HOW TO GET YOUR FAMILY TO JOIN YOU IN BEING HEALTHY?

I get this all the time....Someone has started their program of changing from unhealthy to healthy but their family isn't on board. 

This can be really difficult if you are not in the right headspace and feel your family isn't giving you the support you need. 

Here are 22 ways to help you and your family out with your new adventure. 

1. Don’t suddenly overhaul your family’s diet. Start small with one healthy change at a time.

2. Be a role model. Eat the nutritious foods you want your family to eat.

3. Nudge, don’t nag. You want your family to want nutritious foods.

4. Introduce new foods gradually and prepare them a few different ways to see what everyone likes best.

5. Stock healthy snacks in plain view—place a bowl of fruit on the counter, for example.

6. Eat nutritious meals together as a family. They don’t have to be fancy, just delicious.

7. Have the kids choose one vegetable they want to help prepare that week.

8. When making casseroles, meatloaf, chili, soups and stews, toss in some grated, chopped, or pureed vegetables, too!

9. Avoid using the word healthy when describing a meal you are making to the family.  Healthy scares off some people and think everything healthy tastes crappy. 

10. Explore new ways to prepare veggies. If you usually steam, try roasting or grilling. Start by trying some easy, 5-star recipes online.

11. Teach your family to honor their hunger cues. When they tell you they’re full, don’t insist they clean their plate.

12. Take pride in food presentation. Research shows beautiful food actually tastes better. Theres a reason they make meals look awesome at fancy restaurants.  They know the psychology. 

13. Get your family involved in meal planning and food prep. For example, have your family choose something to eat for Meatless Monday.

14. Limit fruit juice intake to one 6-ounce glass per day. Any more than that and those calories will quickly add up. Have your family work on increasing their water intake. 

15. Have fun with healthy foods to make them more appealing to family. Try making celery boats, or cutting fruit and vegetables into fun shapes with small cookie cutters. Even just cutting them up makes a big difference because not it is a simple grab and go item.

16. Stir frozen vegetables into canned soups or frozen entrees. This is something everyone can do when they’re fending for themselves.

17. Select snacks that provide around 150 to 200 calories, and also make sure they contain some protein, fiber, or healthy fats.

18. Join a group. If your family won't give you the support you need get help elsewhere.  Online dieters who got more social support from others who logged on too lost more weight (at least 8 percent of their body weight) than those who were going it solo, according to a Northwestern University study.  CLICK HERE to join my Facebook group. 

19. Adopt a “No Sugar-Sweetened Drink Policy” at home. Make milk or water the go-to beverage at mealtime and save soda, fruit punch, and sports drinks for special occasions.

20. Learn a few healthy ingredient swaps, such as using Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, or coconut oil instead of butter in baked goods, to cut down on saturated. Simple substitutions go a long way in helping your family eat more healthfully.

21.  Never give up.  Some meals are going to bomb and suck but that's all about learning how to eat more healthy.  Yes your family is going to complain a little but in the long run you are doing yourself and your family a massive service.  

22. Limit fast food outings. If eliminating fast food completely seems too harsh for your family, limit it to special occasions or treats. In our house, when it’s someone’s birthday, they get to pick what we eat for dinner. They can order pizza, get McDonald’s, have a favourite meal made at home…whatever they like.

When you’re making exciting changes to your life and accomplishing health goals left and right, you feel amazing. You’re more confident in your choices and your abilities.  It’s hard to argue with a confident, happy person who’s obviously cooking, moving, and living in a way that works for them.

Healthy people are more happy.  If you aren't on meds, can move about freely and don't go to the doctor every other week how much better do you think life is?

Tyler Farstad

Automatic Body Coach

Private Facebook Group

BEATING YOUR SUGAR CRAVINGS!

This is a tricky one for me because I am one of those people who likes their sweets way too much, but I have found ways to curb that sweet tooth. 

Here are 11 things you can do to reduce sugar cravings: 

1. Eat foods that are high in the mineral magnesium.

These include dark leafy greens, raw cacao, nuts and seeds, brown rice, quinoa, and avocado. Sugar cravings may actually be a result of magnesium deficiency. 

