Ditch the takeaway – try this…

There’s a misconception that all Indian cuisine is fattening, calorie-laden and generally unhealthy. But step away from creamy curries and deep-fried starters and you’ll find a host of fresh, flavourful dishes that are not only kinder to your waistline, but good for your health, too.

Sabbir Karim, Best Innovative Asian and Oriental Chef of the Year 2013 and owner of London’s Namaaste Kitchen, is an advocate of healthy Indian cooking. 

"I’m not sure where this misconception began that made people think that all Indian food is high in saturated fats, calories and overall just unhealthy for you. In the past, it's true, more attention used to be given to the taste of the food, rather than considering the nutritional value. But as more and more chefs have become aware and educated in the healthy eating and healthy cooking concept, they have shifted their focus to the nutritional value and how the Indian food is prepared. The fact is that when we cook traditional Indian food, unlike some of the takeaways people are used to, we use fresh ingredients and produce and we also incorporate a lot of vegetables into our dishes. Indian cooking also requires using a lot of spices that are considered to have healing properties, such as turmeric, ginger and garlic - all of which are healthy ingredients."

So this weekend, ditch the takeaway menu and treat yourself instead to Sabbir’s signature recipe…

Lahori Tawa Lamb Chops (lamb chops marinated in fresh ginger paste, papaya, herbs and spices)  

Prep 20 min + marinating

Cook 35 min

Serves 4

For the lamb chops

2tbsp ginger paste

2tbsp garlic paste

1½tbsp papaya paste (½ papaya, deseeded but skin on, blended with 2tbsp cooking oil)

4 large lamb chops, trimmed and flattened slightly

1tbsp lemon juice

2tsp garam masala

½tsp chilli powder (to taste)

1tsp ground cumin

1tsp ground coriander

5tbsp natural yogurt

½tbsp fenugreek seeds

½tsp chilli flakes

½tbsp cooking oil

1tsp English mustard

2tsp mint sauce

For the sauce

50ml cooking oil

4 onions, chopped

3tbsp ginger paste

2tbsp garlic paste

2tsp tomato purée

4 cherry tomatoes, sliced

4tsp makhani cooking sauce (available from Waitrose and Ocado)

1tsp chilli powder

2tsp ground turmeric

245g natural yogurt

2tsp lemon juice

1½tsp ground coriander

2tsp chopped fresh mint

½tsp kewra water or rose water

2tsp garam masala

Watercress, to garnish

1. First, prepare the lamb chops. Combine the ginger garlic and papaya pastes in a large mixing bowl, then massage into the lamb. Cover, then transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least 40 min.

2. Put the remaining lamb chop ingredients in a medium bowl and mix to a fine paste. Take the lamb out of the fridge, then add the paste to the bowl and turn to coat the chops. Cover, then return to the fridge for at least 1 hr.

3. Preheat the oven to its hottest setting. Lift the lamb chops out of the marinade on to a baking tray, then cook for 10–15 min. Set aside and keep warm.

4. Next, make the sauce. Heat the cooking oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onions until golden. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste and the tomato purée and mix well. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until soft. Stir in the makhani sauce, then add the chilli powder, turmeric and yogurt. Add the lamb chops to the frying pan with the lemon juice, ground coriander, chopped mint and 500ml water, then simmer for 3–4 min until the sauce is reduced and thick. Stir in the kewra water or rose water and the garam masala.

5. Divide the lamb among 4 plates, then garnish with watercress and serve with garlic naan or basmati rice, if you like.

Per serving

513kcal

30g protein

26.9g fat

6.6g saturates

28.6g carbs

20.3g sugar

4.1g fibre

2.1g salt

293mg calcium

5.1mg iron

Low sat fat

Low sugar

High protein

High calcium

High iron

Gluten free

1 of 5-a-day

Health tip: why this dish is good for you

Lamb is a good source of vitamin B12, needed for normal cell division as well as neurological and psychological functions, and to prevent fatigue.

Garam masala (a blend of traditional South Asian spices, such as cumin, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves) is great for adding flavour, so you don't need any salt.

Ginger is good for soothing the digestive system and may also help alleviate pain linked to arthritis.

Yogurt is a good source of protein and is rich in calcium, needed for healthy bones and teeth.

Stress Eating and the Healthy Eating Meditation Practice

by Baxter

Breakfast of Champions by Melina Meza

Recently I had the good fortune to present an all-day workshop on Yoga for Healthy Eating at the Yoga Journal Conference in San Francisco. The workshop was in many ways a distillation of all of the ideas and information we have presented here at YFHA over the last 2+ years. And as I prepared for the day, and while I was presenting the workshop, the stories my students and workshop attendees shared with me really brought home once again how powerful our daily modern stresses are in derailing our attempts at healthy eating.

