Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Ditch the Diet: I’ll Have What She’s Having…

February 16, 2018February 10, 2018 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch The Diet~

Here is another great devotional from the book Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst

ade to crave Lysa Terkeurst | lookingjoligood.blog

I’ll Have What She’s Having

James 1:3-4

3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

“One problem with trying to eat healthily is when you sit down next to a skinny girl who wolfs down everything on her plate. It makes me want to say, “I’ll have what she’s having.” A similar frustration pops up when Ms. Petite picks up her kids in a cute tennis outfit that I could never wear.

The paradox of comparing ourselves to other people is that we become blind to what we already have in the face of what we don’t have. Our hearts are drawn into a place of assumption. We assume that everything is great for those who possess what we lack.

But here’s the kicker. Everyone has not-so-great aspects their lives, things that they will have to learn to surrender or sacrifice. Sure, my size-two friend could eat all the snacks she wanted, but she’s got other struggles for which she has to depend on God.

For instance, consider that skinny girl in your life who eats whatever she wants and makes you think, “How unfair.” Yet listen to what she might say in return, as someone once shared with me: “I am one of the skinny girls, but don’t mistake skinny for healthy. I battle depression, self-esteem issues, and verbal abuse. The list seems endless. Being little doesn’t make a person any more happy or faithful or joyful. The struggles are similar, just in a different size package.”

Life as a Christ follower will always be a learning process of depending less on our own strength and more on God’s power. James 1:3-4 says,

The testing of your faith develops perseverance, and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature, complete, not lacking anything.

Why not make this a daily prayer, first thing in the morning: “God, I recognize that I am made for more than the vicious cycle of being ruled by food, body image, and comparing myself to others. I am thankful that You made my body unique in ways that I can serve You and in ways that turn my reliance upon You. I need to eat to live, not live to eat. So I keep asking for Your wisdom to know what to eat and Your indwelling power to walk away from things and thoughts that are not beneficial for me.”

Oh, sweet sisters, this truth should be the cry of our souls and drown out Satan’s lie that “she has it easier.” Our taste buds crave many things to satisfy, but only persevering with God will make us truly full.”

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

Ditch the Diet: But I Never Feel Full…

February 9, 2018February 9, 2018 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch The Diet~

It has been a while since I have written a ditch the diet post!

Despite the fact that I constantly preach that “ditching the diet” consists of a lifestyle of making healthy choices, I had not been following my own healthy living advice. I got to a point where I needed to give myself a chance to rest and mentally reset. Basically what that means is…I wasn’t exercising and was eating a diet of mostly cookies.

While I used that time to give myself a break, I knew fully well that there was a definite end to the cookie eating spree. I’m now back on track and making healthy choices… with an occasional cookie or two thrown into the mix.

To help myself stay focused (and stave off those tempting cookie cravings), I have been reading daily devotional excerpts from the book Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst I really enjoyed this one and I wanted to share it since I found to be really helpful:

But I Never Feel Full

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:19

For years, I walked around with a little heart-shaped cup in my soul, holding it out to people or things trying to find fulfillment. Some of us hold out our heart-shaped cup and expect a husband to love us in ways that rights our wrongs and fills up our insecurities. Sometimes, we expect our kids to be successful so that we look good and feel validated by their accomplishments. Or, we hope that a successful career will confirm that we are a valuable human being.

At times, I have asked the impossible of all of these. But my consistent “friend” of choice over the years has been food. Imagine my little heart-shaped cup as a candy dish, using sweets and snacks to soothe my emotions.

However, if we are going to replace destructive cycles with lasting changes in our lives, then we have to empty ourselves of the lie that other people or things can ever fill our hearts. Instead, we have to deliberately fill up on God’s truths and stand secure in His love. Here are some examples of how we can do that:

Old lie: “I am such a failure when it comes to my diet.”
New truth: “I am not a failure. I am a lavishly loved child of God. Part of my right as a child of God is to operate in a power beyond myself. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to me. So it is possible for me to use the self-control I’ve been given.”

