How to Eat Cleaner - Day 31 of 31 - Reflect. Congratulate. Continue.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 31 of 31 - Reflect. Congratulate. Continue.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Today we are done. It's time to reflect, congratulate and continue

As you look back on the last 31 days, reflect on the positive changes you have made. Give yourself a big hug, a high five, a pat on the back. You deserve it! No matter how small the changes were, you need to rejoice in every accomplishment and continue to move forward.

Your journey is not over. It's just beginning. How are you going to take what you've learned and the habit of digging deeper into the future?

Thank you so much for spending the last 31 days with me. I hope you will join me in other challenges in the future.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 30 of 31 - Get Help

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 30 of 31 - Get Help.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about getting help.

Each of us is an expert in something, but there is a world of things we are not experts in. So getting help encompasses alot of different ideas.

1. Get help in an area you may need more knowledge. Go get a consultation from a nutritionist. Go hire a personal trainer. Go take a fitness training. Go take a cooking class. Dig deeper.

2. Get help from friends and the community. Eating healthy may seem overwhelming. You may feel it takes too much time or costs too much. Join a CSA or community supported agriculture, the consumer purchases a share of a local organic farm and receives organic produce delivered to their home. So, you save money on organics and you don't have to go to the store saving time. Create a cooking group. Once a week you make a large meal to share with your friends and they do the same. By splitting a large portion, you end up with pre cooked meals for the rest of the week, while you only created one. Create a free workout group with friends. Find someone that has a location and then rotate bringing the workout each time you meet. Join a walking, running, biking, hiking club. Get social and fit and the same time. Dig deeper.

3. If after these 31 days you are still struggling with your eating, you need to dig deeper. They are probably emotional issues at work here. Get professional counseling. If money is an issue, join group therapy or an group like OA, Over eaters Anonymous. Find a counselor that is still working on their license hours or will charge with a sliding scale. If you have insurance alot of times, counseling is included and you only have to pay a copay. This requires alot of digging deeper.

The bottom line is we don't know it all, we can't do it all. Get creative. Whatever your excuse is, can you find a creative way to make it happen? No excuses, just solutions.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 29 of 31 - Try New Things To Be Healthy

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 29 of 31 - Try New Things To Be Healthy.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about being open and trying new things.

I'm probably talking to the wrong people. If you are in my challenge, I'm assuming you are already up for trying new things. But, it's very easy to fall into hum drum habits and miss out on new, delicious, nutritious things. Most people eat the same 3-5 things every day.

So, keep an open mind. Keep your body and mind active and healthy by following a nutrition or cooking blog, watch a health and fitness show, listen to a health podcast, etc. I love listening to Jillian Michaels' podcast, watching Dr. Oz's TV show, reading Dr. Weil's newsletters, and so much more. But, always do your research. I hope we've learned to dig deeper.

Are you already setting yourself up for success and a more healthful life? Where are you getting your nutrition information after our challenge is over?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 28 of 31 - Balance. Moderation. Health. Fun.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 28 of 31 - Balance. Moderation. Health. Fun.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about balance.

It's day 28 of 31. We've gone over alot of ways to eat healthier. I hope you are not feeling overwhelmed. Remember living a happy healthy life is about balance. Eating healthy does not mean cutting everything you love out of your life forever. As long as we don't let our bad habits creep back in and become our common every day eating habits again, we are ok.

Go to the wedding, eat the cake. Have chicken wings at the big game. Eat some pizza during movie night, whatever. But always remember what we learned in the first few weeks of this challenge, be aware of what your habits are becoming and every 3-12 months redo the food diary or whatever you need to do a recheck.

Live, love, laugh and be healthy.

How are you going to do your recheck every once in a while?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 27 of 31 - Vegan for Health, the Environment, and the Animals

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 27 of 31 - Vegan for Health, the Environment, and the Animals.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about being vegan. Whether you want to be vegan for life or just a day, it has it's benefits. I'm barely touching the topic. For those who are vegan, the topic is very deep rooted. Do your research to see if any thing I touch on rings true to you.

Even being vegan for 1 day a week or month has not only health benefits but environmental also.

I consider myself veganish. I want to be transparent. I have no problem eating animals that have been ethically treated. The dilemma is knowing that, what the company tells you is true. So, as of the filming of this video, I have been strict in my vegan diet.

Being vegan is not just the diet. The vegan philosophy is the fair treatment of all living things. No living thing should ever be harmed. That can go as far as not even eating honey, not using anything that use animal products, and not wearing any animal products.

The vegan diet can be very healthy as we have seen by many of the things we have already talked about in previous videos. You eat alot of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, etc. The challenge is making sure your diet is balanced and you get enough nutrition. Plus, just because you are vegan, it does not mean you are healthy. Doritos, Cheetos, and Oreos are vegan.

The vegan diet actually helps the environment. I got this snipped directly from www.peta.org

Many leading environmental organizations, including the National Audubon Society, the Worldwatch Institute, the Sierra Club, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and even Al Gore's Live Earth—have recognized that raising animals for food damages the environment more than just about anything else that we do. Whether it's the overuse of resources, global warming, massive water or air pollution, or soil erosion, raising animals for food is wreaking havoc on the Earth.

If you are an animal lover, you help protect innocent animals by being vegan. Personally I don't see the difference between a pig, sheep, or dog. Why is it ok to abuse one and not the other? We would be put in jail if we treated our dogs like we treat our cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens.

If you are considering becoming vegan or vegetarian peta has a free started kit with lots of information at http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/free-vegetarian-starter-kit.aspx

What do you think? Could you be vegan for a day? 1 day? More?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 26 of 31 - Superfoods and Exotic Foods That Belong in Our Diet

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 26 of 31 - Superfoods and Exotic Foods That Belong in Our Diet.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about superfoods. I could talk about this forever. But I'm not going to because the information is so easily found. The point of the video and article is to make you aware that there are alot and you should try to incorporate as many as you can into your diet. You are probably already eating many of the superfoods in this post.

The word superfood is used to describe foods that have alot of beneficial components with little to no negatives. There are lots of common ones that you have probably heard of and should add to your diet like: green tea, pumpkin, pistachios, blueberries, sweet potatoes, wild caught salmon, quinoa, chia, flax and more.

Some other exotic healthy superfoods that are becoming easier to find are foods like maca root, sacha inchi, camu-camu, moringa, astragalus, yacon root, and so much more. Although these items are becoming more common, they are still pretty pricey, but worth it. It's good to look for them online and get them in larger quantities to save money. I get all of these and more in a shake I drink daily called Shakeology.

Some examples of the benefits of the exotics. Maca root is a non caffeinated source of energy, a libido stimulator, has been called natures viagra, helps to balance women's hormones especially due to PMS, menopause, and more. Moringa is an intensely nutritious food and we can consume every part of this amazing plant. It's being studied because of it's amazing healing properties. It's a high protein plant with 8 essential amino acids. Astragalus helps your body heal, boosts your immune system and is said to reverse the signs of aging.

