Patrice Smith's Blog

Failed New Year's Resolutions Aren't Bad, here's why...
Another new year is here and you promised yourself that you would not make any more resolutions. You have become sick and tired of the one you make EVERY YEAR.  You know the one.  The one about loosing weight/finances/etc..  You have read or heard about countless occasions of people never achieving their resolution goals.  I know, I read it too.  And while this is true, I still can not say that they are completely useless. 
Since I mentioned the weight loss one, I think that is the one I will expand upon.  Plus this is one of my passions if you don't already know, so I'm sticking with it

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING…
CAUTION:  Recognize that the holidays are coming.  This could potentially be a time when you might gain more weight because of the overabundance of sugary and fatty foods.  The time period for this weight gain is generally from Halloween (Oct. 31st) up to New Year’s Day-~8 weeks.  Typically, many can easily gain 10 lbs. during this time.  This is not hard to do because all you have to do is gain ~1 lb. a week and at the beginning of the year you could be 10 lbs. heavier.  And if you don’t do anything about it, after 5 years of this you could easily be 50 lbs. heavier.   Putting you at risk for some major health issues.



10 Ways To AVOID WEIGHT GAIN During the Holidays


1.        Decide if you want to avoid gaining weight .  You need to make a conscious choice that you will work extremely hard to avoid gaining weight
2.       Know where you stand .  Weigh yourself and/or try on a piece of clothing to have a baseline.  Try on this garment or check your weight regularly during this time period.  If your garment is becoming tighter or if you notice a 3-5 lb. weight gain, this is your warning that you may need to cut back on some foods.  Because it is usually colder during this season and you are wearing more clothing it can become very easy to not notice the results of unhealthy eating.
3.       Keep your same eating style(or eat healthier) during these times.  Eat the same portion sizes, even if you are eating sweet treats.  So this may mean eating a lighter breakfast in order to include an additional dessert for instance.
4.       Plan on doing additional workouts (movement) prior to social engagements where there will be unhealthy foods.  It could be as simple as going for a few walks during the week prior to the event.  This will help balance out some of the eating if you choose to indulge.
5.       Use a food calculator .  It will help you see how much you are eating and help you make better choices.  It will even allow you to eat those desired foods without additional weight gain.  I like Myfitnesspal or Caloriecount apps/websites.

6.     After eating an unhealthy meal add some activity.  Playing games with children/family like using the Wii game Just Dance or again taking a walk.  It helps with food digestion and burns off some of those extra calories.
7.       Don’t eat unhealthy for more than 2 consecutive days at a time .  So after 2 days try to incorporate healthy eating i.e.  fruits and vegetables to help achieve balance.  Additionally, avoid taking home unhealthy leftovers and overcooking during this season as much as possible.  Basically don't overindulge for 2 months.  

8.       Eat vegetables/fruits FIRST when you are attending these social eating functions .  This again will help fill you up and satisfy you so that you do not overeat.  This does not mean you cannot eat the treats at the event but it will again aid you in creating balance.

9.       Avoid going to these social functions hungry.   When you are hungry you tend to make poor food choices.  You will eat things that you would otherwise bypass were you not famished.

10.   Be selective .  If you don’t like a dish or if an unhealthy dish is not your favorite, try to avoid it.  It is the holidays and you may have been looking forward to some of your favorites.  But try to limit it to your favorites instead of spending your calories on other foods that are not as desirable to you.
Based on above:  Make yourself a few promises during this time, because you are worth it.  You do not have to do all ten, just pick one or two.  Examples could be…1) Promise to take a walk or do some form of activity at least _____  times per week.  2) Promise yourself to eat ____ healthy dishes a week.  3) Promise not to go over _____ lbs.
Remember the holidays are about more things than food, so focus on them too i.e. family, fun, fellowship, friends, etc.
Eat to live, don't live to eat!
To learn more about us visit www.realfoodisrealgood.com

Now is  the time of year when winter squash is very inexpensive.  A lot of people use squash for decorations during the holiday and fall season.  For this reason squash can be very reasonably priced because it is currently in season.  So I suggest you stock up on the squash.  The squash can be used for two purposes.  You can use them to decorate your home.  For example they make great table decorations.

Tablescape:  Decoration and Dinner

Once you are done with your tablescape you can also use the squash for food as well. The great thing about winter squash is that they will keep for months without going bad.  The common choices are pumpkins, acorn, butternut squash, and others.  So when you see these items at a reasonable price, stock up! The other day I bought 4 and they were .79 each, not per pound, but each! Therefore size was not a factor, so that's a great deal.  You can stock up, cook and freeze some of your prepared meals for later.

So once you buy them what can you do with them?  Well there are many ways to cook squash. Below is a recipe for a great squash soup.