2. Eat foods high in the mineral chromium.

Chow down on broccoli, sweet potatoes, apples, whole grains, and pastured eggs. Chromium regulates blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and helps to reduce sugar cravings. 

3. Eat foods high in zinc.

Zinc is abundant in whole grains, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, pastured eggs, and oysters. Zinc from animal sources is absorbed better because it does not contain phytates. Zinc is needed for insulin and glucose utilization, and a deficiency can lead to sugar cravings. 

4. Spice up your meals with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. 

These spices will not only naturally sweeten your food, but will also help balance your blood sugar and reduce sugar cravings. 

5. Eat a teaspoon of extra-virgin coconut oil three times a day.

This will help boost metabolism, nourish the brain, and reduce sugar cravings. Add coconut oil to your smoothies, soups, and stir-fries. 

6. Consume fermented foods and beverages.

Start eating cultured vegetables and drinking coconut kefir. Sour food helps naturally reduce sugar cravings and, at the same time, provide probiotics, which support digestive health. 

7. Make sure you consume healthy fats with your meals. 

They provide satiety and they help to keep your blood sugar stable. Healthy fats include those found in avocados, nuts and seeds, coconut, extra-virgin olive oil, and the natural fats found in animal products such as wild salmon and pastured eggs. 

8. Cut back on caffeine, alcohol, and processed foods. 

Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate the body and can lead to mineral deficiencies. Processed foods have a tendency to be very high in sugar and salt, which both lead to sugar cravings. However, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s OK to have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine occasionally. It’s all about moderation. 

9. Supplement with amino acid L-glutamine. 

L-glutamine helps to reduce, and even eliminate, sugar cravings. It also helps to heal the digestive tract and supports the immune system. If you're on medication, talk with your health care practitioner before supplementing. 

10. Make sure you stay hydrated with fresh water and herbal teas. 

Dehydration is linked to food cravings. You should be drinking about half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Add a slice of lemon to your water to improve the taste if needed. 

11. Get adequate sleep and exercise regularly. 

When tired, we have the tendency to eat sugary foods. Exercising regularly will help to boost energy levels and reduce stress. 

12. Drink lots of water.  Anytime you feel a craving coming on, grab some water.  This works well too if you start to get hungry but you know you have already eaten enough.  

13. Grab some gum. A lot of times a piece of gum (nothing loaded with sugar) will curb your craving.  

14. Fruit fruit fruit.  Always have fruit on hand so when you get a craving you can grab something healthy that has the sweet factor and has some fibre to boot!

BONUS....Drink some Skinne.  It's my go to solution and REALLY helps me with my sugar cravings.  CLICK HERE to find out more about it.  

Okay I totally cheated on the 10 tips.  Oh well I like them all so I just can't leave any out. 

Tyler Farstad

Automatic Body Coach

PS Join my private Facebook group to get that added support you know you need.  CLICK HERE TO JOIN.

TOP 7 EXERCISES WHILE SITTING DOWN!

How do you workout when you can't stand up?

Last year I possibly pushed a climb a little too hard which resulted in an ankle sprain.  It wasn't too bad but it did hurt to put weight on it for a few days.  Now I am the sort of person that always needs to be doing something so I found there were quite a few good exercises I could do all while sitting down.  


These are some of the best ones I found and used until my ankle was better.  I still use some of these today when I am working at my desk. 

Posture Check (Now this one may not be an typical exercise but it is super important.)

Turn straight posture into an exercise by pressing your knees together to engage your inner thighs, squeezing your buttocks, sitting tall, and pulling in your belly button (abdominals) toward your spine. It's important to press your shoulders back and down and to keep your neck neutral, while doing this exercise. Try to maintain this posture as long as you can while sitting.  I found this very hard at first and broke it down to 30 second holds with rests in between.
Simply sitting up straight in a chair tones a variety of muscles in your torso.

Seated DipsEngage your shoulder and triceps muscles with this joint-friendly move.
Sit on the edge of your chair with your arms by your sides, palms over the edge of your seat. Press down with your arms as if you were going to try to lift yourself off the chair (you don't have to lift up). Hold for three counts and then release. Work up to 3 sets of 10 reps.

