5 ways to eat less junk food

All it takes is a little creativity & creativity.

1) Go cold turkey, and have a plan
Going cold turkey might be for you if you're not good at moderation or self-limiting. If you just decide that you are completely going to stop eating junk food, make sure that you have a snack plan.  Are you going to eat fruit instead? Other great options are homemade snacks, healthy crackers, or nuts. You can also try drinking water.


2) Don't keep junk food in your house
If it's not in your home, you (or your housemates or family members) won't go to it as a default.  Again, it's helpful here to have healthy, replacement snacks for when you need to nosh.

3)Ban the vending machine
If you tend to eat the majority of your junk food at work where there is a vending machine, make a rule for yourself that the vending machine is off-limits.

4) Learn how to make your own sweets & savories
Make a rule for yourself that the only snacks you're allowed to have are ones that are home made.  In my household, we've spent several years cultivating our cooking skills.  Instead of boxed cookies and crackers, we now eat homemade granola, homemade cocoa and mocha, lots of fresh fruit and yogurt, homemade fruit & nut bars, fresh whole-grain banana bread, nuts, cheese, homemade coconut-date rolls, house made oat squares, homemade dips, and healthier no-bake cookies.  (I promise to post more of these recipes soon!)

5) Buy snacks that are minimally processed
If you know you aren't going to cook and you want some healthy options for snacks, you can still buy them.  These options are certainly more expensive than regular junk food, but they're also more satisfying and filling.  Great options for savories are Mary's Gone Crackers, Dr Kracker, crispbread, nuts or sprouted bread.  For sweets, fresh fruit and dried fruit are excellent options.  Organic Dark chocolate is low in sugar and has health benefits if eaten in moderation--great brands are green & black, taza, Theo, Equal Exchange, and Scharffen Berger

Related Posts: Which Sweetener is best?, 6 ways to reduce your sugar consumption, 10 ways to reduce portion sizes

The basics: Want to lose weight or get healthier? Stop eating junk food.

And he wonders why he's not seeing results.

At the risk of saying something very, very basic this week...I'm going to say it anyway.

If you're trying to lose weight, or just trying to be healthier, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to cut out the crap.

I tend to write a lot about what TO eat, instead of what not to eat, because,  that wI find that way of thinking about making changes is the most effective.  But you can eat produce, healthy fats and good protein till the cows come home.  If you're still eating junk food, your health and your weight will suffer.

Junk food--even the salty kind--spikes your blood sugar and creates an irregular metabolism, causing your body to create insulin and eventually fat.  The sugar-free stuff is full of chemicals that your liver processes as toxins, impeding its ability to metabolize the food efficiently.  (These foods still cause your body to create fat, as well as cause all kinds of other health problems.)  We know for sure that eating junk food taxes your heart and your gut, and there is increasing evidence to show that eating it also taxes your brain.

We all occasionally have treats, but unfortunately the cycle that most Americans are on is a stress-eating cycle.  We are anxious, stressed, overworked, or underslept, and as a result we feel tired.  We "reward" ourselves for surviving the tough time or the exhaustion by eating garbage and calling it a treat.  The problem is that we do this every day or even multiple times a day.   Junk food is addicting, so when your taste buds and your stomach have some of it, they both crave more.  

A great goal is to wean yourself off sweets and junk snacks so that treats are just that--something special that you eat upon occasion (not even for once a day.)

Here is a basic list of things you should work to take out of your diet.

potato chips
corn chips
chip-like products such as cheetos
fried vegetable snacks (they are actually chips)
soda
diet soda
bottled drinks like sweet tea, energy drinks, etc
bottled juices and juice drinks
packaged cookies
most packaged crackers
microwaved popcorn
candy
candy bars
fruit snacks
packaged cakes like little debbies or twinkies
packaged pastries like poptarts or toaster strudels
packaged donuts and cakes from the deli like entenmenn's
most ice creams
packaged popsicles (even the juice ones are full of HFCS)
ice cream products (in the novelty aisle at the grocery store or from a ice cream truck)
cupcakes
muffins
donuts
fast food


Remember: the bulk of your grocery shopping should be done in the perimeter of the store.  You want to be buying the fresh foods, not the packaged ones.


