Six Ways to Spread Positivity!

Most of us respond better to encouragement than we do to criticism. No one likes to be reprimanded about what they're doing wrong, or told what they shouldn't do — but few people would pass up a kind word from others that reinforces a good choice they've made!

This blog is all about accentuating the positives in your life and building on them to become healthier, stronger, and happier for the rest of your life. It's about embracing the beauty of a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, the pure physical joy of activity, and the confidence that comes with taking control of the aspects of your life that you can control.

I hope you are feeling positive about yourself and your efforts so far to truly live well. Today, think about how you can share that positivity with others — how you can reinforce their good choices and inspire them to live well too!

Here are a few ideas:

• Help your children develop the good habits of healthy eating and physical activity at an early age by setting an example yourself. 
• Show your kids how much you enjoy eating fruits and vegetables and how much fun preparing them can be. Explore the different colors, textures, and tastes with them and encourage them to come up with creative combinations, find their own favorites, and join you in preparing dishes. 
• Invite a friend or family member to try a new exercise class with you or to go for a scenic walk someplace new. 
• Instead of telling your husband that he "can't" watch sports on TV or play video games, suggest a fun, engaging physical activity that you can do together. 
• If your best friend is overweight, listen to what she says about her self-image. Empathize with her, and tell her you love and accept her no matter what size she may be. And help her on her weight-loss journey. 
• Cook a healthy treat to bring to work and share with colleagues — rather than the typical cookies, cake, or pie.

Recipe For Greens In A Glass

This light, refreshing smoothie packs in nearly 3 cups of produce, including a generous amount of nutrient-rich spinach. Most commercial juice drinks are primarily carbs, but I add creamy Greek yogurt to mine for a hefty dose of protein. Substitute ½ cup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup(s) spinach, baby, (1 big handful) 
• 1/2 cup(s) cucumber(s), chunks, peel on 
• 1 stalk(s) celery, cut into chunks 
• 1/2 medium banana(s), fresh or frozen, cut into chunks 
• 1/2 cup(s) pineapple chunks, fresh or frozen 
• 6 ounce(s) yogurt, fat-free, Greek-style, plain 
• 3 whole ice cubes, 3-5 cubes (optional) 

PREPARATION
1. Add the spinach, cucumber, celery, and 1/2 cup water to the blender. Blend on high until completely smooth and liquid.
 2. Add the banana, pineapple, yogurt, and ice cubes (if using) to the blender. Blend until smooth and frothy. Serving size = 2 cups

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving Calories: 220
Total Fat: 0 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 155 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 36 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 21 g

An Easy Detox To Shed Holiday Weight

With all the merriment, parties, and festive treats surrounding you this month, it's likely that you'll experience the unpleasant aftermath of a holiday eating spree at some point during the next few weeks. It's perfectly normal to indulge once in a while, but it's less fun the next day if you're left to suffer the unpleasant consequences of feeling heavy, sluggish, and downright blah. If you're looking to undo the damage of your holiday splurging, help is here! Bounce back from a splurge by starting my simple, 8-step post-party detox plan the very next morning — you'll be back on track in no time.

Eat a Protein Rich Breakfast.
The morning after a big meal or party, eating a good breakfast is crucial — but think twice before hitting the bagel shop. Research consistently shows that opting for a high-protein morning meal is key to preventing overeating the rest of the day. That's because protein fills you up and keeps you satisfied, ultimately reducing your overall calorie intake. Reach for a protein-packed nonfat yogurt or cottage cheese with some juicy fruit like berries or melon; the fruit has the added benefits of bloat-reducing potassium and a high water content to boost hydration. Another great choice is an egg white omelet with vegetables, a low-calorie, protein-rich meal that will re-energize your system.

Enjoy a Super Lean Lunch.
To help combat midday cravings, it's wise to load up on another dose of protein as well as plenty of vegetables at lunchtime. Non-starchy veggies like broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, carrots, cauliflower, and bell peppers are rich in fiber and water, which means they fill you up without filling you out. You should aim to have at least 2 cups of veggies at lunch, so a colorful salad might be the best way to go. Top it with your preferred lean protein: grilled chicken, sliced turkey breast, water-packed chunk light tuna, shrimp, cubed tofu, or beans. Dress your greens with a few dashes of olive oil and unlimited plain balsamic vinegar (salty bottled dressings can worsen bloat).

Finish Up with a Thinner Dinner.
At dinnertime, once again, it's all about lean protein and vegetables. Enjoy skinless poultry, fish, or tofu with at least 2 cups of antioxidant-rich veggies. And if you're body craves starchy carbs, round out your detox dish with a fist-sized potato or quinoa. Try Cajun spiced tilapia with steamed broccoli and a baked sweet potato, or create a tofu and quinoa stir-fry with lots of peppers, mushrooms and onions.