Squash Soup

Ingredients
2 small to average size squash (I used 1 butternut squash and 1 acorn squash, so you can even mix them)
3-4 small apples or pears peeled and sliced
1 tsp. of each nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon each
1 tbsp. coconut oil (optional)
1-2 tbsp. sweetener like maple syrup or honey (optional)

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Bake your squash by adding the squash to a glass dish with approximately 1-2 inches of water for approximately 1 1/2 hours.
3.  Cut open the squash and scoop out the seeds and stringy material and discard.
4.  Add squash to the blender.  Do not add the out layer skin, discard that as well.
5.  Add the apples to the blender.
6.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender.
7.  Blend well.  Taste.  If you want more flavor add more seasonings in the same amounts as above.  Be careful of adding too much nutmeg and allspice
8.  Serve warm.
9.  Optional:  Top with glazed or roasted chopped nuts.

*This recipe can be made and frozen to eat later.

For more great recipes check us out on www.realfoodisrealgood.com.

Tablescape picture from Jenniferbrouwerdesign.com/blog, used by searching bing for free commercial pictures available.

A lot of people ask me about carbohydrates or carbs or I hear a lot of people having confusion about carbs and how they work.

First of all you have to know the difference when people are talking about carbs.  Are they talking about simple or complex?  Please note the following blog post is about carbs and not other foods like meat and eggs (protein sources) which usually do not have any carbs.

CARBS
According to Wikipedia  "In food science and in many informal contexts, the term carbohydrate often means any food that is particularly rich in the complex carbohydrate starch (such as cereals, bread and pasta) or simple carbohydrates, such as sugar (found in candy, jams, and desserts)."

Typically if it's sweet/sugar, then it may be a carbohydrate food.  Now there are some foods that you can easily taste the sweetness and know right away that this is a carbohydrate food like honey, sweet peas, corn, sweet potatoes, etc.  But there are other foods that you can't taste the sweetness but still have sugar like zucchini or cabbage.  This is why carbohydrates can be confusing.

For instance, I have on many occasions asked people about their sugar intake and they will say..."Oh I don't eat a lot of sugar, I rarely eat junk food."  But later in our discussion I find that they eat lots of enriched pasta, white bread, rice, etc.  These foods also fit in the the carbohydrate/sweet category.

COMPLEX VS. SIMPLE

Complex carbs you can think of them as complicated, meaning they are foods that are more complicated in their makeup.  Generally they have fiber and other nutrients as well and they take longer to digest because of their complexity.  This is a good thing!  These foods keep you full longer and will lessen your need or desire to eat more.  Carbs in general are satisfying and are a considered brain food.  Therefore eliminating carbs altogether is not a good idea.  I sometimes say carbs are like getting a hug on the inside...lol.  Also another very important thing to note is complex carbs generally DO NOT cause your blood sugar to spike as much as simple carbs.

Simple carbs are different, they are generally void of fiber and are basic or simple in their makeup. When you ingest these foods, and if  you do not use them as fuel right away, they immediately get stored as fat because they process through the body very quickly.  These foods are not a good idea...typically if you do not plan to burn them off, these are the foods you should try to avoid.

EXAMPLES OF COMPLEX AND SIMPLE CARBS

Complex carbs as food examples can be brown rice, oatmeal,  starchy vegetables like sweet and white potatoes, whole grains, beans, green leafy vegetables, the skins of most fruits,  etc.

A list of complex carbs can be found here:


Simple carbs as food examples can be ENRICHED pasta, white rice, sugary foods like sugary cereals and things we typically call junk food like chips and cookies.    These foods cause your sugar levels to spike.  These foods are just that, too simple.  They are not challenging for the body's digestion and immediately turn to fat because let's face it, most people are not using donuts are a pre-workout snack.  So these foods should not be in your diet or they should limited!  You can find a way to still eat sweets but try to do it in a more creative way.  For instance, try eating warmed apples slices topped with cinnamon and sprinkled with crushed up nuts.  This would be much better than a donut.

CARBS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL
Here is another area that can cause confusion and give carbs, even complex carbs a bad reputation. Just because a food is considered a complex carb you still have to consider other factors about that food.  For instance, bananas and sweet potatoes are good examples.  This foods are complex. Bananas, for instance, have fiber and are a great source of potassium but they are also extremely high in sugar and have a higher carb count.  So although, bananas are healthy you may want to be mindful how many/much you consume.  When I was heavier, bananas were my go to desert, but as I get closer to my goal weight I've found that I have to limit my intake.  So if you ask me are bananas bad to eat?  Then my answer is, it depends.  If you are trying to lose weight, are diabetic, etc.  Then you may want to limit.  You probably do not want to consume more than 1 small banana per day (earlier in the day).  If you are a bodybuilder, you may avoid them altogether.  Remember, carbs keep your body from turning your stored fat into energy.  Lastly, and this is very important, especially if you are diabetic, you may need to consider looking into a carbs glycemic index (GI).  Glycemic index and load are numbers that indicates how much a food will spike your blood sugar.  Spiked blood sugar is not good for anyone, but especially dangerous for diabetics.  Check out the following link to see a list of foods with their GI listings.  This should help you rank your complex carbs, so you know which ones have lower number of carbs and therefore which ones are better for you to consume more of. This website linked here is a small list, to see your exact food search google.com.