Are you eating any of these exotics? Look some of them up, get more information and try adding some of them to your diet. If you want an easy way to add them, ask me about Shakeology. Otherwise feel free to purchase them individually online or in a health food store.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 25 of 31 - Eating Healthy When Eating Out.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 25 of 31 - Eating Healthy When Eating Out.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about an eating healthy when eating out. OMG. I think we finally have a pretty easy topic. Maybe not easy to do, but easy to talk about. Not alot of controversy here.

Plan ahead and know where you are going. Planning ahead was a running theme our first week of this challenge. So, hopefully by now we are in the habit of it already. You can look up nutritional information on most restaurant websites these day. Get an idea of what your options are before going to the restaurant. Then it will be easier to order.

Be assertive. Ask how things are prepared and what the ingredients are. Ask them to make your food the way you want. You are paying for the meal, get it your way. I ask for steamed vegetables without butter all the time.

Get as many dressings and sauces on the side and try to choose the healthiest options if possible. If you can get vinegar and oil on your salad rather than ranch, by all means do it. I know what vinegar and oil is, but I may not know the ingredients of their ranch dressing. Go light on the sauce. You can ask them to use half as much as they usually do. Most restaurants seem to bury their food in sauces these days. Where's the food? What does it taste like?

Share desserts, entrees, etc. You don't have to go without. When you indulge, share it. That way you won't eat as much and you won't take it home either. If you can't share a decadent dessert or entree, have them pack half to 3/4 of it and only serve you the smaller portion. At least then you can control how many calories you are getting at that meal.

If your friends and family are not as supportive with your healthy habits and want to continually go to the unhealthiest food options, you need to get creative. Let them choose, but you give them the choice. Find 3 middle of the road places to eat, where they can indulge and you can still find relatively healthy options. Let them pick. Then you give them some control.

Try not to eat out too often. I count breakfast and lunch as eating out also. Usually, the more you eat out, the less in control you are of how it's being prepared and where it comes from. If you are eating out to lunch at Subway every day, cut it down to 3x, then less, for example. Try to cook and pack ahead more. You'll find you save money this way too.

Are any of these concepts hitting home? Where do you think you can improve?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 24 of 31 - Alkaline Diet. What the Heck is It?

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 24 of 31 - Alkaline Diet. What the Heck is It?

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about an alkaline diet, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

The basic premise of the alkaline diet is that your body should be an alkaline environment and if you can keep your body alkaline you will be healthy and free from disease.

Those that argue for the alkaline diet claim that some foods promote an alkaline environment, while some promote an acidic environment. If the body gets acidic they say you create an environment where cancer, heart disease and other ailments are more likely. On the other side if you eat alkaline producing foods, then you will be healthy and could even cure diseases.

Those who disagree with the concept say there is no evidence that you can can change the pH of you blood and that parts of the diet, notably the reduction of protein and calcium, can be detrimental. Plus some parts of the diet can be confusing when trying to make healthy choices. Depending on what resource you are looking at there have been some differences on what folks have considered acidic and alkalizing foods and how much you can have of each.

Overall the alkaline diet is pretty healthy. You eat lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes. You don't eat meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, processed foods, white sugar, white flour, and caffeine. There is a very detailed list of alkaline and acidic foods that you would make your choices from and you may be surprised what is on each side of the list. For example although apple cider vinegar is acidic, it is an alkalizing food, meaning when metabolized it acts alkaline.

Although, I have not been able to find any evidence of the alkaline diet preventing cancer or any disease, there have been some benefits attributed to this eating style. Studies showed in older adults that the diet helped them keep lean muscle mass. Losing lean muscle mass as you age is a big concern. Also, the diet does raise urine pH which helps lowering the risk of kidney stones and UTI.

Although there has not been any correlation between the alkaline part of the diet and prevention of disease, the contents of the diet are correlated to prevention of disease. We are taking out processed, refined foods and eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. That has been shown to help prevent alot of conditions, like cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and on. The debate is whether it's the alkalinity or just the nature of the better nutrition we are getting.

What do you think about the alkaline diet? Have you ever chosen your nutrition based on this concept?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 23 of 31 - Weight Loss, Health & Hormones.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 23 of 31 - Weight Loss, Health & Hormones.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about weight loss hormones, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

Insulin
Insulin is important in recovering from exercise, muscle building, and maintaining good blood sugar levels. But, when we eat too much carbohydrates, insulin gets out of balance. This can causes problems with the breakdown and burning of stored fat. The more carbohydrates you eat, the more insulin is released. So, it's important to eat foods with a low glycemic load and be sure to eat balanced meals with high quality carbohydrates, protein and fat.

Leptin
Leptin is a type of hormone released solely from fat cells. Leptin helps your body to eat less and burn more calories. So, you would wonder, if I'm overweight wouldn't I have more leptin. Yes, you do. And too much gets released leading to a condition called leptin resistance. When this happens, your brain becomes numb to leptin's signal. So, you want to eat more and your metabolism slows down. Ways to help keep leptin levels normal are lose weight, get good quality sleep, eat lots of antioxidant rich berries and vegetables.

Ghrelin
Ghrelin is a hunger hormone. It is produced in your stomach and signals to the brain that you are hungry. When you skip meals, wait too long between meals or eat a too low calorie diet, ghrelin is released. Eating snacks or meals every 2-5 hours, eating high quality proteins help you feel full longer, and intense exercise also helps keep ghrelin at bay.

Adiponectin
The more lean and fit your body is the more adiponectin your fat cells will release. Adiponetin increases your muscle's ability to use carbohydrates for energy, boosts your metabolism, increase the rate in which your body breaks down fat, and curbs your appetite. You can increase your adiponectin levels by moving during the day and eating monounsaturated fats that can be found in olives and avocados.

Glucagon
Glucagon helps break down stored carbohydrates and fats and then releases them so your body can use them for energy. The best way to utilize glucagon is to eat protein-rich, low-carbohydrate meals and keep your carbohydrates high quality.

CCK
CCK or Cholecystokinin, this hormone is released from the cells in your intestines when you eat protein or fat. It helps you feel satisfied and slows the rate of digestion. So, you feel fuller longer. It has been suggested that starting each meal with a small protein appetizer helps with this process. An example would be a handful of nuts or some string cheese. Also, being sure your meal is balanced with protein, fat and carbohydrates.

Epinephrine
Epinephrine stimulated the body to burn fat and utilize fat as energy in the body. It can also aid in appetite suppression. The best way to turn on epinephrine is exercise, in particular interval training, going from hard to easier to hard again during the course of your workout.

Growth Hormone
Growth hormone like epinephrine stimulates the body to break down fat cells and use them as energy. Growth hormone can be increased by doing intense exercise like intervals or circuit training and getting good quality sleep.

Cortisol
Stress activates the release of cortisol and cortisol increases your appetite. Not only does it increase your appetite, but it stimulates you to want to eat low quality carbohydrates like sweets. These make your insulin levels spike and then drop and you feel hungry again. So, it's important to get good quality sleep and learn to manage stress. Taking a relaxation yoga class or taking time to just relax can help significantly.

High Estrogen
High estrogen related to high abdominal and hip fat. Abdominal fat in men increases testosterone being converted to estrogen. Premenopausal women tend to get higher levels of estrogen. If high estrogen is an issue, some dietary additions may help, add green tea, tumeric, flax, and chia to your diet.