As we have addressed here previously, the stress response, which usually is NOT to a true life-threatening emergency these days, causes an immediate impulse behavior that is essential in a true emergency, when you need to act, not mull over what to do. But because we are usually at the desk or behind the wheel and not actually fleeing or fighting and expending energy, the impulse tends to override our commitment and willpower to maintain healthy eating habits. So sometimes we grab a snack as our impulsive reaction.

On top of that, the stress reaction releases extra cortisol into our blood stream, which hangs around a lot longer than the fast acting adrenalin and CRH hormone. And cortisol tends to increase our appetite, even if it is nowhere near mealtime. So we have yet another urge to eat. And since the body releases energy-rich sugar molecules into our bloodstream in those first moments of our stress response - molecules that have been stored in the body for emergencies - we tend to be more likely to want to replace them by reaching for carbohydrates that are rich in similar sugar molecules when that post-event cortisol appetite strikes. So we make another unhealthy choice by going for the snack foods and sugar-rich soft drinks so readily available at work and at the store! What’s a determined yogi to do?

Nina has suggested that a regular stress-reduction asana practice—with an active portion (such as a few rounds of Sun Salutations to address held physical tension in the body), followed by several restorative poses or even a supported easy inversion—combined with meditation and breath awareness -- is a good option for beginning to deal with the overall stress in your life. And we have also talked about how the stress response causes that immediate impulsivity, which Kelly McGonigal, PhD says reduces your willpower in the moment of the stressful event. But she also notes that a regular meditation practice tends to build willpower, possibly offsetting the stress response impulsivity and getting you through those daily stressful bumps. According to one study, even 10 minutes a day starts to do the trick after you rack up as little as three hours of total meditation time over several weeks.

All of this made me think about the times when you return home from a stressful day, fatigued and not wanting to or having the energy to do your stress management practice. So I came up with a 20 minute practice to address the general effects of stress and to support our resolve and will power to eat more healthy, that just about anyone can do when you first get home.

Before I share this fairly simple practice, I want to reiterate our recommendations on what to do in the moment of the stress event. Consider any of the following:

• Get up and take a short, brisk walk.
• Try one of our short office yoga practices, which you can do at work or just about anywhere.
• Drink a big glass of water and sit quietly, observing your breath for five minutes before acting on the impulse to eat.
• If you really feel you need to eat something, be prepared with healthy whole-food snacks you bring to work each day, or have in your purse or backpack before you leave home for the day.

For the 20-minute practice, I’m proposing a two-part meditation. You can practice this when you get home or, honestly whenever it suits your schedule. But I suggest you do it every day (we’ve said before and I’ll say it again: your bad habits never change without work and practice!).

Part 1:  This is your Stress Reduction practice, a 10-minute simple, reclined meditation. Before practicing, set a timer so you don’t have to worry about what time it is, because that is not relaxing. For this practice, lie in Relaxation pose for 10 minutes, and simply focus on your easy, natural breath as it enters and exits your body. That’s it. Try to stay gently awake. You can use a blanket support under your spine and head, or just a pillow to lift the head slightly. The purpose of this first meditation is to trigger the Relaxation Response that Herbert Benson first described back in the 70’s.

Part 2: This is your Willpower Boosting practice, a 10-minute seated meditation practice. Come up from your reclining position and sit with or without support on the floor, or use a chair if you prefer. Set your timer again for 10 minutes. Now, establish a nice inner lift from your sitting bones up to the crown of your head. Then pick a simple word or phrase to use as your mental focus, and repeat it to yourself mentally on each exhalation. You might use the phrase “healthy eating” as your intention, or pick something that works better for you. When you notice that you’ve become distracted, immediately return to repeating your phrase. This second meditation is not about relaxing, but about staying focused and concentrated on your intention. That does not mean you might not still feel relaxed at the end, but that’s not the purpose. Remember, studies have shown that meditations like this not only make meditating easier over time, but also improve a wide range of self-control skills, which is what we are after!

So there you have it—the 20-minute, two-part Healthy Eating Meditation practice! Give it a go for the next month. And let us know what changes you notice. No time like the present to make the change you want to see in 2014!

