Declutter Your Kitchen, Make Healthier Choices (Yes, Really. And Here’s Why!)
Quarantine life has had one positive effect on my brain: it’s given me the opportunity to declutter my house and my life. Decluttering has improved my mood and my eating habits, and it has decreased my stress level. Cleaning out clutter helps me move forward on many levels. Purging items I haven’t used, or are not likely to use, helps elevate my overall outlook. The Science Behind Stress and Clutter In a 2019 New York Times article entitled, “The Unbearable Heaviness of Clutter,” Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago, says, “Clutter is an overabundance of possessions that collectively create chaos and disorderly living spaces.” Ferrari’s research team found that clutter can negatively impact mental well-being, particularly in women. Additionally, among older adults, clutter problems were also associated with life dissatisfaction. Why? Research shows that our brains don’t respond well to disorder. Constant visual reminders that things are cluttered and disorganized reduces our ability to focus and drains our cognitive resources. RELATED: How to Finally Organize Your Freezer According to experts in organizational behavior, a chronically cluttered home environment can lead to a constant low-grade “fight or flight” response, increasing our cortisol levels and making us feel stressed. Cortisol is the primary stress hormone best known for producing the “fight or flight” response. It works with parts of your brain to control mood, motivation, and fear. What’s more, increased cortisol levels can disrupt a number of your body’s processes, and lead to things like: Anxiety Depression Digestive problems Headaches Heart disease Sleep problems Memory and concentration impairment Weight gain That’s why it’s so important to learn healthy ways to cope with your life stressors, and eliminate them where possible. By keeping clutter around, you give your body a constant reaction to stress. Recognizing this and then taking steps to care for yourself both emotionally and physically helps you take steps toward a healthier life. Clutter in the Kitchen In a research study entitled, “Clutter Chaos, and Overconsumption: The Role of Mind-Set in Stressful and Chaotic Food Environments,” researchers from Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab had 101 female undergraduate students participate in either a standard kitchen condition, or in a chaotic kitchen strewn with mail, newspapers, and unwashed dishes. Participants were asked to recall a time when they felt in control, or a time when they felt out of control. They were then given an all-you-can-eat snack supply of cookies, crackers, and carrots. The researchers found that the women in the messy kitchen, who wrote about being out of control, ate twice as many calories from cookies than women who wrote about being out of control in the clean kitchen—an average of 103 (cookie) calories versus 61 (cookie) calories, respectively. The study suggests that a chaotic environment can create a vulnerability to making unhealthy food choices, and that one’s mindset in a given environment can trigger—or buffer—against vulnerability. Armed with this research, I decided to tackle my own kitchen. Like all of us these days, I am trying to make fewer trips to the grocery store each week. I felt that having an organized kitchen before I went grocery shopping would help me feel more in control. I also have a habit of repurchasing items, especially spices and items I don’t use every day. I found that making a list of what I have and a list of what I need helps keep me focused. Since my reorganization, I actually look forward to grocery shopping and returning home to my “new” kitchen. It really elevates my mood when I open my refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, or pantry and see everything in its place. Declutter Your Kitchen, Make Healthier Choices When we are better organized, we feel more productive, and we are able to rely on better coping strategies and spend less energy worrying about how to avoid certain habits or food choices. Organized cupboards and refrigerators don’t distract us and derail our attempts to eat better meals or snack on healthier options. I find that order helps keep me more motivated to do more food prep. In fact, sometimes it’s a pleasure rather than a chore. If reorganizing your kitchen seems like a heavy lift right now, start small. If you are like me, and most people I know, completing a smaller task that heads in the same direction as you want to go can make you feel more energetic and ready to keep moving forward. Here are a few ideas: Try rearranging that “junk drawer” in the kitchen, the one that seems to accumulate everything that comes into the house. Clean off countertops, leaving only the things you use every day or that bring you joy. Toss out all expired dressings, sauces, or marinades. (While you’re at it, say goodbye to any condiments that don’t fit into your Nutritious Life, like sugar-laden or highly processed options.) Listen, I know what it’s like to have a house that seems like it’s in disarray, but I also know you can take control of it and free up your mind to concentrate on what’s really important: Your good health. I have a plan that will help you declutter your way to a nutritious life. Sign up for a free consultation, and we can discuss ways we can work together to get you back on the path to a nutritious life. Image: Shutterstock
