Forget the Grocery List! Just Use This…

We found this awesome grocery list posted by our friends at Shape Magazine, and had to share it with our readers! One of the keys to successfully making changes in your diet is planning ahead. Though our team at Fitter Healthier Life agrees that grocery shopping isn’t always a fun chore, this list will at least make it easier for you to make good choices. Check it out here and comment to let us know how it worked for you! http://ow.ly/IaAo30h7ANY

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Good News for People With Type 2 Diabetes!

We came across this wonderful news shared by Diet Doctor – studies are showing that Type 2 Diabetes can be reversed with dietary changes! A very low-carb diet may help people reverse this dangerous condition. Check out the article below for details!

At Fitter Healthier Life, we have long been supporters of healthy eating as a way to prevent (and in some cases reverse) serious health concerns such as diabetes and heart disease. Click here for our review of one of our favorite programs to change your diet in a realistic and sustainable way.

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What Can I Do For My Health Today?

We all know the reality is that achieving major health and fitness goals doesn’t happen overnight. It takes commitment and effort to see results in the long run. However, little changes we can implement today can make a big difference over time. We’ve compiled a list of simple (yet significant!) things you can do to improve your health and wellness today.

  1. Drink More Water – Being properly hydrated can have an immediate effect on health. According to care2.com, drinking enough water eliminates body aches and pains, headaches, and fatigue.
  2. Increase Your Soluble Fiber Intake – This type of fiber found in apples, oats, beets, chia seeds, and barley reduces cholesterol and improves heart health, as shared by onegreenplanet.org. More immediate effects of taking in more soluble fiber include regulated digestion and blood sugar levels.
  3. Hug Someone – Taking care of your health means all aspects of your health – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. In that vein, you can experience an immediate boost of a feel-good hormone called oxytocin when you hug someone you care about. Bodyandsoul.com says a big bear hug “also reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in our bodies.”
  4. Wash Your Hands – Practicing good hygiene by washing your hands regularly is your best defense against the spread of germs, making sure you stay cold and flu free. Proper hand washing means lathering up with soap and water and rubbing for about 20 seconds.
  5. Be Mindful of Your Posture – By making sure you are sitting and standing up straight throughout the day, matador.com says you are making instant improvements in your respiratory and digestive functioning. Over time, good posture alleviates muscle tension as well.
  6. Have an Attitude of Gratitude – Practice by writing down one thing each day in a journal that you are grateful for. According to psychologytoday.com, gratitude is linked to improved well-being, mental health, and happiness.
  7. Bulk Up Your Breakfast with Protein – Start your day with eggs or a whey protein smoothie instead of your usual bagel or muffin. Naturopathic doctor Natasha Turner says on chatelaine.com that protein at breakfast increases your metabolism and energy, and reduces cravings for simple carbs later in the day.

Now you have a list of 7 ideas that you can implement to transform your health immediately! Try one every day this week and let us know how you feel!

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Top 5 Smoothie Recipes

We have scoured the web for our favorite smoothie recipes and made a list of our top picks for you to choose from. Smoothies make great meal replacements, snacks, or pre and post-workout energy boosters. There are tons of different ways to enjoy smoothies – with or without yogurt, vegan, raw, fruit, green, paleo – the list goes on and on. Smoothie recipes can be tweaked to meet any dietary requirements. We love to start the day with a nutritious breakfast smoothie, or have one mid-afternoon on a hot summer day to cool down with a quick metabolism-boosting snack. See below for some yummy ideas to add smoothies to your diet:

1. Banana Ginger Smoothie

We love this tasty and tummy-soothing recipe from Prevention.com. For an extra frosty treat, use a frozen banana!

1 banana, sliced
¾ c (6 oz) vanilla yogurt
1 Tbsp honey
½ tsp freshly grated ginger

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serves 2.

2. Superfruit Smoothie

This sweet treat from Delish.com packs a punch with delicious superfruits. Sub the frozen cherries for fresh if they are in season!

1 cup frozen cherries
1 kiwi, peeled and chopped (reserve 2 slices for garnish)
1 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp Chia seeds

Blend on high until smooth. Serves 2.

3. Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

This nod to a favorite childhood snack from our friends at Eatingwell.com is a protein rich recipe for any adult on the go. It even helps you get a serving of vegetables in!

½ cup low-fat milk
⅓ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup frozen banana slices (about 1 medium banana)
½ cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup or honey (optional)

Add milk and yogurt to a blender, then add spinach, banana, strawberries, peanut butter and sweetener (if using); blend until smooth. Serves 1.

4. Pumpkin Pie Fall Smoothie 

You can enjoy the flavors of fall all year long with this delicious smoothie from RodalesOrganicLife.com. Bonus – pumpkin and apple both deliver healthy servings of fiber to your diet!

1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 apple, cored
Dried cranberries

Combine all ingredients except cranberries in blender and blend until smooth. Top with cranberries. Serves 2.

5. Cookie Dough Protein Smoothie

Our list wouldn’t be complete without a dessert smoothie! This recipe from EdibleSoundBites.com has it all – protein, chocolate, delicious oats – and it’s vegan-friendly! It takes a bit more prep, but the end result is so worth it!

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 medium frozen banana
1 tbsp cashew butter (or other nut butter)
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 ice cubes
Chocolate shavings (optional)

In a small bowl, mix the oats and almond milk. Place in fridge and let it soak for at least 2 hours to soften and thicken. This prevents the oats from giving the smoothie a gritty texture. Place thickened oat mixture into your blender along with the rest of the ingredients (except for the chocolate shavings). Blend on high until smooth. Pour into a tall glass, top with chocolate shavings if desired. Makes 1 large or 2 small servings.

If you are not already blending away, these 5 smoothie recipes can get you started. Next time you visit the market, pick up some of the smoothie staples: your preferred milk (low-fat, almond, soy, coconut, etc), some plain low or non-fat greek yogurt, some bananas (peel and freeze), baby spinach, and some frozen or fresh berries or fruit of your choice. Any smoothie can be boosted with even more nutrition by adding a scoop of protein powder, and a Tbsp of either flax, chia, or hemp seeds. Try out these recipes and leave a comment to let us know how you enjoyed them. Happy blending!

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Which Diet Is Right For Me?

If you have ever tried to change your eating habits as part of your health and fitness goals, then you know there are endless diet options available. So which should you choose? First off, it may help to redefine the word “diet.” Many people think of a diet as a tool for weight loss. We suggest that you think of a diet simply as a way of eating. While the way you eat may help you achieve weight loss or other health goals, many people find it helpful to let go of the mindset in which a diet is a means to an end – a temporary lifestyle change that can be discarded once a goal is met. Most people who choose a diet based on their food and cooking preferences, as well as the ability to live with that particular way of eating in the long-term, are able to maintain healthy eating habits more easily. In this post we define several ways of eating – perhaps one of them may fit for you and your long-term health and fitness goals.

  1. Low-carb: Low-carb diets are getting a lot of attention in the media these days. There are many benefits to a low-carb diet such as normalized blood sugar, reduced cravings for sugary foods, less heartburn, and other improved health markers. This diet involves reducing the amount of carbohydrates (such as pasta and bread) you intake each day and eating a higher proportionate amount of protein and healthy fats. This is a great diet for anyone who is okay with removing certain foods from your meal plan entirely, who does not like counting calories, and who wants their diet to include plenty or real (vs processed) foods. Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt has put together a comprehensive guide to low-carb eating on dietdoctor.com. 
  2. Paleo Diet: The Paleo diet, also known as the caveman’s diet, attempts to return people to simpler ways of eating. Basically, you eat like the hunters and gatherers of old, which means the only things on the table are foods they would have hunted or found – meats, fish, eggs, nuts, leafy greens, fruits and veggies, and seeds. Like the low-carb diet, you remove anything processed, as well as dairy, and foods that can not be eaten in their natural states (such as potatoes). It can be a bit restrictive for some, but we like it for its efforts to keep things simple. Paul VanDyken has created a simple Dos and Don’ts guide to paleo eating on Paleodiet.com to help you get started.
  3. Vegetarian or Vegan: Strict vegetarians do not eat any meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans eliminate these as well as dairy products and eggs, and typically avoid wearing or using anything derived from an animal (such as honey, leather, wool, cosmetics, etc). There are many benefits to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Most people following these ways of eating consume lots of fiber and other nutrients from natural sources. Most vegetarians also consume less saturated fat, which results in lower cholesterol, and reduced risk of hypertension and heart disease. The Vegetarian Resource Group has a great site loaded with information on vegetarianism and veganism, including nutrition, meal plans, and recipes.
  4. Raw Food: This diet has been around for centuries, but has recently become popular again. Eating raw means eating foods that have never been heated over 104–118°F (40–48°C). Raw foods should not have been refined, pasteurized, treated with pesticides or processed in any way. People who eat a raw diet prepare their foods by juicing, soaking, blending, and dehydrating, rather than cooking. Benefits of this way of eating include weight loss, increased energy, and reduced impact on the environment. It takes a lot of commitment, but if removing processed foods from your diet completely is important to you, this may be the way to go. You can get more information on the raw food diet by reading an article by Taylor Jones on Authoritynutrition.com.
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Metabolism-Boosting Foods

