In A Day

April 28, 2017May 1, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood3 Comments

~Dith The Diet~

I follow a model of eating called 80/20 which means 80% of what I eat is clean/healthy foods and 20% is “splurge” foods. We can get more into the details of 80/20 in a future post.

I also follow intuitive eating. This basically means if I am hungry I eat until I am satisfied and if I am not hungry, I don’t eat. Sounds simple right? Some days are easier than others especially if there’s leftover Easter candy laying around…

Here is what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast 375 cal

Chobani Strawberry Greek Yogurt -120 cal (serving size one container 120 cal)

1/4 cup Trader Joes Pecan Praline Granola 105 cal (serving size 1/2 cup 210 cal)

1/2 Banana 45 cal (serving size 1/2 large banana 45 cal)

3 large strawberries- 45 cal (serving size one cup 55 cal)

1 Tbs Super Seed Ancient Grain Blend 60 cal ( serving size 2 Tbs 120 cal)

Usually, around mid-morning, I would also have a post-workout snack that consists of about 250 or so calories. I didn’t workout yesterday, so I wasn’t hungry and didn’t need the mid-morning snack.

If I were to have a snack it would most likely be either a medium sized apple and 1.5 Tbs of peanut butter or two pieces of low-fat mozzarella string cheese.

Lunch 400 cal

Solid White Tuna 2 oz 60 cal (serving size 2 oz 60 cal)

Old Fashion Hearth Whole Wheat English Muffin 130 cal ( serving size one muffin 130 cal)

1/4 Avocado 60 cal (serving size 1/2 avocado 120 cal)

2 oz Sabra Hummus 150 cal ( serving size 2 oz/ 1/4 cup 150 cal)

Baby Romain Lettuce Celery Carrots <5cal
Cucumber

Snack- 60 cal

Halo Top Lemon Cake Ice Cream 60 cal (serving size 1/2 cup 60 cal)

Dinner- 430 cal

Ground turkey (3 oz 130 cal) black beans (2 oz. 60 cal) chili – 250 cal total

1 Tbs Chobani fat free plain greek yogurt- 25 cal (serving size 1 cup- 120 cal)

2 Tbs Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese -25 cal (serving 1/4 cup- 85 cal)

7 chips Trader Joes Veggie and Flaxseed Tortilla Chips- serving size 7 chips 130 cal

Evening Snack 35 cal

Carrots- 15 cal

Celery –

Cucumbers- <5

Sugar Snap Peas- 15 cal

Here is a rough breakdown of my macros

1300 calories

Protein 75 g -300 cal from protein

Fat 40g -360 cal from fat

Carbs 140g-560 cal from carbs
Fiber 45 g

Water 98 fl oz

I hope these examples of what I eat in a day can help you to make some healthy choices! I will post these “What I Eat In A Day” posts every once in a while.

Are you enjoying these Ditch the Diet posts? You can read more by clicking HERE.

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all four.

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Kindness is beautiful!

Tag: Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Smooth Operator…

Baked Kale Chips

Don’t Focus On Denial

~Ditch the Diet~

Let Yourself Indulge

~Ditch the Diet~

The Great Carb Controversy Part 2

~Ditch The Diet~

The Great Carb Controversy Part 1

~Ditch The Diet~

High Five for Fiber!

Are you interested in learning more about ditching dieting for good? You can read more about it by clicking HERE.

What I Eat In A Day Weekend Edition

Here is a rough breakdown of my macros

Carb Confusion

~Ditch the Diet~

What I Eat In A Day

Breakfast 375 cal

Lunch 400 cal

Snack- 60 cal

Dinner- 430 cal

Evening Snack 35 cal

Here is a rough breakdown of my macros

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~Ditch the Diet~

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~Ditch The Diet~

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~Ditch The Diet~

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Are you interested in learning more about ditching dieting for good? You can read more about it by clicking HERE.

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Here is a rough breakdown of my macros

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~Ditch the Diet~

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Breakfast 375 cal

Lunch 400 cal

Snack- 60 cal

Dinner- 430 cal

Evening Snack 35 cal

Here is a rough breakdown of my macros

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