Why We Should Stop Using The Words ‘Moderation’, ‘Willpower’ and ‘Guilt’
You wouldn’t have polished off that pint of Ben & Jerry’s had you had more willpower, right? Weakling. But, then again, you tried to eat in moderation, and anything is fine in moderation, right? And besides, you had a guilt-free dinner first, so you have no reason to feel guilty. Ugh! If all those online posts, pins, videos and inspirational quotes have been feeding you empowering, good-for-you motivations, then why are you feeling full and mentally crappy at 10 p.m. after a single ice cream overindulgence? Are we (meaning those of us who are nutritionists, fitness professionals, etc.) giving advice that is doing more harm than good? Are those of us who are looking for motivation really paying attention to our sources for inspiration or the true meaning behind the messages? The truth is, all of those messages of empowerment and encouragement to eat in moderation, use a little willpower and go guilt-free, could be having the opposite effect and actually hindering your health goals. So, I want to declare, here and now, a ban on the words “moderation, “willpower” and “guilt”. Willpower, Moderation and Guilt: 3 Words I Don’t Use The fact is, social media quotes can sure look pretty, but some of them are doing the exact opposite of what they are intended to do, and it makes me cringe when I see something like this: Willpower Willpower is a term that gets a lot of positive attention. But, actually, it’s a term that is very negative. Have you ever said, “I’m not going to eat the cake!” or “I’m not going to eat the pasta!” It’s all negative energy. Why should we focus so much energy on pushing ourselves to not do things? I have found with my clients that this just doesn’t work. First, it can create stress, and we know what that does: It increases cortisol, a stress hormone. This can cause weight around the midsection, and make us crave the worst types of food. If you’re “stressing out” about eating the pasta, guess what? You may gain weight (without even eating the pasta, due to stress). You’re also likely going to end up eating it, too, because cortisol causes you to crave it more. I say focusing on positive behaviors trumps willpower every day of the week. I have my clients focus on the cans: you can have the blueberries and a cup of green tea that you love, or you can have a small bowl of pasta as a side dish with a big ole portion of veggies and some lean protein as your main course. Trust me. This works. And, by the way, willpower is actually like a muscle, but the more you use it, the more it gets worn out. This is why we eventually break when we push ourselves to create good behaviors out of willpower. Moderation Everything in moderation seems like such an accepting way to approach goals, right? Wrong. It’s way too abstract to be effective. Ask anybody what “everything in moderation” means to them and each person will give you a different answer. What does moderation really mean to you? The first problem with this is that when it comes to food, there are some foods that should never be eaten. Yes, just as there are healthy foods, there are also some unhealthy foods. Which is not to say you’re a bad person or an unhealthy person for eating them. As an example, fluorescent orange fried things out of a bag are unhealthy foods. There is no moderation here. Again, this doesn’t mean that you’ve blown your healthy lifestyle if you do indulge here, but there is no serving that is considered moderation. Again, the word is just kind of meaningless. Wine? Technically two drinks a day for men (no thanks to the new dietary guidelines!) and one for women is moderation. But my guess is someone would say double that is moderation, or others can justify drinking nothing during the week but as much as they want on the weekends. Chocolate? Well this depends on other indulgences that are eaten and will vary from person to person. For some, a half ounce a day is moderation. For others, an entire chocolate bar in one sitting once a month is moderation. Broccoli? No moderation. Please indulge more. I think you get the point. Moderation is often used as an excuse to do or eat something or stray from