Knee Ups
Sit tall (chest high and shoulders down) on the front half of your chair. Grasp the sides lightly with your hands and lean back slightly as you tighten your abs and bring your right knee up to chest height. Lower it as you raise your left knee on the next rep. Alternate sides. If you get really good at this, try lifting both knees at once, even just a few inches. Work up to 3 sets of 15 reps per leg.












Seated Alternating Toe Touches

Alternating toe touches are normally done while standing up. But you can certainly aquire all the benefits of this rotational stretch while seated. Simply scooch towards the edge of your chair and open your legs past shoulder-width as you extend them out in front of you until your heals are in contact with the ground. Reach your arms up towards the ceiling then twist to lower your torso down and reach your right hand to your left toes. (If you can't quite reach your toes yet, that's OK. Reach to whatever point feels comfortable for you.) Return to the starting position, then alternate left and right.  Remember to engage your core muscles by drawing your belly button into your spine.   Work your way up to 3 sets of 20. 

Sitting Elbow Curls
Form a goalpost with your arms: Keep your upper arms (shoulders to elbows) parallel to the floor and your lower arms (elbows to hands) perpendicular to it. Bring your forearms together in front of your face. Press forearms together and lift arms 1 inch, squeezing through chest. Return your arms to the starting point, squeezing your shoulder blades together, and repeat as long as you can hold proper form. Your back, chest, and arms will get a workout.  Work up to 3 sets of 30 reps. 





Abs Twister
Sit tall on the edge of your chair and cross your arms over your chest. Inhale and squeeze (flex) your abdominal muscles lightly. Without relaxing your stomach muscles, exhale slowly, squeezing your abs in tighter and turning your upper body to the right. Inhale and twist back to center. Then repeat to the left. Work up to 3 sets of 20 alternating reps.

Arm Circles
Increase flexibility and improve posture with gentle arm circles.
Raise your arms straight out to your sides and press your shoulder blades together. Extend arms with palms down, thumbs facing forward, and do 20 forward circles with your arms. Then flip your palms up, thumbs facing behind you, and do 20 backward circles with your arms.

Running
Sit with legs extended, toes pointed, arms bent by sides. Brace abs in tight and hinge back until just shoulder blades are lightly touching the back of the chair, lifting legs low in front of you. Bend left knee into chest, turning right shoulder in towards knee, pulling left elbow slightly back, then quickly switch sides. Repeat as quickly as you can.  Work up to 3 sets of 30 alternating reps.












Tyler Farstad
Automatic Body Coach
www.facebook.com/groups/nutriequest

HOW DO PEOPLE SUCCEED AT THEIR GOALS?

I spoke to quite a few people this weekend and a common theme came up.   A  lot of people all had the same concern that they didn't feel they would succeed in their goal.  They couldn't feel themselves at the goal or weren't able to visualize the end goal.  

This something I struggled with many times.   Hitting a goal isn't as easy as just thinking about it and you will hit that goal.  Most people have a goal in mind but have no idea what needs to be done to get there.  So how do you hit a goal?

Doing the thing that brings you closer to your goal everyday is key.  Whether your goal is to loose weight or learning at new language the need for activity is all the same.  If you are loosing weight  or learning a new language then you need to be consistently following the plan that is set up for you. Do the activity that you know you need to do.  Each day you do what you need to do for that day so you are creating a habit.  Consistency is your secret to success.  Once you have created that consistency you are well on your way to hitting your goal. 

Yes that is all easier said than done.   So how do you do it?  Consistency is all about the baby steps.  It's like Lego.  You start with one block and add to it.   It can be very simple what you do each day but it is all about the consistency of doing that one simple things.   You are building good habits each time you successfully do what you have set out for that day.  There is going to be days that you fall off the wagon and completely screw up your habits you have been forming.  Oh well it happens just remember that it happens to everyone and the ones who are going to make it don't beat themselves up over it.  They do however jump right back in and get back on track!

You have to stay committed to the goal you have set.  Only you will know if you are committed.  Being committed is easy if we go back to consistency.  When you are consistent with your daily activity (whatever that may be), it's super easy to stay committed.  