No matter what meal plan you are following to meet your health and fitness goals, introducing some elements to give your metabolism a boost can be helpful. A faster metabolism helps you burn fat even while your body is at rest, aids in digestion, and is even linked with better moods and increase immune system responses. Check out this list of metabolism foods and incorporate as many of them as possible into your meal plan:

  1. Avocado: According to Prevention.com, consuming enough protein helps you to protect your metabolism. Avocados offer not only protein, but also amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids for heart health.
  2. Almonds: These also contain healthy fatty acids, but OrganicAuthority.com suggests that you don’t overdo it, as they are also high in calories. Try 6-10 almonds with an apple for a good snack.
  3. Hot Peppers: These thermogenic foods including cayenne, jalapeno, habanero, scotch bonnet and others literally heat things up. As shared on globalhealingcenter.com, hot peppers contain a compound called capsaicin that causes the metabolism to spike. These spikes can last up to 3 hours!
  4. Blueberries: These smoothie-friendly or eat alone fruits are full of antioxidants. Jaime Filer writes on bodybuilding.com, ” Antioxidants help prevent this oxidation from taking place, and thus prevents the build up of free radicals.” This is crucial for overall health and wellness, and free radicals can inhibit fat loss, muscle growth, and increase risk of disease.
  5. Spices: Luckily, healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland eating. Spices such as ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and cumin contain metabolism-boosting compounds and have antioxidant properties. So season away! If you want to know more about the ins and outs of why spices boost metabolism, check out this guide on muscleandfitness.com.

These are a few ideas to get you started with boosting your metabolism. Add these to your meal plan this week and let us know what results you get!

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Perks of Protein

For anyone hoping to be fitter and healthier, protein should not be neglected. Our bodies need it to build and repair tissue, keep metabolisms boosted, and make body chemicals such as enzymes and hormones. Experts advise eating between 0.5 grams and 1.0 grams of protein per pound of your body weight each day. You may strive for the lower end if you are mostly sedentary, and the higher end of the range if you are active as a general rule of thumb. In this post we will explore some of the many benefits of a protein-rich diet.

Benefits of Protein

  • Improved muscle mass – Dr. Axe shares on his site that eating enough protein prevents muscle atrophy and improves muscle recovery and synthesis after strength training.
  • Feel fuller – According to the Poliquin Group, eating enough protein keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer, and with fewer calories than carbs.
  • Improved bone health – Kris Gunnars of Authority Nutrition dispels the myth that protein is bad for your bones. In fact, studies show that people who eat more protein are more likely to retain bone mass as they age.
  • Improved Immune Response – Proteins are necessary for the body’s self-defense system, giving it the ability to detect antigens. Visit organicfacts.net for more.
  • More Fat loss – As pointed out on muscleforlife.com, your weight loss goal is about fat loss, not muscle loss. A protein-rich diet supports fat loss while preserving muscle.

Protein sources include, meat, poultry, fish, diary, eggs, soy, and whey. Be sure to get adequate amounts of protein in your daily diet!

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