a healthy diet. While the “everything in moderation” mantra sounds reasonable, it can often be used as an excuse to expand on poor behavior or confuse people about reasonable goals. Better to educate that same client to think about eating empowered and what she can eat, or teaching him how many conscious indulgences he can work into his plan. It’s all about the mindset behind the actual eating of the cookie. Guilt-free The term “guilt-free” is a master for motivating misery. If guilt doesn’t exist in the first place, there is nothing to be free from. In order to learn to never feel guilt around food, we need to stop attaching guilt to it, even in the “guilt-free” way. “Guilt-free” cookies? Eat this chicken parm “guilt-free”? Isn’t that really saying that if we ate it another way, we should feel guilty? I know it’s supposed to be positive, but really it’s just exacerbating the feelings of guilt around food. If you choose to eat chicken parmesan, it should be a conscious indulgence. It’s a choice you make to enjoy something delicious that you love, and one that you make willingly from a place of empowerment, knowing you can listen to your body and enjoy. There is no guilt in that, ever. And therefore changing the ingredients, or baking instead of frying, for example, should not somehow make that meal “guilt-free.” It just makes it healthier, which is all good in my book Bottom line: We don’t feel empowered eating “guilt-free”; we feel empowered eating
This Could Be What You Need to Finally Reach Your Goals
We all have things we’d like to improve on in life. Some of us aspire to run a marathon. Some of us just want to feel good in our jeans—and some of us are better at setting goals and following through than others. Wherever you land on the spectrum, there are many reasons a nutrition coach may be just what you need to guide you along the way. Why? We can’t do everything ourselves. Having someone who’s been there before or has knowledge you don’t have is key to creating and sticking to a plan. (If you’ve been trying to reach a goal without a concrete plan, you know it’s a practically impossible feat!) The best news is that there are different coaches who can meet your specific needs—such as a nutrition coach, life coach or health coach. RELATED: 3 Expert Tips to Set Achievable Goals Ready to start crushing your goals? Consider these three reasons a coach may be just what you need. 3 Reasons to Get a Coach 1. A Coach Will Hold You Accountable This is often the No. 1 reason why my clients seek coaching. They have an idea of what they “should be doing” but really need someone to push them along the way, or push them harder if they hit a roadblock. If you struggle to connect the dots to make a behavior a habit, you need a coach. Bonus: Our greatest assets can be ones we don’t realize, and a good coach will help you discover those and bring them to life. 2. You Feel Overwhelmed Many of my clients know they need a complete overhaul, but are so overwhelmed they don’t know where to begin. This is where coaching can help you break out of the rut you are in and start new habits. We begin by looking at your big picture goals and breaking them down into actionable steps. RELATED: How to Manage Your Stress So You Can Focus on Healthier Habits 3. A Coach Provides a Personalized, Outside Perspective Sometimes when we’re stuck in the muck we can’t see through to the other side. An outside perspective is crucial, especially when it comes with one-on-one personalized advice (as opposed to internet research providing you with a one-size-fits-all approach). For example, I’ve been working with a client who has been trying her hardest to overcome her sugar habit. When we finally talked it out, she discovered ways she could change her routines in order to break the habit. She has been able to skip having a nightly sweet treat and opt for some fruit or herbal tea instead. Although the solutions seemed simple, she admitted she hadn’t thought about trying these things. One final tip before you go get a coach: I encourage you to make sure the coach you seek out is a certified one. Look for someone who’s educated on the subject they’re helping you with, with a a degree or full certification that goes beyond a two-week course. By Gretchen Riddle, CHES, CHWC, NLC About Gretchen: Gretchen Riddle, CHES, CHWC, NLC is a certified health and wellness coach and a graduate of Nutritious Life Studio’s Become a Nutrition Coach course. She has worked in corporate wellness for over 12 years coaching and incorporating programs for weight and stress management among other topics. She uses a real food approach to nutrition and works to empower clients to make lifestyle changes that stick. She also provides coaching independently through her own coaching company, Gretchen Leigh Wellness. Learn more at gretchenleighwellness.com.