Now there is going to be many successes and many failures on your way to your goal so it's not going to be very easy.  To make it in the long run you need to be taking responsibility for your success as well as your failure.  A lot of people can take responsibility of their successes but try to hid failures under the table and hit them.  Failures are just as important as our successes.  Too many people have the perception that failure is bad.  Failure isn't bad, it's a learning tool.  The most successful people in any industry have failed many many times but what is important is they learnt from their failures.  Ask yourself after every failure "What do I do next time so I don't get that some result?".  Make sure if you are one of the people that associated failures with yourself that you GET RID OF THAT THOUGHT! Failure is not about you but it is about the process.   The good thing is processes can always be adjusted and tweaked to hit success.

MOST OF ALL.....NEVER QUIT ON YOUR DREAMS!!!!

  

7 TIPS TO STAY AWAY FROM JUNK FOOD!

You are not alone in making poor decisions when you are choosing your next snack or a meal.  

We all make poor decisions sometimes with food.  Hey it happens!  What's important is to try and eliminate those occurrences or at least minimize them to very few. The reason for this is it becomes a bit of a vicious circle.  When you eat poorly you are disappointed with yourself and beat yourself up for a poor decision which leads to doing it over and over again.  

The good news is it only takes a few weeks of consistent behaviour to form a new habit.   (that's with anything)  Pay attention to when you have a craving for something.  Most people are creatures of habit so it should come up frequently enough to find a patter.  For some its at 3pm in the office and you head off to the vending machine for that perceived "pick me up".  The best thing to do is change that habit by replacing it with something new.  So if you head to the vending machine at 3pm, head to the water fountain and take a walk around the office instead. 

HERE ARE 7 TIPS TO HELP YOU STEER AWAY FROM JUNK FOOD.

Make healthy foods your treat.  Stash some frozen grapes in the freezer and finish off your dinner with some tasty grapes which will give you something sweet without kick starting those sugar cravings.  Find your favourite fruit and replace your usual sugar cravings with a tasty tasty fruit. 

Store healthy foods front and centre.  Make sure to keep healthy foods on the counter and easily in the middle of the fridge.  A great easy snack is to cut up red pepper into slices so you can dip it in hummus when you have a craving to eat.  Junk foods are super easy to rip into a bag and devour it, so take 5 minutes at night to plan the next days healthy snack. 

Everyone knows their trigger foods and none of them are good.  If you are drawn to Oreo's or Doritos and you're walking down the grocery isle with them on the shelf...just keep on walking by.  Hey I said keep on walking!  When you know what sets you off and it's bad for you just make a decision to keep it out of the house.  If you've had it before you know what it tastes like and you can give it up.  Yes you will survive. (Abba was right!)

You don’t need to ban junk food from your life. As long as you eat healthy 90% of the time you’ll be good. One method is to eat clean during the whole week & then use Sunday as your cheat day. The more frequent you eat healthy, the more you’ll have adverse effects to junk food. Taste adapts. In time you're cravings for junk food will become less and less and soon you’ll be looking forward to your next healthy food.

Replace processed foods with homemade meals made from scratch using whole ingredients is the best way to ensure optimal nutrition. This will automatically cut out the vast majority of refined sugars, processed fructose, preservatives, dyes, other nasty chemicals, and many addictive ingredients from your diet. This will allow your body to depend less on sugar and more on fat as its primary fuel—provided you eat enough healthy fat, that is. As a result, you will no longer crave sugar to keep you going.

Make a plan! This is a tricky one for most of us as most of us really aren't used to making plans and if we are then we don't necessary stick to them very well. Have it written out on Sunday night what you need to buy for the week and what you are going to make for meals that weeks.  Google websites for meal planning to give yourself a little help.  There are even fees apps for meal planning.  Don't get hung up on technology though.  Writing a list is best because it ingrains in your mind what foods you should be focusing on.  

Now the most important part is to have a great "why" to change.  We all know our own reasons but is it strong enough?  Everyone keeps doing the same thing wether it's in business or personal until the "why" is powerful enough to give us that will power to change.  

There will only be change when you decide it's time! 

HOW TO KEEP YOUR STOMACH IN CHECK!

People always ask me "How do you get away from eating on the run?".  

