Food Behavior 101 - Tip #1

With this blizzard business going on I have time to start this blog! woo hoo!

Food Behavior Tip #1!

This is your first step...

Develop an awareness of what you are eating, so this means....

Track your food:  It is important to track your food, why?  

1.)  Overall Awareness : You don't really know what you are taking in unless you write it down.  I don't remember what I wore yesterday, how the heck am I going to remember every little thing I ate?! Well to be honest you won't and you definitely won't remember the week. In order to makes changes to a healthier lifestyle, we have to see what needs change, no guessing.  

2.) The Amount and Type of Foods:  If we know what you are taking in, and how much, then we can help you reach your goal.  If you aren't tracking, and you aren't reaching your goal, there is no data to analyze to see what is happening.  

3.) Accountability: If you are tracking your food, and you have a trainer or a nutritionist to show it to, you are most likely going to go for the orange and not the cookie.  It helps keeps you honest (and be honest otherwise this process won't work!), meaning "I ate enough yesterday" well, according to your food log, you were 300 calories below your mark.  And just because no one saw you eat it, doesn't make it healthy or calorie free (I wish!)  

The idea here is if you aren't having success towards your goal and you are tracking your food, then you have a resource to find out why.

So while we are all chomping down on comfort food because we're snowed in (why the heck to do we that?! - another post for another time) you need to track it and how much.  When you look back at your food log, since you decided to pace back and forth past the cookie plate, you will know how many times you grabbed one and ate it.  It puts your food habits in prospective.  If you know what you are taking in, we can begin to make positive changes towards your goal.  

How to do this:

• Myfitnesspal.com, mydailyplate.com, fatsecret.com or any other phone app or online tracking: (if you fill in the info correctly, the program is self explanatory, any questions about it though, e-mail me! and for weightloss and gain clients, shoot for 1 pound per week NOT 2)
• Excel spreadsheet: (some of my clients do this, I am a Mac user, so I can't help you on the set up of this SORRY!)
• The Old Fashion way: Write it down!  make sure you write your portions! (and calories if applicable) 

*If you are on a Paleo diet, Primal Diet, or a similar clean eating program that is all-you-can-eat  where calories aren't really a focus, you should still know your portion sizes.  It doesn't matter how healthy, you can still over-eat or under-eat foods. It is easy not to eat enough when you are eating these foods, or easy to take in too much of protein, fats or carbs.  

Side Note:  Track how you feel that day, mood, energy level, exercise and sleep.  This can help make adjustments towards your goals as well.  If you think you may have food allergies, food tracking can be a good resource to see what may be bothering you.

I have been tracking! Now what do I do?! - Take a look at what you're eating on the regular, and how much each day.  Consult with your Trainer or a Nutritionist (or any other QUALIFIED individual) and have them help you with the next steps of your goals.  Everyone will have a different log and different habits and different goals.  It's good to have a different set of eyes to put YOUR habits in prospective.  Making small changes at a time will lead to success and lifestyle change. (Remember we are trying to change the behavior and make better choices!) If I tell you change everything at once, you will set yourself up for failure. Small steps :)

THE FUN PART: So, with every tip, I will post a recipe.  This one happens to be a favorite.  The great part about it, even when I share it with my boyfriend we still have it for a couple days!  If I have extras I know I won't go through, you can  freeze it and break it out later!

Paleo Chili on a Sweet Potato: 

Ingredients

• 1 Yellow Onion - Diced
• 1 Red Pepper - Diced
• 1 Green Pepper - Diced
• Bionature Strained Tomotos - 1 glass container
• Bionature Tomato Paste - 1 7oz glass container
• Tablespoon of Minced Garlic
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 4 Sliced Bacon Organic and Nitrate Free - cooked (optional)
• 1lb of Grass Fed  Ground Beef (you can use 2lbs of this but skip the lamb)
• 1lb of Ground Lamb
• 1tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• Garlic Powder, Basil, oregano to taste 
• 1 Fresh Jalepeno- small
• Sweet Paprika and Chipotle to taste, I also use Arizona Dreaming spice from Penzey Spices

Directions

• Heat big pot on medium with EVOO and garlic.
• Start cooking bacon in a separate pan, when done and cooled crumble up into bacon bits.
• Start cooking the ground meat in a separate pan.  The beef is ready when it is almost cooked through.
• Add chopped onion and peppers and let cook for 5 - 10 min
• Add strained tomato and tomato paste, mix and then add bacon and mix and let simmer, and then add meat.
• Add spices and let simmer, bring heat to low, I usually let it sit for 15 - 30 minutes.

Have over a sweet potato (usually take 30 - 45 min to bake) and enjoy!