Low Testosterone
Testosterone decreases as abdominal fat converts it to estrogen. Increased stress is also connected with high abdominal fat due to cortisol production. Low testosterone in men has been linked to depression, obesity, osteoporosis, and heart disease. Zinc supplements, weight training and eating enough protein may help raise testosterone levels.

OMG, it's like a college course book in here. Thanks for hanging in there.

Think about your habits. Are any of them throwing off your hormones? Are there some simple things you can change like getting enough sleep, eating more vegetables, being sure to eat protein and fat with every snack/meal?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 22 of 31 - Microwaves. Safe or not? I have no idea.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 22 of 31 - Microwaves. Safe or not? I have no idea.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about microwaves, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

There is alot of debate over whether heating food in a microwave destroys the value of the food. Honestly, both sides site scientific studies so it's very hard to make heads or tails of it. If using a microwave is going to help you eat healthier, then by all means use it. If you are unsure of the safety of it. Spend some time researching it and look for valid scientific evidence. If you find anything valuable, please share it with me. I would love to see it.

Plastics have also been a part of the debate. Some say that certain plastics can leak cancer causing chemicals into the food. One way to be sure is to use glass containers in the microwave. BPA free plastics are also another option.

What we want to do is make sure we are using the microwave safely. Alot of food poisoning comes from heating food unevenly. So, some have suggested heating raw meats, eggs, animal products the traditional way and just using the microwave for reheating.

Be careful when heating liquids, they can splatter since they will not boil. So, let them sit a little while before opening the microwave. This is a good practice for most microwaving since the outside of the food is generally not as hot as the center and you don't want to burn yourself.

If you are going to use a microwave be careful that you don't overcook food because that can destroy the quality of nutrition of the food. This goes for using conventional cooking too.

My challenge is to do some research. What do you think of the microwave debate?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 21 of 31 - Pre, During, Post Workout Nutrition

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 21 of 31 - Pre, During, Post Workout Nutrition

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily. 

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about pre, post, and during workout nutrition, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

These are general guidelines and will vary for everyone due to athletic performance, physical condition, etc.

Pre workout nutrition. I'm assuming you are eating healthy meals every 2-5 hours. So this is just a pre workout energy snack. A pre workout meal is usually eaten about an hour before you workout, so it needs to be about 300 calories. Too many and it won't be digested enough. Research suggests ti can be 1:2 - 1:3 ration of protein to carbs. The carbohydrate source should be complex, healthy carbs, not a candy bar. Examples, banana with peanut butter, oatmeal with protein powder, half a sandwich.

Pre workout nutrition will help you workout harder and sustain energy during the workout so you can get more from your workout. So, if you are not used to eating before play with the ratio and calories to find out what works for you.

During workout. Not many people address this subject. It's mainly for folks that workout  very hard. But, whether you push it extremely hard or not, an electrolyte drink is helpful in helping you be able to keep pushing hard through the workout. Coconut water is one of the best if you are trying to eat clean. It's easily absorbed and utilized because it's very close to your intracellular fluid. Gatorade is also a good source, but is very strong and most light to medium intensity folks may want to dilute it about 50% to still get the benefits.

Post workout nutrition. It's important to refuel your muscles after a workout within 1 hour. It's the magic window. If you want to be able to workout hard and avoid extreme soreness so you can go hard again the next day follow the 1 hour rule. Research has shown that 1:3 - 1:6 protein to carb ratio is good for replenishing glycogen stores. It's important to eat the carbohydrates so the muscle can utilize the protein. So, the first post workout snack should be high carb, low protein. Most people think the opposite. The muscles can only absorb so much protein, it's the carbohydrates that help them absorb it. Post workout recovery drinks are one of the easiest ways to be sure to get your nutrition in. It's up to you, but I know I cannot get home within an hour so I always bring one with me for my post workout nutrition. You'll have to play with what works with you.

Play around with your food and see what foods help you workout better and recover better. See what works for you. This is different for everyone.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 20 of 31 - Reflect, Reevaluate, & Be Honest!

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 20 of 31 - Reflect, Reevaluate, & Be Honest!

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily. 

We are 20 days into the 31 Days to Cleaner eating. We are making better decisions and creating healthier habits. Take a look back and congratulate yourself for committing to this positive change. Continue to plan out how you will transition to the healthier habits that you are still working to make permanent.

My challenge is to be honest. Sometimes there are habits we don't see, we are unaware of. We think they are not a big deal, so we don't even think about them. Ask a close friend or family member if they notice any unhealthy habits you have. Be open and take the feedback with grace. You may be surprised.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 19 of 31 - Rice. What is Healthier? White Rice, Brown Rice, Black Rice...

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 19 of 31 - Rice. What is Healthier? White Rice, Brown Rice, Black Rice...    

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about rice, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

White rice is brown rice that has had the husk, bran and germ removed. It is usually polished, which further removes more nutrients. So, most white rice manufacturers add back in minerals and vitamins such as iron, zinc and magnesium and then call it enriched. Basically white rice is brown rice with all the vital nutrients removed. It's so lacking in nutrients that it's doesn't meet the minimum nutritional requirements of the FDA, so it has to be enriched to be sold in supermarkets. In addition, it's missing it's natural fiber which is important for digestive health and helps maintain healthy weight loss. White rice has been found to significantly increase your risk or diabetes.

Brown rice has high levels of vitamins betaine & choline, niacin & folate, as well as B complex vitamins and is a rich source of the minerals phosphorus, & potassium. Brown rice also offers magnesium, calcium & iron,  omega-6 & omega-3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, such as glutamate, aspartate, leucine, arginine. 1 cup of brown rice has 6.5 grams of fiber so it's more filling than white rice and you feel full longer. Brown rice lowers your risk for diabetes. Increased HDL, good cholesterol. Brown rice lowers cancer risk.

Black rice is known as forbidden rice since it was only allowed to be served in the Chinese royal court, as a tribute to the Kangxi emperor of the Qing Dynasty. It’s deep black color turns deep purple when cooked. Its dark purple color is primarily due to its anthocyanin content. Black rice is high in nutritional value and contains 18 amino acids, iron, zinc, copper, carotene, anthocyanin and several important vitamins. According to a study by the American Chemical Society (ACS), one spoonful of black rice contains more anthocyanin antioxidants than a spoonful of blueberries. The study also showed that compared with blueberries, black rice offered more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants, with less sugar. Research has linked these nutrients to helping prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disease.  In China, black rice is claimed to be good for your kidney, stomach and liver. Black rice has been show to reduce inflammation and increased HDL, good cholesterol.

I challenge you to transition from white rice to a combination of brown and black rice. Both have a rich nutty flavor. If you love white rice, slowly transition by mixing for the next month. You can do it. It will become a habit and you won't want to eat white rice again.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 18 of 31 - Inflammation and Anti-Inflammatory Diets & Foods

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 18 of 31 - Inflammation and Anti-Inflammatory Diets & Foods

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about inflammation and anti-inflammatory diets and food, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

I got this information directly from drweil.com. I've read similar information on other sites but did not take alot of information from them for this article. I like Dr. Weil, he has alot of great health information.

