5 Simple Ways to Add More Fiber Today

When it comes to nutrition these days, fiber is IT! Fiber is a nutrient that every one of you needs to include in your diet each day. According to the American Dietetic Association, most healthy adults should aim for 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day. Does that sound like a lot? Don't worry— it's not as hard to include in your diet as you might think! Fiber is found in all the fresh and delicious foods I love: fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains. There are two types of fiber:

• Soluble fiber is found in oats, barley, apples, pears, edamame and other soy products, dried beans and peas, and citrus fruit. This type of fiber may help reduce your cholesterol levels, which will protect you from heart disease. 
• Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, whole-wheat products, and most vegetables. This type of fiber may alleviate constipation by helping wastes move through your system faster. 

Fiber is also fantastic because it fills you up so you eat fewer calories and lose weight! Research suggests that diets high in fiber may also reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Additionally, fiber may offer some protection against colon cancer, although studies have not produced consistent results.

Feeling pumped to get more fiber? Here are five simple ways to add fiber:

• Eat fruit with breakfast every morning – try berries with your cereal, or slice a banana into yogurt. 
• Add lettuce, tomatoes, and onions to your sandwiches and swap white bread for whole wheat. 
• Throw a bag of mixed frozen veggies in the microwave for a veggie side dish that's ready in minutes! 
• Add vegetables to casseroles, soups, rice dishes – almost anything is better with more vegetables! 
• Drink plenty of water as you work on increasing your fiber intake. 

Challenge yourself to try at least one of these tips every day in the coming week — before you know it, you'll be full of fiber, healthier, and feeling fabulous!

If You Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail

If you've decided to lose weight, make like a Boy Scout and think of yourself as being on a mission. The key to success is to have a game plan for every situation that might throw you off course. This stuff isn't brain surgery — it's common sense. If you take the time to think ahead, you can come up with ways to overcome every obstacle. Here are a couple of surefire strategies:

• Go through your kitchen and throw out all the junk food and processed garbage immediately. (You can't eat it if it's not there!) Don't buy these foods anymore — just eliminate them from your kitchen entirely. If your spouse or the kids start whining, you can tell them I said they're better off not eating that stuff either. Reacquaint yourself with your local supermarket. Shop in the healthy sections and stock up on as many organic fruits and veggies as you can afford — and steer clear of the aisles that contain your trigger foods. 
• If food that's available in the workplace is your downfall, steer clear of it entirely. Take different routes to avoid the vending machines and the frighteningly fattening foods in the cafeteria. Bring healthy snacks and meals from home to stash in your desk. Do whatever you can to stay away from anything that might throw you off course and hamper your success.

Get Benched!

Sitting isn't always so bad. For example, if you're interested in working your triceps with bench dips, by all means pull up a chair. Get ready to get some strong, toned arms.

Stand with your back to a sturdy bench or chair. Bend your legs and place your palms on the front edge of the bench, your fingers pointing forward. Walk your feet out in front of you until most of your body weight is resting on your arms.

Keeping your elbows tucked in at your sides, inhale, bend your arms, and slowly lower your body until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Your hips should drop straight down toward the floor. Hold for a beat, then exhale and straighten your arms back up to the starting position, and repeat.

Be careful not to lower your body too far or lean forward or away from the bench. You'll overstress your shoulders.

Master the Six Diet "Dos"

I can't wait for you to be the fit and fabulous person you want to be — and you will be! Now that you're creating a healthier you, you need to learn how to avoid common mistakes that can slow your progress. Start by mastering my six simple diet rules. They're designed to keep you feeling full and satisfied, to keep your metabolism revved up so that you burn more calories throughout the day, and to keep you feeling motivated and optimistic. Most importantly, they're easy to follow!

4 Ways to Burn More Calories!

1. Move More


Burning calories isn't only done during exercising. Seize every opportunity to move your body more and you'll also increase your daily caloric burn! Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car at the end of the lot, walk your dog longer — and you will instantly see a difference.

2. Pump Iron

Burning fat efficiently boils down to one thing — building more muscle! Muscles demand more energy from your body than fat does — so the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Try adding 15 minutes of strength training to your fitness plan two to three times a week.

3. Squeeze in Mini Workouts

If a jam-packed schedule leaves you no time for exercise, try breaking down your workouts into 10-minute mini sessions! Whenever you have a few spare minutes, take a brisk walk, do a set of pushups or perform a quick series of yoga. This can add up to a whole lot of exercise!

4. Practice Portion Control

A few extra bites here and there may not seem like a big deal, but think again! All those extra calories add up fast. It's time to revisit your measuring cups or purchase a small food scale. And remember never to eat directly from a container, and always put away leftovers BEFORE you start eating.

