PREP IT OUT

People eat on the go. We eat on the fly. We do what's fast, we eat what's already made. If we have a 30 minute lunch break, we stop at McDonalds to get a burger because it tastes good, and it's fast. Why do you think it's called fast food? But guess what guys...this is what makes people gain weight, maintain weight, and not reach their goals or get that great body. When you eat what's convenient, it's usually bad for you...that's how this country makes money. People buy french fries because they are cheap, they get handed to you in a bag through a window while you sit in your car, and they are deceivingly filling since they're covered in salt and grease. So if you plan ahead for school or you plan ahead for a presentation or work meeting, treat your body like it's also a million dollar deal. Get prepared.

PREP. YOUR. MEALS. This is a tip that has gotten me very far. It's the reason why I feel healthy and energized everyday, it's the reason why I can stay on a path that I've worked hard to get on, it's the reason why I don't spend my day regretting what I just ate for a snack, and it's the reason why I don't overeat. I don't find myself buying packs of pretzels and cereal bars out of hunger when I'm running errands, because I prepare all my meals in advance for the day, I bring what I know I need with me, and I eat on time consistently throughout the day because I have organized containers of my small meals or snacks with me. Being organized like this helps you feel like you're on track with your diet, it helps you feel good about yourself and like you're making progress, and it keeps your diet ON POINT.

This is my snack, or meal #2 everyday while I am
usually out and about. Tuna fish, peppers, avocado
and brussel sprouts. Perfect. Quick. Prepped.

Yes...I'm that weird girl who's in a meeting or a college lecture and pulls a bag of broiled chicken out of her purse. I'm THAT person. I drive around with a shaker bottle filled with protein powder in my cup holder and I take containers of asparagus and broccoli with me. That's how I roll. Remember how I always talk about not caring what other people think? So yeah......I'm sure it catches people off guard when they're sitting in their seat, waiting hungrily for class to end so that they can go and quickly grab a pizza slice and they see me with a plastic fork and pre-made brussel sprouts, but it's a sacrifice you have to make if you're trying to eat throughout the day, eat the right nutrients, and be flexible at the same time. Let me explain my routine, so that you understand what meal prep means.

http://backtoherroots.com/2013/03/21/
how-i-prep-food-for-the-week/

Some people prep all of their meals for the week on weekends, like on Sunday. They go to the store, buy what they need, put it all in the kitchen and store it away. Every morning, I make my breakfast at home...sometimes I've already gone to the gym before breakfast. Then either before my day starts or the night before, I make everything I know I need for that day...I cook some sweet potatoes, I have chicken ready on hand, I slice some peppers and avocado...open a can of tuna. I take containers and fill each one with my different meal and different portions, snap them up, put them in a bag and head out for the day. Since I eat 6-7 meals a day and make sure to eat every 2-3 hours, this is incredibly efficient and I have everything I know I need to eat on hand. You know when you go to McDonalds and they give you a bag with the food you ordered and you eat the amount they give you? Same thing...I eat the amount I already put in the container, and that's my meal.

Ideas for quick clean foods you can prepare for your day/week? 

http://backtoherroots.com/2013/03/21/
how-i-prep-food-for-the-week/

• Put hardboiled eggs in a little baggy with some salt and pepper, plop it in your purse and BAM...you're ready to go. 
• Tuna fish...A+ for protein, mix in some avocado and it's a great snack
• Cooked broccoli and brussel sprouts...my FAVORITE. I can't get enough of these. They're as addictive as potato chips...but way better.
• Grilled chicken breasts...in a bag or container. Protein at it's finest.
• Rice cakes and apples
• Mason jar salads...take a mason jar and fill it with salad and vegetables
• Homemade granola- perfect to fill a jar with, keep on the counter and add into yogurt etc.
• Brown rice- cook a bag on the weekend, and store it in the fridge for a carb source for meals
• Fish- cook enough for the week and keep it in the fridge

So what advice can I give you to help with overeating and staying on track? PREP YOUR MEALS. It does take some time, but it saves you time for the rest of the week in the long run. If you're worried about what people might think...if you're sitting in class and have a container filled with tilapia...well. oops. Don't worry about what people think. 

Effort, consistency, and balance is my recipe to you...those are the core, and most important ingredients next to the grilled chicken.

-Lil Miss Strong

Can Chewing Gum Make Me Fat?

Photo courtesy of sweets.goodeats.com

I was asked this question today. "Can chewing gum all the time, or a lot...everyday, make me fat and be the reason I'm not losing weight?"