Yoga for Healthy Eating: An Overview

by Nina

Both Baxter and I have already written a number of posts exploring the topic of Yoga for Healthy Eating. But seeing that it’s the beginning of a new year—when people often make resolutions regarding their health—I thought now would be a good time to provide an overview of the topic. Basically, between the two of us, we’ve come up with a four-pronged approach to support healthy eating:

• Understand your digestive system

• Practice stress management
• Cultivate mindfulness
• Strengthen Will Power

1. Understanding Your Digestive System

Baxter has recorded a short audio tour of the digestive system (see Audio Tracks) that you can use to learn about how your digestive system works and what happens to your food as and after you eat it. It’s especially helpful for you to learn about how your digestive system interacts with your Autonomic Nervous System and higher brain function. When you’re in a state of stress (see Stress, Your Health and Yoga), your nervous system diverts your body’s resources away from your digestive system (you don’t need to be eating or digesting your food when you’re running away from that tiger or that car that looks like it’s not going to be stopping before the crosswalk!). So chronic stress can cause digestive problems. In addition, even thinking about stressful situation can have a potential negative impact on digestion!

2. Practicing Stress Management

Chronic stress may not only cause digestive problems as I mentioned above, but the cortisol that is released can cause weight gain by stimulating your appetite (Yoga, Stress and Weight Management). So one of the most important things you can do to improve digestion and move toward healthy eating is to use your yoga practice to reduce your stress levels. See The Relaxation Response and Yoga for basic information on using yoga to switch your nervous system from the Fight or Flight response (stress mode) to the Rest and Digest response (relaxation mode). It’s not called the Rest and Digest mode for nothing!

3. Cultivating Mindfulness

Many poor eating habits are just that—habits! Practicing yoga asana with mindfulness and meditating will help you tune into your body, and not to ignore it. And as you tune into your body, you may learn about foods you are currently eating that are compromising your health (see Got Mindfulness?) or notice poor eating habits, such as eating beyond satiety (see Meditation and Healthy Eating). Cultivating mindfulness can teach you to recognize:

• which foods are good for you and which are not (not just junk food, but maybe food intolerances or allergies)
• when you are full and don’t need to eat more
• when you are thirsty instead of hungry
• when you are eating for stress, not for hunger

See Yoga for Healthy Eating for more information.

Mindfulness will also help you start to recognize habitual thoughts that are getting in the way of healthy eating. You can then work on changing your perspective (see Cultivating the Opposite).


4. Strengthening Will Power

Once you’ve identified your habits or have decide to eliminate or cut back certain foods, it takes will power to change! According the Dr. Kelly McGonigal, being in a state of stress can increase impulsive behavior and decrease will power. So practicing stress management as we describe above will help with your will power (see Healthy Eating, Stress and Self Control). However, you can also use a meditation practice to intentionally strengthen your will power.  Meditation teaches you to return to your object of meditation (your focus) and tune out distractions (temptations):

“Neuroscientists have discovered that when you ask the brain to meditate, it gets better not just at meditating, but at a wide range of self-control skills, including attention, focus, stress management, impulse control, and self awareness. People who meditate regularly aren’t just better at these things. Over time, their brains become finely tuned willpower machines. Regular meditators have more gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, as well as regions of the brain that support self-awareness." —Dr. Kelly McGonigal

See Meditation and Healthy Eating for more information.

Tune in tomorrow to hear from Baxter on the same topic! He’ll discuss stress eating and recommend some specific yoga practices for you to support your goals for healthy eating.

I Like Swiss Cheese…But Not in My Work

I remember being a 22-year old in Italy and not worldly-wise. I was trying to buy “Swiss cheese” and was asking a friend to help me find it in a supermarket and translated it literally. My friend pointed out to me that Switzerland was known for its cheeses and there were many kinds of “Swiss cheese.” I explained to him that it was the one “with the holes in it,” and he then told me that the cheese was called Emmental.  

Many years later, when I was learning about safety, human error, and complex systems, I got introduced to the “Swiss Cheese Model of Error,” the work of Professor James Reason of Manchester University, in England. Professor Reason created the model to help his students understand the relationship between the thoughts and actions of humans in a complex system and how these thoughts and actions can either contribute to the creation of bad outcomes and in some cases, catastrophes, or help prevent them.

Reason knew that humans understand at some level that they are fallible, so that they build protective walls to “block” errors from resulting in bad outcomes. An example of this is in the system for protecting patients from medication ordering errors.  Physicians can and do occasionally make errors of ordering the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or the wrong route. The first wall of defense to block one of these errors is called pharmacist verification. Every time a doctor orders a medication on a patient in the hospital, the pharmacist checks it to make sure that it is safe for the patient. But pharmacists also occasionally make mistakes. So the pharmacy verification wall has holes in it, too. The next wall of defense is called nurse check. Nurses also make mistakes so this wall is also imperfect. If you line up all of the walls what does it look like? You guessed it…Swiss cheese.