CARBS ARE GREAT BUT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE TO NOT OVEREAT THEM
When you are trying to lose weight you want to make sure you do not consume too many.  This can be especially hard to do if you eat a vegan/vegetarian diet.  So if you choose to follow this type of diet make sure you are not getting a lot of calories from simple carbs.


WHEN TO EAT CARBS
This has become my personal preference.  I eat carbs at every meal, but I eat foods that are higher in carbs like rice, quinoa, beans, etc. earlier in the day.  I generally eat my leafy green vegetable carbs in the evening.  The reason I do this is it allows me to have most of the day to digest those higher sugar carbs and burn them off.  Someone who is a athlete or who plans on doing an marathon soon may chose to do the opposite. They may "carb load" a few days before their event.  "Carb Loading" is when you eat a large amount of carbs so that you can utilize them for an upcoming physical activity. There are times when you need an abundant amount of fuel and a marathon is a great example. Carbs, in this case are ideal because it doesn't take the body quite as long to turn carbs into fuel as it does stored fat.  If you do not fit in this category (running a marathon) and you want to lose weight then I suggest you do as I mentioned above, eating only the amount of carbs you need for the day. Base your intake on your activity level.

WHY YOU SHOULD LIMIT CARBS
The reason you want to limit them with weight lose specifically is because carbs are a such a great fuel source your body will use/burn carbs first.  Carbs are easier for the body to turn into fuel, so if you take in a lot of carbs your body will not use your stored fat as fuel EVER.  So if you desire to lose weight you will never achieve weight lose because of your abundant carbohydrate intake.  So be mindful of your intake.

Limiting carbohydrate may not sound like much fun.  Simple carbs are basically our 'comfort foods' and you may feel like I don't want to have to give up my carbs.  Well if you become diabetic this is what the nutritionist will tell you, you will HAVE NO CHOICE but to limit your intake of these foods.  So why not do it now, on your own, while you have a choice.

SUMMARY

Everyone is different because of gender, height, and weight so the amount of carbohydrate grams you need will vary.  One easy way to know if you are taking in too many carbs is weight lose.  If you are actively trying to lose weight and it is not happening for you, this is the first place you should look...ask yourself am I eating a lot of white bread, junk food, etc?  If you cut back and eat more vegetables you should see better results.  To know specially how much you need try using a calorie calculator app or website like MyfitnessPal and or www.caloriecount.com.

CONFUSED???
In conclusion, carbs may still be confusing to you, especially if you are just starting out.  If it is, try not to worry about carbs, protein, and fats yet but concentrate on EATING THE RAINBOW (especially your green vegetables) and limiting your junk food intake, increasing your water intake.  If you do this you will make progress.

The holiday season is almost over and you feel SLUGGISH...you ate WAAAAYYY too much. You gained ALOT of weight.    Your clothes are SNUG.  You are dreading your doctor visit already because you know what he/she will say.  You feel completely OVERWHELMED and you just don't know where to BEGIN.  And to top it off, you hate the thought of exercise of any kind.  You don't feel like moving but yet you know you have to do something.
So what do you do?  Just like a small seed can grow into something worthwhile, you can achieve your health goals by STARTING SMALL .  


