How's your Spring Cleaning going?   I know, "Spring Cleaning" typically means changing your closet from Winter attire to Summer, and dusting off the flip flops and t-shirts and shorts to enjoy the warmer weather.  And that's all good~but what about your Spring Cleansing?  Have you considered changing your eating habits so that you feel lighter and happier?  Do you want to have more energy (to workout more, right?!) or just look and feel better about yourself.

You know what they say, "Getting healthy starts at Moirasfitness studio, but losing weight starts in the kitchen!"

Apple cider vinegar has many healing qualities and keeps your food-intake pH-balanced.  It's so good for you, that it's truly necessary to share this information:

Hippocrates used apple cider vinegar around 400 BC because of its health properties.  It's made from fresh apples which are later fermented and contains pectin, a fiber that regulates blood pressure.  Apple cider vinegar also helps extract calcium from certain foods, therefore strengthening bones.  It's rich in potassium, which removes toxic waste from the body.

Right on time for the Holidays~from Womens Health magazine…with a little bit of help from Mo;)
 

Apples 
An apple a day may keep the fat pants away, too. This portable fruit is the perfect snack, with a high water content and both kinds of weight-busting fiber: soluble, which helps prevent blood sugar spikes that lead to cravings, and insoluble, which helps fill you up.  Tip:  Buy organic!!

Eggs                                                         They're a great source of protein, which may be key to keeping you full. A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that when people ate two eggs for breakfast, they took in more than 400 fewer calories over the next 24 hours than when they ate bagels.  It will help you feel full longer.  Tip:  Try Egglands Best eggs.

According to the book, Super Immunity, "The key to obtaining incredible health is to eat more fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and other nutrient-rich foods.  Consuming these nutrients in their raw form will give the maximum benefit."

What does this mean?

to do list:

1.  Eat a large salad every day

2.  Buy some raw nuts and seeds~stick 'em in your glove compartment, stash some in your desk at work…have good stuff accessible 

3.  Eat green vegetables every day, raw or cooked~add some in to soups, or stews

not to do list:

I don't know about you…but I have heard a lot about organic foods, and why they are better…but then I look at the prices in the grocery stores and wonder, "Is it really worth it?!"  "Can I start now, and will it make a difference?"

Here are some foods that have the highest pesticides…always buy "organic:"

* celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale, cherries, potatoes, grapes.

click here to view "The Ten Foods To Avoid and Why."

http://www.mercola.com/infographics/10-banned-foods.htm

This is according to The Boston Globe's "G" section today….the Annals of Internal Medicine randomly assigned 150 people to follow either a low fat or low carbohydrate diet plan, and found that those who followed the first choice -- low carbohydrates -- lost 8 more pounds than the low fat plan.

But what kinds of "carbohydrates" and "fats" were they using?   And how much physical activity were these candidates doing?  You need carbs to move.  You need healthy fats to digest.  An overall combination of carbs, fats and proteins is the best choice.   

There's so much to keep track of these days with recommended nutritional guidelines...Should you watch your carbs, fats, sugars or gluten?   Everything in moderation, of course but here are a few ideas for you with your nutrition:

Gluten is found in wheat, barley, flour and (some) oats and tends to bind up the system, increase inflammation and enhance fatigue.   Bottom line, do what's right for you, but you may want to eat fewer cereals, breads and pastas for a week and see how you feel!

Halloween!  Reeces, Kit Kats, Milky Ways, Snickers.  You stop into CVS for a quick bottle of shampoo and you find yourself staring at the front display.  Do you really have so many trick-or-treaters?  I know, I know, it may get the best of you--but remember we're all in this together!  Stay strong!  Save the Reeces for the kids and nibble on some dark chocolate….  Don't let those ghosts and goblins scare you!

November 1st also means the start of later Fall.  Dark mornings, darker evenings…and you want a cozy meal when you arrive home after a long day.  How do you fit in the healthy eating component to your life?  Time management, my friends.