7 simple tips to feel HAPPY now.

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).

On vacation and CAN'T SLEEP?!

On vacation and having trouble sleeping?  This blog is made for you, I have gathered some recommendations that can help you avoid those awful insomnia episodes…

• Naps

Napping makes matters worse if you have trouble falling asleep. But if you must nap, keep it brief, 26 minutes or less (the astronaut’s nap)-- and do it early in the day.  Any shut-eye within eight hours of your bedtime can sabotage a good night's sleep.

Tip: When an afternoon slump hits, go for a short walk, drink a glass of ice water, or call a friend.

• Clock

When you glance at the clock in the wee hours of the night, your sleep will suffer.  You worry about how few hours are left before your busy day begins.  

Tip: Put your clock in a drawer, under the bed, or turn it away from view.

• Eat Right

Avoid heavy foods and big meals late in the day; they tax the digestive system and make it hard to get high-quality sleep.  Some people do well with a light evening snack of sleep-inducing foods.  

Complex carbs and dairy foods fill the bill, such as cereal with milk or crackers and cheese.

Tip: Finish any snack at least an hour before bed.

• Caffeine

Coffee in the morning is fine for most people, but as soon as the clock strikes noon, avoid caffeine in foods and drinks.  

Caffeine interferes with the deeper stages of sleep, so even small amounts found in chocolate and decaffeinated coffee may impact your rest.

Tip: Read labels, some pain relievers and weight loss pills contain caffeine

• Alcohol

Although the tranquilizing effects of alcohol may make you sleepy at bedtime, beware -- after the initial effects wear off, alcohol actually causes more frequent awakenings at night and less restful sleep.

Tip: Warm milk or chamomile tea are better beverage choices in the evening. And remember to stop drinking within two hours of bedtime to avoid bathrooms visits in the middle of the night.

• Exercise

Regular exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality, as long as you don't work out too close to bedtime.  A post-workout burst of energy can keep you awake.  Aim to finish any vigorous exercise 3 to 4 hours before you hit the hay.

Tip: Gentle mind/body exercises are fine just before sleep. Yoga, tai chi, and similar routines are a perfect, sleep-inducing nightcap.

Go on VACATION and stay FIT

Does the thought of taking a vacation remind you of snacks, soft drinks, alcohol, food and losing control of your weight? Do you predispose yourself to gain the weight you lost this last period?

Don’t freak out! This time I'll give some tips for you to go on vacation without guilt when eating and enjoying the most without gaining weight:

• Try to prepare healthy snacks with fruits, vegetables and healthy dressings.
• If you want to avoid small eating all day, choose the snacks that you like, put them on a plate and eat only that amount.
• Always choose snacks that contain vegetables and have a fat-free dressing.
• Choose fat-free dressings such as vinegar, chili powder, lemon, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
• If you know you're going out for dinner at a restaurant, try to have a very light lunch.
• Do not skip meals, try to eat at least 3 times a day, even a little.
• If you like alcohol, choose low calorie beverages such as wine and beer. Drinks with more degrees of alcohol like vodka, tequila and rum have much more calories.
• If you drink beverages containing soda, use those that don’t contain sugar.
• Whenever you can, drink natural water and add sliced fruit like watermelon, strawberry, kiwi, lemon, tangerine or orange to give it a little taste. You can add some Stevia to achieve the sweetness you want.
• Try taking a walk a day, at least 30 minutes and preferably after eating.
• Choose to be active this holiday, climb stairs, play with your children, do group sports, and go for a walk with your family.
• Relax and sleep.

Remember that holidays are to recover and take new energy.  If you go up a few extra pounds, that is no reason not to enjoy your family.  You will eventually come back home and start your healthy routines.

"There is only one life, sizes are many" M. Godoy

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Do not forget to LOG OUT these vacations...

A small reminder:

Healthy tip: Try to choose BIG fruits like watermelon, melon, orange or papaya. These contain more water, fiber and less calories.

Eat less SUGAR - the NEW lifestyle

We all have heard of the effects sugar has, if you are determined to make your life sugar-less keep reading.

Some people choose to cut out sugar entirely but be aware that because sugar is addictive, eliminating it all in one fell swoop can stress you out and drive you back into it. 

I believe more in moderation than limitation, so if you don't want to go that far, a low-sugar lifestyle may be a more manageable option that still improves your health.

Eat whole foods.

Whenever possible, stick to meats, fruits and vegetables in their original forms, which do not contain any added sugar. If it’s not easy to get them fresh, choose frozen ones without added ingredients.

Get your cookbook out.

You'll be far less likely to consume sugar if you prepare most of your meals. You will also find new flavors that can replace sweetness in your food.

Read and compare labels.

Some foods — like yogurt or cereal — come in a vast array of brands and options. If you're going to eat foods that contain sugar, pick those with the lowest amounts and that use nutritious ingredients like nuts or dried fruit.

The soda and juice.

The vast majority of these beverages are little more than sugar water. But if you like to drink them try diluting them progressively: start with one third of water and two thirds of soda/juice and try to get to 50/50.

Don't skip meals.

Eat regularly throughout the day, not more than 4 hours between meals. Skipping lunch makes you more likely to turn to sugar for a quick fix later on. Have some healthy snacks at hand in case you need them.

Stay hydrated.

Thirst frequently manifests as a craving for sugar or other food so keep a bottle by your desk. If you like flavor in your water try putting a tea bag inside your bottle or slices of fruit.

Find natural substitutes.

If you need to use a sweetener in a recipe, replace white sugar with options like honey or molasses whenever possible. If you want to reduce it even more, try a natural sweetener like stevia.

Spice it up.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and other spices are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding sugar.

Select dark chocolate.

When you need to feed a chocolate craving, the darker stuff — like, 85 to 90 percent cocoa — contains less sugar and its healthier.

Give black coffee a trial run.

If you've grown accustomed to sweetening your coffee, give yourself a 7-day trial of drinking it black. Coffee is shown to reduce risk of diabetes and some types of cancer, and it's a proven metabolism booster. Take the time to savor the taste, smell, and warmth of your coffee — the experience itself is sweet enough, no sugar necessary!

See you next week.

Nutritional labels fast and easy... SODIUM (Salt)

Unfortunately, as most processed foods contain Sodium as a conserving element, it is difficult to find one that is free of this element.

Try to choose food with less than 140mg per serving. If you have blood pressure problems, kidney problems or fluid retention, I suggest that you avoid instant food.

As always, the best food is fresh; no matter how wonderful and magical food is presented by the food industry, it can never compete with natural and homemade options.

See you next week.

Nutritional labels fast and easy... FAT

The dreaded and awful fat (formally called lipids) ... 

Unfortunately we have been misinformed about the power of this nutrient in our lives.  It is a fact that we suffer more illnesses because of sugar than fat.

Did you know that they are essential for the proper functioning of the brain, hormone production and energy reserves? Many vitamins are dissolved in fat, thus by eliminating them completely you will also miss antioxidants and immune protection.

Be careful of foods that say "fat free" because in most cases the fat is replaced with corn starch, fructose or sugar cane, making the food even more damaging.

Nutritional fact labels describe several types of fat: total, saturated, trans and cholesterol. 

In order to find the healthiest option, choose food with less than 20g of fat and less than 20mg cholesterol per serving.

See you next week!