Have you had success reducing the amount of junk food that you eat?  If so, I would love to hear how you did it!  Post here if you're comfortable, or email me.

10 ways to hydrate in hot weather

Is this what your body feels like today?

Here in the Northeast, we've hit some scorching weather.  In order to take care of yourself in this heat, it is crucial that you hydrate.  You don't just lose water when you sweat, you also lose salts.

Although it's true that most Americans eat too much sodium through processed foods, salt itself is not inherently unhealthy. In fact, your body needs salt in order to function properly and in order to absorb the fluids that you are drinking.  When you are dehydrated, replacing salt in the body is just as important as replacing water.  (You don't need much, but you do need some.)

The important thing to remember is that if you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated.  In order to not get sick from the heat, you need to be replacing the fluid in your body at a rate faster than that of your thirst.

Here are some tips on keeping yourself hydrated and healthy during this heat. I recommend trying several of them in tandem.

1) Keep a big water bottle or pitcher by your desk
Most of us forget to drink water while we're working.  We get sucked into a project, and before we know it, it's 3 hours later and we're thirsty.  Nip this in the bud by preparing for your day with a big pitcher or bottle of water nearby.  This way you don't have to remember to get up.

2) Stay clear of caffeine.
Caffeine in coffee, tea, or soda will dehydrate you faster.

3)Drink Mineral Water or Seltzer Water
Mineral water often has naturally-occurring salts that will help replenish the electrolytes you've lost from sweating.  Although seltzer water doesn't have salts, I find that the bubbles  and flavor make it an easy way to drink more water.  Stay clear of sparkling water that has sugar added or zero-calorie sweetener.

4) Add fruit and a sprinkle of sea salt to your water
The salt will help you absorb the water faster, and the fruit will give your water a little flavor.  This can be done with lots of fruits (and even some veggies!) If you're new to this, try the following: lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, melon, mint, cucumber, celery, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, or experiment with your own.

5) Drink Coconut water (or add Coconut water to your water)
Coconut water has natural electrolytes which will allow you to hydrate faster.

6) Drink Herbal Iced Tea
Herbal Iced tea has no caffeine, and also no sugar if you can find a place that makes it from scratch.  Herbal iced tea is refreshing over ice, and can help you drink water faster.  (Insider tip: my friendly Starbucks Barista told me this morning that they can brew ANY of their herbal teas iced if you're willing to wait.  Booyah!)

7) Try drinking Ultima
We drink this in my house instead of sports drinks because it does not spike blood sugar, but still supplies the body with electrolytes.  We buy ours through amazon. (Subcribe & Save, baby!)

8) In a pinch, drink a Sports Drink
As you know by now, I believe that sweet things should be saved as a treat and that treats should not be consumed every day.  Sports drinks like Gatorade and Vitamin Water have TONS of sugar, and should also not be drank every day.  Consuming excessive amounts of sugar ABSOLUTELY leads to weight gain, obesity, and diabetes.  That being said, I do occasionally drink these.  The sugar is not good for you and the electrolytes are synthetic, but if the choice is a sports drink or passing out, the sports drink is a better choice.  If you must, use one of these drinks to get you through until you can get to one of the other options mentioned above.  Don't drink multiple of these drinks per day, as they are ultimately very bad for your health.

9) Eat Fruit
Naturally juicy with lot of healthy fiber.  Eating fruit will help your body get fluid naturally.

10) Eat Sushi!
If you like sushi, you're in luck.  The humid weather is the perfect time for eating soy sauce. The salt will help your body replenish electrolytes that it's lost from sweating.  So enjoy, but don't forget the water.

6 ways to reduce your sugar consumption

I can't emphasize enough the importance of reducing your sugar consumption.   Eating less sugar will reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and being overweight.  Eating less sugar will stabilize your metabolism, help your gut create an environment for good bacteria and improve overall digestion.  Additionally, reducing your sugar consumption will greatly improve your mood.  As I wrote a few weeks ago, your ultimate goal should be to reduce your treats to less than one per day, but if you're currently a multiple-treats-per-day person, start with the goal of going down to one a day instead.

Indulged in a few too many cookies, did we?

