How to Prepare for a Food Tune-Up...Step 2: Define WHAT you're going to eat!

OK, so I’ve decided that I want to break free from feeling crappy by cleaning up my food for 10 days. Hopefully, this will reset my focus and help me to get back on the path to feeling great!

The next step in the process is figuring out what the heck I’m going to eat during the 10 day Tune-Up. So it’s time to be honest with myself and answer the following three questions. If you’re playing along, take out a piece of paper and do the same…

Write down the answers to the following three questions:

1. Are there foods that I don’t tolerate well, am sensitive to, or allergic to (ie. they cause digestive problems, stomach aches, headaches, gas, bloating, belching, acid reflux, etc.)?
2. What are my “trigger foods”? (Foods that set off mindless eating or overeating?)
3. What foods do I eat that aren’t particularly good for me or have little/no nutritional value?

For me, this is easy.

I know what foods I’m sensitive to (dairy, eggs, yeast, sugar).

I know my trigger foods that I eat mindlessly or eat too much of (salt, butter, pasta, bread, rice, sweets, chips, nuts, crackers, movie popcorn).

And beyond that, I know what foods/drinks I eat/drink that aren’t particularly good for me or that don’t have a lot of nutritional value (margaritas, wine, beer, sweetened decaf coffee drinks, Icees, french fries and other fried foods, fatty meats, candy, high sodium or high sugar condiments, packaged stuff, etc.).

Soooo…during my Food Tune-Up, I’m cutting out all those things listed above.

“Oh my gosh, Dorothy! What’s left to eat???”

Worry not, my friends! There are PLENTY of good foods to eat! I am NOT going to go hungry! (And neither should YOU!)

So now that you've listed the foods that DON'T serve you, now list the foods that DO serve you (I’ll do the same!)!

Make a Shopping List. Get out your computer and list foods that are nutritionally dense, promote wellness, AND taste good to you. This will be your SHOPPING List, so feel free to make it list-style and add checkboxes so you can print it out, highlight what you’ll buy, bring it to the store with you, and check off highlighted items as you buy them. (You can find my Shopping List HERE as an example.)

In general, I’m going to eat/drink the following during my Food Tune-Up:

• Veggies…ALL kinds (Yes, even potatoes and sweet potatoes!)
• Fruits…ALL kinds (Yes, even bananas!)
• Pure Herbs and spices (I’ll use fresh when possible. I’m LIMITING added salt.)
• Proteins (about a palm sized serving for 2 meals/day)...lean meats, fish, beans, quinoa, tempeh, lentils
• Added Fats…SMALL amounts of extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, avocado oil, avocado, nuts/nut butters (I’m going to try to give my liver a little break and avoid fats before noon! Just an experiment!)
• Seeds: (A sprinkle here or there!) ALL kinds.
• Sparingly use ACV, coconut aminos, tamari, nut milks, condiments/dressings (as “clean” as possible!)
• Drinks: Filtered water, herbal teas (decaf), spindrift (with fruit juice only), mineral water, home made vegetable juices

Am I going to count calories? No.

Am I going to track macros? No.

AM I going to stress about how much food I’m eating? No. (I’m going to eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m not hungry.)

I want this to be as simple as possible!

Now, do you need to eat what I eat? Nope!

You and I might have completely different foods on our lists…and this is OK! Your list should NOT contain YOUR trigger foods or “empty calorie” foods, but it SHOULD have all the foods that promote health for YOU and taste good to YOU! Also, remember, this is NOT forever…it is only 10 days! It’s a little experiment!

OK, so now you have written down WHAT you WILL eat and what you WON’T eat for your 10 day Food Tune-Up.

Get ready…next we’re going to talk about another Prep Step….How to Prepare Your Environment for Success!

Side salad?  Nope.  A Tootsie Roll!  LOL!
I think I can do better!

How to Prepare for a “Food Tune-Up”...Step 1: Define Your WHY!

