9 Weight Loss Tips During Thanksgiving
You’re looking for weight loss tips because you want to do Thanksgiving differently this year, right? Usually, you eat until you’re stuffed, fall asleep on the couch, and wake up in the 4th quarter of some football game. If this is you, we promise you, you’re not alone. If football’s not your jam, you might retreat to a bedroom and pass out in a food coma on a proper bed. You tell yourself it was all that tryptophan from the turkey. But does the tryptophan in turkey really make you feel tired? Not really. Turkey contains an essential amino acid called L-tryptophan, which the body uses to produce the brain chemical serotonin. Serotonin can help us sleep by improving our mood and promoting relaxation. As it turns out, turkey contains almost the same amount of tryptophan as chicken, pork, and beef. What’s more, egg whites, soybeans and cheddar cheese have even more tryptophan than turkey. So, what are the real culprits behind your post-Thanksgiving marathon nap? Aside from typical overconsumption of food and alcohol, it’s usually just the result of too many carb-heavy foods and throwing your healthy diet out the window. Mashed potatoes, corn bread, stuffing, and apple pie—oh my! All of those starchy carbs can quickly raise blood sugar and may encourage sleep. This year, begin a new tradition. Eat a little less, drink a little more (water!), feel a lot better, and maybe you won’t even need the nap. You’ll be ready to show Black Friday who’s boss. 9 Weight Loss Tips During Thanksgiving 1. Begin with breakfast. Eat consistently throughout the day beginning with a well-balanced, healthy breakfast. 2. Eat before you party. Choose from your arsenal of healthy snacks before you go to a holiday dinner. To control hunger, try eating two high-fiber crackers with 2 teaspoons of natural nut butter or a hard-boiled egg as a pre-party snack. 3. Offer to bring a dish. There may not be many healthy foods offered at your party, but that’s OK. By bringing your own healthy dish, at least you’ll have one go-to—and you’ll know exactly what’s in it. 4. Turn on your healthy food radar. Load up on lighter and cleaner appetizers with healthy fats, such as crudité with a portion of hummus. 5. Set your sip limit. Give yourself a drink maximum before the meal begins. Remember to sip slowly and choose lower-calorie and low-sugar options such as vodka and seltzer or wine spritzers. 6. Exercise! An hour spent burning calories will also motivate you to make healthier choices later in the day. 7. Control your portions. This includes veggies. Unless you’ve prepared them, they could be loaded with sneaky ingredients such as margarine or sugary sauces. (Here’s a handy portion control hack for you to try.) Don’t let desserts derail your healthy lifestyle either. Slice your own pie so you can control the size. And skip that crust. 8. Listen to your body. Stop eating once you’re slightly satisfied. Period. You’ll have much better memories of a meal enjoyed than a meal overindulged in. Focus on your family and friends, not food. 9. Drink plenty of water. Drinking adequate water promotes what’s known as a thermogenic state, which increases your metabolic rate. This will help to keep you from overeating and help you feel full, so you don’t actually stuff yourself full. 10. Enjoy your day. And here’s a bonus tip for you. When it comes to Thanksgiving or any gathering of family and friends, don’t forget to enjoy your day. Consciously and wisely (with the tips here) indulge in your favorite foods and have a very happy Thanksgiving. Take Your Hunger for Nutrition and Wellness Knowledge to the Next Level If you love learning about the best foods, drinks, and lifestyle habits for total wellness, think of how awesome it would be to learn and share this life-changing info as a side hustle… or even your full-time job. Our Become a Nutrition Coach certification course gives you a solid foundation in nutrition science, plus techniques for coaching clients and growing your new business—all within a community of passionate, like-minded friends. It’s the perfect way to inspire the next generation of healthier people all across the globe. Request a sneak peek of the Become a Nutrition Coach program here and see how you can put your passion for wellness to work. (Images: Shutterstock)
10 Foods That Help You Sleep