How Visualization Can Change Your Life (and Weight)
By Patricia Moreno For a long time, I felt so much fear that I wouldn’t be able to fulfill my dreams and struggled with weight fluctuations, depression, drug use, and feelings of anxiety about my life. Then, I learned to harness the power of my mind, exercise my brain, and strengthen the power of my relationship to my word. After more than 15 years of using various techniques on myself, my family, and my community of students, the amazing results people experienced piled up. My students lost pounds, overcame life-threatening health issues, healed their hearts, and quit unfulfilling jobs to pursue purposeful careers. I wanted to make this available to people worldwide, so I created The Practice, a personal transformation training that helps you develop the mental, physical, and spiritual muscle needed to create sustainable change. When you exercise your power to choose what you think, say, and do on a daily basis, you can elevate your mind, body, and life—one day at a time. The Power of Visualization Visualization is a great place to start. It’s one of the seven strategies I use in The Practice, and it’s something we’re doing all of the time. I’m just teaching you to control it. It can work for any daily challenge, including weight loss. RELATED: Can Food Journaling Really Help You Lose Weight? Whenever you’re about to make a change, there’s always going to be a challenge. Otherwise, you would have already made the change. The biggest obstacle is the future you’re projecting in your mind. If you think something’s going to be hard, you’re already rehearsing it as hard in your mind. Starting a diet, for instance, you imagine yourself feeling deprived and sad and missing out on all of these things you’ll never, ever, ever be able to have. This starts to weaken your willpower, and we do need to apply some willpower to make changes. RELATED: Why Self-Discipline is a Muscle You Should Start Flexing What you need to do is visualize each challenge and rehearse yourself succeeding at it, just like an elite athlete before a game, including the outcome. Say you’re following a certain meal plan and you’re going to a family party. You know it’s going to be challenging because you love your mom’s cooking, but it doesn’t fit into your current plan. Close your eyes and literally walk through the event. See yourself going through the challenge as your best self, feeling empowered and positive. I’d imagine myself saying “Thank you, mom, for doing this. Everything looks so amazing. I’m going to pass this time because right now I’m really developing a new level of self-discipline, but I can’t wait for next time.” And then rehearse your mom’s response. Instead of her being upset or hurt that you’re not eating, rehearse your mom saying, “I’m so proud of you. I’m going to support you in this. If this is really what you want, I’ve got your back.” Whether that actually happens or not, what you’re doing is saying, “This is my intention. This is the way I’m going to see it. Instead of putting rocks in my backpack before I set out, I’m going to lighten my load and be on my own team.” Yes, your brain might protest and say, “My mom would never say that!” But that’s the voice of someone who is using an excuse not to put in the effort. We give up our power by blaming other people, the circumstances, the event—all of these other things. If you’re giving someone else or something the power, you don’t have the power to change. Visualize your own power. About Patricia: Patricia Moreno—a Guest Expert for The Nutrition School—is all about helping people awaken their inner bad-ass by combining practices that exercise mental, physical, and spiritual muscle so they can live a life of Thinner Peace. She is the creator of the intenSati method, and her secret recipe is the integration of mind, body, and spirit and the deliberate development of self-love and self-mastery. Sign up for her new 12-month transformation training program, The Practice, here.
Why Self-Discipline Is a Muscle You Should Start Flexing
By Patricia Moreno When I was growing up, I thought the word discipline meant punishment. I didn’t like to be reprimanded, be told what to do, or follow rules. When I was in my 30s, I finally realized that line of thinking wasn’t doing me any good and that I needed to develop the muscle of self-discipline. After reading The Yoga of Discipline by Gurumayi, I basically put myself into self-discipline boot camp. I had a life coach at the time and the rules were strict. If I didn’t follow through on what I said I was going to do, I would have to pay a fine, give up drinking coffee the next day, or even do something more drastic. Why did I want to put myself through this? I wanted to develop the ability to follow through on the things I said I wanted to do. I wanted to stop overindulging frequently and eat more healthfully. I wanted to stop regretting my choices and feeling hopeless in the attainment of my dreams. I wanted my weight to stop fluctuating constantly and to stop using unsustainable means to manage it. I knew that my bad attitude needed an overhaul, and I wanted a change. I was tired of letting myself down, and I finally realized that letting myself off the hook wasn’t always the answer. Sometimes, I needed to simply follow through on things whether I felt like it or not. I needed to keep my word and delay instant gratification. In other words, I needed to flex my self-discipline muscle much more. The Power of Self-Discipline It sure wasn’t easy, but it was a great investment I made in myself. It radically improved my life and how I felt about myself and opened my mind up to more possibilities than I had envisioned before. Take a second to think about it. What is holding you back from achieving your goals? As we move into the new year—a time of reflection and new beginnings—it is a great opportunity to become more self-aware. Ask yourself, “What would my life be like if I had a little more self-discipline? What would more self-discipline open up the door to for me to accomplish?” This year, instead of simply thinking of goals you want to achieve like losing 20 pounds or making an extra 100k, I invite you to instead focus on your character. Decide to use your goals as opportunities to develop self-discipline, integrity, self-acceptance, confidence, or appreciation. The goals are a way to keep yourself in the game of becoming a total badass, inside and out, but when you set them, don’t think about the goal as the prize. Instead, focus on who you need to become in order to experience more personal fulfillment. When you focus on developing yourself instead of simply achieving a goal, a whole new world of opportunities will open up for you. Exercise your power to choose. About Patricia: Patricia Moreno—a Guest Expert for The Nutrition School—is all about helping people awaken their inner bad-ass by combining practices that exercise mental, physical, and spiritual muscle so they can live a life of Thinner Peace. Her secret recipe is the integration of mind, body, and spirit and the deliberate development of self-love and self-mastery. She is the creator of the intenSati method and The Practice which will be released January 2017.