So if you’re here with me, you are either interested in following me as I do a Food Tune-Up and seeing what happens, OR you’re interested in playing along and seeing what kind of bennies YOU will get!  

So, step one in the process is Defining Your WHY. 

Ask yourself…Why do you want to do a Food Tune-Up?  

For me, that’s easy.  

Remember the long list of signals/symptoms that I listed in my first post in this series?  Yeah, I want to get rid of those!  They make me feel crappy…and I don’t like feeling crappy!

I want to lose the weight I gained during my “vacation days” and feel less bloated. I want to crush my cravings, rock better energy, have more stable moods, get rid of my reflux, have stellar digestion/elimination, keep rashes and acne at bay, ease painful joints, sleep well, reduce swelling/inflammation, and decrease my histamine responses.  I also want to use this little Tune-Up as a kickstart to get back on track to eating healthy again.  Whew! I wanna do a LOT!  

Can I do ALL of that in just 10 days?  Who knows??? 

BUT I know if I keep on eating like I’m currently eating, I’m not going to feel any better, right? LOL!  

Doing SOMETHING is ALWAYS better than doing NOTHING! It helps you to move in the right direction!  

Stick around and see how many things I can fix or improve in JUST 10 DAYS.  It will be a fun experiment!

But enough about ME.  

If YOU’RE playing along, why do YOU want to do a Food Tune-Up? Write down your reasons on a piece of paper and hang them on your fridge. If follow-through and getting back on track is hard for you (as it is for ME!)…SHARE your intentions right here beneath this post! When we put ourselves out there and proclaim things to the world, we’re more likely to follow through!   Let others help to hold you accountable and keep you motivated!

OK, so you’re on your way!  You’ve taken step one and Defined Your Why!  Awesome!  Stay tuned for my next post:  Step 2:  Define WHAT you’re going to DO!

      

EXPLORATION: Is it time for a Food Tune Up?

Every now and then, I feel like I need to do a little “Food Tune Up”.  It usually smacks me right in the face towards the end of August or at the beginning of the New Year.  Sometimes it even happens at the start of Spring. What causes this?  Ummmm…it’s not a “what,” it’s a “who”. 

 
It’s me.  Yeah, it’s totally me.  I’M the cause–and I fully admit it! 

 
During certain times of the year, I totally “let go”.  I give myself permission to go into “vacation mode,” or “celebration mode,” or whatever you want to call it.  I eat too much.  I drink too much.  I eat things I have sensitivities to like dairy, eggs, sugar, and yeast. I eat bread at nearly every meal and this leaves little space for the other “good stuff” like colorful veggies and leafy greens.

But even though I go hog wild, I still stay observant about how my food choices impact how I feel.  That way, I don’t lose sight of my overarching goal…promoting health and feeling my best. It is a lifelong journey! 

 
So how do I know when it’s time for a Food Tune Up?  My body starts sending out signals…

• Weight gain
• Belly bloat
• Sweet/carb cravings
• Energy “slumps”
• Mood swings (unmotivated, blah, sad)
• Heavy-feeling limbs
• Acid reflux
• Poor digestion/elimination
• Stomach aches 
• Rashes
• Acne
• Painful joints in the hands and feet (especially in the morning)
• Night sweats and/or hot flashes
• Bad dreams or restless sleep
• Dark undereye circles or undereye puffiness
• Feeling full all the time (but eating anyway ‘cuz I’m at a party, with friends, or because “it’s time to eat”)
• Fluid stagnation (I can’t get my rings off, my shoes get tight, and my socks leave indents on my ankles!  LOL!)
• Heightened sensitivity to allergens, scents, and foods (lots of nasal congestion, throat clearing, blocked or buzzing ears, and a scratchy throat when eating certain foods or drinking alcohol)

So I need to know….is it just me?  