1) Eat Grains or Veggies, Protein, and Healthy Fats for Breakfast
The easiest way to reduce your sugar cravings are to start the day off WITHOUT sugar, and without foods that your body turns to sugar.  That means choosing not to eat sweets or cereal (even the "whole-grain" kind) and instead eating whole foods that your body will digest slowly.  Examples of grains that make good breakfast are steel cut oats or quinoa.  This fast and easy steel cut oats recipe was just shared with me by one of my readers. Farm fresh eggs are also an excellent choice (pastured chicken with access to its natural omnivore diet is by far the best).  If you need to be quick in the morning, try making hard boiled eggs  or roasted vegetables ahead of time.   Great examples of healthy fats are unrefined coconut oil (you could add a bit of it into your jars of oats!), olive oil, sesame oil, or grass-fed butter.  The fiber in the grains or the vegetables combined with the healthy fat will give your body something to be satisfied on for several hours.

2) Replace Afternoon Sweets with Fruit
Try eating fruit in the afternoon instead of reaching for cookies or candy. If you work, this will mean bringing fruit choices to work with you, and being prepared to say "no" when someone else at work offers you junk food.  While it's true that there is natural sugar in fruit, it also has fiber, which helps to slow down your body's metabolism and improve digestion.

3) Keep a Big Bowl of Fruit on the Table at Home
While you're at it, buy more fruit than usual this week and keep it in a big bowl on the table at home.  When you roam to the kitchen foraging for a snack, let that fruit be your first option.  Although a couple of the pieces of fruit may go bad by the end of the week, that is much better than having not bought fruit and having eaten cookies and candy all week instead.

4) Eat Dark Chocolate
Eat real dark chocolate--72% or higher, and organic is best, up to three times per week.  Obviously, the chocolate REPLACES other sweets you might be eating, and moderation is key.  But really good dark chocolate, eaten in moderation, actually has health benefits.  You can also get benefits from Cocoa powder, which has no sugar in also naturally high in fiber.   (My most recent chocolate recipe is here.)

5) Stop Drinking Juice
Piggybacking on the soda discussion, Juice is essentially sugar water.  Unlike eating the whole piece of fruit, drinking juice has few nutrients, no fiber and is all sugar.  Find ways to drink less juice, either by diluting it heavily with seltzer, or by switching beverage of choice to iced herbal tea, milk, or water.

6) Go Homemade
A friend of mine has a rule in her home that the only time her family can eat sweets is when they make them.  If you are someone who tends to eat a lot of packaged cookies or cakes, this rule could really benefit you.  By making your own foods, you're likely to eat less of it. You can also control how much you make by choosing to make a half-batch or to give some of it away. And, when you make it, you control the amount and kind of sweetener in the recipe, and you actually have to exert physical effort in order to get the treat.  (Although the calories burned cooking certainly don't make up for the ones you'll be consuming, you will be getting more physical activity than you would have just grabbing a packaged treat.)

Which Sweetener is best?

A question sent by one of my readers:


Lately I've been wondering about the healthiest sweeteners.  It seems like there are a lot of options nowadays--stevia, honey, agave nectar, probably some I've never heard of--and I don't know much about what is good for you, besides that good ol' Dominos isn't the best option.  I know that many artificial sweeteners can be carcinogens and I try to avoid them in general because of IBS as well.  

The best raw honey still has pollen in it.

Well, there are a few things you should know about sugar and sugar alternatives.


The first is, that one of the best things you can do for your health is to reduce your consumption of sugar.  One of the reasons that drinking less soda is so important--even if it's diet--is because the taste of sweet things makes us crave more sweet things.  You probably know this from your own habits.  If your breakfast is sweet, you're more likely to eat additional sugar throughout the day. Additionally, many sugar cravings come from not eating enough healthy fat.  If you are trying to eat less sweets, try putting more healthy fats into your diet and see if that helps to curb the cravings.


Don't get me wrong--we all eat treats.  But making it your goal to only eat them occasionally (as in not even once a day) will vastly improve your health and support your weight loss goals if you have them.