Inflammation in our bodies is usually the bodies response to an injury or illness. It's the bodies way to get more healing nourishment to whatever body part that needs it. We can cause inflammation by eating unhealthily and our bodies tend to have more inflammation as we get older. So, in order to feel healthier and younger, it's a good idea to eat as many anti-inflammatory foods as possible.

Foods that cause inflammation are things like processed foods, the fat in meat and poultry, high glycemic load foods, high fructose corn syrup. We will not break these down, since we have talked about most of these in other videos.

Anti-inflammatory foods help to fight off the inflammation that may lead to cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's Disease and other age related diseases.

Examples of anti-inflammatory foods are: whole grains, beans, sweet potatoes, berries, cherries, apples, lentils, legumes, seeds, nuts, wild Alaskan salmon, sardines... The list goes on. If you want to investigate this further, I would suggest going to drweil.com and reading more.

It's good to be aware of what we are eating.  If we are working towards eating healthy, we should know what foods in our diet are inflammatory and anti-inflammatory. This is a topic that warrants investigation.

I challenge you to pick a few of your favorite foods and see if they are inflammatory or anti-inflammatory foods.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 17 of 31 - How Much Carbs, Fats, Protein Do We Need Each Day

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 17 of 31 - How Much Carbs, Fats, Protein Do We Need Each Day

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about carbohydrate, fat, protein servings and yes, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

When deciphering what is a balanced diet for you, you need to decide how your mind works. Are you the type that likes to visualize it, do you work better in grams, in percentages, something else?

I'm very visual, therefore the www.choosemyplate.gov USDA guidelines are appealing to my eyes. If I look at my plate half of it should have fruits and vegetables on it, the other half is protein and whole grains. The daily recommendations look like 3 cups of dairy (Not sure what vegans are supposed to do here. I've heard that this was due to lobbying of the dairy industry. They were peeved that dairy was not identified on the plate. Personally I would include this as part of my protein allotment.), 2-3 cups of vegetables, 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit, 5-6.5 ounces of protein (fish, eggs, meat, poultry, other. Hmmm? Could dairy be put here and add a few ounces? Stop whining dairy industry.), 5-8 ounces of whole grains, 5-7 teaspoons of sweets, fats and oils per day.

Livestrong.com is one resource where I found percentages if you like that. They took their recommendations form the 2010 USDA dietary guidelines. Adults 19 and older should have 45-65% carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits, vegetables), 10-35% protein (close to what we came up with from previous video), 20-35% from fat.  (We figured out how to calculate daily calories and how to convert to grams in the protein video. Revisit that video/blog post if you want to calculate this out. Note that protein is 4 calories, fat is 10 calories, and carbohydrates are 9 calories when converting calories to grams.)

Maybe it's easier to think in terms of serving sizes. Heart.org separates it out a little more detailed, but it's very nice. 6-8 servings of whole grains, 4-5 servings of vegetables, 4-5 servings of fruit, 2-3 servings of dairy, 3-6 ounces of cooked meat, poultry or seafood, 2-3 servings of fat/oils per day. The following are per week: 4-5 servings nuts, seeds, legumes, 5 or fewer for sweets and added sugars.

Here are some serving size examples, 1 serving:

Half cup cooked grain = one cupped palm
One piece of fruit = tennis ball
One quarter cup dried fruit
One cup leafy greens
Half cup cooked, frozen or canned legumes
Three ounces of meat = deck of cards
One egg
One ounce of cheese = two nine volt batteries
One third cup of nuts = small handful

Although these are daily suggestions. It's important to note our bodies function better when we have a combination of fat, carbohydrates and proteins in every meal or snack. So aim for a good mix. We will talk about pre, during and post ratios in another video. Also note, we are all unique individuals. Your daily intake will vary depending on your health, your activity level, dietary needs/choices and other factors. You will need to experiment to see what works for you.

Decide what method or thought process works for you and see if your daily combination of food is giving you the amounts of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins that you need. Do you think you need to make any adjustments?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 16 of 31 - Protein - How Much Protein Do You Need? What Protein Should You Eat?

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 16 of 31 - Protein - How Much Protein Do You Need? What Protein Should You Eat?

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about protein and yes, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

Proteins are made up of amino acids and are the building blocks of every part of our body. There are 20 different amino acids that make up proteins. Some of these proteins are complete and some are incomplete depending on how many essential amino acids they provide. Essential amino acids are necessary for us to exist and we need to get from the food we eat. It's pretty easy to get complete proteins if you aren't a vegetarian or vegan. Complete proteins are meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese... But even as a vegan or vegetarian you can get all you need you just need to combine incomplete proteins. An example would be beans and rice. Both are incomplete by themselves but are complete together. This is one of the reasons I drink vegan Shakeology. I get 16 grams of complete protein in 1 shake. 

There are many different ways to determine your protein needs but if you want to get technical here are 2 ways to calculate it. Even though they are calculations, they are still estimates for each individual. Ultimately you need to determine how you feel in order to know what is right for you. Especially if you have any medical issues, are pregnant or nursing. Note, most sedentary Americans eat about 50% more protein than recommended.

Calculate Protein Needs Using Weight and Activity Level:
1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x [ from 0.8 to 1.8 gm/kg depending on your activity level] = protein gm.
If you are sedentary .8, if you exercise regularly, are under stress, pregnant, recovering from an illness, anywhere from 1.0 to 1.8.

Calculate Protein Needs Using Percentage of Daily Calories:

We need to start by figuring out how many daily calories you need. These are your maintenance calories.

There are very detailed ones and general ones.

Here is a general one.  http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-burned.php

If you want to get more specific, you can calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate, the calories you need to exist, then add your activity calories. It's still not going to be exact, but may be closer. This one combines the BMR calculation with activity calories.. http://nutritiondata.self.com/tools/calories-burned

Next you need to figure out what percentage of these calories needs to be protein. This is very dependent on your activity level, health, goals, metabolic rate, etc. Usually between 15-30%.

For example:

2000 calories for maintenance
20% calories from protein
2000 x .20 = 400 calories from protein
How many grams of protein would that be?
1 gram of protein = 4 calories
400/4= 100 grams from protein per day

Do you need extra protein if you workout hard or are trying to build bulk? Alot of research is suggesting that we should not be doubling our protein because our muscles can only absorb so much. It's more important to have balance and good nutrition, good protein sources.

So, what are good sources of protein?

For red meat and poultry products, choose free range, grass fed, and organic. Some research has shown that grass fed, free range, organic beef has less fat & calories, is higher in Omega-3s, and is higher in Conjugated Linoleic Acid, which has been shown to defend against cancer. Free range, organic chickens and eggs contained more Vitamin a and Omega-3s. Plus people find that grass fed, free range products taste much better. When I ate meat, I could tell the difference.

For fish you will have to figure this out. I'm still on the fence with this one. I would choose high omega-3 fish like salmon. But whether you should eat farmed or ocean caught is debatable. Ocean & fresh water caught brings up the issue of the environment impact and exposure to mercury and PCBs, but is supposed to be healthier. Farmed supposedly does not hurt the environment, but may have chemicals or antibiotics in them. Usually, it's suggested to choose ocean or fresh water caught.