What signals does YOUR body send to tell YOU, “Enough is enough!  It’s time to get back on track and eat healthy!”?  Do you experience some of the same things I experience?  Or have you got your own unique signs and signals?  (Feel free to let me know below!)

And, by the way, I’m not planning on ignoring these signals.  I’m gearing up for a little Food Tune Up.  I’m going to cut out the junk and up my intake of nutrient-dense healthy foods and drinks. There will be some information and prep work from now until September 4.  Then the actual TUNE UP begins September 5th (after Labor Day).  Anyone wanna join in?  (Also let me know below!)

I’m going to blog about the process…how I get my mind ready, how I get my environment ready, the steps I take to boost my success, the foods I plan on eating, etc.  You can totally play along, adapting things to fit your needs so that you walk away feeling re-energized and back on track.  

You with me?

Stay tuned…more to come on Tuesday!

–dorothy

I’m going to take you step by step through this process so don’t forget to follow or like my Facebook Page or  this Blog ( http://breathefirstyoga.blogspot.com/) so that you don’t miss out on posts!

Recipe: Easy Breezy Zoodles with Meat Sauce

It's summer.

Zucchini are all over the place.

I've got frozen veggies (peppers/onions/carrots/shrooms) in the freezer that I bagged up a few weeks ago 'cuz I had too many and I didn't want to throw them out.

I've got a jar of spaghetti sauce.

I've got a package of grass-fed ground beef.

Soooooo....You know what THIS means, right?

This means it's the perfect time for zoodles with meat sauce!

I listed a recipe below, but honestly, this is pretty much one of those, "just-throw-it-all-in-the-Instant Pot" kind of recipes. If you don't have every ingredient, no worries....improvise!

It'll be fine. No measuring needed. Just make sure you have enough sauce for the meat. That's it.

Here's how it goes...

Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles) with Meat Sauce 

(A “no measurement, just throw everything in” recipe!)

Equipment:

• Instant Pot (You can also make this in a crockpot or on the stove)

• Spiralizer 

Ingredients:

• For Sauce

• Olive oil (or avocado oil)

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• Random veggies, diced

• 3-4 cloves garlic, smashed or diced

• 1.5 lb Organic grass fed Ground Beef (or ground turkey, scrambled sausage, chopped chicken or other meat of choice)

• Salt & Pepper

• Canned diced tomatoes (drained)

• Tomato Sauce (jar or can)

• 1-2 T Italian Seasoning 

• A dash of chili powder if you like your sauce a little spicy

• A splash of coconut aminos or worcestershire sauce if you like your sauce a little sweet

• Tomato paste

• 2-3 handfuls of Power greens or baby spinach, chopped (I usually take handfuls of leaves and cut them up with kitchen scissors!) 

• For zoodles
• Zucchini
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder

Directions:

1. Spiralize zucchini.  Set aside on a paper towel.

2. Press saute on your Instant Pot and add in a little olive oil or avocado oil. Once hot, add in diced onions, diced bell peppers, and any other random veggies--carrots, zucchini, eggplant, etc.   Stir.  Saute for 3-4 mins.  

3. Once veggies are soft, add minced garlic.  Stir.  Saute about 1-2 mins. 

4. Add ground beef (or whatever meat you’re using).  Scramble and brown with a little salt and pepper.  

5. Drain fat with a spoon (doesn't have to be perfect!).  

6. Add drained, canned diced tomatoes, canned or jarred tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning.  If you like a spicy sauce, add a little chili powder.  If you like a sweet sauce, add a splash of coconut aminos.  (You can also add both for a little sweet and spicy sauce!)  

7. Put cover on IP, seal the steam release valve, and set to high pressure for 20-30 mins.  When done, slow release.  

8. After the pressure has released, open the cover, if your sauce is watery, stir in some tomato paste.  Taste, adjust seasonings if needed.  Add chopped greens and stir into sauce until just wilted (just for a little extra nutrition). 

