Take the Effort Out of Eating Less

Whenever you start a diet, it not only takes a lot of physical energy since you usually start an exercise program as well, but it takes mental energy to plan meals and make an effort to NOT eat the things you know you shouldn't. It can be hard, and quite often diets go down the drain because of a lapse in your judgment.
According to Brian Wansink, PhD., author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, we can eat less without even realizing it. Here is how!
1. Serve meals on nine- to ten-inch plates. Any smaller and you'll be going back for seconds; larger, and you'll pile on more to begin with.
2. Take the serving bowls off the table! The only exception: the ones containing vegetables.
3. Drink from a skinny glass. Your mind perceives height more readily than width, so you'll think you had more.
4. Choose a small serving spoon: In one Cornell study, participants ate 11 percent less ice cream when they used a petite scoop.
5. Control your environment—if the room in which you eat is too bright and loud, or too dark and quiet, you'll tend to eat more because you become overstimulated or linger too long at the table.

Beat the Afternoon Slump!

This probably sounds familiar: 4pm roles around and your body is tired, your head hurts and you feel like you should be getting into bed instead of putting in another hour of work or running your kids to soccer practice. When body temperature decreases, many mental and cognitive skills wane as well. "Body temperature rises in the morning, peaks around noon or one o'clock, and then, in the afternoon, drops slightly," says Michael Smolensky, Ph.D., director of the Center for Chronobiology and Chronotherapeutics at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. Typically, between 5 and 7 P.M. your temperature and energy peak again; from there they gradually decline, dropping you into sleep at night.
There are much better solutions to this problem than to reach for sugar or caffeine. Here are a few:
- Get a good night's sleep: eight hours a night is the recommendation...so make an effort to get than in as often as you can.
- Eat small, nutritious meals: if you aren't eating breakfast, that is definitely playing a part in your fatigue. Also, if you are eating too big of a lunch with too many carbs, you will get tired in the afternoon. Try keeping it a moderate size and getting some good protein with minimal carbs. That will help keep you energy up
- Take a little walk: exercise energizes you, even if you think you are too tired to do anything. Especially going outside and getting some sunlight can help
- Manage your tasks: Try to organize your to do list so you do the things that require the most mind and energy strength in the morning, and the less demanding tasks in the afternoon.

No one likes the afternoon slump, but there are things we can do every day to help increase our productivity during that time. Take a power nap if you need to, and do your part to enhance your energy!

After School Snack

Summer is coming to an end and school, if it hasn't already started, is right around the corner. And going back to school brings the ever famous after school snack. It's a time to relax, a time to talk with your kids and fill their growling tummies! But more than that, it can be an opportunity to help your kids eat the stuff that is good for them too! Here are some snack ideas that your kids are sure to love, and you might even find yourself sitting down and snacking with them too.
Pizza bagels: Coat a mini bagel with tomato sauce, shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of garlic powder and oregano
Green Drink: In a blender, mix together 3 handfuls of frozen spinach, a handful of your favorite berry, a sliced banana and low-fat milk. (The more milk you add, the thinner it will be)You'll get some veggies AND it tastes delicious!
Yogurt Parfait: In a small glass, layer plain yogurt, some berries and a little granola. Go easy on the granola, because it is calorie dense. This is a great snack because it is packed full of good protein and carbs from the berries.
Mini Cracker Snackers: Use your favorite whole grain cracker and top it with a small slice of cheese and turkey! They are fun to eat and so tastey
Chips & Salsa: Whole grain chips and a fresh salsa! Always a great idea. Or you can even make your own fresh salsa, that way you control how hot it is and which veggies are in it
Fruit & Peanut Butter: With either a sliced banana or apple, have a little peanut butter to dip them in. Try to eat the natural peanut butter, or you can even try almond butter, which is a great substitute for peanut butter.
Trail Mix: Mix together your favorite nut (or more than one), some dried berries, crunched up pretzels and some toasted granola. Delicious!
Ants on a Log: Cut up slices of celery, fill them with peanut butter and top with some raisins (the ants). Fun and yummy!

These are just some ideas. Try to think of some of your own, and just incorporate a fruit or veggie and some good protein to keep them full. Kids like to use their hands and eat mini things, so think about that when coming up with some ideas. Happy snacking!