I don't know that I have ever met a person who said they LOVED meal planning and making meals all the time!  Let's be honest things slip as priorities change day to day! But two things I do know are that having a few "fast" food meal ideas in your apron pocket and having a meal planning system can make the whole process more bareable! From time to time I'd like to share some of these "fast" foods with you!

We call this one the Sub Salad! There is nothing quicker and more versatile!  And the great thing is that your kids can make it for you with a bit of instruction.

1. LETTUCE - Take the base lettuce of your choosing. We use Romaine!  Chop it up and layer  the bottom of a large platter.

2. MEAT OR MEAT ALTERNATIVE - Find whatever meats or meat alternatives that you have on hand. Salami, pepperoni, and leftover bacon are what we had on hand that day. It could be grilled chicken, leftover steak, chickpeas, black beans or whatever else your refrigerator is holding!

3. VEGGIES - Have a some leftover cucumbers or carrots? Thinly slice them and throw them in there!  For this salad we used leftover snow peas chopped up and pepperoncini for that sub sandwich type taste. We also commonly throw some black olives in there!

4.  CHEESE - Our house happens to be dairy free but there are still some great cheeses. We tend to use VioLife brand. This salad has mozzarella and feta!

5. DRESSING - The classic for us is Italian but drizzle on whatever you'd like!

Feast with your eyes first and take it all in! Then divide it up and dig in!

Many of us struggle to say “no” in our lives.  There are so many thinks we want to do, we are supposed to do, and we need to do.  I personally struggle with this like everyone else.  Since my practice comes from the appreciative model of coaching, we try to focus on the positive and what we want MORE of in our lives.  Well how do we get MORE when we are already full?
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First, personally, I no longer say, “Yes!” to events, projects, or requests that I know that I won’t enjoy or are not fulfilling for me.  It is easy to fall into the martyr role or the victim/rescuer/persecutor triangle.  If I really look at why I am spending time on an activity and it is as one these roles then I am not living my best, most balanced life with good boundaries. I will share more about this drama triangle on another post but here is a quick example.  If I have a volunteer opportunity that I know I’d be good at, and they need my skills or help, and they might not survive without me; then I am falling into the rescuer role and may end up feeling the victim as if I had no choice but to volunteer.  If choose to do it because I want to or will be fulfilled by the roll then it that is good way to possibly spend my time.  But it isn’t a healthy dynamic for myself (and the group) if I was guilted or pressured into it.  This can be a difficult exercise but one worth doing.  Once we have looked at our motivations and we have considered weeding out those commitments that no longer seem to fit us, then we come to the question of, what do we want more of!? 

Here is my tip for you!  Don’t think of it is as saying, “No.”  Think of it as saying, “Yes!”  Over the years I have learned a lot about myself, and you have learned a lot about yourself, which is why in my health practice we say, “You are the expert on You!”  One thing I know about myself is that my love language is quality time.  In our busy, high-paced life, time is at a premium so how do I get my quality time?  For me knowing that about myself helps me see the Yes/No dilemma in a different way.  When I say, “No” to getting together with a professional group I enjoy, I am saying, “Yes” to an evening spent with my family or an evening of much needed downtime!  Can you see situations in your life where saying, “No” is actually saying “Yes?”

Now the scenarios I shared might be different than yours, but I am guessing some of you might resonate with the similar challenges.  Some of you might not be sure how you truly want to spend your time?  If you are unsure, I would be happy to go through a values alignment exercise with you as part of your health coaching journey.  Or if you are needing help deciding what you want MORE of and how to make changes in your life to get it, reach out and set up a Get to Know You free consultation so that we can Get Started!
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You can also join me for a free Agenda Mapping Session on October 10th to begin to map the changes you want for your life! 

So many of us battle with our desires for delicious sweets.  And while many of us may beat ourselves up for our sweet tooth it is something that is ingrained in the history of our species.  In earlier times sweet little fruits would have been plentiful for short periods of time.  Or a sweet stash of honey that we found would have lasted us for a whole season.  Our current problem is two-fold.  The first is that our lifestyles have shifted in that our little sugar rush rarely comes from fresh fruit anymore and more often comes in the form of processed sugars.  While it can still be possible to overdo fruit, in particular dried fruit, when whole fruit is eaten with the fiber, as it naturally grows, we don't get such a sugar rush and it is harder to overindulge.  The other issue related to this is that with modern agriculture sugar and the products it is in are cheap and readily available.  It is no longer a little sugar rush and is more like an ongoing sugar crash, day after day!  Can you relate to that cycle of mid-afternoon slump followed by a candy bar snack that lifts us for a bit and then crashes us again!? If so you are not alone.

In 1822 the average American consumed 45 grams of sugar per week. We now consume almost 3 lbs of sugar per week on average!  This leads to increased fatigue and increase in blood sugar swings. Ultimately, for many, it leads to insulin resistance, an increase in fat around the belly section, and a pre-diabetic state.

Let's start with 3 quick tips to try once you are ready to take action!
1.  Track how much you are actually eating - Step on is to know thyself! Take a look at your labels and keep a quick log of how often you are eating sugar. Once we know here our weaknesses are we can begin to truly see where we are and make healthier choices.

2.  Avoid sugar drinks - For most of us this is where we find most of our empty calories and excess sugar consumption. Just one can of pop/soda per day every day adds up quick, to the tune of 15 lbs of added weight per year! The American Heart Association recommends no more than 9.5 teaspoons of sugar per day but on average adults consume 22 teaspoons and children consume a whopping 32 teaspoons per day.  Take a look here to learn more! 
​http://www.hepfdc.info/files/SodaEng8.5x11P1-6Opt.pdf

3.  Make baby steps towards healthier snacks -  If you'd really like a mid-afternoon pick-me-up sugary snack try making your own trail mix!  Add in just enough dried fruit or chocolate chips to keep it interesting but try to make sure there are brain boosting walnuts and macadamia nuts with healthier fats.