Food labels are killing me.  Organic, gluten-free, fat-free, low-carb, all-natural, added fiber, heart-healthy, calcium rich.  Everyone in the food industry has jumped on the ”healthy” bandwagon.  The new ‘health conscious’ labels make me feel better about what I’m eating… but should they?  I’ve been known to binge eat some healthy food.  I never feel bad about it because it’s healthy, riiiiight?!  Here are a few things to think about when eating your ‘healthy’ food…

1.  Organic sugar is still sugar.  Better for you in an ‘organic’ way BUT it’s still processed and has the same amount of non-organic sugar calories.  Lots of sugar can make you fat – organic or not.

2. Remember, food companies are trying to ’sell’ something.  If you’re trying to eat better, ’healthy’ labels are going to jump out at you.  Just because a juice container says it’s the equivalent of 8 servings of fruit does not mean it is better than eating actual fruit.

3.  If food is missing something (fat-free, sugar-free, etc) something horrible was probably added to make up for it.  If it doesn’t have sugar, it’s got a sugar substitute – blech.  I’d rather eat less of the real thing and have it taste like it’s supposed to.

4.  Less is more when you read labels.  The fewer the ingredients the better… the ingredients you can actually pronounce are even better than that!  If an ingredient sounds like it was created in a laboratory, it was.

It’s hard knowing all this – I love junk food.  Here’s what it all comes down to… Ice cream sandwiches do not give me the calcium I need.  Drinking a whole bottle of wine one night is not going to reduce my risk of heart disease.  Organic cookies are not so good for me that I should eat an entire box.  Sorry to break it to ya… better me than someone else.

Today’s Action Item:

Eat the real deal today.  Everything in moderation.  Food is best for you in its most natural state… yay nature’s candy!

Author: Susie Shina

I wonder how many hours we spend sitting in traffic during our lifetimes? Hundreds? Thousands? Why not make the most of it?!

SQUEEZE YOUR BUTT.

Sitting in traffic is time you’ll never get back – use that time wisely to sculpt your buns, hun.
Here’s the drill:
Squeeze, hold for 10 sec, release – 10 times
then…
Squeeze, release – 10 times fast

Will you look like a goofball? Probably… but you’ll be the one with the tightest rear-end on the road!

This week’s Action Item:

Squeeze your butt at every red-light you catch. Squeeze it ’til you’re yelling ‘gimme the greeeeeeen’!

Author: Susie Shina

I hate diets.  Diets are just a list of foods that people tell us not to eat.  Well, I want to eat whatever I want.  If I feel like having a mouth-watering, spicy Popeye’s fried chicken sandwich one day, what’s the big deal?  If I need a Dove sweet, dark and delicious chocolate bar, is it OK?  I gotta say – YES! IT’S MORE THAN OK – IT’S NECESSARY!

Depriving ourselves of the things we love is not fun.  Granted, waddling away from the all-you-can-eat buffet isn’t fun either!

Here are 3 tips to eat what you want, not count calories and Really Live in a body you love:

1)  Make your food fantasy list.

I talk about this in my book, Fit Enough, and it’s the #1 rule I live by.  List the 5 foods you would fantasize about if you were stranded on a desert island.  Those are the foods you should definitely indulge in when you have the opportunity.  My list includes:  my mom’s magic cookie bars (the recipe is in Fit Enough and they really are MAGIC); Popeye’s spicy friend chicken; Alessandro’s pizza;  breakfast burrito from Jimmy Carters in San Diego;  my hubby, Mike Shina’s homemade tequila ice cream. Obviously, these aren’t available all the time SO they make great comparisons for anything I might eat out of mindless boredom or even PMS.  I think about these before choosing something crappy and totally sub-par.

2)  Set the timer for 20 minutes.

It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are FULL.  Set the timer and make whatever you have on your plate last for 20 minutes.  Pay attention to the experience, listen to music instead of watching TV or reading, chew your food 20-30 times, and put your fork down in between bites.  Eat whatever you want, just ENJOY it.

3) Indulge early in the day.

If you eat most of your food before noon, your body can burn it off before you go to bed.  Studies show people who eat a big breakfast and small dinner are naturally thinner than people who do the opposite.  Make breakfast the biggest meal, then eat a medium lunch and end it with a really small dinner.  Check out ‘The Breakfast Quiz” here!

With these 3 tips, I’ve maintained a size 6 for more than 5 years without dieting.  Oh, so I guess my answer to “Should you count calories?” is “not if you want to enjoy your life”.

THIS WEEKS ACTION ITEM:

Eat a king-sized breakfast in the morning, a regular lunch, and cut your dinner in half.  It’s opposite of what we usually do, just try it.