The Skinny On Fat

April 21, 2017April 19, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch the Diet~

Guess what…fats don’t make you fat. Big shocker I know!

As I mentioned in a previous post, macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories (or energy) for our bodies. There are three macronutrients: Fat, Protein, Carbohydrate. (Fat provides 9 calories per gram.)

Fat might get a bad wrap, but it is actually essential for survival. Fat is the most concentrated source of energy and is also needed for absorption of vitamins A, D, E, K, and carotenoids.

What does our body need fat for?

Energy
Absorbing certain vitamins
Maintaining cell membranes
Providing cushioning for the organs
Normal growth and development
Providing taste, consistency, and stability to foods

There are three main types of fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and trans fat.

There are good fats and bad fats. Good fats come from things like chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, avocados, nut, seeds, olive oil and grape seed oil.

Eating large amounts of foods rich in saturated fats can raise your cholesterol levels, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke, (and even some types of cancer.) If those saturated fat-rich foods are also high in dietary cholesterol, like bacon, the cholesterol levels tend to rise even higher.

Try to stay away from trans fat. Trans fats are found in things like baked goods, snack foods, fried foods, and margarine. These types of fats increase your risk for heart disease.

Replacing saturated and trans fat in your diet with unsaturated fat has been shown decrease the risk of developing heart disease.

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

The USDA recommends 20% – 35% of daily calories should come from fat.

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

The Power of Protein

April 13, 2017April 12, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch the Diet~

As I mentioned in a previous post macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories (or energy). There are three macronutrients: Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat.

Today I want to specifically talk about the macronutrient protein.

One of the first things that I learned about in nursing school was that amino acids are the building blocks of life. Proteins are made up of amino acids.

Some amino acids are nonessential which means that our body can make them. Others are essential which means that we need to get them from our diet.

What do we need protein for?
Cell Growth
Tissue repair
Immune function
Making essential hormones and enzymes
Preserving lean muscle mass

Where can you find protein?
Protein is found in meats, poultry, fish, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes, and in smaller quantities starchy foods and vegetables.

When we eat these types of foods, our body breaks down the protein that they contain into amino acids to be used to rebuild our bodies and create new cells.

The protein that comes from animal sources contains all of the essential amino acids that we need. Plant sources of protein, on the other hand, do not contain all of the essential amino acids.

While everyone’s body is different the USDA recommends that 10% – 35% of daily calories should come from protein. You can easily meet this need by consuming a balanced diet.

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

What are Macronutrients?

April 7, 2017February 13, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch the Diet~

Wouldn’t it be nice if food was just food and no matter what we ate our body could perfectly use it as needed! Unfortunately, not all food is created equally. The two hundred calories from a Little Debbie Snack Cake are not equal to the 200 calories in 4 ounces of baked chicken breast. I really wish that this was not true! I really wish that my body would use the calories from desserts the same way it uses the healthy foods.

What is it that makes our foods different? Short answer: macronutrients.

What are macronutrients?

Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories (or energy). Nutrients are the substances needed for growth, metabolism, and for other body functions. The word “macro” means large. Put it together and macronutrients are nutrients needed in large amounts.

There are three macronutrients: Carbohydrate, Protein, Fat,

While each of these macronutrients provides calories, the number of calories that each one provides is different.

Carbohydrate provides 4 calories per gram.

Protein provides 4 calories per gram.

Fat provides 9 calories per gram.

This means that if you looked at a Nutrition Facts label and it said 10 grams of carbohydrate (40 cals), 10 grams of fat (90 cals), and 10 grams of protein per serving (40 cals), you would know that this food has about 170 calories per serving

10 carbohydrate x 4= 40 cals
10 grams of fat x 9 = 90 cals
10 grams of protein per serving x 4= 40 cals

40+90+40=170

I will get more into the balance of micronutrients in a future post.

Don’t worry, I am not going to suggest that you start “counting your macros” I am going to try to help you have a healthy lifestyle without having to think about it.

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

💩 The 4 Fs of Bowel Health 💩

March 31, 2017February 5, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch the Diet~

Yes, you are correct, we are about to talk about 💩!

If you have ever talked to me at length about healthy eating, you already know that “bowl health” is very important to me!

While yes, it might be a really gross thing to talk about, it is so important! You can tell so much about what is going on inside your body by your bowl patterns.

First, let’s discuss what is considered to be a normal bowel routine.