Having trouble sleeping can really take a toll on your health, which is precisely why Sleep Deep is one the pillars of living a Nutritious Life. In this fast-paced world we live in, getting your zzz’s can be a challenge sometimes, and knowing exactly which levers to pull to improve your sleep can be a mystery. Let’s take a look at everything you’ve probably already tried so far: You banished your phone from your bedroom. You swore off sugary treats post-dinner. You added essential oils to your bedtime routine for a touch of sleepy-time aromatherapy. You even have the most comfy Essentia bed ever. Yet, you still can’t get enough shut-eye—and it’s annoying. Really annoying. Your lids are shutting mid-meeting and you’re wasting cash on workouts you’ve signed up for and skipped. You just don’t feel your best. Well, guess what? We’ve got a little secret for you… Science tells us that just like there are healthy foods that help you feel energized and ready to take on the world, there are also foods that help you sleep, which means you will indeed be able to take on the world the next day. Eating more and sleeping more? Sounds like a beautiful thing to us. 10 Foods that Help You Sleep 1. Almonds + Cashews These go-to nuts contain magnesium, a mineral which acts like a natural sedative. Even a small deficiency in magnesium can lead to trouble in the sleep department. Try one slice of Ezekiel toast with two teaspoons of almond or cashew butter with a sprinkle of cinnamon as an afternoon snack. 2. Apricots Not only pretty and deliciously tangy-tart, they’re chock full of vitamin C which can help relieve stress. Vitamin C-rich foods have been shown to help your body recover faster from stress, and fewer rattled nerves may mean a mellower slumber. Try two dried apricots (sans sugar and sulfur) cut up and added to your afternoon Greek yogurt. Be mindful of the higher calorie count of dried and go for fresh if you have trouble controlling portions. 3. Asparagus These green stalks are famous for helping us beat the bloat but they are also high in folate. Folate is essential for a healthy cardiovascular system and a deficiency of it has been linked to anxiety and mood regulation, both which can affect our slumber. Drizzle a little avocado oil over a few stalks, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, and pop in the oven at 400°F for about 15 min. Top with a drop of balsamic vinegar. YUM. 4. Bananas Sweet and creamy, this fruit is a source of melatonin, a sleep hormone, as well as potassium, which helps normalize heartbeat. Try banana “ice cream” (pureed frozen bananas) topped with one tablespoon chopped peanuts for a perfect night time sweet fix. 5. Chamomile Tea Made from a tiny European flower in the daisy family, this tea, with its soothing mild flavor, is an age-old remedy for soothing yourself to sleep. Some health experts insist it can be more effective than sleep medications. Get in the habit of sipping slowly a cuppa chamomile nightly with a drop of steamed almond milk. RELATED: Sleep Procrastination: What It Is and How To Stop Doing It, Pronto! 6. Cheese Particularly swiss or cheddar, cheese is a good source of tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that encourages the release of melatonin. The hormone melatonin helps to decrease the time it takes to fall asleep, increases sleepiness, and may also increase the amount of time you spend asleep. An anytime-snack is one ounce of cheddar and apple slices. 7. Nutmeg The smell screams “apple pie,” but researchers have shown that nutmeg improves blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and it’s also earned a reputation as a home remedy for menstrual cramps and anxiety. Sprinkle nutmeg on your morning oatmeal or afternoon apple. 8. Popcorn Carbohydrates make tryptophan, an amino acid important for sleep, more available to the brain. Popcorn is a whole grain and packed with fiber, so you digest these carbs more steadily, making it a perfect night time snack. Air pop this movie-time fave and sprinkle on a little Parmesan cheese, cinnamon, or sea salt and pepper for amped-up flavor in your popcorn bowl. 9. Tart Cherries Considered a symbol of immortality in ancient China, this fruit is loaded with anthocyanins, an important type of antioxidant that lowers inflammation, as well as cholesterol and triglyceride levels. But they’re sleeping beauties, too, since cherries are a natural source of melatonin. Mix one tablespoon dried tart cherries with one tablespoon sunflower seeds to use as an oatmeal topper or anytime snack. Or, simply sip some tart cherry juice before hitting the sack. 10. Salmon Scientists are also studying the effects of omega-3 supplementation because these wonderful fatty acids are not only the building blocks of the brain, there’s also evidence that omega-3 fatty acids can fight depression, improve sleep, and boost libido. Salmon is super versatile and can be enjoyed any time of day. Go cured or raw and enjoy a lox breakfast or sashimi lunch, or try it dehydrated as jerky for an on-the-go snack. Or pop it in the oven with some lemon and dill for a quick and healthy dinner. So there you have it: 10 foods that help you sleep better, which gives you energy to work out the next day, motivates you to eat healthier and stay hydrated, helps you stress less and nurture yourself, and helps you love more and live consciously. And that, dear friends, is living your most Nutritious Life. Take Your Hunger for Nutrition Knowledge to the Next Level If you love learning about the best foods to eat for sleep and overall wellness, think of how awesome it would be to learn and share all about nutrition as a side hustle… or even your full-time job. Our Become a Nutrition Coach certification course gives you a solid foundation in nutrition science, plus techniques for coaching clients and growing your