Old lie: “I need these Oreos!”
New truth: “The thought that these Oreos will fill me is a lie. They will taste good for just the few minutes it will take to eat them. Then that hollow feeling of guilt will rush in as soon as the chocolate high dissipates. If I truly need a snack right now, I am capable of choosing a healthier option.”

Old lie: “God seems far away and French fries are right around the corner at the drive-thru.”
New truth: “French fries don’t love me. And the only lasting thing I get from them is the cholesterol and cellulite they inevitably leave behind, which will just compound my frustration. God’s love is here in this moment and in many more to come. His love is true and carries with it only positive residual effects.”

Examine how you can replace the lies and rationalizations in your mind with the truth of God’s love. Experience the power of renewing your mind and learning that food was never meant to fulfill the deepest places of your heart. And, as Ephesians 3:19 reminds, may you understand that the only way to true satisfaction is to be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

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.

Ephesians 3:19 | lookingjoligood.blog — And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19

Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Is Your Coffee Making You Fat?!

September 29, 2017September 22, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood3 Comments

~Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits~

Is Your Coffee Making You Fat?!

Can we still be friends if the answer to that question is YES?!

Is there a problem when America runs on Dunkin and yet doesn’t actually run…?

dunkin donuts coffee | lookingjoligood.blog

Let’s get one thing straight: I love coffee, and in and of itself, coffee is awesome! It is actually a healthy drink option! It is filled with antioxidants and has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, can help control symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, prevent liver disease, and even delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Sounds like something we should all be drinking, right?!

So if coffee is so good for us, then why am I saying that it is making you fat?!

Well, you see it is not the coffee that’s to blame. Coffee only has one calorie per 8-ounce cup.

So what is it then that is making us fat?… It is what you are putting into your coffee!

It is the sugar and the cream and the coffee creamer.

1 tsp of sugar is 15 cal
2 tbs of half and half is 40 cal
1 tbs International Delight French Vanilla “Creamer” 35 cal

How many of you are measuring out the sugar, half and half, and creamer that you are putting into your coffee? An average unmeasured pour equals four to five times the usual serving size amount.

black coffee | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

So, instead of your morning cup of coffee with flavored creamer having 35 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, and 6 grams of sugar, in reality, it is probably actually closer to 140 calories, 6 grams of fat and 24 grams of sugar.

Once you have had a second cup, and you’ve already exceeded the maximum recommended daily sugar intake of 40 grams by 8 grams.

Let’s put it into an even greater reality…that single cup of coffee with 1/4 cup of creamer equals an additional 15 pounds a year gained.

Don’t worry this doesn’t mean you need to give up drinking coffee altogether!

Try retraining yourself to actually enjoy the coffee flavor of your morning cup of coffee.

Try measuring out your sugar and using 2% (or even skim milk) instead of half and half. Start slowly reducing the amount you add to your coffee and eventually you will be able to enjoy it black.

folgers single | lookingjoligood.blog

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

lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

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

Is Your Exercise Making You Fat?!

September 22, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits~

If you know me, you know that I love to exercise! It is one of my favorite parts of the day.

So, why in the world would I be telling you that, of all things, exercise is making you fat?!

Well, it isn’t actually the act of exercise that is causing weight gain, it is what you are doing after you workout…

If you’re not following a proper nutrition plan you could actually put on fat from your exercise regimen instead of burning it.

Yes, exercise burns calories, but it also increases the release of ghrelin which is your hormone that promotes hunger.

If you’re not paying attention and planning out your post-workout snacks you’ll most likely end up eating more than you burned off during your workout.

Delicious Foods to Help You Lose Weight! | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

The average medium intensity 30 min workout burns around 250-300 calories. Keep this in mind when choosing what to eat after an exercise session.

While I would never tell you to not exercise, I am cautioning you to not heavily rely alone on your daily workouts for weight loss.

You can’t outrun a bad diet!

out exercise a bad diet | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

If you have enjoyed this “Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits” 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

Is Your Salad Making You Fat?!