While everyone’s bowel patterns are different, it is considered normal to have a bowel movement at most one to three times a day, or at the least three times a week.

You should never let yourself go more than 3 days without a bowel movement. Let me repeat that. You should never let yourself go more than 3 days without a bowel movement.

So now that you know what is normal, let’s talk about how you can get a better bowel pattern?

1) Fluids

First of all, make sure you are drinking plenty of Fluids!

Science time…Fluids are absorbed in the large intestine (also know as the colon). The more fluids readily available to your colon, the less it needs to work to absorb them.

Do you see where I am going here…the harder the colon has to work to draw out the necessary fluids your body needs, the harder you’ll have to work to get the waste it produces out. (Gross, I know, but so true.)

2) Fiber

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.

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

beans beans beans | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

3) Flatulence!

Yes, I did just go there!

If you are not used to eating a fiber rich diet you need to take it slow! Don’t just start downing all the high fiber foods that you can find. Start with a little bit at a time and increase your intake by one of the things listed below 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!

I like to move it | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

4) Fitness

Let’s face it, exercise helps your body look better, feel better and function better. Lack of physical activity can contribute to constipation. Living a sedentary life can slow the digestive system. If you’ struggle with constipation exercising regularly can help get things going in more ways than one.

Add these for Fs into your life and you will have a healthy bowel in no time! 💩

(Seriously though, how funny is the 💩 emoji? Lol!)

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Perfection and Consistency

March 24, 2017February 5, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch the Diet~

A healthy lifestyle is not is not about perfection it is about consistency.

When something is done with consistency is when the results are seen. Consistently eating healthy, exercising, getting enough sleep, decreasing the stress in your life, these things bring positive results.

You are the only one who can choose what you will be doing consistently.

Keep in mind that consistency always brings results… we get to choose what we will be doing and whether those results will be negative or positive.

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Find Healthy Foods You Love and Enjoy Them!

March 17, 2017February 3, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch the Diet~

One of the most important parts of being successful at giving up dieting and living a healthy lifestyle is finding healthy foods you enjoy.

Since changing my eating habits two years ago I have found so many foods that I once thought I hated, but now I actually love.

Eggplant, Cucumbers, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Roasted Cauliflower, Baked Kale, Sweet Potatoes, Mushrooms. These are all things that I would never have eaten two years ago, yet they are now part of my everyday diet.

You know what, I still hate cooked peppers, I don’t think that will ever change. There are so many other healthy options that I do enjoy. When it comes to peppers, I just don’t eat them.

Set yourself up for success. Find healthy foods you love and enjoy them!

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Shop the Perimeter

March 10, 2017March 6, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch the Diet~

Don’t know where to start when shopping for healthier food options at the grocery store?

Shop the perimeter.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to begin and end at the farmers’ market (although that is a good place to shop :-)).

Grocery stores have plenty to offer. You just need to know what to look for. Convenience and healthy can be in the same place.

Most whole, natural foods are on the outside aisles of grocery stores. Think about where you shop for food. The perimeter is where the produce, dairy, and meat sections usually are.

As you go deeper into the center of the store, you encounter more processed and packaged food.

Start shopping for foods that don’t have labels. The fresher the food you eat the better you will feel.

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Bottoms Up!

March 3, 2017January 31, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch the Diet~

I drink a lot of water! It is easy for me to get enough water in each day because I don’t even think about it, I have made it a habit.

Maybe you don’t have a habit of drinking water so you have a hard time remembering to drink water.

One of my tips for increasing water consumption is every time you go to the bathroom drink a full 8-ounce glass of water before you leave.

This habit will create a cycle, the more water you drink the more trips you will take to the bathroom, the more water you will drink. Before you know it you will be used to drinking water and will have created a new habit.

bottoms up | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

Also, here is an interesting fact, when I worked in the hospital taking care of patients on fluid restriction, the Drs would always say to take all the straws out of the patient’s room.

Drinking out of a straw causes people to drink 30% more. So, stick a straw in your water and you will drink more without even realizing it.

Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to take a drink of water. Most likely by that point you are already slightly dehydrated.

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

The Size of Your Heart and The Size of Your Pants

February 24, 2017January 31, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood5 Comments

~Ditch The Diet~

I truly believe that God wants us to feel and be at our physical best! Although, this isn’t His primary concern, he can use us no matter what our health or physical condition.

