What new habits are you starting today?

Why not take the planning out and let me handle it? I’ll even make the grocery list for you and walk you through a “virtual” grocery store visit! Click HERE to get started.

JUICING

I often hear complaints that it costs too much to eat this way, but seriously check out the costs of these juicing diets where you don’t even get to chew your lunch!

Suja is $8.49 for a bottle!
The Juice Works $65 for 6!!!

Hormones run our metabolism

When I start talking to clients about our hormones and our weight, they usually get a surprised look on their face. What do hormones have to do with our weight? A hormone is a chemical messenger from a cell in the body. A hormone is produced by almost every organ system and is secreted directly into the bloodstream. Hormones signal certain cells to perform certain functions. Hormones are in charge of so many important pieces of our everyday life; our monthly mood swings, sex drive, blood sugar levels, muscle tone, fat burning ability, metabolism, immune system…the list is huge! Hormones play a role in everything from good sleep and good sex to headaches, stress, fatigue and weight gain.

The struggle to lose weight can be very difficult, and many feel that there has to be a reason that the weight is not coming off. It is true that hormonal imbalance affects some overweight individuals. Hormones do play a role in weight loss and gain, but the role is dependent on the individual, and his or her dietary and exercise choices.

Hormones can affect our mood and energy amount. We, however, affect hormones. Our way of life plays a huge role in the hormonal makeup inside us. For example, if a person is inactive, certain hormones decrease, such as testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone that works to increase metabolism, and therefore regulate weight and encourage weight loss. On the other hand, a more active person will have a greater number of chemical reactions in the blood, and help enhance the body’s hormonal balance. This happens so the body can cope with its own need to adapt to the stress during physical exertion. As a result, the body will create balanced hormones, which boosts metabolism, and lead to weight loss. By exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep, and eating the right foods, the body can create harmony with your hormones.

Ghrelin, sleep and liquid calories!

Scientists believe they have discovered why people get hungry at mealtimes, why dieters who lose weight often gain it back, and why stomach surgery helps obese people lose a great deal of weight. One main reason is the hormone called ghrelin, which makes us hungry, slows metabolism, and decreases the body’s ability to burn fat.

Ghrelin levels increase before meals and drop afterward depending upon what you consume. Volunteers given ghrelin injections felt extremely hungry, and, when turned loose at a buffet, ate 30 percent more than they did previously. Dieters who lose weight produce more ghrelin than they did before dieting, as if their bodies are fighting against starvation. By contrast, obese people who have gastric bypass surgery to lose weight end up with low levels of ghrelin, which helps explain why their appetites decrease noticeably after the surgery.

People who fail to sleep properly over-stimulate their ghrelin production which increases the desire for food. Lack of sleep also reduces the production of leptin which is the body’s appetite suppressant. So in short, if you don’t get enough sleep, the hormones in your body get all out of whack and you think that you’re hungry when really you don’t need that food.

Getting the right amount of sleep can be the first step to making sure that you’re getting the ghrelin and leptin balance that your body needs to naturally maintain a healthy weight. Getting 8 hours of quality sleep every night will help you naturally balance out your ghrelin and leptin levels …not making up for it on the weekends. I say “quality” because many people suffer from sleep apnea and don’t know it. If you have been told you snore, kick, talk, or stop breathing in the night, have your doctor check for sleep apnea. Sleep disorders will keep you from getting into REM sleep which is when our hormones are balanced. Allergies are a main cause of sleep apnea. You don’t have to be overweight to suffer from it.

This information has helped scientists harness information to assist people in losing weight. Scientists have created an anti-obesity vaccine which reduces the production of ghrelin which helps reduce cravings. Yes, these drugs are on the market, but instead of putting a huge dent in your wallet, you can start to balance ghrelin by following a few easy steps.

Ghrelin creates our ravenous cravings for food. Our bodies increase this hormone before eating, whether it is when your clock strikes 12 noon at work or you walk by a bakery and the smell of doughnuts stimulates the production.

Read more in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism which is now on sale! Click HERE to find. There are charts included in the book on which foods to consume and food to steer clear of. Follow the steps in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism to keep your ghrelin levels in check, but I’ll give you a hint, I do not recommend liquid calories to balance your ghrelin levels!

 

“HEALTHIFIED” COOKIE DOUGH CUPCAKES
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES:
1/2 c. coconut flour
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. Swerve (or erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk
1/2 c. coconut oil or butter
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
COOKIE DOUGH FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup Swerve (or erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite)
8 oz cream cheese, softened (or coconut cream if dairy allergy)
2 TBS almond milk (or more to thin the frosting)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 The Good Chocolate Bars, chopped

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all the dry ingredients and blend well. Add the dry and wet ingredients and blend until smooth. Grease and fill a cupcake tin 2/3rds full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes before frosting.

To make the frosting, place the butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium-high heat (heat until it turns brown, not black). Add in natural sweeteners until dissolved and the mixture bubbles just a little. Using a hand mixer on low speed, add in cream cheese, almond milk and vanilla. Mix until combined. Once the mixture is totally cool (you don’t want the chocolate to melt), stir in the chunks of ChocoPerfection. Use to frost cupcakes. Makes 12 large cupcakes.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Cookie Dough Cupcake = 391 calories, 26g fat, 4g protein, 35.1g carbs, 1.3g fiber (33.8 effective carbs)
“Healthified” Cookie Dough Cupcake = 267 calories, 26g fat, 5g protein, 4.8g carbs, 2.5g fiber (2.3 effective carbs)