Category: Food Stuff

Posted in Food Stuff, intermittent-fasting

Breaking the Fast

Posted on by HeatherLynn

            “Breakfast is my go-to meal, how can I do Intermittent Fasting?!”   I’ve heard this from several folks beginning their journey, and from those on the journey I’ve heard this is the one meal they’ve struggled with the most.

When you hear the word “Breakfast” you automatically envision a morning meal as this is how it has always been referred to.  The word “Breakfast” comes from an Old English word “Morgenmete” which means “Morning Meal”.  It’s not a surprise we have this ingrained in our brains this meal is to be enjoyed as each day begins.

 There is a fascinating article on Breakfast and its origins here :   The Origin of the Word Breakfast: A Brief History – Symbol Genie   I encourage you to take the time to read it!

                 Intermittent Fasting will challenge your hard-wired habit of having breakfast in the morning hours.  Many choose the 16/8 plan which is typically a fasting from 8pm to 12pm.  This means you break your fast at noon!  It’s a challenge indeed!   When it comes time to break your fast, you should follow some basic guidelines.

  1. Move into your eating window slowly.  Don’t dive into a plate a food and go crazy as if you have to make up for all those hours you just went without.   Begin with small portions, lighter foods like bone broth or fresh fruits to ease your digestive system back into eating mode.   This reduces any GI distress that comes with eating larger portion sizes after a fast.
  • Start with a liquid meal such as broth or Smoothies.  There are dozens of recipes for smoothies you can make at home that are healthy and portion controlled.  Starting with a liquid meal will increase your hydration and give you nutrient-dense nourishment during your first meal. 
  • Avoid the processed and fried foods.  They can be harder to digest and can cause bloating and discomfort.  Save those, if you must have them, for a secondary meal.  That means saving bacon and sausage for another meal, so you don’t feel bad.
  • Eat mindfully.   Remember, you are not trying to make up for lost eating hours.  You are simply satisfying your current hunger.  Eat slowly.  Sit at a table without your phone or a television to distract you. 

You will find what works for you.   Don’t go out and read just one article and think that is how it is done, there are several ways to do the Intermittent Fasting!   When I break my fast, I have a green smoothie and honestly my brother described it best as tasting like lawn clippings.  It certainly isn’t for everyone!

 I have an 8 oz smoothie and 2 cups of fresh fruit, or some cheese and crackers.  If I have leftover protein for the previous night’s meal, I will have that.   I constantly change up how I eat my first meal of the day.  It may not be what is dictated in all the articles, but it is what is working for me. 

I also have chickens so fresh eggs are at my constant disposal.  Hardboiled eggs, quiche, casseroles… I have gotten inventive in how I incorporate this into my diet!   You do what you need to do and use those “how-to” articles as guidelines.  

Keep educating yourself!  The more you study the realms of the Intermittent Fasting, the more successful you will be.   

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Posted in Emotional Well-Being, Food Stuff, intermittent-fasting

The Danger of Overeating

Posted on by HeatherLynn

                With Intermittent Fasting, you literally go hours without any food and then are presented a small window in which you are allowed to eat.   The importance of mindful eating during this window will make a difference in your success rate if your goal is to shed a few pounds.

                Mindful eating isn’t just about choosing healthier options, it is also about portion control and discipline.    Its tempting to start eating as much as you can in the “eating window” knowing another long stretch of fasting is ahead of you.   This is not the time for indulgence. 

Choosing to Indulge, this is what you can expect : 

Low-Energy

                Sluggish and tired after a meal?  It could be your body telling you that you had a bit too much to eat.   Overeating makes your body work harder and redirects blood flow away from other organs and concentrates on the digestive system.   This makes you feel more tired and sluggish.  Foods we tend to overeat are generally higher in carbohydrates which ca cause a sugar rush inevitably followed by the dreaded sugar crash.

Heartburn

                Your stomach has this potent formula to break down food called “hydrochloric acid”.  When you over eat, this acid can back up into the esophagus, giving you heartburn.  Overeating high fat foods such as pizza or cheeseburgers can make you more susceptible to this condition.

Bloating

                Getting a bloated stomach after eating too much is not unusual.  Your stomach can only hold so much.  Repeatedly eating too much will stretch your stomach allowing you to consume more, however that is a slippery slope since that means consuming more calories as well.  Eating too fast can cause bloating, as well as food intolerance.   Slow down!

Gas

                Copious amounts of calories can cause digestives issues, including gas.  Lower intestinal gas can be caused by certain foods, or not being able to fully digest some foods.  

Nausea

                Your stomach does expand to make room for more food which in turn puts pressure on nearby organs.  This can cause discomfort, heartburn, bloating, gas and the generally feeling of wanting to throw up. 

None of these sound like a good time, do they?  We have all experienced them because we have all been there overeating and consuming the calories.  Those days are behind us now.    The longer you do the Intermittent Fasting, the more you’ll find yourself easily pushing away the plate.   Your mindful eating will become a habit and if you do overeat, the experience is painful. It will remind you how far you’ve come and encourage you to be much more mindful going forward. 

