Want to LOOSE what you GAINED in Christmas? Follow me.

Hello again! How are the little challenges going? Were you able to eat in 30 minutes? Did lunch taste different?

The next seven days will be a challenge for all:

Try to sit down to lunch or dinner only when you feel really hungry, stay aware of the feeling of fullness and stop eating when you feel the first warning.

Remember: In order to enjoy much in life you don’t need to have too much...

Want to EAT less and ENJOY more in Christmas?

For those who haven’t joined, we are making small weekly changes in our habits which will help us to get away from the routine, eat healthier and feel better.

Last week we turned off the TV and tried to enjoy a little more time for eating. 

How did it go? Were you able to enjoy a little bit more pause in your day? 

Maybe you had a more comfortable (or longer) conversation or just felt less anxious…

For this Christmas dinner try something that will help you enjoy the food and at the same time eat less:

Eating in 30 minutes, no more no less.

Do not set a timer, just check the time when you sit down to eat and when you remove your plates, I was impressed at how quickly and how little I was savoring food, the interesting thing was that at the end of the week I ate a little less than before.

Merry Christmas!

Looking amazing in CHRISTMAS part 2.

Last week’s challenge was to serve every dish before sitting down at the table.

Did you feel full faster? Was it easier for you to be calm when eating?

If this worked for you, continue to do it so that it becomes a habit.

For this week try:

Before you sit down to eat, shut off the television, radio or music.

I hope it doesn’t cause a revolution at home.  You will be able to talk with your family or couple more at ease and you will see how lunchtime becomes more pleasant.

Wanna look amazing in Christmas?.. join this 7 week challenge.

It has been proven that only by making small changes over long periods of time, can we achieve permanent success.

I challenge you to make a change per week, or choose one with which you feel comfortable and make it part of your daily life.

I propose:

This week try to serve all you're going to eat before sitting down to the table.

Let's see what happens...

The secret to live HERE and HAPPY

In our rush to get through the tasks of our day, to complete our errands and answer emails, to look at the next video… when do we think we’ll find happiness?

If it’s not here right now, when will it come?

Maybe we think it’ll come when we improve our lives, or meet our goals, or succeed at our business, or finish our college degree, meet someone or have our first child.  Maybe it’ll come when we go on vacation, or when we find time to relax. Maybe tomorrow.

Or we could try this:

• Slow down instead of rushing. Breathe deeply.
• Pause to savor the current moment.
• Really notice everything about the moment, and find small things to appreciate.
• Be grateful for what there is right here, right now. Count your blessings.
• Allow the things that are bothering you to just be in your life, without fighting with them, without pushing them away.
• Don’t allow little things to offend you. They’re not worth ruining this moment.
• Let the beauty of this moment wash over you.

These are all things we already know. But we don’t actually do them. The key here is practice.

If you don’t practice being present, slowing down, enjoying the moment right now, when will you practice? 

What are you practicing now instead?

Start your practice this moment.

"In this moment you are here, you are living, you are present, you are fully blessed” Fiji Mc Alpine.

Based on: Practicing Slowness & Being Present (Leo Babauta).

Make your cleaning products... with 3 ingredients.

Hi, this time I will share with you my ecological cleaning products. They are cheap, simple and good with the environment.

With just 3 ingredients you can make almost every one of the products you need at home.

All-purpose cleaner

• 3 tablespoons of dish soap
• 75mL water
• Lavender oil or tea tree (optional)

Combine all of the above in a spray bottle, shake well.

Clogged WC

• 70 to 100 mL of hot water
• Half a cup of baking soda
• 100mL of vinegar

Pour the warm water with baking soda add the vinegar  and wait until it stops bubbling. Use a toilet brush for cleaning.

All Surface polish (tiles, bathroom floor…)

• Sodium bicarbonate
• Water

Mix baking soda with water until  it becomes a paste. Place it on a sponge and polish the surface you need.

Toilet bowl cleaner

• 50ml vinegar

Pour it in the toilet, let sit overnight. In the morning scrub and flush.

Glass & Window cleaner

• 100ml vinegar
• 100 mL of water

 Mix vinegar with water and pour into a spray bottle.

Floor Cleaner

• 3 tablespoons of dish soap
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
• 4 ½ lt Water
• 10 drops of essential oil (lavender or tea tree)

Mix the ingredients in a bucket and go!

Kitchen Cleaner

• 250ml water
• 5-10 drops of lavender oil

Mix the two ingredients in a spray bottle. Lavender oil will leave a wonderful smell in your kitchen and will relax you.

See you next week!

Difficult week? Try our secrets to make it GREAT!

Your mornings set the tone for the rest of the day. 

If you get off to a crummy start, chances are the rest of your day will look the same. Rolling out of bed with your mobile in hand, scanning the latest Facebook posts and checking your email may not be the best start if you’re already super stressed.

More and more people are finding a meaningful morning practice to be the solution. By adding this practice in between waking up and starting the day, you’re sure to move through the world more grounded and connected.

I created a simple practice to help you move through the day without stress calling the shots.