Non meat protein sources. We've already touched on soy in another video. Choose organic tempeh, miso, natto, low processed tofu, soy milk without soy protein or soy isolate. You would be surprised that you can get all the protein you need on a diet of vegetables, fruits and grains. 1 cup of cooked spinach has 7 grams of protein. Research the protein in vegetables to get a good idea. Some great protein sources are quinoa, lentils, beans, hemp, and there are more.

What I challenge you to do is get an approximate idea of how much protein should you be consuming each day? Are you on target? Play around with it. You may find your body may need less or more.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 15 of 31 - Soda - It's Bad For You Don't Drink It! Period!

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 15 of 31 - Soda - It's Bad For You Don't Drink It! Period!

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about soda and yes, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

In addition, consuming large amounts of rapidly digested sugar and high fructose corn syrup causes a spike in blood sugar and insulin, which can lead to inflammation and insulin resistance, both of which may increase your risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.
The large doses of fructose from both sucrose (table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup may be particularly detrimental to your health as they can cause the accumulation of metabolically toxic belly fat, cholesterol abnormalities -- including high triglycerides and reduced levels of HDL (good cholesterol) -- and nonalcoholic associated fatty liver disease.
Soda is also associated with symptoms of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, when the contents of the stomach leak back up and cause a burning sensation in the esophagus. While drinking soda is not known to cause ulcers, it can cause symptoms to flare up.
The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 450 calories from sugar sweetened beverages per week (the amount in three cans of cola).
If you are overweight or obese, or at risk for heart disease or diabetes, you should limit your intake of sugar sweetened beverages as much as possible, including soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, juice drinks and sweetened water and/or tea.

Drinking non-diet soda dramatically increases fat buildup around your liver and your skeletal muscles, both of which can contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes.

People who drink diet soda have a 70 percent increase in waist circumference. It's the aspartame, which raised blood glucose levels, that causes the weight gain; when your liver encounters too much glucose, the excess is converted to body fat.

Avoid brown sodas. The reason: Two contaminants in the coloring, 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, have been found to cause cancer in animals, the coloring is purely cosmetic. Just 16 micrograms per person per day of 4-methylimidazole is enough to pose a cancer threat, and most popular brown colas, both diet and regular, contain 200 micrograms per 20-ounce bottle.

Diet or regular, all colas contain phosphates, or phosphoric acid, a weak acid that gives colas their tangy flavor and improves their shelf life. Although it exists in many whole foods, such as meat, dairy, and nuts; too much phosphoric acid can lead to heart and kidney problems, muscle loss, and osteoporosis, and one study suggests it could trigger accelerated aging. A disturbing trend considering that soda manufacturers have been increasing the levels of phosphoric acid in their products over the past few decades.

The artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas don't break down in our bodies and wastewater-treatment plants don't catch them before they enter the waterways. A recent test of 19 municipal water supplies in the U.S. revealed the presence of sucralose in every one. It's not clear yet what these low levels are doing to people, but past research has found that sucralose in rivers and lakes interferes with some organisms' feeding habits.

Kids who drink too much Mountain Dew wind up with, what dentists call, "Mountain Dew Mouth," full of cavities caused by the drink's excessive sugar levels. The next medical condition we may see will be "Mountain Dew Mind". Brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, is added to prevent the flavoring from separating from citrus soda drinks and is an industrial chemical used as a flame retardant in plastics. The chemical has been known to cause memory loss and nerve disorders when consumed in large quantities. Researchers also suspect that the chemical builds up in body fat, possibly causing behavioral problems, infertility, and lesions on heart muscles over time.

Nearly all aluminum soda cans are lined with an epoxy resin called bisphenol A (BPA), used to keep the acids in soda from reacting with the metal. BPA is known to interfere with hormones, and has been linked to everything from infertility to obesity and diabetes and some forms of reproductive cancers.

Most of those ingredients in soda are derived from corn. As much as 88 percent of the corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified to resist toxic pesticides or engineered to create pesticides within the plant itself. Independent researchers have found that, in animals, genetically modified crops, or GMOs, are linked to digestive tract damage, accelerated aging, and even infertility.

Alot to think about. The bottom line is there is no reason to drink soda except for pleasure. Why drink something that causes so many problems? Will it be hard to drop a 6 soda a day habit? Start small, make small strides each week, each month and soon you will be soda free. When I was researching some of the effects of soda I noticed that Dr. Oz had a 28 Day National Soda Challenge that he did late last year. You may want to try it for yourself if this is an area you struggle with. http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/28-day-national-soda-challenge

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 14 of 31 - Caffeine - Whose in Control?

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 14 of 31 - Caffeine - Whose in Control?

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about caffeine and yes, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

Caffeine can help us feel energetic, alert, concentrate better and lift our moods. It's the most common mood enhancer used in the world and can be found in coffee, energy drinks, medications, foods, and more.

For healthy adults about 3 cups of coffee a day has been show to be OK. That is about 300 milligrams of caffeine a day. So, if you are drinking energy drinks be sure to check the amount of caffeine in them.

If you have medical issues are sensitive to caffeine, are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or are an older adult even 300 milligrams may be too much. You should consult your doctor or a nutritionist.

Children should never drink caffeine. End of subject. That's me ranting.

Caffeine consumption of 744 milligrams a day has been linked to calcium and magnesium loss. It does not seem to be a problem in younger adults that get plenty of calcium but is a problem with the elderly and had been linked to hip fractures.

Something our body needs desperately in order to have normal biochemistry and hormone levels is enough sleep. It is very easy to get in an unhealthy cycle if you drink too much caffeine or drink it too late in the day. Does this sound familiar? You drink coffee or an energy drink because you are tired and you have trouble sleeping through the night. It's a vicious circle. It takes about 5-7 hours for your body to eliminate half of the caffeine you have ingested. So, depending on how sensitive you are to it. It can mean another restless night.  

Caffeine was always thought to dehydrate you. But, it has been found that although it has a diuretic effect, the amount of water in the drink usually counteracts that. But I wouldn't use coffee or an energy drink to rehydrate you if you are dehydrated.

Moderate to low levels of caffeine may have some benefits. Some studies suggest caffeine may have anti-inflammatory effects that has helped some people with allergic reactions and asthma. Other studies have found, caffeine may reduce the risk of dementia, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and some cancers.

Caffeine is mildly addictive so if you are trying to stop drinking coffee you should ween yourself off slowly or you could experience headaches and fatigue. Some people get irritable, anxious, experience mild depression and difficulty concentrating.

My 2 cents. Being addicted to anything even if it is mildly addictive is not good. You are not in control. Take a look at how much caffeine you are consuming each day. Check your food labels and medications too. Make sure you are not over the 300 milligrams and you may even want to test yourself. Do you think you could go without it? If that question scares you, you may want to ween off it and go some time without it, just to regain control.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 13 of 31 - Soy. Good or Bad, Should You Eat It?

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 13 of 31 - Soy. Good or Bad, Should You Eat It?