September 8, 2017September 6, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits~

Most people think that by ordering a salad they are eating healthy. Sounds like a good plan right?

In many cases, that is absolutely right: A big bowl of dark leafy greens and vegetables is not only low in calories but also has much-needed fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

But while most salads start off healthy, some wind-up anything but healthy! Just because it is a salad doesn’t mean that it is the healthiest choice. Thanks to all the creamy ranch, Caesar, or blue cheese dressing, bacon bits, and croutons, a healthy salad can quickly eat up more than half a day’s worth of calories and fat.

Delicious Foods to Help You Lose Weight! | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

Beware of those sneaky extra calories and added fat topping your salad! Here are some salad ingredients to skip: cream dressings, croutons and crispy noodles, full-fat cheese, dried fruit, breaded chicken, bacon.

In no way am I saying that your salads should only be limited to cucumbers, tomatoes, and a spritz of lemon.

Instead, try topping your salads with a vinaigrette dressing, hard boiled egg, baked chicken and a 1/4 of an avocado.

Choose fresh fruit and nuts, instead of dried fruit and croutons.

Quinoa, 1/4 of an avocado, chick peas and black beans with a bit of lime juice and olive oil also makes for a delicious salad.

By being mindful of the toppings you choose you can turn a salad into a filling, nutritious, balanced meal.

If you have enjoyed this “Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits” 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

Ponder The Path by Francie Taylor

August 4, 2017August 4, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch The Diet~

My Mom, sisters and I have been reading through this book Ponder The Path by Francie Taylor. It’s been great so far and I definitely recommend it if you are looking for a daily devotional.

I wanted to share one of the devotionals with you that I have found to be convicting yet also applicable to this series of “Ditch The Diet”.

Happy is a man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding Proverbs 3:13

We’ve been tricked!

Women today are being duped into believing that their physical appearance is the key to happiness. Add in the myth of “anti-aging” and we’re caught in a trap, and we’re passing the Baton of insecurity to young women running the next leg of the race. Now they are also striving to have the image that supposedly makes life complete.

But does it?

I met an 80 something-year-old former beauty queen and tap dancer. “I was really famous in my day,” she told me with great pride. It was almost as if she felt the need to validate her presence by describing her past. Did you know that there are a lot of former beauties in nursing homes?

God doesn’t value the currency of good looks. In fact, it must make him shake his Heavenly head as he watches all these organized piles of dust wearing “powder and paint to make a woman what she ain’t.” Sigh.

Happiness doesn’t come from having flawless skin, stylish hair, and a size 2 figure wrapped up in fashionable clothing. All those things are temporary. You will wake up one day at 80, when it will seem to you that it was just yesterday that you were 20, like the former beauty queen, if God grants you that many days.

Happiness is a benefit of wisdom. When we find wisdom from God’s word, we are able to see life through clear lenses, understanding and comprehending that there are far more important issues in this life than whether or not people are impressed with our appearance. Cutting a fine figure is no substitute for being a wonderful human being.

To be happy is to be blessed. Find wisdom. Get understanding. It’s far more valuable than being able to wear a size 2 at age 82.

Happy is a man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding Proverbs 3:13
Read Proverbs 3.

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

Six Simple Keys to Weight Loss

July 28, 2017July 1, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

~Ditch The Diet~

No need for a lengthy introduction, I know why you are here, let’s get right into it…

Time for Change! | lookingjoligood.blog

1) Make the decision to change!

If you always do what you have always done, you will always be what you have always been. Make a decision to change and then do it!

honesty | lookingjoligod.blog

2) Get honest with yourself!

Figure out your body fat percentage. Take your body measurements. Weigh yourself. Take “before” photos. You will be glad you did once you start seeing results so that you can compare how far you have come.

goal setting | lookingjoligod.blog

3) Set a goal, write it down, and put a date on it!

If you are serious about your goals, write them down and keep yourself accountable!