• Place 1 to 2 drops of grapefruit or wild orange essential oil in the palm of your hands.  Rub your hands together, cup your hands over your nose and mouth and breathe in deeply for five rounds of breath.
• Set an intention for the day  How do you plan to be happier today? What are you going to learn from this day? How are you going to live and enjoy it?
• Be grateful  Count your blessings and appreciate them.
• Take a glass of water  This helps your body to begin the day and wakes you up softly.
• Move your body, stretch a little bit  It really doesn’t matter what you do here; just move out of your head and into your body. Stretch your body, do some head rolls or shoulder shrugs, move in a way that feels good to your body and your natural rhythm, you can even dance to your favorite song.

By giving your body the chance to practice dealing with stress in a different a way, you’re creating a new positive pathway. This simple morning practice can be done in 10 minutes or less from anywhere in your home.

Try it and notice how it sets you up to move through your day more aware, present and with less stress. The most effective practices are the ones that find a place in your daily routine.

Taken from “A 15-Minute Morning Ritual To Dramatically Reduce Stress” by Megan Roop

What you eat it’s FINE ... what you DON'T EAT can make a difference.

What would you think if I told you that what you eat is not what makes you sick. 

What would you do if I told you that instead of choosing a diet in which you have to avoid eating certain food, I give you one in which you HAVE to eat ...

Let me explain:

We are so used to follow diets that exclude certain foods and teach you to count portions every day. In my experience this rarely works and as soon as we lose the weight we wanted, we return to our previous habits and regain it.

We need a healthier way of life that is attractive, simple and easy to keep forever… yes forever.

Let's start by making a list of healthy choices:

- Water

-  Fruits

- Vegetables

- Whole grains

- Legumes

- Vegetable protein

I'm sure that we are missing at least one of these healthy choices. Pick one that you almost never eat and include it your next week´s menu.

I recommend that if you choose water, drink at least 3 glasses a day. If you choose fruits and vegetables, try to eat at least one cup a day. If what you're missing are whole grains and legumes, try to include half cup a day and if it is vegetable protein, try 30g.

No need to remove anything from your regular diet.

What is going to happen?

When you include at least one healthy option every day, you cease to eat a bit less junk food. Over time, you'll feel better and you will include more healthy options, progressively diminishing the not so healthy ones. 

After six months of following this method, you will have established a habit and your chances of success are very high

I know it will work ... begin TODAY.

Super SWEET and super HEALTHY?!

... Sweeter than sugar ... Can lower blood pressure ... Lowers blood sugar ... Is it natural? ... The sugar of the future? .... 

What is Stevia and why is it so famous?

Stevia is a plant native to South America and like sugar cane, it has the wonderful quality of sweetening what it touches.  Used in Paraguay for centuries as a sweetener by the Guarani natives, in 1900 it was discovered that this little plant was able to sweeten 200 times more than sugar.  

The plant was named Stevia Rebaudiana, able to sweeten more than sugar but without calories or increasing blood sugar and without sugar’s side effects.  Within the Stevia leaf we can find several substances: stevioside and rebaudioside, that are responsible for its sweetness.  

Some studies have shown that steviosides have the ability to lower blood pressure, blood sugar levels and even help reduce tooth decay.  The rebaudioside moreover, proved not to have any effect beyond the sweetness, and thus was considered safe for consumption by any person.  

Thanks to these qualities, Stevia has become a good natural alternative to sugar and synthetic sweeteners on the market.  Whether you suffer from diabetes, are on a low -carb diet or just like to take care of your health, Stevia is the first natural and healthy alternative to eating sweet.

Stevia is heat resistant, so it can be used for cooking, baking and can be mixed with any food without altering its taste.  Since it is much sweeter than sugar, it takes very small amounts to achieve the sweetness you like.

APPROVED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION

After reviewing more than 300 studies evaluating the safety of Stevia, in 2006 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that there is no evidence that Stevia poses a health risk.  Later, in December 2008, it was authorized in America, and finally in November 2011 in the European community.

If you're interested in trying this new alternative, you can start by buying the sweetener which is a white powder that looks like sugar.  Use it to prepare fruit smoothies, fruit salads and experiment until you find the flavor you like. You can also include it in your baking recipes by replacing half the sugar with Stevia ... there are jams, juices , teas and jellies on the market that can help you gradually decrease sugar and include Stevia without sacrificing the taste of your food.

Nuts: Are they as healthy as everyone says?

 In this week's blog we have invited the expert in nutrition and cardiovascular disease María del Carmen González. She will give us updated, scientific facts about nuts, why they are healthy and how we can take advantage of them. Hope you like it:

How many things have we heard about nuts? "they are high in fat " , "they are miracle makers" , "they cure diseases”... As with many foods, the information we receive is part truth, part urban myth and part tradition. This time I give you scientifically proven facts that many doctors and nutritionists have analyzed.

Nuts are low in simple carbohydrates (sugars)

• Research studies have found that when we eat natural nuts our glucose concentrations (sugar) are more stable. Also, if we eat nuts mixed with foods high in sugar, nuts can dampen the body's response and our blood sugar does not rise as much or as fast.
• Walnuts are rich in nutrients that help lower the risk of heart disease because they contain healthy fat like monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants and minerals.