                                                                                                                                                                   
Reason calls the holes in the cheese latent failures. Latent means hidden or present in an unexpressed form. These latent failures can be grouped into a number of categories. One of the categories is failures at the managerial level. This occurs when a manager knows that a design is not being followed that could cause a bad outcome but the manager allows the design to not be followed. An example would be if a manager knew that the doctors and nurses were not doing the timeout correctly before a procedure but let the procedure go on anyway.

A second type of latent failure is called a psychological precursor. Psychological precursors can be thought of as beliefs held by those involved in a complex system that lead to people not following the design. An example of this would be if doctors and nurses did not do the timeout properly because they believed the timeout was “stupid” and “not necessary and a waste of time.” A psychological precursor that is rampant in healthcare is: “I do it whatever way I have to, to get whatever my patient needs.” This psychological precursor is the end result of clinicians working in broken systems. They come to believe that they don’t have to do it the way it is designed because the design never works anyway. This psychological precursor is the opposite of what people in other high risk industries like commercial aviation or nuclear power believe: “I follow the design because it is not safe to do otherwise.”

Other holes in the walls may be due to less pervasive problems or one- time events. These latent errors are called: local triggers, intrinsic defects, or atypical conditions. An example of an atypical condition is when a clinician is dealing with a patient that does not speak his or her language. We know that the opportunity for error increases when our patients can’t participate fully in their care or in protecting themselves from harm.

Bad outcomes may start with an unsafe act where an individual does not follow a procedure as designed or does not follow the standard work.  

Let me tell a story about an employee injury at GBMC using the Swiss cheese model. 

Our colleague falls and injures her arm.
An employee took an office grade bag of trash that had a lot of liquid in it out of a break room garbage can. The employee placed it on the floor in the hallway where it leaked onto the floor. (The designed procedure is to place the bag immediately in a cart.) The employee then realized that the bag had leaked, and retrieved a mop and cleaned it up. The employee did not put a wet floor sign down and a nurse turned the corner and slipped, falling to the floor and injuring her wrist.

So applying the model we see that one latent error in our system is that we use trash bags that are not designed for liquid in trash cans that may receive liquid. Although it is not absolutely clear it appears that at least someone may have the psychological precursor of “any trash bag will do” in using the bag that is not designed for liquid.  A second psychological precursor may have been, “I don’t need to follow the rule, it won’t leak, I’ll just put it on the floor.” The actual unsafe act was putting the bag on the floor. A last unsafe act was not putting the wet floor sign up.

Notice that if any one of these latent errors had been “fixed,” the hole would have been blocked and our colleague would not have been injured. If the correct bag was used, or if the person emptying the trash had put it directly in a cart or if he or she had put up the wet floor sign, our colleague would not have been injured. But, if only one had been fixed, the other latent errors would still have been present waiting to align for the next bad outcome or catastrophe.

We cannot wait until the holes in the Swiss cheese align to create a catastrophe; we must fix the holes when we find them. This is what our near miss (Quantros) reporting system helps us to do.

What latent errors have you found and are working to fix in our healthcare system?

5 Ways to Improve the Quality of Your Life

One of the best gifts you can give yourself is sometimes free and easy to find: the gift of time. Make a pact to be good to yourself by creating more time to relax, meditate and step away from the distracting, noisy motions of daily life. All of these things can do a world of good. Here are some easy ways to make 2014 a stellar year for ramping up your quality of life.

1) De-Clutter

One of the easiest ways to feel "lighter" and "happier" is to de-clutter your life. Make time to clean out closets and drawers, the garage and basement in a methodical way. In the end, you will add more time to your life.

Most of us waste time trying to find something in a closet that is stuffed with years' worth of clothing and odds and ends. If you're ultra-organized, you may latch upon just what you were looking for. But over time almost everyone finds they have accumulated too much stuff. So stop wasting time looking for things you want through mounds of things you don't use.

How long has it been since you've done a thorough sorting and tossing of your storage areas? Chances are it's been a long time. Once you've cleaned the house, make a commitment to not let outdated or non-essential items stack up again.

When you shed yourself of once loved, no more needed items, you'll feel years lighter. You'll feel so proud of yourself you'll have a nice happy feeling every time you open your closet doors. Get rid of the things that are accumulating space in your life. If you haven't worn something in six months, give it away or donate it.

2) Take a Walk

There's a centuries-old Latin adage that goes like this: solvitur ambulando, which means "it is solved by walking."