Try This Smoothie Swap.
A cleansing smoothie is a great go-to meal choice for days following a high-calorie party. Choose either breakfast, lunch, or dinner and swap your plate for my refreshing Greens-in-a-Glass detox drink. It packs in nearly 3 cups of produce, including a generous amount of nutrient-rich spinach – hello vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants! The smoothie provides 5 grams of hunger-curbing fiber, and all those potassium-packed veggies help flush out extra salt that may have you feeling bloated. Many commercial green juices are carb-heavy and skimp on protein, but not this one, thanks to the addition of plain Greek yogurt.

Halt the Salt.
Eating salty foods causes you to retain water, since your body holds on to more H2O to dilute the extra sodium. The end result: you feel puffy and bloated, which is the last thing you need post-cocktails and cookies. For the next few days, be extra conscientious about skipping the saltiest offenders like deli meat, soup, canned foods, cheese, and salt-laden condiments, and avoid using the salt shaker completely. Opt instead for naturally low–sodium foods like fresh vegetables and fruit, yogurt, and unsalted nuts and seeds to satisfy your hunger and slim your stomach.

Banish Bloat with Potassium.
Potassium is helpful for getting rid of the day-after puff, since this mineral counteracts the bloating effects of sodium. To get your fill of potassium-rich foods, enjoy melon or sliced banana with your yogurt at breakfast, or add plenty of spinach to your egg white omelet. You can also toss a scoop of beans and beets to your lunch salad, and have a small baked white or sweet potato with dinner. Other potassium-rich foods include lentils, edamame, winter squash, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and fish.

Fill Up on Fluids.
Proper hydration is always essential, but it's especially so after a night of indulgence. Drinking ample amounts of flat water helps to flush excess salt and fluid out of your system, aids in digestion, and help you deflate the puffiness caused by yesterday's food extravaganza. Plus, if you're regretting those last few cocktails from the previous night, rehydrating your body will help you recover from a hangover more quickly. Aim to drink at least two 8-ounce cups of plain water before every meal to ensure you're hydrated. When it comes to water, the more the better, so sip away!

Hit the Reset Button with Exercise.
A big dinner or cocktail party may leave you feeling hazy and lethargic – far from motivated to roll out of bed and hit the gym. But exercise, especially cardio, is the best way to press the reset button after a night of splurging. Start your day with a brisk 45-minute brisk walk. You'll sweat off the uncomfortable bloat and release mood-boosting endorphins, so you'll be in the right frame of mind to make healthy food choices the rest of the day (preventing a one-day splurge from turning into a one-week splurge!).

Learn How To Keep Your Portions Under Control

Americans have completely skewed ideas about portion size. No other country on earth offers portions as enormous as the ones here. Honestly, go anywhere else in the world and order a meal. You'll see the difference.

We're conditioned to believe that more equals better. Just look at the endless marketing of fast food; we're constantly encouraged to eat more in order to take advantage of a "bargain." But what kind of a bargain are you getting if you're eating 100 french fries in one sitting just to save a quarter you wouldn't have spent in the first place? And the reality is that Americans are paying for this illogical thinking with their health and their lives.

Here are a few techniques you can use to keep your portions under control.

• If you're at home, use smaller plates. This creates the illusion of eating a bigger serving. 
• If you're at a restaurant and you know the portions are going to be huge, ask the server to put half your meal in a doggie bag before it even hits the table. This saves you money as well as unnecessary calorie overload. 
• Share an entrée with your dining partner. 
• Make a new rule for yourself: Always leave something on your plate. This reminds you that you are in control of the food, not the other way around. A little bit of empowerment can go a long way!

Find Out How Many Calories You Burn In A Day

Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns in a day when operating at absolute minimum capacity. Basically, imagine sitting on the couch all day. (Is this a little too easy for you to imagine? Don't worry — we'll fix that!) Your BMR, then, is the number of calories your body burns just to maintain your heartbeat, digestion, respiration, tissue repair and other organ functions. That's it.

BMR is influenced by a number of factors, including age, weight, height, gender, environmental temperature, and diet and exercise habits. Because of these varying factors, it's hard to pin down your BMR to the precise calorie, but we can get pretty close. Here are some formulas for figuring out your BMR. Get out your calculator and plug your numbers into whichever formula applies to you.

MALE: 66 + (6.3 × body weight in pounds) + (12.9 × height in inches) − (6.8 × age in years)

FEMALE: 655 + (4.3 × weight in pounds) + (4.7 × height in inches) − (4.7 × age in years)

Your basal metabolic rate accounts for only about 75 percent of your total daily caloric expenditure. You can also increase your BMR with exercise.