 

Healthy fatty acid content

• They are a good source of Omega 3, a group of fat that protects the heart. A diet high in omega-3 can reduce inflammation as well as help to lower triglycerides and cholesterol among other things.

High in vegetable protein, fiber and minerals

• Nuts also contain copper and magnesium, minerals that protect your heart.
• Since they are high in fiber it helps regulate intestinal transit and helps with constipation.
• This food group is a great ally during pregnancy due to its high content of folic acid, which helps the correct formation of the fetus.
• In the elderly they help prevent osteoporosis.
• Nuts have a high percentage of protein: 100 grams of nuts are equivalent to 100 grams of meat.
• Since they contain small amounts of sodium, they are an excellent product for those who need to watch their salt intake (hypertension and/or diabetes)

As you can see, walnuts are good allies in our diet, remember they are high in calories so I recommend that you include 8-10 nuts in your diet once a day.

See you next week!

References

National Database USDA Nutrient reference standards

http://www.comenuez.org/xoo/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=18

Çhttp://www.yocondiabetes.com/nutricion/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1825&Itemid=0

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20199995

Organic/Eco: healthier o just MORE expensive?

Organic food came some years ago as an expensive and almost exclusive fashion. 

This “new wave” includes foods (fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat), cosmetics and cleaning products. Sold in most supermarkets, these are usually more expensive.

But I wonder: Is it worth paying more for these products? Do they offer benefits that no other food offers? 
Will my food be healthier if I choose them?

Before deciding if they are worth buying, let’s get to know them:Organic farming:

• Cultivates soil taking care of natural resources without using chemicals or genetically modified organisms (such as fertilizer or to control pests).

• Considers the quality of life of the farmer.

• Obtains chemical-free products.

• Maintains soil fertility.

• Respects the environment.

The objectives are to produce healthy food with a higher nutritional quality without chemicals or pesticides, grown with processes that help the earth and its farmers.

One of the most important aspects to consider is that by buying organic products, not only are you giving your family healthier and chemical free food, you are helping to improve the living conditions of farmers and thus benefit everyone involved.

The main differences between conventional and organic farming are:

  

CONVENTIONAL	ORGANIC
Use of chemical fertilizer to boost growth.	Use of natural fertilizers such as compost, to feed soil and crops.
Use of synthetic insecticides to reduce pests and diseases.	Use of natural insecticides, beneficial insects and birds to interrupt pest reproduction to reduce diseases.
Using synthetic herbicides to eliminate unwanted weeds.	Using natural herbicides and crop rotation.
Use of growth hormone in animals to increase growth and medications to prevent disease.	Feeding the animals with organic products and access to open spaces. Balanced diet and clean rooms to prevent diseases.

How to identify them?

Most of these products have green labels that include the words "organic" or "ecological".

It can be very expensive to switch completely towards organic food, if you want to include them I recommend you start with fruits, vegetables and meats, with which you will get the most benefit. 

Also I think in some circumstances you should consider them:

• Feeding children under one year.

• Persons with chronic diseases.

• Pregnant women

Have a great and healthy week!!!

Hard to control your weight? Maybe your portions are not so "normal".

This week I was thinking about those small details that we commit in our diets that lead us to failure. 

Today we will talk about PORTION SIZES.

You can choose the most wonderful diet, internationally proven, the diet of Hollywood stars, you can buy the most exotic food, but if your portion sizes are larger than indicated, everything falls apart.

The concept of a "normal portion" is entirely relative. A portion that is excessive to me may be small for someone else.

 

For example, a serving of meat is equivalent to 30g (the size of the palm of your hand) and it is a common belief that a portion of meat is 150g because that is the amount of a “small” Mc Donald's burger.

To make it simple, in recent years everyday objects have been used as reference for food portion sizes.

A poker chip = one serving of oil, butter, margarine or peanut butter = 45 kcal

A pack of cigarettes = 1 serving of meat (chicken, beef, pork, fish) or cheese = Approx 70 Kcal

A baseball or tennis ball = 1 serving of vegetables (25 kcal) or cereals (75 kcal)

A CD = one serving of breakfast bread (hot cakes, waffles, bagel) = 75-100 kcal

In this way, the next time you make a change in your habits, compare what you call a portion with what it really is and try to adapt to these new quantities. You'll see that your efforts will be well rewarded.

Best of luck!

 

How to begin your day in PEACE

Have you ever had a stressful situation in which you wished you had a magic tool to remain calm? Well there is one, it’s called the 4-7-8 relaxation breathing sequence.

This technique relaxes the nervous system and allows you to be calm and think clearly.

Here's how you do it:

1. Sit up straight in a chair.

2. Place the tip of your tongue up against the roof of your mouth. Keep it there through the entire breathing process.

3. Breathe in silently through your nose to the slow count of 4.

4. Hold your breath to the count of 7.

5. Exhale through your mouth to the count of 8, making a slight audible sound.

6. Repeat the 4-7-8 cycle another three times, for a total of four breathing exercises.

Have a calm Monday ; )

 “When the breath is calmed the mind too will be still…” Svatmarama