9. Now back to the zoodles!  On the stove, heat olive oil or avocado oil in a pan on medium high heat.  Once the oil is hot, throw in some zoodles with a little salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Stir them around and cook until just warm, about 1-2 mins (you don’t want to overcook zoodles...they get mushy!). 

10. Put the zoodles in a bowl and top with sauce.  If you like, add a little vegan parmesan cheese.  

Enjoy!   

Sorry for the random crappy photo...it's an old one!

Wanna Start a Gratitude Practice With Me?

Hey Kids!

It's November....the month that contains my SECOND favorite holiday (after Halloween!)....Thanksgiving!  

I mean, what's not to love?  We've got sweater weather, family gatherings, comfort food, pie, Fall drinks, colorful leaves, and a holiday focused around being thankful for what we already have, rather than searching  for (and buying) a bunch of crap we DON'T have (and probably don't really need!).  

This November, I want to REALLY focus on that feeling of Gratitude. Why?  According to this post by Amy Morin in Psychology Today , practicing gratitude has 7 scientifically proven benefits:

1. Gratitude fosters more relationships!  (And having good friends makes life super fun!)
2. Gratitude improves physical health.  (Less aches and pains!)
3. Gratitude improves psychological health.  (Less sadness, more HAPPY! Yay!)
4. Gratitude boosts empathy and reduces aggression.  (Be a better human?  Yes, please!)
5. Grateful people sleep better.  (I love me some good sleep, don't you?)
6. Gratitude increases self esteem.  (Go on and rock your confidence!  Be a boss!)
7. Gratitude increases mental strength. (Wanna battle the drama and trauma?  Get mentally strong!)

It sounds pretty good right?  

So how do we "practice" gratitude?  

Well, there are lots of ways to do it, but I'm going to do it the easy breezy way (of course!).  

Each week for the month of November, on my Facebook Page, I'm going to post some random things I'm grateful for!  Wanna join me?  I'll do one post each week, but in the comments of the post WE can add things we're grateful for all week long if we choose to!  That way we can decide how "into it" we want to get!  And even though I'm only officially committing to ONE day a week for POSTING, I'm going to practice gratitude daily...each day upon waking, I'll conjure up a list of three things I'm grateful for!  (And I'm doing it BEFORE I get out of bed, so I don't forget to do it!  LOL!)

It's easy, free, and we get scientifically proven bennies!  Well THAT'S super awesome, right?

Let's do it!  I'll post Thursday on my Facebook Page if you're interested in playing along with me!  

Sending HUGS!

--D

"Cookies" for Breakfast? Yes, Please!

Wow. It's been awhile since I've written a blog! 

I've been pretty active on "The Facebook" though. You might even find me on "Insta" once in awhile. 

If you've been following me on FB, you know I've been experimenting with my food. Trying to give my body a little love and cut down on the fats and animal proteins. You know, give my organs a break so they don't have to work so hard. 

Haven't decided if I like this style of eating or not...it's definitely great for weight loss (I'm on day 3 of a "cleanse" and have lost 3 lbs), but that's not why I do it.  I'm looking to reduce inflammation (which shows up as puffy eyelids and under-eyes, swollen ankles, bloat, sinus/ear stuff, stiff joints, etc.). So we'll see what happens! It's an experiment! I find it really interesting and fun to see how foods affect the body (and the mind!). 

So anyhoo, today I'm sharing a recipe for a breakfast "cookie". 

"Cookie" is in quotes cuz it's not really a cookie...a cookie has lots of white sugar, fats, eggs, gluten, and usually chocolate. (The stuff that's not so great to have on the daily if you've got inflammation or gut issues.) 

This "cookie" has none of those things. 

But it's still sweet. And hardy. And yummy.  It's kinda like "Oatmeal-to-Go" but that's just not as fun as calling it a "cookie".  

Did I mention that they're easy to make and don't require a whole bunch of ingredients? 

You can also make some ahead of time, store 'em in the fridge, and heat them (or not) when you want one. 