If you want to brighten your day and have a healthier lifestyle, put on your walking shoes and take a walk. Walking can open up many new possibilities. Walk where you can enjoy the scenery or may run into a neighbor you know or a neighbor you can get to know better.

Walk to think better. As the old Latin adage portends, if you're walking and enjoying life, chances are you'll find solutions to problems that might not have occurred to you when you were stuck to the couch watching TV.

And of course walking provides numerous physical and mental health benefits. Research has also linked walking to a probable reason why walkers often live longer than their peers.

3) Join Friends for Dinner

This sounds so simple you wonder how having dinner with friends can really help improve your life. It's fun to get together with people you enjoy, but it turns out there are more benefits than just that.

Science has found that the number "five" may be the magical number when it comes to dining out and health. When five or more people go out or eat together around the dining table at home at least once a week, they tend to be happier than those who eat alone or share the dinner people with fewer people.

Not only is it the dining experience that plays a part. There's also a health benefit in the anticipation and looking forward to doing something easy, simple and fun.

4) Get Inspired

What if someone told you the quality of your life could improve if you found inspiration in your life. You might be surprised to learn that scientists have found that people who have found sources of inspiration tend to be happier and more content. For some people that may come from being connected to a church or spiritual organization. Others may find inspiration, solace and beauty from exploring the world around them.

Look around... you may find inspiration in some of the most surprising ways. It may come from being a mentor to a young person who needs help and guidance or shut-ins where you deliver community-based, low-cost meal, or at hospitals or hospice centers who greatly appreciate your volunteer efforts. The bottom line is get involved in life and you'll be richly inspired and rewarded.

5) Spend More Time Sleeping

That's right, you read it correctly. Many busy people have found the secret to having more time during the day is having a longer, more restful sleep. That means spending more time in bed!

If you're not sleeping and not getting seven to eight hours of sleep each night, you may become sleep deprived. Researchers have found that sleep deprivation affects everything you do. When you are sleep deprived you react more slowly (especially when driving) and you don't have the same focus and energy as those who get a rested, good night's sleep.

What's even more disturbing is that many people don't know what it feels like to be fully awake during the day -- they're just marching through life without the benefit of quality sleep each night.

There are many ways you can improve your sleep patterns such as avoiding eating meals after 7 p.m. or cutting back on drinking alcohol or caffeine in the evening, and sleeping in a cool dark room. Try several lifestyle approaches such as reading a good book, taking a bubble bath or drinking a cup of warm milk before bed. The key is to find a pattern that works for you.

In addition to these six tips for improving your life, add in these elements too:

• Maintain a positive attitude. Stay focused on the good things going on in your life.
• Reflect on your successes instead of things that are out of your control.
• Take one day at a time. Focus on making the most of the present moment.

3 Reasons Why I Think Anxiety Therapy Sucks

Many people over the years have asked me a question that I feel I should address in one of my posts, and that question is what do I think about therapy. Well, in a nutshell I think that psychotherapy is a complete waste of time and money, due to the length of time it takes to see any kind of results (please not another conversation about how my father treated me when I was 7). Counselling is decent for mild anxiety, anger, and any other recent mild crisis you may be going through (don't expect any inspiration or success stories of how others have gotten to where you want to go though).

I can't say it was all bad, I did get some 'techniques' from my anxiety therapist on how to cope with a panic attack, I had someone there that would listen to me when I could afford it, and the coffee was fantastic! I want to share with you 3 important reasons why you might want to consider firing your therapist:

1) The Finish Line Was Rarely Discussed - I don't know about you, but for me it seemed like things were always about the process, the process, the process. Rarely did we ever talk about the end result! My vision, how my life MUST be in 6 or 7 years from now. Let's just say I didn't get the inspiration I needed to get me to the finish line, and on with my life.

2) My Therapist Never Considered Alternatives - I'll tell you something, if i'm in a tennis match and i'm getting my butt whooped all over the tennis court... it's time to change my game-style. Unfortunately even after a year and a half of anxiety therapy and still being couped up in a room talking about the same old things, my anxiety therapist never gave me a second option. It's the therapists job to get you into a state of 'no return,' to not accept your condition for a minute longer and to build a bond that will create change. Simply put if something's not working understand that there is more then one way to get to a destination, admit it and break your ties.

3) He Or She Is Just Too Bloody Old School - If this is the case remind your therapist that Freud is long gone, and that there have been significant developments and improvements in the approach since (spiritual approaches, meditation etc). Also ask your anxiety therapist what the difference is between coaching and therapy and if he says coaching should only be used in a sports arena, it's time to pack up your journal and leave.