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about soy and yes, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

The isoflavones in soy bind like estrogen and that is why some folks have wanted to avoid soy because of the fear of getting cancer. Human and animal estrogen is much stronger than the binding that isoflavones can do. Isoflavones have shown positive non-hormonal effects like regulating cholesterol, lower blood pressure,  and lowering the rates of breast cancer.

If you don't already have thyroid problems, soy should not effect your thyroid. For those with thyroid issues, the problem seems to be the soy inhibiting the absorption of thyroid medication if taken too close to consuming soy.

It has been recommended that 1-2 servings of soy a day is ok. A serving being 1/2 cup tofu or 1 cup soy milk.

Just like processed deli meats , we should avoid highly processed soy. You find these in soy protein bars, soy burgers, soy strips of "meat," soy cheese, etc. Avoid them if they say "soy protein" on the label. It's not the end of the world if you have it once in a while, but don't make it a regular part of your diet with the thought, "I'm eating healthy."

When choosing soy milk try to find fresh if available. Look for whole bean soy milk and once again avoid it if it says "soy protein" or "soy isolate." Try using plain and avoiding it if it has added sugars.

Best choices of soy are: edamame, tofu, and fermented soy products.

Whole soy foods retain most of their nutritional benefits.

Tofu is packed with calcium and omega-3 fats.

Edamame, green soybeans, is a great source of protein.

Tempeh, miso & natto made from fermented, cooked soybeans. The fermentation allows the body to more easily absorb the nutrients from food. It brings good probiotics into your system, keeping your gut healthy.

Tempeh is a high-protein source of nutrients with vitamins B2, B6, and B3, & minerals magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, & and phosphorous. plus, it's a good source of monounsaturated fats.

Miso is rich in vitamin B12, which helps metabolize fats and carbohydrates. Be sure to use the low sodium kind.

Natto is a sticky paste made by adding healthy bacteria to lightly cooked soybeans and fermenting. Natto is a powerful food rich in the enzyme nattokinase, which has been shown to reduce the risk of blood clots and help break up the plaque associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

In my personal opinion from what I have read... When choosing soy, choose fermented like miso, tempeh or natto. Tofu is fine when it's the least processed type in the white blocks. Edamane is the actual bean, so who can argue with that? For other forms of soy, be a label reader. Look for whole bean soy and avoid "soy protein" and alot of added salts, sugars and mystery chemicals.

Give soy a try. Find a new recipe that uses soy and enjoy.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 12 of 31 - Oils & Fats, What Should We Eat and Avoid?

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 12 of 31 - Oils & Fats, What Should We Eat and Avoid?

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about oils & fats and yes, this is another topic that could be pages and pages.  Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

Saturated Fat:  A type of fat that comes mainly from animal sources of food. American Heart Association recommended reducing saturated fats to less than 7% of total calories.  Not all saturated fats are equally bad for your health. Saturated fats have been associated with a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, and possibly type 2 diabetes. High saturated fat can be found in animal fat, cream, cream cheese, butter, lard, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil, and more. Coconut oil is 47% lauric acid has been show to increase HDL or good cholesterol. It also has a antimicrobial effect. Making coconut oil a good choice for many uses even though it's a saturated fat.  The saturated fat called stearic acid, found in pure chocolate, is more like unsaturated fat in that it lowers LDL levels.

Monounsaturated Fat: A type of fat found in a variety of foods and oils. You can find monounsaturated fats in nuts, avocados, olives, olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil. These fats are being studied because it is thought that they increase good cholesterol HDL and reduce bad cholesterol LDL which may reduce your risk of heart disease. Research has also shown that these fats benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. Good sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, and most nuts.

Polyunsaturated: A type of fat found mainly in plant based foods and oils. Foods rich in this fat reduces LDL more than it reduces HDL and lower triglycerides, which may decrease your risk of heart disease. The 2 types of polyunsaturated fats are omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3s can be found in some types of fatty fish, flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, canola oil and unhydrogenated soybean oil. They protect against heart disease and have helpful benefits against rheumatoid arthritis and help lower blood pressure. Omega-6s can be found in nuts, seeds and their oils. This fat also helps lower the risk of heart disease.

Something to note, in the usual diet of fast food and highly processed foods, people are getting alot of omega6 from canola, corn and other oils. Seems good but the body has an ideal ration of omega3 to omega6 and when that is out of balance, we are prone to asthma, heart disease, cancer etc. Getting these omega's from natural sources, seems to naturally keep it in balance.

Trans Fats:  A type of fat found naturally in meat but their main source is processed foods. It's created by partial hydrogenation of unsaturated fats and can be referred to as partially hydrogenated oil. Trans fats increase unhealthy LDL and decrease healthy HDL thus increasing your risk of heart disease. There are no safe levels of trans fats. They are commonly found in cakes, cookies, icings. Something to think about. The food industry does not have to include trans fats on the label if it's less than .5 grams. Does not seem like a big deal, but there is no safe level of trans fats. So a cookie here, a piece of cake here and then at the end of the day you've eaten 1-2 grams of trans fats and did not even know it.

Lots to digest, literally. Total daily fat should not exceed 20-30% of our diet and you don't want to exclude it either. It's necessary for bodily functions.

I've included an oil comparison chart from eatingrules.com. It's very interesting.

Oil Comparison chart: http://www.eatingrules.com/Cooking-Oil-Comparison-Chart_02-22-12.pdf

Think about it, how much meat are you eating, are you using high omega3 eggs, are the oils you use organic, are you checking labels for trans or partially hydrogenated fats?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 11 of 31 - Reflect, Reevaluate, Rejoice!

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 11 of 31 - Reflect, Reevaluate, Rejoice!

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily. 

We are 10 days into the 31 Days to Cleaner eating. It's time to take a breath and quit pushing forward. It's time to take a look at the changes you have done, the ones you are working on and rejoice at the accomplishments you have made so far.

Today is easy. Look back. What were the easiest changes? What were the hardest? Why? When looking at the changes you are struggling with, make a list of ways you can slowly start to make those changes over the next year. Yes, I said year. If you do it sooner, good for you. Just do something.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 10 of 31 - Sugars, Artificial Sweeteners & Glycemic Index

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 10 of 31 - Sugars, Artificial Sweeteners & Glycemic Index

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness. Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

As usual a topic that I thought would be easy is riddled with controversy. So, here is just some food for thought and my personal opinion from what I've learned.

We eat far too much sugar. Unless you cook your own food from whole foods and are not adding that much in, most processed foods are guaranteed to have a plethora of 2 things: sugar and salt. It's a good idea to take a look at your food and get an idea of how much sugar are you consuming each day. If you are eating fruits and vegetables daily, you do not needed added sugar.

As far as what type of sugar to choose. That is highly debatable. But this is how I approach it. White sugar is highly processed and used chemicals to make it so pretty, white and devoid of nutrition. I don't use it. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is the Devil according to many folks. The corn industry runs the sugar is sugar ads, and that is correct. But most corn is genetically modified and HFCS is highly processed. The corn industry is trying very hard to change HFCS to corn sugar. Basically, if it says corn, I don't care what it is, I will avoid it, unless it has the word organic in front of it. I would love to see organic HFCS. Molasses, agave, maple syrup that are pure, not chemical laden, add sweetness and vitamins and minerals. So, I tend to choose them when I add sweetener. Check your labels, you would be surprised to know alot of maple syrup is not even close.