2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

His main concern is with our spiritual well-being and ability to glorify Him.

Body size, shape, and weight, and outward appearance are over-emphasized in our society. These things are often the focus of our thoughts and energy at the expense of our inward character.

I Samuel 16:7 “for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

God looks on the heart | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

God is less concerned with the size of our pants and more concerned with the size of our hearts. He wants us to desire to please Him. He is less concerned with how long we live on this earth but is more concerned with how prepared we are for our eternal life.

God wants our hearts.

God wants your heart | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

In 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, Paul tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. In that case, we should take care of our bodies and keep them as healthy as we possibly can.

Knowing that unhealthy eating habits can lead to multiple health problems, including back and knee pain, cardiovascular complications, kidney issues and diabetes, we should make healthy choices regarding our food, drink, and exercise.

Jesus teaches to seek a balance between the physical and the spiritual. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4.

A strong, healthy body helps us better serve God, in the end bringing glory and honor to Him.

God truly wants us to keep our focus on Him. He gave us our body to be used to bring glory to him, not for us to be obsessing about weight gain, weight loss, or food and drink.

If we are not careful these things can easily become idols in our lives.

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Tomorrow Is a New Day

February 17, 2017January 31, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood4 Comments

~Ditch the Diet~

Every Sunday is the start of a new week and a new opportunity to make a new healthy habit! While you don’t have to wait until the beginning of a new week, month or year to start a new habit, it is always good to have a place to start….

tomorrow is a new day | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

Don’t try to rebuild your eating habits all at once. Make small manageable changes one at a time, master that change before moving on to the next one.

Unhealthy habits weren’t formed overnight. They also cannot expect to be changed all at once either.

Keep in mind that you do NOT have to give up everything you love in order to be healthy. Balance is what we are striving for.

Maybe you drink a lot of soda or sugary drinks. Start with decreasing your soda consumption by one glass each day and replacing it with a glass of water. By the end of a week or two, you will have broken yourself of an unhealthy habit replacing it with a healthy one.

Maybe you don’t drink soda, but every day you drink a several cups of coffees with extra cream and extra sugar. You do not have to give up coffee, just start decreasing the amount of cream and/or sugar you use a little at a time each day. By the end of a week or two, you will have retrained yourself to enjoy your coffee in a healthier way.

black coffee | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

Ok, so maybe you don’t drink soda or coffee…but you also don’t eat breakfast.

Breakfast is an important way to start the day! Try to eat within one hour of waking. Start light to get yourself used to the new habit of eating in the morning. Studies show that starting the day by eating breakfast helps decrease overeating later on in the day.

Breakfast of Champions | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

Avoid buying trigger foods that you know cause you to lose control and overeat. I love chocolate chip cookies! I cannot resist a homemade chocolate chip cookie no matter how strong my resolve, add in some M&M’s and it is all over for me! Therefore, I do not bake cookies. I also love ice cream, especially dulce de leche from Haagen Dazs! I know what my triggers are and don’t set myself up to fail.

Getting started is as simple as beginning to apply healthy habits to your life one at a time. One day at a time, one choice at a time, and one tip at a time.

Making changes easier to apply will make you more likely to keep these healthy habits as part of your lifestyle.

One year from today, you may just find that you have lost excess weight, kept it off and didn’t have to go on a terrible diet to do so.

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

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Tag: Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

The Skinny On Fat

~Ditch the Diet~

The Power of Protein

~Ditch the Diet~

What are Macronutrients?

~Ditch the Diet~

What are macronutrients?

💩 The 4 Fs of Bowel Health 💩

~Ditch the Diet~

1) Fluids

2) Fiber

3) Flatulence!

4) Fitness

Perfection and Consistency

~Ditch the Diet~

Find Healthy Foods You Love and Enjoy Them!

~Ditch the Diet~

Shop the Perimeter

~Ditch the Diet~

Bottoms Up!

~Ditch the Diet~

The Size of Your Heart and The Size of Your Pants

~Ditch The Diet~

God wants our hearts.

Tomorrow Is a New Day

~Ditch the Diet~

~Ditch the Diet~

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~Ditch the Diet~

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~Ditch the Diet~

What are macronutrients?

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~Ditch the Diet~

1) Fluids

2) Fiber

3) Flatulence!

4) Fitness

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~Ditch the Diet~

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~Ditch the Diet~

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God wants our hearts.

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~Ditch the Diet~

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