Food Cures For The Common Cold

Don't let colds catch you.
'Tis the season — the season for runny noses, sneezing, coughing, and congestion. Colds are everywhere right now, but even if everyone in the office or classroom is sick, you and your family members don't have to surrender to the stuffy nose and sore throat. Though you can't actually "cure" a cold, you can improve the way you feel with some simple remedies — and you can do plenty to boost your immune system and ward off getting sick in the first place. Not all remedies are effective, though; here are my best 5 tips for what works and what doesn't.

Boost your immunity.
One of the best ways to ward off a pesky cold is to strengthen your immune system against bacteria, viruses, and other invaders. The absolute best way to boost your immune system is to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and to get plenty of regular exercise. It's true — exercise has a proven, powerful effect on immunity. A study revealed that when unfit, sedentary people started briskly walking 45 minutes a day, five days a week, they caught fewer colds over a one–year period. That's because each and every time you moderately exercise, the immune system — your body's first line of defense — starts functioning at a higher level and remains elevated for about three hours.

Skip the vitamin C supplements.
Although getting appropriate amounts of vitamin C is very important for maintaining a healthy immune system, research has found that large supplemental doses don't seem to do much of anything. In fact, it's been proven that vitamin C in amounts greater than 200 mg — that's more than double the RDA — had no additional effects of boosting immunity or preventing colds. For those who feel compelled to take an extra supplemental dose, stick with 200 mg (certainly not more than 500). But nothing beats getting a boost naturally by eating plenty of vitamin C–rich foods such as bell peppers, broccoli, oranges, and strawberries.

Watch your vitamin A intake.
Many vitamin A supplements promise an immune boost, but people need to be careful about overdoing it. There are two forms of vitamin A: First, there's beta–carotene and other carotenoids, which are found in plant foods like spinach and sweet potatoes. Carotenoids are converted into vitamin A only as your body needs it, so you really can't eat too much. Then there's preformed vitamin A, found in animal foods and some supplements (typically listed on vitamin labels as retinol or acetate or palmitate). Preformed vitamin A can build up and cause uncomfortable side effects such as nausea and dizziness. For this reason, you'll want to avoid vitamin A supplements and get the bulk of your vitamin A from delicious vegetables and fruits like leafy green veggies, carrots, cantaloupe, and pumpkin. If you take a multivitamin, just make sure that at least 50 percent of the vitamin A comes in the form of beta carotene and/or mixed carotenoids.

Snack on yogurt.
Probiotics — found in yogurt products — are healthy bacteria that aid digestion. There is preliminary research connecting certain probiotics and the immune system. However, studies are unclear about the type of probiotic strains and the amount needed to reap any definitive immune health benefit. On a positive note, yogurt is a terrific source of calcium and vitamin D, nutrients that boost bone and heart health. And low–fat yogurt is a protein–rich, low–calorie snack for weight loss. So go ahead and buy these yogurts, but do it because they're healthy and taste good — not as a cold cure!

Listen to what Mom said about chicken soup.
First, hot fluids in general help to keep nasal passages moist, increase the movement of mucus, prevent dehydration, and soothe a sore throat. And the psychological comfort that soup provides may also have a placebo effect for those who are feeling ill. Even more promising, studies have shown that chicken soup with a variety of veggies may contain substances that function as an anti–inflammatory mechanism and potentially ease the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, including congestion, stuffy nose, cough, and sore throat. The bottom line: Your mom was right! Eat plenty of chicken soup with

Always Hungry? Find Out Why

I've worked with many people who have told me that no matter how much they eat, they're still hungry. They can scarf down half a pizza plus dessert and still feel ravenous afterward. Does this sound familiar? If so, it's possible that a condition called leptin resistance is at least partly to blame.

To understand leptin resistance, you first have to understand the role the hormone leptin plays in your metabolism. When you've eaten a meal, the fat cells throughout your body release leptin, which travels to the hypothalamus, the part of your brain that helps regulate appetite. There, it switches off neuropeptide Y — a protein that tells your brain you're hungry — and switches on appetite-suppressing signals. In other words, it gives your brain the message to stop being hungry and start burning calories.

You'd think, then, that low levels of leptin would be the cause of an unstoppable appetite, but that's not necessarily the case. Some research indicates that many people who are overweight actually have very high levels of leptin. How could this be? Well, the more fat you have, the more leptin you produce. And when the body continually cranks out excess levels of leptin in response to overeating, the receptors for leptin in the hypothalamus can start to get worn out and no longer recognize it. People with leptin resistance have high circulating levels of leptin, but the receptors are "deaf" to it, so it can't shut off appetite or stimulate your metabolism.

This vicious circle is similar to what happens when a person develops resistance to insulin, the hormone that allows your cells to use the glucose in your blood. (Insulin resistance can cause high blood glucose levels and eventually lead to diabetes.) In fact, the two conditions often go hand in hand, and research suggests that leptin resistance may be reversed in the same way that insulin resistance can be reversed — by exercising, eating right, and losing weight.