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Posted in Encouragement/Motivation, Food Stuff

Practice What You Preach

Posted on by HeatherLynn

My family is very supportive in my health journey as well in other areas of my life when it is necessary. This past weekend I needed a ride to the grocery store due to my vehicle not being available. (That’s another story for another time). My “rock” of a sister-in-law, *Rachel, volunteered to chauffer me. As we walked through the aisles, she joked that my cart looked much like her own would. Filled with veggies and fruits for our chickens and a small section of similar items for ourselves. We stuck to the perimeter of the store and spent the bulk of our time in produce. I could say that I was shopping to impress her how healthy I did my shopping, but the truth is, it was no different than if I were alone. It is pure instinct now to avoid those inner aisles where the temptations of sugar, high calories and processed foods lie in wait.
It is also extremely helpful that I jot down what I know I’ll need before I go. Since I am purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables, I know not to buy large quantities. These things do not have a long shelf life. Writing things down helps me keep track of what I need and keeps me from the impulse purchasing. I admit, my eyes tend to light up at the sight of fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables and in the past, I’ve overbought and ended up feeding to the poultry or compost pile. Since these items are usually a little higher priced than the preservative filled yummies on the inner aisles, keeping to your list is a bit more budget friendly.
During the week I usually peruse different recipes that look enticing. I judge how difficult they appear to create, mentally inventory my supplies and add things to the list that will help complete the recipe. Keeping that in mind, I avoid weird and exotic ingredients that cannot be used in other meals that I would ordinarily prepare. Such as black seed oil, or vanilla beans. Whenever I purchase ingredients, I tend to have leftover, so I want to be able to use that in other meals. I tend to stick to the quick prep simple meals since I’m cooking for one most days. I try at least one new dish a month so I may keep upping the ante and the variety of items I consume, thus alleviating any boredom with my eating habits.
When I do sit down to eat, I always have my portion plate on hand. I have a stack of dinner plates in the cabinet that haven’t been used in forever. I know I should box them up, but I have not quite pulled the trigger on that yet. (Note to self: remove all plates bigger than dessert sized) . Having the portion plate right there keeps me focused on my portions and though there are days I do overdo it, most of the time I keep within those little portion sections. I have also found that after I serve my portions to my plate, if I put away any leftover food immediately, I will not return for seconds. If I don’t put it away, my chances of a return multiply.
Things to be mindful of on your journey to a healthier new you…

  1. Be honest with yourself
  2. Do your research
  3. Practice what you preach
  4. Don’t say one thing and then do another
  5. Don’t expect others to do what you wouldn’t do

We all stray from the course for our given reasons. It’s because we are human, and we have human feelings and responses to the world around us. Its important to acknowledge that you stray and make a point of getting right back on the journey. A little stray does not mean you are lost, it just means you are having an off day. Make a mantra in your head, “I will lead by example, practice what I preach.”

You have the power to overcome the obstacles, brush off the dirt, laugh atyour stumble and vow to do better

*names have been changed

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Posted in Encouragement/Motivation, Food Stuff

Control of the Portions

Posted on by HeatherLynn

For the past 2 years I’ve been adamantly working on my perception of how much food is on my plate and how hungry I really am.   I was raised in a “Clean your plate” home and this has been a troublesome journey to say the least.   I learned quickly that my plates were too big and so I thought I wasn’t putting enough food on them.   I loved the plates, but the fact is I couldn’t make myself take smaller portions because it seemed like there was too much “white” space on my plate.  

I did some research and then made some changes in my life. Here are a few of the things I discovered:

Use smaller dinnerware – dessert plates will work but if you want a little more assistance, these portion control plates on Amazon.com work great!  Portion Control

Don’t eat directly from the package – it is far too easy to lose track of how much you have eaten.  Instead look at the suggested serving size and take the time to measure it out and then put that package away. 

Use a Food Diary – there are literally dozens of apps and websites available that offer the ability to log your food intake.  MyFitnessPal.com is a popular one amidst my circle of friends.   Logging your daily intake of food gives you a visual of how much you are truly eating, and it helps you stop the “oh just one won’t hurt” kind of mentality.

Understand your serving sizes – a serving size is what is listed on the package label; a portion is what you put on your plate.   Serving sizes vary from product to product and they have grown larger in the past few decades.

Use a portion size guide –   there are many out there.  You can use the hand method where your portions are compared to how much you hold in your hand; or use one that compares the portions to different objects.   I prefer the object method for myself.  I’ve printed one guide out  WebMD Portion Size Guide and pinned it to my kitchen cabinet so its easy to see as I’m preparing my meals.

Careful with the Carbs!  –  your plate should only be ¼ carbs.  Whole grains are good for your heart, but those yams, potatoes and corn are high in starch and not so friendly to the fat burning process. You can still have them, but you need to be careful on the portion. 

Go heavy on your fruits and veggies – These are going to be the bulk of your plate.  Try to avoid the canned variety and stick with fresh if possible.  There are many guides on the internet that can help you determine the portion sizes of fresh produce.

Avoid processed foods – do your best.  Fried food is not good for us no matter how yummy it tastes!  Fast food is quite expensive and portion controlling fast food is a nightmare; Avoiding the fast-food places is a good practice but if you do go, most have websites that have serving sizes and calorie counts of all their products available.

Restaurants – everyone deserves a night out, but it doesn’t have to derail your progress.   Take container with a lid with you.   Before eating, take at minimum, half of your meal and stow it away for another meal later.    It is not against the rules unless you go to a buffet.  Don’t do that at a buffet, they will charge you for that.

Meal Prep – some people like to prep for a week. Others are time constrained and prepping for a week of meals is out of the question.   When you make your evening meal, make enough to save for a meal for the following day.    Have a to-go container on your counter and as you are portioning out your plate, portion out a meal into the container as well.   Stick it in the refrigerator and in the morning, it is ready for you to grab and take to work for your mid-day meal.   No extra work involved.

Honestly, you’ll cheat somedays.  You’ll throw your hands in the air and just binge like there ‘s no tomorrow, but I promise, you won’t feel good.   You will for the moment, but your body will let you know that it doesn’t like it.   

Like Intermittent Fasting, portion control is a lifestyle change and it will take time to adjust and form the new habit.   Don’t be hard on yourself if you fall now and then.  Just get back up and keep trying. 

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