1.  YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO SOMETHING BIG TO SEE BIG RESULTS:  You don't have to go and get brand new work out clothes and shoes or join a gym.  You don't have to eat salads everyday, etc. to achieve results.  START WHERE YOU ARE.  Make a small change and grow from there.  How about focusing on getting a good night's sleep?  What about eating more (NOT ONLY) vegetables?  What about taking a walk after dinner (no new shoes required)?  Try doing something small and over time you will see results!
2.  DON'T GO SPENDING MONEY ON THE LATEST AND GREATEST DIETS/GADGETS ETC.  You already know what to do.  You know vegetables are better for you then donuts, so start there.  You don't want to give up the donuts completely?  Then don't, just eat less donuts and more vegetables. You already know that exercise is good for you, so just start walking for as long as you are able.  Walking a little is better then nothing.
3.  THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO BEGIN:  You have to start somewhere.  You have to actually begin.  You may need to support.  Having a buddy is great, someone to support you while trying to make a change.  Try looking for someone who is already meeting their health goals and try to enlist their help and support.  They can be a good resource for encouragement and tips.  So no more procrastination, just get up and start!
4.  DIET IS WHERE THE CHANGE WILL OCCUR:  You can not outperform a poor diet, is a popular saying.  It is very true.  Although, you may see results with a good workout plan, in order to see better and lasting results having a good diet is important.  This does not mean that you have to stop eating everything that you currently know and love.  Instead of thinking that you have to diet, trying thinking of it as adding healthy choices to what you are currently doing.  This makes for a win win situation.  Overtime you may gravitate toward the healthy items because you like how they make you feel.  The healthy items will give you the fuel that you need in order to get the best results from a workout or to function in general.  It is not normal to have to take medicine in order to digest your food.  It is not normal to always feed bad after a meal.  If you are having these issues you should consider examining what you eat.


SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?  THE NEXT MOVE IS YOURS.

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Now they're everywhere and cheap. I usually buy about 5 bags to last until next year. I occasionally make cranberry sauce. But I mostly use them to put in my smoothie bags.

Note: They're EXTREMELY BITTER so a little goes along way.

Tonight we did a Healthy Holiday Cooking/Eating event at SonRISE Therapy.  We are so grateful for Dr. Sonja Shavers for letting us come and teach a class.  Here are a few tips from the evening:Eat Only The Foods You DesirePrepare and Have a Plan for out of town visits.  Where will you or what will you eat on those non-holiday days?Eat slowly/savor your food.Bring something that you know you can eat to the eventPlus many more tips and ideas...

GOOD ONES TO WATCHCNBC Originals: One Nation OverweightFed UpFat Sick and Nearly DeadForks Over KnivesFood MattersHungry For ChangeKiller At Large Gerson MiracleSoul Food Junkies
 OTHERSForks Over Knives Presents: The Engine 2 Kitchen RescueTo Market to Market to Buy a Fat PigKing CornVegucatedColony (about why bees are imp.)A River of WasteSave The FarmFood Beware : The French Organic RevolutionTappedBag ItDiveThe GardenFarmageddon
NOT ON NETFLIXSupersize MeWhy Christians Get Sick book written by george malkmusWheat Belly book by Dr. Davis or visit his website a thttp://www.wheatbellyblog.com/Chow Down at http://www.hulu.com/#!search?q=chow+downhttps://www.youtube.com/user/thetruthaboutcancer

Step One:  Begin this process about a month or two before planting (~January/February).  Start by taking a sweet potato and cutting off about a inch of the bottom. 
Add the cut sweet potato to a cup of water.  Use toothpicks to keep the entire potato from falling into the water.

Step Two:  Place the cup where you would any indoor plant and make sure the water level stays high enough to touch the sweet potato (see picture below). Note the stringy hairs that are growing at the bottom of the sweet potato.  
Also note the important sprouts that are coming out of the top of the sweet potato. This is the beginning formation of your sweet potato plants that you will plant in your garden once they become larger. (~end of March/beginning April or a little later, check guide below).

Step Three:  Cut off the individual plants/slips and plant in your garden as you would any other transplant/seedling.  



Step Four:  The plant will need water, sunlight, and weeding just like any other garden plant.  
Note: The sweet potato plant is very "viney" so you will need lots of room for each plant.  Also you can eat/cook the green leaves as your potato plant grows, just pick some of the leaves from time to time.

Step Five:  Harvest at the beginning of October.  For larger potatoes let them stay in the ground up until Thanksgiving. Perfect time to have these potatoes around the holidays.



Note:  This information should work for those who live in plant zones 7-11. Please verify your zone to be sure.



 More Information on growing sweet potatoes
Real Food Is Real Good web page

Our kids may not like or want to eat healthy.  They may bark at all the vegetables and downright refuse to eat them.  Even if that is the case we still have to show them the right way.  There are a lot of things our kids do not want do willingly.  Yes, it can be hard and frustrating.  

But we have to remember that we are their teachers.  They learn how to do a lot of things from us.  They even learn how and what to eat from us.  I know they may eat a lot of junk food now and getting them to eat a carrot almost takes a miracle.  

Even so, we have to keep at it because when they are adults they will remember.  They will remember the dishes you cooked, you know the ones they hate now.  They will remember the foods you purchased.  They will remember the fruit laying on the table. While they may not do all the things you taught or showed them, some of the things will stick.  So be encouraged and keep offering them the good things too, even if they don't want it.  

Keep offering them those healthy foods, drinks, etc. they will eventually take a sip. 

Like Mother, Like Daughter
Proverbs 22:66 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Real Food Is Real Good webpage