10 Surprising Healthy Habits Wellness Experts Trust
There are eight pillars of living a Nutritious Life because we believe that a balanced lifestyle encompasses much more than just “more sweat, less sugar”—and when you ask wellness experts to share the healthy habits that add vibrancy to their lives on the reg, it’s obvious most agree. Over time, we’ve tapped a variety of these role models—from celebrity yoga teachers and trainers to superstar nutritionists and healthy chefs—to share how they live their own Nutritious Lives. Within the interviews, they revealed super interesting insights into healthy habits they swear by, some of which may surprise you. We’re sharing 10, here, to inspire your own well-rounded wellness regimen. Surprising Healthy Habits Wellness Experts Trust 1. Eat food that makes you feel good. It’s not always about balancing protein and carbs or scouring labels for organic ingredients, say Sakara founders Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise. Eating Empowered, to them, is “knowing what it feels like to eat good food. Food is meant to be nourishment and food should make you feel sexy!” Read more. 2. Align your body, and your life will follow. “Finding alignment in your physical body is the first step to aligning your life, connecting to your gifts, attracting your deepest desires and feeling like you are on your true path,” says foam-rolling guru and best-selling author Lauren Roxburgh. “Over the years as I was so deeply studying the body, I realized many other things in my life and self were also coming into ‘alignment.’ I’ve seen it with hundreds of my clients too.” Read more. 3. Sip on water and tea as often as possible. Nearly all of the experts mention hydration as incredibly important, and Nutrition Stripped founder and RD McKel Hill swears by supplementing plenty of lemon-spiked H2O with matcha lattes and all kinds of other teas. “I’m a huge tea drinker all day long, whether it’s green tea, liver supportive tea, peppermint, or ginger. #gimmiealltheteas” Read more. 4. Give back. Sure, wellness is about your life, but focusing on others may also be essential to finding balance. “I try to pour my energy into causes that I am passionate about, like eating disorder recovery, animal rescue and raising awareness of cyberbullying,” says The Balanced Blonde blogger Jordan Younger. “I host a lot of events that give back to some of my favorite local LA organizations that raise funds/awareness for those causes.” Read more. 5. Design your space for great sleep. Chef, author, and all-around wellness star Candice Kumai details how getting a solid night’s sleep starts with how you design your space. “No electronic devices in the bedroom, no TV in the house—only reading, art, vision boards, and photography on our walls. Plus, lots of plants in the house for oxygen.” Read more. 6. Surround yourself with happy people. “I collect loving people in my life every day,” explains fitness celeb extraordinaire Natalie Jill. “When I meet positive, goal oriented, successful, happy, loving, and energetic people…I want them in my life. I find ways to be around them. They energize me, inspire me, and help me want to better myself! And when I am my better self, I am able to love more.” Read more. 7. Ask yourself, “How important is it?” When your clients include Jennifers with the last names Aniston and Lawrence, life can be pretty busy. To make it through tough situations, yoga teacher-to-the-stars Mandy Ingber asks herself this simple question. “The phrase ‘How important is it?’ reminds me that there are no big deals. When my behavior and actions are aligned with my own moral compass, I can handle life’s twists and turns,” she says. “Although a learned skill, relaxing into what comes is the discipline I practice. Everything is as it should be, and I can trust that my life is unfolding before me in perfect order.” Read more. 8. Make time for real meals. Maintaining a healthy diet is easier when you’re organized about your eating and in control of your meals says Deliciously Ella blogger Ella Woodward. “It’s easy to snack, snack, snack, but I like to sit down to proper meals, and I like to cook my meals,” she says. Read more. 9. Move, at least a little bit, every. single. day. “Trying to move a little every day is a big part of my life. It doesn’t always happen, but I feel the best when I’m more active. Every little bit adds up,” says Michele Promaulayko, author of 20 Pounds Younger and the Editor-in-Chief at Cosmopolitan magazine. “You don’t have to run for hours on a treadmill to burn fat.” Read more. 10. Don’t discount the power of me-time. If you’ve got a hobby that makes you happy or feel refreshed whenever you take a hot bath, those things have real value, even if they feel indulgent. Celebrity yoga teacher Kathryn Budig nurtures herself regularly with “epsom salt baths, reading juicy fiction novels, taking time to write for myself, and experimenting in the kitchen.” Read more.