Basically what i'm asking you is to think outside the box. It doesn't have to take 10 years of therapy to get results. Personal growth and recovery from anxiety disorders can be done naturally and quickly through pursuing not-traditional healing options, as well as coaches who may not have the book expertise but know what it takes to create a lasting change in your life (there's nothing that can replace a good bond between client and coach).

Increase Your Natural Immunities by Being Happy

We know we can increase our immunities by the foods we eat (and avoid), and the way we exercise. But it is also possible to build our immune system by changing our lifestyle; that is, by being upbeat and positive. Traditional medicine has generally said talked down this whole idea, and for the cynic in us we may think that they would endorse this idea if it could be sold in the pharmacy. But unless you spend money on therapy, you can get it all for free if you put your mind to it.

The first I had heard of this concept was from the experience of Norman Cousins. In 1976 he wrote of the way he beat a painful, life-threatening form of arthritis after doctors gave him little chance of recovery. After leaving the hospital he checked into a hotel, took huge doses of vitamin C and watched endless Marx Brothers movies, all the while roaring out loud with laughter. He has gone on to write about how people can heal themselves through laughter.

Though many immunologists are reluctant to recognize that a positive emotional state will have any impact on overall health, everyone seems to be in agreement that depression or stress will have negative health consequences. Studies as far back as the 1980s showed a connection between the brain and the immune system. So if stress or any other negative feelings can negatively affect health, why is it so hard to accept that positive emotions can positively affect health?

It is also interesting to note that not all pleasurable experiences give the same immunity benefits. Happiness derived from short-term emotional experiences does not provide the same benefits as those derived from activities that give life a greater sense of meaning and purpose. In other words, it's good to take care of ourselves and our individual needs, but even better to gain happiness from helping others and have a greater community involvement. Yet more evidence that our emotional state is tied to our immune system.

Unfortunately most people will find happiness to be quite elusive, as it is pretty much a mind-set most everyone searches for. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." But for most people a lot of different things go into being happy. Certainly reducing stress will play a part, and there are tricks we can play on ourselves to keep it to a minimum. People that were put into stressful situations and then were given exercises to take their mind off that stress had significantly lower stress markers in blood samples than those that ruminated on the stressful situation. To put it another way, put your stress behind you.

A whole lifestyle reboot may be needed more than just changing a person's way of thinking. Besides managing stress and getting ample sleep regularly, keeping your insulin levels under control with a healthy diet is vital. Making water your beverage that you consume almost all the time and exercise on a regular business all plays a vital part. Everything contributes to changing your lifestyle habits.

Cruising With a Dietitian: How to Avoid Gaining Weight While at Sea

My husband and I just returned from a 7 night cruise from Baltimore to the Bahamas on the Carnival Pride. Since we've been back, I've had several people ask me the million dollar question: "How much weight did you gain?" Since this article is about my experience I'll tell you: about 3 pounds. So, let me rephrase my title:

Cruising with a Dietitian - - how to gain "just a little bit" of weight while at sea.

See, not being allowed to gain any weight would be unrealistic and just not any fun! I must admit that I am a little bit of a foodie and we did indulge in many of the culinary adventures the ship and ports had to offer: The "Chef's Table" tour of the galley and 7 courses tasting menu, a night at "David's" steakhouse, several servings of molten chocolate cake and deep fried cracked Conch in the Bahamas. I even indulged in a couple of Pina Coladas while lounging in the hot tub.

My measly three pounds is really not that much considering the statistics. The personal trainer from the ship's gym quoted me a figure of 7-14 pounds per cruise. A UK poll published last year by the Daily Mail quotes 1 pound a day. CruiseReview.com found the average weight gain on a 7-day cruise ranges between 5 to 10 pounds. Judging by some of the eating behaviors I witnessed on the ship, I would say that this could be accurate for those who really "let loose."

Here are my top 10 tips for minimizing weight gain while cruising:

1. Be a "Picky" Eater. No, I am not implying that you need to order chicken fingers at every meal like my son does. What I mean by "picky" is regarding the quality of the food. "Picky" means really two things: 1) not indulging in chicken fingers, mac and cheese, soft ice cream and other items that you can easily get while not vacationing. Save your calories for more epicurean adventures. On my cruise, there were quite a few unique options such as oysters Rockefeller, escargot and chilled mango soup. 2) "Picky" also mean not eating something unless it's REALLY good. If the fish is dry and cold, don't finish it. If your buffet food tastes bland, let the waiter take it away. If the cake is tasteless, just take 1 bite and stop. Remember: the "clean plate club" is not in session on cruise ships. Only clean your plate if you truly enjoy the food and if it's a "4-star" dish.