OH! And it also checks the boxes for "FALL FLAVOR"!   Yeah, baby!

So let's do it! 

Fall Breakfast "Cookies"...AKA FaBrookies! 

FaBrookies 

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Ripe Banana, peeled and broken (or sliced, if you wanna be fancy!) into chunks 
• 1 Cup Gluten-Free Oats (I like One Degree Organic Sprouted GF Rolled Oats) 
• 1 tsp Cinnamon 
• 1/4 C Fresh Cranberries (I cut them in half) OR if you're not a fan of Cran...1/4 C Raisins 

How To: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Grab a big ol' bowl. Chuck in the banana chunks, oats, cinnamon, and cranberries. 
3. Wash and dry your hands and then mush everything together with your hands...FUN! 
4. Make the mixture into balls. 
5. Place the balls on the baking sheet lined with parchment and flatten slightly (these don't "melt" so whatever shape you put them in will be your final shape!) 
6. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges just turn brown. 
7. Cool.
8. Eat.

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Baked Oatmeal

It’s Fall!  Time for Pumpkin EVERYTHING!  Yahoooooo!  

Now, you don’t have to ruin your health food goals just because it’s pumpkin season!  (I mean, you totally COULD, but why would you do that?)  You can totally have your Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice and STILL be a total health food rockstar!  

You just need to have the right recipe!  

And guess what?  This is one of them!  In this Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Baked Oatmeal recipe, you get lots of healthy goodies like cholesterol-reducing oats, blood sugar-lowering cinnamon, immune system-boosting pumpkin, and omega-3 filled flaxseeds.

So check it out!  Here’s my recipe for Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Baked Oatmeal!

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Baked Oatmeal

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp ground flax (You can buy pre-ground or you can grind your own flax seeds in a high-powered blender)

5 Tbsp warm water

2 cups One Degree Organic Gluten Free Sprouted Rolled Oats (or any other rolled oats you like!)

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 ½ cup almond or cashew milk

1 cup organic pumpkin puree

¼ cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

¼ cup chopped pecans

Optional Add-Ins:  chopped dates, raisins, craisins, blueberries, ground ginger, ground cinnamon

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8X11 inch glass pan with coconut or avocado oil.

2. Now you’re gonna make a flax egg!   In a small bowl, combine the ground flax and warm water.  Stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it thickens and becomes gel-like (should be a little like the consistency of an egg white). 

3. Separately, in a large bowl combine the rolled oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda and salt. Stir to mix the ingredients. Add in the flax egg, “milk” of choice, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla and pecans. (Here is where you could add any of the “Optional” things if you want to!) Stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to let the oats soak up the liquid. (PS You can taste test here cuz there aren't any raw eggs involved--so if you like more spice or more sweet, feel free to adjust!)

4. Pour the mixture into the greased pan. Shake the pan so that the mixture is evenly distributed.

5. Place in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the edges are firm and golden brown and there’s a little springiness in the center. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

 

How do you STORE baked oatmeal?

• Cut it into squares and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4-5 days

• Cut it into squares and store it in the freezer in an airtight container for about a month.  

How do you EAT baked oatmeal?  

• In squares, cold, right out of the fridge (no utensils needed!)

• In squares, heated, with a fork (my favorite, easy option!)

• Heated squares with “milk”, maple syrup, berry compote, drizzled nut butter, yogurt, or *Cinnamon Cashew Cream on top.

Cinnamon Cashew Cream INGREDIENTS: 1 cup raw unsalted cashews  1 ½  cup Filtered water for boiling (you will discard this after the cashews are boiled) 1 ½ cup filtered water (new) ¼ tsp cinnamon 1–2 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)   DIRECTIONS Place the raw cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes. Then drain and rinse.  Add the boiled cashews to a high powered blender.  Add new filtered water, cinnamon and maple syrup. Blend on high for two minutes. Add more filtered water one tablespoon at a time to thin as needed.