It's not always easy to align our minds with our stomachs. Sometimes, our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. When we see food that we want or are particularly hungry, it's easy to eat way more than our bodies can handle, especially around the holiday season. Who doesn't want a little extra turkey, green bean casserole and pie?
Sure, it's okay to treat yourself every now and then, however, you should also treat your body well and make sure you aren't putting it through too much overload just to temporarily satiate a sweet tooth. Here are some things to keep in mind and keep your portions in check as you prepare for the delicacies and homemade goodness of the holidays: · Don't skip meals. If you're extra hungry, you're more likely to overeat. · When thinking about what to fill your plate with and what amount to eat, a good equation is to eat a portion of meat about the size of your palm, then fill the rest of your plate with carbs like vegetables and fruits and a little bit of fat. Colorful is a good thing when it comes to your plate. · Know the difference between serving size and portion size. Serving sizes per container are listed on the nutrition facts label. A small bag of nuts may say that it contains two servings, so if you're eating the whole bag—your portion size— you need to double the calorie, fat and carbohydrate information per serving to know how much will be satiating you. · Take breaks between bites. If you eat too fast, you're likely to keep eating and your mind will not realize how full your stomach already is. · If you want to get really serious about your portions, it is really easy to weigh and measure your food. Do it when you can with a food scale at your house, but don't stress when you are out to eat in a restaurant and you can't weigh and measure. Just make good choices! Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah - they're all on their way, and so is the food that comes with each of these special days. Enjoy it - the culture, festivities, and homemade treats. Just mind your portions. Nourish, don't stuff. Leave the stuffing to the turkey. -Sonia Daniels The Daniels Family Foundation
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![]() There are so many questions when it comes to food, losing weight, what to eat and how much to eat. The word, "diet," has become something with such a stigma attached. Diets lead us to think about everything that we must restrict from the pleasure of eating and the absence of indulgences. It's time to set the record straight and remove the stigma. By definition, diet actually comes from the Greek word, "lifestyle." It's not a temporary fast, a speedy solution to health, nor a way to safely shed pounds for the betterment of your body. It is creating a style of life that makes you the best version of yourself by putting things in your body that were made for your nourishment and enjoyment. In its essence, its natural state, food is just what it needs to be. The solution to living well, being healthy, maintaining a comfortable weight and feeling good is simple: Eat real food. You don't have to skip meals or put yourself on crazy restrictions to be in your best shape. Just eat naturally. Eating carbs, protein and fats (yes, fats!!) is a great combination for a satiated you. Being healthy doesn't mean finding hard-to-navigate recipes or cutting off all of the fatty parts of your meat. It just means getting real with your food. The KISS phrase, "Keep It Simple, Stupid," is a great one to keep in mind when you eat. Because after all, simplicity is bliss, right? Here's a little taste of bliss: · Eggs, chorizo and avocado with a big bowl of strawberries for breakfast · Bacon-wrapped chicken, sweet potatoes and a handful of cashews or almonds for lunch · A cut of sirloin (sub salmon or another fish, grilled chicken or roasted turkey, ribeye or another tasty red meat treat), butternut squash, asparagus for dinner with a scoop or two of nut butter for dessert Yes, it's that easy. You don't have to skimp out on your food, rather replace it with more of the real stuff. Replace processed foods with fresh foods. Instead of cereal, indulge in bacon, eggs and blueberries. Rather than keying in on calories, fat and sugar when you're making purchases in the store, focus on the ingredients label - if there are more than five ingredients on the label, it is likely that it won't make your gut very happy. Shop the perimeters of your grocery store. It's more about eating real than eating less. Remember - dieting is living a lifestyle that can make you the best version of yourself. It's time to get real. Some time ago, the video above went viral. People were blown away by the fact that a father took the time to treat his daughter to such a special evening because it’s so out of the ordinary. Family is the most precious gift that God has blessed us with. We’re not sure about you, but we think it’s time to make moments like that one an ordinary occurrence. Kids don’t stay small forever, but that little girl will remember that moment with her father for years to come.
Let’s all start making more of an effort to spend time with our loved ones. If you need some family date night ideas to help you get started, read on! We’ve picked some of our favorites for you – and they’re perfect for fall! 1. Visit a pumpkin patch! Whether you want to bake a pie with it or carve a silly face, don’t settle for a grocery store pumpkin. Get your sweaters and boots on, and go pick one out yourself! Bonus: Pumpkin patches make for great photos of the kids. 2. Build a fort. Gather all the pillows and blankets you can find in the house to make the most epic tent/fort. When you’re done, make some popcorn, snuggle in the blankets together, and pop in a great movie to enjoy – we recommend A Charlie Brown Halloween/Thanksgiving! 3. Enjoy an evening of sunset and star gazing. Texas autumns just so happen to have the most beautiful sunsets. Set out a blanket in the backyard and treat the whole family to hot cocoa while you watch the sun go down and the first stars shine. 4. Have a family tournament! Kickball is usually a safe bet for a family sports evening. This will be even more fun if you get the whole gang in on it over Thanksgiving weekend – cousins, nieces, nephews – we bet even grandma and grandpa would be up for keeping score! Whatever you decide to do with your loved ones, make it something special. When the kids are grown and have moved away, you’ll be so glad you made time to make beautiful memories with them. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” |
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AuthorsAntonio Daniels Archives
August 2018
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