2. Utilize the Gym. Not having enough time can't be used as an excuse while at sea! You should be exercising more, not less. Most ships have cardio equipment, free weights and exercise classes. Sign up for a fitness class. My husband and I signed up for a group cycling class at 4pm one day which saved us a few hundred calories of afternoon cocktails - - we didn't indulge in a drink until the class was over. If you don't like the gym, there is also usually an outdoor track for walking/jogging. Walk the halls and explore every nook and cranny of the ship. Take the stairs as much as possible instead of the elevators. Think of the cruise as a "spa vacation": take care of your body, exercise, use the steam room, indulge in a massage, etc. All of these activities are food free.

3. Opt for the dining room over the buffet. Yes, you can order anything you want, but you have to wait for the different courses. Slowing down the meal time will decrease the amount you eat. It can take 10-20 minutes for your stomach to send a message to your brain that it's full so having down time between each course is helpful. As an added bonus, the portions served in the dining room on many cruise ships are small - - just don't order 2 entrees! For most meals, I ordered a salad, a soup, an entrée and split a dessert with my husband.

4. "Scout the Buffet Line". If you must go the buffet, scout out your options. Choose 3-5 items in total that you most want to eat. Remember that there will be another buffet and more things to try for the next meal. Food researcher, Brian Wansink writes in the April 2013 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine: "Skinny people are more likely to scout out the food. They're more likely to look at the different alternatives before they pounce on something -heavy people just tend to pick up a plate and look at each item and say, 'Do I want it? Yes or no.'

Can You Lose Weight By Just Drinking Green Tea?

Are you drinking tea?

Drinking tea is no longer confined to the four walls of China or India. The healthy habit has spread across thousands of miles and numerous countries that acknowledge the health benefits rightfully claimed by this green drink which the Chinese have known for more than 4000 years. A few known benefits of drinking green tea include:

• Speeding up metabolism
• Increasing energy
• Boosting the immune system
• Enhancing mental function and focus
• Promoting healthier skin and fighting aging
• Enhancing oral health
• Improving cardiovascular health
• Protecting the body against disease
• Preventing cancers

Maybe it's about time you consider alternating your regular feel good soda drink or coffee with a cup or two of hot or cold green tea. If you have issues with your health, that switch may actually help resolve some of those issues.

Where Does Tea Come From?

A plant called Camellia sinensis is where all four types of tea - black, oolong, white and green, come from. You must have encountered this information from one of the numerous materials available online and which can be downloaded for further reading. All except green tea goes through the process of oxidation. Hence, only the green variant retains most of the healthy ingredients and powerful antioxidants that make all those health benefits possible.

Greens Help Lose Weight

Greens can refer to green vegetables rich in fiber, which aids digestion and boost metabolism. Greens can also refer to green tea with powerful ingredients that aid in weight loss and management. Such ingredients stimulate one's metabolism and blocks fat absorption at the same time. Hence, a lot of people who has weight issues are looking at the mounting evidences that point to the weight loss benefits one can derive from regularly drinking tea.

Random Check

People with weight problems are often confronted by the fact that using diet pills may be harmful for their health and that's because of the unhealthy ingredients they pack the pills with. A random check though of any diet pill package would show that one of the ingredients they declare they use is green tea. This clearly indicates how the consuming market values the proven benefits of green tea weight loss results.

Burn That Fat the Natural Way

What's in green tea that gives it the ability to burn fat? Remember that among the four types of tea, only the green one skipped the oxidation process? The absence of this ingredient-draining process allowed the tea leaves to retain most of their healthy ingredients. This is why, high concentrations of catechin polyphenols are found in this fat-burning drink. Catechin polyphenols are compounds that work in collaboration with the other chemicals in the body to increase fat oxidation and thermogenesis (the process of creating heat in the body by burning fat) levels. You may check ebooks which are available online for free if you want more details about thermogenesis. The polyphenols in the tea drink if taken on a regular basis can boost metabolism and burn fat in the most natural and safe way.

Role of Polyphenols in Losing Weight

In cases when excess amounts of triglyceride is synthesized out of the consumed food (sugar and fat) and carried into the bloodstream and other tissues in the body, they convert to fat which causes a person to increase his weight. The abundant polyphenols activates the enzyme that causes the excess triglyceride to dissolve. A process like this happening inside your body can bring about benefits of green tea weight loss results over a certain period of time.