Secondly, if you do want to have sweet things, there are some healthier choices that you can make. You want to steer your choices toward the least processed sugars available. So, if you are baking, better to use raw honey, maple syrup, or molasses than white sugar. If you must use sugar, go for small amounts of the least processed one you can fine.  I use wholesome sweeteners or sugar in the raw if I must, but even then will often reduce the sugar in a recipe by half and it's still plenty sweet.  There are also several kinds of less processed sugars that I haven't tried yet--coconut sugar, date sugar. I haven't researched them that much because I just assume they'll be expensive, and if I can focus my energy instead on reducing the overall sugar content on the foods I prepare, it's a win-win.


Cinnamon and healthy fats slow down the blood sugar spike, and help prevent your metabolism from going crazy when you eat sweets.  For example, a home made creme brulle is a much better choice than a package of candy.  Other great dessert choices are stewed apples with cinnamon and cream or dark chocolate (the higher the % cocoa content, the less sugar).  Stay clear of sweets that have been made in a factory.  Again, remember that dessert is a treat, not to be eaten every day.


Ground whole leaf stevia, which is green in color and not white, is an excellent choice for sweetening.  It is much sweeter than sugar and should be used sparingly, but no adverse effects have been found with it.  That being said, I'm a believer in moderation for everything.  You can buy green stevia at Mountain Rose Herbs.


Agave nectar is a highly processed sweetener that is all fructose, and unfortunately is not a better choice than sugar.  (I know, they had me fooled for a while, too.)

5 ways to reduce your soda consumption

More adventures from the never-ending soda aisle.
This week there's been a scandal regarding carcinogenic
properties of caramel color, a ingredient in most colas.

1)  Drink Coffee or Tea instead
If you must drink caffeine, coffee and tea are a better choice than soft drinks. If caffeine isn't your thing, but you still want something with more flavor than water, look for iced herbal teas. They are becoming much more available. (An example is the Starbucks iced passion tea, which has no caffeine at all.)

2)Pick another alcoholic drink of choice
Several of my readers responded to my last blog post on this topic that their alcoholic beverage of choice is made with soda. If this is you, a great way to reduce your soda consumption is to start sampling other mixed drinks--                                                   eventually you'll find something you like that is free of soda.

3)  Simply drink soda less often
If you drink soda every day, try drinking it every other day instead. You won't be depriving yourself of the treat, but you'll be reducing by HALF the number of chemicals and sugars you are consuming.

4)  Drink a spritzer
If you're at a restaurant and want something to wet your whistle, but are trying to avoid soda, ask the bartender to make you a spritzer.  You can just tell them to put ice in a cup, a quarter of the cup with a juice of your choice, and the rest of the cup with soda water. Or you can find a recipe for an even healthier version here.

5) Drink more water
Most people who have a hard time cutting out soda simply don't drink enough water. A simple way to make water easier to drink is by adding natural electrolytes. You can do that by taking a glass of water (or even a pitcher in your fridge), squeezing in the juice from a fruit of your choice, and adding a dash of sea salt. You'll find that you can drink the water much faster and that it's easy to absorb. It can also help to keep the water at room temperature instead of cold in the fridge.

The basics: Stop buying soda

The soda aisle at my local grocery store.
Everything's on sale.

This might seem basic, but I want to write about it because I believe that it's really difficult.

Stop buying soda.  

And make drinking it something that you absolutely only do on occasion.

At the risk of oversimplifying the science, which I am going to do anyway, here's the deal.  Your liver is essentially responsible for two jobs. First, it regulates your blood sugar and metabolism.  When it's doing its job well, you are processing energy efficiently and your body is not creating extra fat. Second, it removes poisons from your system so that you don't get sick from them.

When you consume something really sugary, like soda, your liver works overtime in order to process the sugar.  A series of chemical reactions happens in your body that make it nearly impossible for your liver to regulate your metabolism.  This can lead to all sorts of illness, as you've probably heard.

When you consume chemicals, like the ones in diet soda, your liver understands those chemicals to be poison.  Even if the other food choices you've made are good ones, your liver's ability to work effectively as a metabolism regulator is compensated due to the fact that it is now making its primary function to get poison out of your body.  As such, even though diet soda doesn't have calories in it, drinking it can completely undermine your attempts to balance your blood sugar (and your attempts to lose weight, if that is your goal).

If you really must have caffeine, drink coffee or tea instead.  Sweeten it yourself instead of letting a barista do it, and be conservative.  For you caffeine addicts out there, here's a recipe for making your own low-sugar cafe mocha.