I don't use any artificial sweeteners at all. They are fake sweeteners. They are just chemicals made to taste sweet and are detrimental to the hormone balance in our bodies if used regularly. Cut them out of your diet.

So, what about Stevia? Stevia is a naturally sweet plant and has been harvested for that reason. It's a low carb and low cal option when you want to add sweetness. Since it is technically also processed, I use it very rarely.

They glycemic index is how certain foods sugars react in your blood. It's been found that people that follow a healthy low glycemic diet tend to be a healthier weight therefore have less health issues. It would make sense since alot of whole, healthy foods tend to have low glycemic rating. What does take into consideration is the quality of the food or the amount you are eating. So you might find that you could eat a little high glycemic food and have normal blood sugars or you could eat alot of low glycemic food and have abnormal blood sugar levels. Also, the ripeness, the preparation of the food and what you eat it with can also effect your blood sugars.

So, what to do? As we have seen a repeating theme in these videos, eat in balance, moderation and as close to real food as possible. What you should do is take a look at how much sugar are you consuming and are there opportunities to substitute for a healthier option?

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 9 of 31 - Whole Grains & Spouted Grains

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 9 of 31 - Whole Grains & Spouted Grains

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness.

Today we talk about whole grains and yes, this is another topic that could be pages and pages. Here is just a brief overview, please research for yourself if you want to dig deeper.

Whole Grains, what are they? 100% of the original grain kernel must be present, the bran, germ and endosperm (parts of the grain).

Why eat them? Wholly cow, these aren't even close to all the reasons, but are pretty good.

- Decrease body fat and increased weight loss compared to refined grains. Feeling more full.
- May prevent celiac disease in those pre disposed.
- Aid in heart health
- Helps lower cholesterol
- Controls blood sugar spikes helping to avoid Diabetes.
- Reduces risk of stroke.
- Reduces colon cancer and other cancers.
- Reduces hypertension, high blood pressure.

Let's touch on sprouted whole grains. What are they? Grain is basically a seed. A seed that could become a whole plant. When it starts to germinate and sprout, then it becomes a sprouted grain.

Sprouted grains offer all the goodness of whole grains, while being more readily digested. Plus, the sprouting process increases the amount and bio-availability of some vitamins and minerals, making sprouted grains a potential nutrition powerhouse.

Sprouting grains increases many of the grains' key nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and essential amino acids often lacking in grains, such as lysine. Sprouted grains may also be less allergenic to those with grain protein sensitivities.
Studies document some of the health benefits for different sprouted grains. Here are just a few:

    * Sprouted brown rice fights diabetes.

    * Sprouted buckwheat protects against fatty liver disease.

    * Cardiovascular risk reduced by sprouted brown rice.

    * Sprouted brown rice decreases depression and fatigue in nursing mothers.

    * Decreased blood pressure linked to sprouted barley.


When adding whole grains to your diet, be a label reader. It must say whole grain (whole wheat for example) and it should be listed as the first ingredient. If it says wheat flour for example, that is not whole grain and it's just as bad as eating refined white flour. I did not get into the risks of eating refined flours. A short list is Diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity.... You can research that if you wish. I wanted to focus on the benefits of whole grains.

I got most of my detailed info from www.wholegrainscouncil.org, but the information is highly documented. So, do a web search of your own if you would like to explore this topic further.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 8 of 31 - Genetically Modified Foods Are They Dangerous? The Debate Goes On

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 8 of 31 - Genetically Modified Foods Are They Dangerous? The Debate Goes On

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness. .

GMO stands for genetically modified foods. It means we have mixed genes from 1 organism with another. Sounds like a page out of Jurassic Park. Monsanto is the main company creating these super crops to be resistant against the weed killer they manufacture. The hope is also the crops are resistant to disease, etc. so basically heartier.

Most of our food has GMO foods in it. 85% of soy, wheat, sugar beets, corn, and there are more. What is the filler for most packaged food? Soy, wheat, corn.

Are GMOs safe? This is a hotly debated topic. But when most people are asked, they say 2 things: they want food labelled if they contain GMOs and they would avoid them. Interesting. Fact,  Monsanto does not feel GMOs need to be tested for safety. That certainly would not be good businesses... If their studies back up what other scientists are finding. There are adverse effects.

It's also interesting to note that when you buy supplements, the FDA feels its important that there is a note that it has not been tested by the FDA. Why not GMO foods? Something to chew on.

Think about the last 10-20 years. What are some of the most common medical conditions that keep coming up. Weird allergies: soy, wheat (gluten) and a load of metabolic conditions: hypothyroidism being one of them.

Our food effects our genes, our biochemistry, our metabolism. How is it possible that GMO foods don't have an effect? Educate yourself. What are you putting in your bodies?

There have been independent studies that GMO foods are bad for us. For more info on that search the web. :-) see Genetic Roulette. Also you can get a shopping guide at http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 7 of 31 - Convenience Foods & Chemical in Our Bodies

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 7 of 31 - Convenience Foods & Chemical in Our Bodies

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness. What you do with that is up to you.

We chatted a little about this in our whole foods post but convenience food is worth a little more attention.

Convenience foods are foods like pre made restaurant food, frozen food, packaged foods. Notice I did not say fast food, because a lot of people say, I don't eat fast food and yet they eat out several times a week. I'm not saying we cannot eat out, we just need to be real about what we are doing and know what we are eating. I eat at Veggie Grill sometimes and get the Buffalo Chik'n. I'm not fooling myself into thinking its healthy. This is a chosen junk meal. Just because its Veggie Grill & it's vegan does not make it healthy. Stop kidding yourself.

Read your label & nutritional information. If the ingredient label takes up the entire side of the box & you cannot pronounce what's in it, do you really think you should be eating it? Too many chemicals in our bodies are manipulating our biochemistry and metabolism. It's not just about weight loss. We are seeing chemicals being linked to diabetes, cancer, hypothyroidism, and so much more.

Start small as you make the transition away from pre packaged. Try shopping the outside aisle of the store. This is where you usually find the produce & meats. If you go pre packaged, make sure you recognize the ingredient. Are they a plant or had a mother? I said it before, start to learn to cook, make large portions you can separate into smaller & bring to work or have ready for the family. That way you are not tempted to grab the convenience foods.

Look up chemicals & find out why they are in there and what their side effects are. I recently downloaded an app Chem Cuisine by CSPI. Not all encompassing but very interesting.

I challenge you to look at every label for awhile. You'll be surprised where you are finding extra chemicals.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 6 of 31 - Whole Foods, How Close is Your Food to Something You Can Recognize

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness. What you do with that is up to you.

When was the last time you cooked a meal from scratch? How many ingredients were in it? Did you know what these ingredients were? Eating as close to the whole food as possible guarantees a few things: we get all the nutrients available from that source and we are less likely to get any extra additives or chemicals we don't need. The closer to the source, the more naturally nutritious. And then we are less likely to mess with our biochemistry or metabolism with hurtful chemicals.