Learning to Be More Assertive

If you often feel that others are pushing you around, it's time to learn how to be assertive. Being assertive doesn't mean imposing your views on others. It doesn't mean being a bully. Nor does it mean always being right. Rather, being assertive means communicating effectively about your own needs in a respectful way that helps you find ways so both people's needs are taken seriously.

When you find yourself feeling as though you have to choose between someone else's needs and your own, try following these steps:

1. Practice active listening. Really hear the other person out and try to understand the feelings underlying his or her words. Concentrate on what the person is saying instead of thinking about how you'll respond. Take a moment to reflect on what's been said before you respond.
2. Build a bridge. Begin by restating what you think the other person has just said, in an effort to show the person that you have heard the message and understand the feelings behind it. For example, "I understand that you feel frustrated that I set the alarm earlier than you're used to so that I can exercise in the morning." You might also try rephrasing what you think the other person is saying as a question. "Do I hear you're feeling frustrated with being woken up earlier?"
3. Cross the bridge. Once you've developed an understanding of where the other person is coming from, it's time to state your own opinion or need. For example, "I want to be able to get up early because that's the best time for me to exercise, and getting regular exercise is important to me." Focus on your thoughts and feelings, and avoid making absolute, defensive, or accusatory statements.
4. Make requests and set limits. Once you and the other person understand each other, you can turn the discussion toward resolving the problem. Talk through the issue and be willing to come up with a compromise that meets both your needs. Perhaps you will discover some middle ground. For example, "Would you feel more comfortable with the alarm going off early if we both made an effort to go to bed earlier?"

It takes time and practice to learn to be more assertive, but it's worth it. Think of it as a path to a win-win situation!

Homemade Double Stuf Oreos

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 52 minutes

Yield: about 30 (2-inch) cookies

Copycat Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies double stuffed with extra thick vanilla filling.

Ingredients

Cookies:

3 ounces/85g/ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 + 3/4 ounces/106.3g / ½ cup sugar

1 + 1/2 ounces/42.52g/ 3 tablespoons brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder

1 + 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 egg yolks

4 ounces/113.4g / ¾ cup all purpose flour (or rice flour), sifted after measuring

3 ounces/85g / 1 cup cocoa powder, sifted after measuring, plus more for rolling out cookies

Filling:(double this for double stuffed Oreos)

2 ounces/56.7g/ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

5 ounces/141.7 / 1 + ¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed cream together butter, both sugars, salt, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and vanilla extract about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks one at a time.
2. Scrape down sides of the mixer. Add flour and cocoa, start mixer on low and mix until combined, the mixture will be thick. Scrape down sides of bowl and knead gently. Form a ball then flatten into a disc.
3. Roll out immediately or refrigerate up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before using.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly sprinkle sifted cocoa onto a counter or work surface and roll dough out to 1/8" thickness. Slide a thin metal spatula under the dough to help prevent the cookies from sticking.
5. Cut out circles with a 2" round cutter or shapes like hearts or pumpkins for Halloween. Lift with the metal spatula and place on cookie sheet, close together is ok because they don't spread much.
6. Knead the scraps of dough together, re-roll and cut out until all or most of the dough is used.
(Optional step: to add texture to the cookies place remaining dough scraps in a mixing bowl. On low speed beat in 1 teaspoon of hot water or coffee adding more as needed to make a thin paste. Continue adding hot water/coffee slowly, a teaspoon at a time, until the dough has thinned into a paste. When the mixture reaches a frosting-like consistency add it to a piping bag with a very small tip or to a Ziploc bag with a tiny hole in the corner. Pipe a design on the tops of the cookies. A tight cornelli design gives the impression of an Oreo but do any your heart desires.)
7. Bake 10 - 12 minutes, or until firm to the touch. If your oven cooks unevenly rotate the cookie sheets halfway through. Allow to cool on baking sheet 5 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
8. Meanwhile make the filling. With a hand or stand mixer cream together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium speed 5-7 minutes until light, creamy and fluffy.
9. You can use a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, a ziploc bag with a hole in the corner to pipe the frosting on or simply spoon it into the centers, place the top on and smoosh it down in the center. 1 teaspoon of filling = regular oreos or 2 teaspoons or more = double stuff.
10. After filling transfer the cookies to an airtight container and refrigerate for several hours to solidify the filling, give it the proper texture and bond it with the wafers.

Notes

Adapted from Serious Eats

Thank You: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/homemade-double-stuf-oreos/