Can Food Journaling Really Help You Lose Weight?
Q: Can food journaling really help me lose weight? I despise it and never seem to stick with it. A: You know I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Of any kind. But, this bad news (for all of you despisers out there) isn’t too bad. You may even turn into food journaling lovers by the end of this blog. Food journaling can be your weight loss secret weapon for a whole lotta reasons, and it’s been around since, well, forever, for good reason: it works. So just like you may not love flossing routinely, you do it because it’s good for you and you want a pretty smile too. Need more specific reasons than that to break out a new food diary? Here ya go. 3 Reasons Why Food Journaling Can Help You Lose Weight Accountability.Whether it’s a drill sergeant friend, your nutritionist or simply your sturdy Ticonderoga pencil keeping tabs on what goes in your mouth, accountability works. Food journaling is definitely one way to be accountable either to yourself or to whoever is reading them. One study showed that keeping a food journal doubled a person’s weight loss. It found that the best predictors of weight loss were 1) how frequently food diaries were kept and 2) how many support sessions the participants attended. Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records at all. Another study showed that the more food journals people kept, the more weight people lost. So basically those that maintained focus, diligence, and consistency with journaling were rewarded with fitting into smaller pants. Also, if you’re working with a dietitian or health coach, you’ll get a lot more out of that partnership if you’re sharing all your food deets. The good, the bad and the in between. Putting it all out there will help your nutrition guru help you. Food journaling can be kinda like getting a new gym membership and a fresh pair of kicks…you’re all excited to use them for the first few weeks, but when the novelty wears off, often so does your motivation and consistency. You gotta find a way to get comfy in your new kicks, even after they’re not new anymore, and realize that the more they get broken in, the better you might look in your LuLus. Honesty. Always a good thing, right? Food journaling keeps you honest – even if it’s just with yourself. When I ask clients about a typical a day of eating, I often get this for an answer: “I eat really well, not sure why I’m not losing. I eat a couple eggs for breakfast with a slice of whole grain toast, a kale salad, usually a few nuts for a snack and pretty balanced dinner of some kind of protein and usually a little rice or potato and a salad.” When I have them write down every detail, and I mean every detail, it goes something like this: “Two eggs prepared with butter and a drop of cheese. Slice of toast and two bites of my son’s waffle. Kale salad with dressing and parmesan cheese (I usually skip the cheese though), croutons and chicken. Three handfuls of nuts, diet soda and three bites of my daughters chocolate chip cookie (it was her friend’s birthday)…” You get where this is going. It’s easy to think you eat super clean but until you really hammer it out on paper, you often unintentionally don’t even realize just how much (or in some cases how little) you’re eating. Honesty and food journaling is always the best policy. Besides, your waistline is terrible at keeping secrets. Growth.Growth in all areas of life is always good idea. When it comes to weight loss, health, and food journaling, food journaling can be a wise sage that guides us in a new right direction. Food journaling allows us to reflect and analyze. What worked? What didn’t work? And, finally, how can I improve what I’m eating or the behaviors and habits I’m exhausting? There will come a day when you’ve nailed your diet and you don’t have to spend time food journaling anymore. That’s the ultimate goal, right? But there also may come a day when you need to go back to basics and clean things up again, and food journaling is the first thing you should turn to. It’ll be like riding a bicycle. It’ll feel familiar and easy even if it’s been a long time, and you’ll quickly remember how great it feels to have that wind in your hair…in a smaller pair of shorts.