So while some of you might laugh and think no, I would say that this is an incredibly legitimate, and actually great, question. I chew gum nonstop, because it's a trick I use to help when I have a dessert or sugar craving and it helps me when I'm trying to be strict with my food intake, preventing me from eating out of boredom...and yes, those two things can and will cause you to gain weight if you're doing them everyday. So I buy gum that comes in different flavors...they even sell gum that tastes like apple pie now...I know right. When you look at the nutrition facts, next to calories, most gum packs say that 1 stick of gum has 5 calories. You never think about it...you just chew it. But if you actually do stop and think about it...say you chew gum all throughout the day. Maybe that's 10 or more pieces. So are you intaking an extra unnecessary 50 calories+ every single day!?

sweetfactory.com

No. And Yes. The actual calories, from chewing gum, will not cause you to slowly gain weight. It isn't
like when you eat five pieces of chocolate cake in a day, and those extra calories really kind of put a damper on your progress for the week. But here is what is true. When you chew gum, you produce saliva...especially if it tastes really good! The same action happens while you're consuming food. So chewing gum makes your body feel like it's eating, and yet nothing is going into your stomach! So sometimes, when people are hungry and start chewing gum, they end up overeating and binging on food when they do in fact eat a meal. That causes weight gain.

However, another good point...some gum has sugar in it. There is sugar free gum, and there is gum with sugar. Since I'm not a dentist and this website isn't about healthy teeth, I'm not going to address thatttt issue...but we all know what sugar can do to your pearly whites. Sugary gum (like the gum in children's colored gumballs) does contain unnecessary calories, so there is a difference in both calories and ingredients that you need to be aware of. Luckily, sugary gumballs tend to lose flavor quickly, so they're pretty unappealing to most people. If you're chewing on these all the time, you really might as well be shopping at a candy store and popping jelly beans throughout the day. It's a no go.

fanpop.com

On the other hand, chewing sugar-free gum can also do the opposite of making you hungry...it can help curb appetitite and therefore prevent you from eating at times of the day when you really don't need to be. If it comes down to reaching for a bag of pretzels in your kitchen to munch on while watching a movie or chewing a 5 calorie stick of orbit mint gum...I would pick the second option.

You may feel that chewing gum causes weight gain, because excess air is swallowed when you chew, leading to bloating. So, chewing gum can indeed make you a little more bloated than usual.

Don't be the girl who obsesses over every single calorie, every single day, and turn down a piece of gum because you're worried about any extra calories. If you use gum like I do as a trick during strict training times to help you along the way...I would suggest it. It's a great dessert replacement hands down. Don't worry about gaining weight from gum, don't worry about overdosing...

Don't sweat the small stuff. Live your life in moderation, and you will be ok.

-Lil Miss Strong

Kombucha-what?? For Weight-loss

Komba-whattaaaa? Kombucha. I know...it's a weird word in itself. And get this, it's also known as TEA FUNGUS. If you haven't heard, just like frozen yogurt became a phenomenon that replaced most ice cream stores, Kombucha is a product that is becoming a new health rage around the country. Secretly used for centuries, I first discovered it when I went to a yoga class one day. There was a tiny refrigerator with drinks, and as I walked over and picked one up, I stared into the bottle and noticed a brown looking drink with chunks floating in it. This ladies, is Kombucha, and it's currently one of the most popular and crazed weight loss trends circulating our stores and homes.

Credit from http://www.pvnutritionaltherapy.com

I'm going to break it down, because when you first look at the drink, you have absolutely NO idea what it is and why things are afloat inside of it. Kombucha tea is made by fermenting bacteria and adding it to black or green tea. Enough said there. Just like people debate whether or not things like "Acai berries" can help with weight loss, there is a lot of talk about the health and weight benefits of Kombucha, and how it contributes to staying fit. There is no major medical research to support this weight-loss theory, but many people who have become regular Kombucha drinkers have noticed overall health benefits. For weight loss, it is recommended that you drink 4-8 oz. 30 min. before meals. Now, athletes are starting to drink this fermented drink as a recovery drink after tough workouts, and people claim that it helps with digestion and boosts energy levels.

Taken from
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu
/chicago/news.aspx?id=201085

Basically, so it is claimed: When you drink Kombucha, you are bringing a bunch of good bacteria into your system. This helps to cleanse you, boost health conditions, and aids with recovery. This means that your body can digest your food better, and vitamins and enzymes will boost your energy, and reduce sugar cravings. More energy means more calorie burning while training.

To me, Kombucha tastes like an old mushroom and smells like vinegar...I really can't lie and tell you that it tastes like an incredibly delicious fruit tea and that I drink it everyday. I don't....really ever. If you aren't a texture person and don't mind drinking something with fermented unpasteurized bacteria floating around the bottom, go for ittt! But like I always remind you, you should never force yourself to eat something that you don't want to eat, because you think it will help you lose weight. Food is meant to be enjoyed. If you enjoy drinking a more earthy and tart flavored drink in a bottle, than Kombucha is a new holistic rage that you should try! It can't hurt, but do please understand that drinking it will not lead to significant weight loss overnight. It is considered a food, and not a supplement, and can be found in health food stores like Whole Foods.

I want to know what you think! Is Kombucha tea a success or a scam?! Is this new craze true, or do many find it to be tea with a label?

Food for thought...or in this case...bacteria for thought. Cheers to that ;)

-Lil Miss Strong