The simple answer is planning ahead but life doesn't always make it that easy to do. 

If you're anything like me you have a million things to do in a day and you're out there running around and before you know it you are way past lunchtime and you're starving. 

Here are 5 tips to help you to avoid the easy way out of grabbing fast food. 

1) When you're out and about and your stomach is yelling at you, it's pretty natural to do whatever it takes to shut your stomach up and unfortunately that usually means a "drive through".  This is because when you are hungry you typically don't have the energy to make healthy choice.  Set yourself up in advance for success when hunger strikes. Always have a snack with you.  Easier said than done right!  The best way to accomplish this is to plan for the week.  This can be super simple and only take 5 minutes on a Sunday night or any night for that matter.  Simple snacks that are healthy can be found right HERE in a previous blog post.

2) Stash snacks everywhere.  I know I always have a few protein/fruit bars in my glove box so when I need it they are there.  The secret to that is of course replenishing the stock as you burn through it and to make sure they are bars that can stand a little heat.  For the glove box I say away from ones that are covered in chocolate. 

3) Little ziplock snack size baggies are perfect for portion control.  You can get more than enough nuts, dried fruit and a little dark chocolate in the baggies to satisfy your hunger cravings. I also like to stick cut of veggies, fruit slices, pretzels etc....

4) Did you know that often, when you’re feeling super hungry, you’re actually only thirsty? One of the first signs of dehydration is hunger, so before you indulge in a snack, or eat a meal, take the edge off by drinking a cool glass of water, about 8 ounces. You’ll feel refreshed, perky, and not quite as starving.

5) Steer clear of restaurants you're likely to walk into. We all have our weaknesses, and it likely won't take long to find out what yours are. I love to grab a piece of tasty tasty New York style pizza at this little spot near my house.  My secret is I drive down one street parallel to the pizza place.  That way it's out of sight and hopefully out of mind.  By identifying your triggers, you can get a better sense of what you need to avoid as a way to make healthy choices. It might be hard to implement the changes at first, but in time you'll be glad you avoided the temptations.

Tyler Farstad
support@tylerfarstad.com

PS An easy snack I take with me all the time is a protein drink.  To see which one I like the best CLICK HERE

HANGRY...IS IT REAL?

I'm sure we have all heard of the term HANGRY.  You probably have that one friend that is past the point of deciding on what to eat and is no just miserable to hang around or maybe you are like this some times.

Hangry is the word to describe the feeling of being so hungry that you become angry.  Combine hungry and angry, you get the amazing word of hungry. 

IS HANGRY A REAL THING OR DID WE MAKE IT UP IN OUR HEAD?

In our bodies, we need our carbohydrates, proteins and fats in balance.  If one of these goes missing, our bodies say Whoa hold on!  Basically, everything we eat will eventually turn into simple sugars (such as glucose), amino acids and free fatty acids.  At that point, they will flow into your bloodstream and then eventually disbursed to your organs and tissues.  This is where our energy comes from on a daily basis.

You may find yourself irritable with others when you’re hangry.  According to The Conversation, “Another thing that can become more difficult when you’re hungry is behaving within socially acceptable norms, such as not snapping at people. So while you may be able to conjure up enough brain power to avoid being grumpy with important colleagues, you may let your guard down and inadvertently snap at the people you are most relaxed with or care most about, such as partners and friends. Sound familiar?”

Ya...I might have done that a few times!

SO HOW DO YOU FIX HANGERITIS?

The best thing to do is eat something. Now this is where it gets a little tricky because when you are past the point of hungry and are now hangry, poor decisions are usually made.  

A good way is to always carry a snack with you.  In your purse or gym back or even in your glove box.  Your friends and loved ones with thank you for this.  (check out my other blogs for healthy snacks)

Now timing is super important for your meals. Try to eat on a schedule of every 3-4 hours.  Eating a few larger meals with snacks in between will help to Mr or Mrs Hangry by keeping your blood sugar levels in check.

If there is anything we have learned today it's get some food before we turn into a beast.  I 

think the Snickers commercials had it right. 

If you know there is value here feel free to share. 

Tyler Farstad

PS Remember to join my Facebook group for additional tips.