Role of EGCG in Metabolism

Another powerful antioxidant, epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG has been proven to stimulate metabolism and consequently accelerate weight loss. EGCG works with caffeine, which is also found in tea, to stimulate the central nervous system into processing fat as body fuel through the process of thermogenesis. Earlier researches pointed to caffeine as the only ingredient that caused this process. Recent studies showed, however, that the EGCG contained in green tea stimulates thermogenesis more than just caffeine. The synergistic work of EGCG and caffeine increased 24-hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation.

Is Tea All You Need to Lose Weight?

Is Green Tea enough? If you are not expecting any instant results and are not quite conditioned for exercise or changing diets, drinking five eight-ounce cups of tea everyday will burn 90 calories. Do your math and set your weight loss objectives. It will most likely show you that you will lose about 10 pounds in a year by just drinking tea - no exercise, no change in diet. The number will increase if you add exercise and healthy diet to your tea drinking regimen.

The Use of Diet Pills for Weight Loss

The use of diet pills for weight loss has become a popular way to lose weight. Many people use it as it seems like the quickest way to lose weight. People strive to lose weight for the sake of appearance, but mostly for the sake of health. It is important, though, that you do seek the advice of a medical doctor, especially if you are on medication already.

Choosing the Right Diet Pills for Weight Loss

There are hundreds of pills for losing weight in the market. This makes it quite difficult to know which one the right one is for your purposes. It is important that you read the labels to see what the ingredients are in the product.

You should also check whether the product is on the approved list of your country's food and drug administration. Your doctor would know this and therefore it is important that you consult with him. It is important that you follow a strict diet even though you were to use diet pills for weight loss. Whichever one you choose would therefore not necessarily work best for you, if you do not follow a strict diet as well.

The Benefits of Pills

What you gain from diet pills are specifically for weight loss. You must remember, though, that the pills are an added benefit to weight loss. It is not a stand-alone process to weight loss. You have to have a good diet as well as add exercise to the program.

Once you have lost the weight through the help of the pills, you should stop using them and continue with your diet and exercise program. People do put the weight back on after they have stopped the pills, because of the lack of discipline in continuing the diet.

Successful Diet Pills For Weight Loss

Successful pills are the ones that would help you with:

• Suppressing your hunger. It would mean that you would have to eat at more regular times.
• You would also be able to control your portions better, especially if you have a menu worked out for your daily meals.
• Some pills will make you feel fuller for longer as well. This you would be forced to eat regular meals.
• It will also help you to take in fewer calories.

The success of a diet pills for weight loss does not lie in the pill itself. The pill is only there as a help to you to lose weight.

Customized Fat Loss Review: Offering Practical Solution to Obesity

You are sure to be familiar with people complaining of the frustration they experience after experimenting with a number of weight loss programs. You might even have wondered why this happens so often. The fact is that no diet is going to help if it is not modified in accordance with your body type and your natural rate of metabolism. You may be able to lose weight nominally. But, if you are searching for a strong and lean physique all this while, you have to be one of those who enjoy the huge benefits offered by Customized Fat Loss. This program helps you confront the weight and attack it from all sides. It implies that in order to lose weight for good, you have to adopt a lifestyle which combines a healthy diet and regular exercises. You should also adopt strategies to improve your metabolism in a healthy way.

The information that losing weight for good is as simple as knowing your body type and following an effective diet plan may sound ridiculous. But, that is the truth. An idea of your physique and the willingness to follow Customized Fat Loss is the key to success in bidding farewell to obesity for good. If you are able to incorporate a bit of exercise into it, the effect would be fast and noticeable. Your metabolism depends on numerous factors like your health and your level of activity. The greater it is, the faster your improvement in your weight loss efforts would be.

What is inside this program?

Customized Fat Loss is a software program designed to help you boost your metabolism in a natural way if you exercise regularly. It makes use of a four-patented formula to help you get rid of the excess of fat stored in your body and build muscles at the same time. You just have to key in your age, your body type and your metabolism. The software would come up with a diet plan designed exclusively for your body type. The recovery nutrition plan takes care of the repairing and healing of your body on the days you are not exercising. You are also informed of your progress in the desired direction with the help of easy to understand charts.

Every day, you are offered three kinds of meal plans based on your body type and metabolism. If you wish, you can even design a meal plan of your own making use of the database which features fourteen kinds of food items. Doing a simple search on your favorite search engine for Customized Fat Loss reviews would come up with hundreds of them. Just read a few of them and take a wise decision.

Conclusion:

If reading this Customized Fat Loss review makes you feel that this is the program you are waiting for long, you can download it from its official website. Whatever is your weight loss goal is, one thing is sure, the decision to buy Customized Fat Loss is sure to make you feel proud of yourself.