Role Model | lookingjoligod.blog

4) Find a role model and follow their example!

Choose someone that you know has a good health and wellness lifestyle and ask for them to mentor you! A little bit of encouragement, accountability, and guidance can be the difference between giving up and going on to succeed! This brings me to the next point…

ignore negativity | lookingjoligod.blog

5) Ignore the negativity.

Let’s be honest, haters gonna hate! It is human nature to try to bring other’s down to our level. Don’t let someone else’s negativity prevent you from becoming a better version of yourself!

6) Don’t give up!

Things are going to get hard! If it were easy everyone would already be eating right, exercising, and living a healthy life. When things get hard work harder. The end result of a healthier you is totally worth working through the hard times.

lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

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

Eat This… Not That!

July 21, 2017June 17, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch The Diet~

Instead of starting the morning off with a bowl of your favorite granola cereal, try replacing it with a delicious bowl of oatmeal. Not only will you cut out unnecessary sugar and fat, but you will also gain much-needed fiber. Try adding some fresh fruit and chia seeds for added vitamins and protein.

Instead of eating pre-sweetened yogurt, try plain low-fat Greek yogurt and add in some fruit. You will be getting less processed sugar and more natural sugar along with fiber.

Instead of cows milk, try using unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk. Not only will you save on calories and unwanted fat. I have to admit, I really enjoy cows milk so much more than I do almond milk, but when I am really trying to cut calories, this is one place that I make a sacrifice! (It actually tastes quite good with Honey Nut Cheerios and half a cut up banana.)

Instead of drinking a glass of processed juice, try making a homemade smoothie or even just eat a piece of fresh fruit. You’ll get less sugar and more fiber especially if you eat the fruit’s skin.

I have some great recipes and tips that you can find by clicking HERE and HERE

I LOVE ice cream, it is completely kryptonite to me! Instead of full-fat ice cream, replace it with Halo Top** ice cream. If you follow me on Instagram you already know that I am completely in love with this sweet treat! By replacing regular ice cream with Halo Top you’ll be getting less sugar and more protein.

I love them all but my favorite flavors are PB Cup and Oatmeal Cookie! The PB Cup has only 320 calories in the entire pint and 6 grams of protein per serving! Eating these two together is a match made in Heaven!

**While this post is not sponsored, Halo Top did give me free ice cream for consideration. (Who am I kidding though, I was already in a fully committed relationship with them before they even sent me the “golden tickets”)

Keep in mind everything in moderation! Even a chocolate chip cookie is ok every once in a while.

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

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

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.

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.

Looking Joli Good

Kindness is beautiful!

Tag: healthy eating

Ditch the Diet: I’ll Have What She’s Having…

I’ll Have What She’s Having

Ditch the Diet: But I Never Feel Full…

But I Never Feel Full

Is Your Coffee Making You Fat?!

~Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits~

So if coffee is so good for us, then why am I saying that it is making you fat?!

Is Your Exercise Making You Fat?!

~Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits~

You can’t outrun a bad diet!

Is Your Salad Making You Fat?!

~Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits~

Ponder The Path by Francie Taylor

Six Simple Keys to Weight Loss

~Ditch The Diet~

Eat This… Not That!

~Ditch The Diet~

Keep in mind everything in moderation! Even a chocolate chip cookie is ok every once in a while.

Don’t Focus On Denial

~Ditch the Diet~

The Great Carb Controversy Part 2

~Ditch The Diet~

I’ll Have What She’s Having

Share this:

But I Never Feel Full

Share this:

~Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits~

So if coffee is so good for us, then why am I saying that it is making you fat?!

Share this:

~Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits~

You can’t outrun a bad diet!

Share this:

~Ditch the Diet for Healthy Habits~

Share this:

Share this:

~Ditch The Diet~

Share this:

~Ditch The Diet~

Keep in mind everything in moderation! Even a chocolate chip cookie is ok every once in a while.

Share this:

~Ditch the Diet~

Share this:

~Ditch The Diet~

Share this: