Detox Diets: Good or Bad for you?

Celebrities go on them, they encourage you to consume stuff that's good for you—plenty of water, fresh fruits and vegetables, and, of course, everyone knows that anything toxic is bad for you. So a detox diet must be good for you, right? Well, not always. Like many fad or extreme diets, detox diets can have harmful effects and even work against your best weight-loss efforts.

We will be discussing detox diets for the next few blogs to give you a good handle on the safe way to detox.

So, What Is a Detox Diet?

Toxins—chemicals that can come from food or water, used to grow or prepare food, and even come from the air that we breathe—can have harmful effects on our bodies. However, our bodies process those toxins through organs such as the liver and kidneys and eliminate them in the form of sweat, urine, and feces.

Although the beneficial effects of detox diets have not been well studied or scientifically proven, the people who believe in them think that toxins don't always leave our bodies properly during the elimination of waste. Instead, they think toxins are stored in our bodies—in our gastrointestinal and lymphatic systems. Detox diets typically are designed to have you temporarily give up certain foods that are thought to contain toxins and rid the body of all the "bad" stuff you've accumulated.

Some diets involve fasting (giving up food for a couple of days) and then gradually reintroducing certain foods into the diet. Some promote colon cleansing or the intake of special teas or supplements that claim to "cleanse" your body. Many make unproven claims to prevent or cure disease, promote weight loss, and boost energy levels, yet don't warn you of the potential dangers or downsides.

Detox diets that promote the use of laxatives or enemas as a way to rid the body of toxins can lead to dehydration, mineral imbalances, intestinal dependency, and other potential problems.

Detox diets that promote fasting for several days can have a negative impact on metabolism. They can promote muscle breakdown to support the body's energy needs, which in turn slows metabolism or calorie-burning, making weight loss more difficult. And, certainly, the safety of following a detox diet if you have any pre-existing conditions such as heart disease and diabetes should be questioned.

Stay tuned for next week’s blog when we cover how your body detoxifies.

To your health,

Nadia

Your weight loss partner

1-877-405-4471

healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com

www.healthyweightdancingfeet.blogspot.com

Preventing Childhood Obesity - A Family Affair

To maintain a healthy weight throughout life, it’s important to learn healthful habits early on. It is during our childhood years when we develop the routines that follow us into our adult years. In other words, the inactive, overweight child of today is likely to become the inactive, overweight adult of tomorrow. That is, unless parents take action now and make their children's health a family affair.

Remember, children can't necessarily change their exercise and eating habits alone. They need the help of supportive parents and caregivers. So try creating new family habits around healthy eating and increased physical activity. Start small-you don't have to make many changes at once. No matter how young or old we are, small gradual changes are easiest to follow and incorporate into our lives. It definitely takes time to unlearn unhealthy behaviours and develop new, healthier ones. Here are some suggestions on ways to create a healthy weight environment for the entire family:

Creating a Healthy Environment for Eating

• Make the creation of meals a family affair. Even young children can participate in simple meal preparation (i.e., washing fresh vegetables, stirring the soup, and setting the table).
• Sit down and eat as a family together at least one meal a day. Share your day so that the meal lasts 30 minutes or more.
• Don't be too restrictive. Studies show that preschoolers with parents who are most restrictive with treats are the ones that ate the most sweets and snacks when given the opportunity. Teach moderation and balance.
• Limit the frequency of fast-food meals to no more than once a week. (Not at all would be ideal).
• Have healthy foods available for children to select from. Fresh fruit, vegetables like carrots, and low-fat yogurt are great examples.
• Don't use food or a lack of food for rewards and or punishments. For example, don't make threats like "no dessert unless you clean up your room".
• Don't force your child to eat if he or she is not hungry. However, if your child shows consistent signs of not eating, or obsession with their body image, consult a healthcare professional.

Creating an Active Environment

• Limit TV time. Research indicates a direct relationship between the hours of TV watched and childhood obesity. Not only is it a low-calorie-burning activity, but what children see on TV (ads for fast food, sugar coated cereal and other unhealthy food choices) influences what they eat and drink-even children as young as 2 years old. Encourage other activities besides TV, computers, and video games.
• Make time each week for a family outing that involves physical activity, such as a walk to the library or playing at the park.
• Encourage your children to play outside, ride a bike, play basketball with friends.
• Include children in active chores, such as washing the car or walking the dog.
• Enroll your child in a structured activity like gymnastics, tennis, dance, martial arts, soccer, etc.
• Making changes can have it’s challenges, especially today when families are juggling busy schedules, time, finances, and other daily stressors. But if you work together and support one another, your chance of success will be much greater. Eventually, new healthy choices or activities will become established healthy habits, and you will be well on your way to helping you and your children maintain a healthy weight and better health for the entire family.