Drink orange or apple juice or eat an orange or apple? Try to eat as close to the whole food as possible. Learn to cook if you don't already. Start slow, 1 recipe a month. Make a large quantity, split into smaller and freeze them. Plan. We are all busy. But 2-4 hours a week spent planning, shopping, cleaning, cutting, cooking, packing and freezing can add years to your life. Plus you will find recipes and foods that you will like better than the pre-made ones. I can't eat frozen convenience foods. Makes me gag. I can taste the added chemicals. It does not taste real. We'll talk about this a little more in another video.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 5 of 31 - Organic Dirty Bakers Dozen and Clean 15

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 5 of 31 - Organic Dirty Bakers Dozen and Clean 15

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness. What you do with that is up to you.

I reviewed why organic in a previous video, but it's worth repeating and adding some information to it. The chemicals used in weed killers, pesticides, and fertilizers mess with our biochemistry. That means it messes with our hormones and every process in our bodies. Have trouble losing weight? It may be your hormones are out of whack. Also, here is some food for thought. Buying organic also supports the welfare of the worker at these farms. They are exposed to less toxins and live healthier lives also. Plus where does all the chemical run off and waste from the corporate farms that use all these chemicals.? Just something to think about.

Organic foods are more expensive. Alot of our food is subsidized by the government so we are not seeing the true cost of food... yet. But, as far as I know, no organic farmers get these government kick backs at this time. So, organics are usually what food should cost. The farms are smaller, many family owned. So, overhead cost are a little different.

If you are on a tight budget, you have to be much more creative to eat organic. There are lots of ways to plan and prep to live mostly organic. If you are just starting to transition to organic it's good to know 2 lists. One is called the dirty dozen with an added selection from thedailygreen.com and the clean 15. The dirty dozen have been found to be the fruits and vegetables that have the most chemical toxins on them and the clean 15 are the fruits and vegetables that generally test to have the least, not none, just the least.

Dirty Bakers Dozen
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Sweet Bell Peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries
11. Lettuce
12. Kale
13. Collard Greens

Clean 15
1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Avocado Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mango
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

Remember your food absorbs the chemicals in the soil. So even though these are lowest in chemicals, they still contain them, you are ingesting them, and they are manipulating your hormones.

The organic topic is quite big so I will address it more in later video.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 4 of 31- Why Organic? Organic PLU Numbers.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 4 of 31 - Why Organic? Organic PLU Numbers.

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

Part of cleaning up what we eat is getting educated and alot of these videos focus on awareness. What you do with that is up to you.

So, let's talk organic. 2 reasons to go organic: the less chemicals you ingest the better and they may contain more nutrition than other comparable foods. Organic foods are supposed to be produced without chemicals and in general organic farmers take very good care of their soil so that there is more nutrition in it to be absorbed by your food. So, when comparing apples with apples, an organic apple should have more natural minerals in it than a non organic one, making it healthier and worth the added cost.

Since organic fruits and vegetables are not always clearly marked in the store, you can figure it out by checking the PLU or the numbered sticker on it.

A PLU with a number that begins with a 3 or 4 is conventionally grown with weed killers and pesticides.

A PLU with a number that begins with an 8 is genetically engineered. We messed with the genes somehow and it's probably chemically treated too. We'll talk more about this in another video.

A PLU with a number that begins with a 9 is grown organically with out chemicals and without genetic modification.

I challenge you to know what you eat. When you visit the store check your numbers. Check your fridge and work on adding more organic fruits and vegetables to your daily diet.

The organic topic is quite big so I will address it more in later video.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 3 of 31 - Water - How Much Water Do You Need?

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 3 of 31 - Water - How Much Water Do You Need?

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

We have all heard you should drink 8 glasses of water a day. It's a very general rule that the Mayo Clinic says is probably ok for most people. But, honestly most people don't drink enough water. The average American drinks too much soda and other flavored drinks. Yes, these drinks provide water, but the sugar and caffeine they may contain either require alot of water to process or encourage water elimination. 

Water is essential for every biochemical process in our bodies. Feeling tired, constipated, bloated, headaches, things just don't feel right? I encourage you to track what foods you are eating that contain alot of water like grapes, cucumber, soup, etc. Also, note how much water you are actually drinking a day. Try substituting some of your high sugar and high caffeine drinks for water instead. Become aware of how much water you are consuming each day.

The general rule is, you know you are drinking enough water if you don't feel thirsty and your urine is clear to light yellow. So, you need to take a peek at your pee.

You can drink too much water, but it is very rare. If you are unsure how much water your body needs, you should consult your doctor especially if you have any kidney issue, are pregnant or nursing.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 2 of 31 - Planning: Containers & Coolers

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 2 of 31 - Planning: Containers & Coolers

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning more about fueling your body more healthily.

We live busy lives and planning is an essential element of any eating cleaner plan. What does each day, week, month look like? Can you make some items in large quantities, break them up and use them throughout the week? How will you store them?

One of the best investments you can make is small freezable and warm up able storage containers. They can be Corning wear or plastics or whatever works for you. You want to have lots of small containers so you can break up large recipes into smaller ones you can use throughout the week. Invest in an easily portable cooler and good ice packs. Also a refillable water bottle.

An example of how you would use your containers is, you cook a healthy lasagna from scratch. Cut it up into individual pieces and place them in easily reheatable containers. Now you have 1 meal set for the week. You can have lasagna for lunch one day then dinner the next. Cook another large meal and do the same for variety the other days of the week.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 1 of 31 - Food Log

How to Eat Cleaner - Day 1 of 31 - Food Log

Hello everyone. I'm so excited that you decided to join me in our 31 days to cleaner or healthier eating. Each one of these videos will have 1 simple concept for you to chew on. It's your choice what you do with it. Try it for a day, a week, a month or implement for your entire life. My hope is it helps you open your mind to learning about fueling your body more healthily.

Today is about reflection. Start keeping a food journal. It can be as detailed as you want and you can use any method you want. I have used apps on my iPhone and Excel documents depending on what my focus was. I would recommend looking backwards too. Look back at the last week or so and record what you can remember. This will help you get a better understanding of your habits. You can even record what you were feeling, why you ate what you did.. The journal can help you identify where you can improve.

An example of a couple journal entries would be. Breakfast. I was running late for work so I drove through McDonald's and got an egg McMuffin. Asked them to hold the butter and I removed the egg yolks. I realize I need to plan better next time. Lunch. Ate my kale salad I prepared the night before with my home made balsamic vinegar. Loved the added walnuts. Snack. Ate a dough nut in the break room. My boss was driving me crazy. Need to bring some healthier stress snacks tomorrow. These were more general. I highly recommend at least 1 day of measuring everything out. It's very eye opening.

The purpose of the food journal is to identify areas of improvement, not to get crazy anal retentive. As a recovering bulimic. I know that these things can get out of control. So, keep your focus on, we are trying to get healthier, not skinnier. A healthy body looks different for everyone. We should aim for strong, fit and happy.

Thanks for your time. This is Coach Lana and I would love for you to join me at http://facebook.com/coachlana so we can connect.