True life is lived when tiny changes occur. -Leo Tolstoy
New Year, New You
A lot of people begin the New Year by making resolutions. We’ve all been there. We take a vow to lose weight, exercise more or spend more time with our family. We start the year with great intentions, but then we quickly relapse into old habits. Why is it so hard to stick to those New Year’s resolutions?
Here are some ways you can make your intentions a reality this year:
- Write down your intentions and keep them in a visible place, like taped to your bedroom mirror or the dashboard of your car.
- Get to the source of whatever is keeping you in a rut. Are you in a stressful relationship that causes you to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s every night? Are you stressed at your job and feel too tired to exercise after work? If you don’t tackle the root of the behavior, it will be much harder to accomplish your goal.
- Be clear about what your life would look like once you achieve your goal. If you resolve to go to the gym more, how will this benefit you? Get connected to the result of your action, and you will be more likely to stick with your plan.
- Share your resolutions with friends and family. Hold each other accountable for achieving your goals. If you want to go to the gym more, have a friend call you two or three times a week to check on you or invite them to join you.
- Reward yourself with every little accomplishment. If your intention is to lose weight and you lose 1 pound a week, pamper yourself with a massage.
Big changes do not require big leaps. Permanent change is more likely to happen gradually than through one big restrictive plan. Allow yourself to climb the ladder one rung at a time.
Happy New Year!
FOCUS FOR JANUARY: CUT OUT SUGAR
The average American consumes more then 150 pounds of sugar a year. That breaks down to an average of 22 teaspoons of sugar a day. Can you believe that! Sugar is harmful to us in so many ways. First, it has no nutritional value whatsoever! It is bad for our teeth, and it can cause inflammation in our bodies, which leads to disease. There are some studies that show that consuming large amounts of sugar can also cause cancer. It also can lead to diabetes and heart disease. Sugar also suppresses your immune system and can have a toxic effect on your liver. So why do we eat so much of it? Sugar has an addictive quality to it, similar to a drug. It is also hidden in so many foods. Read labels and look for words like fructose, cane juice, barley malt, corn syrup, glucose, malodextrin, tapioca syrup, lactose, and dextrose. It is also important to avoid artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, sucralose and saccharin.
If you absolutely MUST have sugar, look for natural sources, such as fruit, or look for products with less then 5g of sugar per serving. Some natural alternatives to sugar are honey, maple syrup, and stevia. Your waistline, body, and mind will thank you for it!
Recipe:
Healthy Homemade Granola
3 cups raw gluten free oats
1-cup raw almonds
1/2-cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2-cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened sliced coconut
1/2 cup pure Grade A Maple Syrup
1/2-cup coconut oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. sea salt
Combine oats, almonds, seeds and coconut on a large baking tray. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon and vanilla and mix well. Pour over the oat mixture on the tray and toss to mix well. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and store in airtight container
Forward to a Friend
It’s such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.
Amy
www.optimumwellnessandnutrition.com