For additional personalized coaching, contact us at 1-877-405-4471 or healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com.

To your health,

Nadia

Your weight loss partner

1-877-405-4471

healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com

www.healthyweightdancingfeet.blogspot.com

Am I the only one struggling?

Ever wondered why some people are able to maintain amazing bodies while YOU struggle with your weight?

Why do other people make it look so easy to achieve and then maintain their ideal weight?

Do they know something that you don’t?

It’s actually quite simple. It comes down to motivation!

If you have the motivation to reach your ideal weight coupled with the determination to get there, it is very possible. In fact, everything is possible in life with motivation and determination.

So, how do you know if you have enough motivation?

• Motivation will tell you to get out of bed for an early workout
• Motivation will nag you to put down that piece of cake
• Motivation makes passing up on fries a natural reflex
• Motivation makes a sweat drenched workout exciting
• Motivation constantly reminds you why you do what you do

So, what do you do if you desire the motivation but are not quite there?

Here are 5 steps to turn on your motivation!

1. Recognize your motivator: You need to determine your WHY. What is your goal? Why do you want to get into shape? Once you uncover your personal motivator you’ll find that motivation flows quickly your way. Take some time to dig deep to uncover the reason that you want to lose the weight. Be specific about it, don’t simply say you want to be thin. Your motivation must be specific and if there is a measurable timeline, you are more invested in the outcome. For instance, I want to be my ideal weight (X pounds) by my vacation (specific date).
2. Make it official: Write your goal and put it somewhere you will see it and read it everyday, like on your desk or your fridge! Each time you read your goal, visualize yourself having already accomplished the goal. This will help you maintain your focus.
3. Be practical: So you know what you want and have an idea of how to get there. Now you need a practical plan, one that will be easy to maintain and fit into your life. Keep in mind that it’s important to 1) maintain a healthy low-calorie diet and 2) participate in a consistent and challenging exercise program. But be sure it’s a program you enjoy so it’s not considered “work” but more of an enjoyment; a “fun” workout.
4. Call for backup: Get your friends, family, co-workers and spouses on board! Share your goal with the key people in your life and they will support you. In fact, you will probably inspire them to live a healthier lifestyle too!
5. Get invested with risk: Make a promise of some kind that you would not want to follow through with if you didn’t keep your end of the deal. A risk high enough to give you the motivation to follow through with your commitment. Then put it in writing with someone and sign it. For example, “If I’m not my ideal weight (X pounds) by Christmas then I will walk 5 km to work everyday for 6 months (or something else you really don’t want to do).

If you need a kick start with an easy to follow program, assistance finding your motivation and a daily support system, give us a call and we will tell you all about our program.

Remember it all comes down to YOUR motivation!

To your health,

Nadia

Your weight loss partner

1-877-405-4471

healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com

www.healthyweightdancingfeet.blogspot.com

Spring into Summer with these healthy recipes!

Spring is upon us so why not spring into a healthy summer by cooking healthy meals at home!

Spice up your spring with a Chipotle Chicken Soup and sweeten your palate with Chocolate Berry Decadence for Dessert.

Chipotle Chicken Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1 t olive oil

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped green onion

3 cloves minced garlic

1 t ground cumin

1 lb cooked chicken breast, cut up in strips, without the skin

28 ounces low sodium chicken broth

15 ounces canned, low sodium, diced tomatoes, undrained

10 ounces canned or frozen no salt added corn kernels

DIRECTIONS:

Remove chipotle chilies from can and mince. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium to high heat. Add bell

pepper, onions, garlic and cumin. Sauté until vegetables are soft (4-5 minutes). Add chilies, cooked chicken,

chicken broth, tomatoes and corn. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Calories: 338/serving

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:

43g protein

25g carbohydrates

7g fat

501mg sodium

96mg cholesterol

5g fiber

Estimated Food Group Serving Equivalents: 6 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat

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Chocolate Berry Decadence

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cinch Chocolate Decadence Bar

2 T Chocolate or vanilla non-fat frozen yogurt

2 T Fresh berries (raspberries or sliced strawberries)

DIRECTIONS:

Place Cinch bar on a cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 5 minutes at a low temperature. Remove and top

with non fat frozen yogurt and berries. Enjoy!

Makes 1 serving.

Calories: 150 calories per serving

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:

11g protein

21g carbohydrates

3g fat

165mg sodium

0mg cholesterol

4g fiber

Happy Cooking!

To your health,

Nadia

Your weight loss partner

1-877-405-4471

healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com

www.healthyweightdancingfeet.blogspot.com