THE STERN SKULL

Holidays (including birthdays) are a big culprit of derailing people trying to change their dietary habits.  Don’t let the whole day be a free pass.  Instead you can let yourself have “a little extra” during the main holiday meal.  If you have a slice of cake on your birthday, that’s fine.  Don’t eat the whole cake and make sure your lunch or dinner is something you can have.

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When I first started my own journey, I started the day before my birthday.  Guess what?  I didn’t have cake or pie or anything like that.  I wasn’t supposed to and I stuck to it.  Four days after that I didn’t have cake or anything when my sister’s birthday rolled around.  It was odd, but I was proud of myself for being steadfast.  When the big holidays roll around (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) I try to have a healthy dinner, but I allow myself to indulge in a slice of pie or cake.  I might even have two slices.  I don’t often allow myself these indulgences, so I’m not really worried about falling off the wagon.  My family is sizable, so when we have a big family holiday dinner I make sure that I bring some kind of appetizer that I can eat.  This helps me stay on track while still participating.

Vitamins, Supplements, & Fancy Powders

As you begin your journey it is wise to start taking a multivitamin, but not obligatory.  If you’re interested in taking vitamins or supplements, I recommend asking your doctor first.  Many people aren’t sure what the difference is.  Vitamins are essential for the body to operate and we usually get them from food, but sometimes we are still lacking which is why we take multivitamins or individual vitamins.  If you get the comprehensive wellness blood test, you’ll be able to have a better idea of which vitamins you may need.

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• Vitamin A - Helps with vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell function, and immune system.

• The B Vitamins (8 of them) - The B vitamins are energy powerhouses and also help form red blood cells.

• Vitamin C - Important for skin, bones, and connective tissues.  It also promotes healing and the absorption of iron. 

• Vitamin D - A main building block for bones.  Helps the body absorb calcium.  It’s important for development of your nerves, muscles, and immune system.

• Vitamin E - Boosts your immune system and metabolic process.

• Vitamin K - Helps your body make proteins for healthy bones and connective tissues.  It also makes proteins for blood clotting.

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Supplements are non-essential, but can be beneficial such as natural energy boosters, natural internal deodorizers, increased brain function, better skin, reducing stress, etc.  There are a wide range of supplements out there and it’s important to do your research.  If you’re taking any medications, you need to make sure there aren’t any conflicts.  It’s okay to avoid supplements if you’re not comfortable with them.

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Fancy powders, when you’re starting out, should be avoided.  When I say “fancy powders” I’m talking about protein powders, pre-workout powders, post-workout powders, and other specialty powders that you’re going to find at your local GNC.  If you want a fancy powder, you can use a supergreen powder for use with green smoothies.

Snacks

When it comes down to exchanging unhealthy habits for healthy ones, snacks can really throw you for a loop.  The best plan for snacks is to have a game plan.  You should put some serious thought into what you can and cannot have for a snack and how often you’re going to allow yourself to snack.

There are a few reasons why we snack.

1. Dehydration - If you are dehydrated, sometimes your stomach and brain don’t interpret it as a need for water.  Instead, you might reach for a snack and not feel satiated after you consume it.

2. Habit - You might have trained yourself over the years to snack when you do a certain thing like watch TV or play video games or when you’re on the computer or even when you’re bored.  You may not even realize how often you snack during these times - a good reason to begin tracking what you consume.

3. Low in a Macro - It is possible that your macros are off-kilter and your body may be needing more of something.  If you eat a lot of fried food or processed food or sugar, you probably have a high carbohydrate intake.  You may be needing more healthy fats and/or proteins.

4. Pleasure or Social - We snack at social events and for pleasure.  This may be trying some new appetizer at a holiday party, popcorn at the movies, chips and dip during a game night, or waiting all year for that special holiday something like a pumpkin spice latte.

5. Hunger - You might be legitimately hungry, but most of the time this actually tends to be the last reason for snacking.  Typically, we snack for one of the other reasons more often than this reason.

It’s for these 5 reasons that we need to plan our snacking.  You can snack, if you’re smart about it.  There are ways to reduce snacking.  These are going to be very simple and very effective ways to deal with over-snacking.

Reduce your snacking with these smart tricks:

1. Pot of Tea - You can make yourself a pot of tea.  I suggest picking up a 32oz French press and a variety of loose leaf teas.  This gives you a delicious pot of tea and it hydrates you.  There are a ton of online resources for loose leaf tea (so much better than bagged) like Adagio Tea or the Literary Tea Company or David’s Tea or even through Amazon.  Green tea varieties, herbal teas, and yerba mate can count towards your water intake for the day!

2. Dark Chocolate - You can allot yourself 1 square of dark chocolate each day.  The dark chocolate should be 70% or more.  This is great for after dinner.

3. Limit Eating Hours - You can limit your window of eating.  If you typically eat dinner at 6pm, perhaps your time frame ends at 7pm  You can have beverages after that time, but no food.  This can also help with digestion because you give your body time to actively digest what you have consumed.  When you go to sleep, your body wants to slow the metabolism.  You disrupt this natural process when you eat right before bed.  Limiting your eating hours to at least 2 hours before you go to bed can help you get a better night’s sleep.

4. Choice Snacking Times - Pay attention to yourself and take note of when you desperately want a snack.  Perhaps you always want a mid-morning snack and a snack right after you get home from school or work.  Those would be your choice snacking times.  Find a snack that you can have during those times that will fit your macros and satiate your hunger.

5. Certain Cravings - There are certain cravings that actually indicate a need for other things.  If you crave chocolate, you may be in need of magnesium, so try nuts, seeds, veggies, or fruits.  If bread/pasta/carbs are what you’re craving, you may need nitrogen, so reach for something high in protein.  If you crave something oily, you may need calcium, reach for dairy or green leafy veggies.  If you crave something salty, you may need chloride or silicon, reach for fatty fish, goat milk, nuts, or seeds.  If you crave something sweet, you may need chromium or carbon or phosphorus or sulphur or tryptophan, so reach for a lean protein or a cruciferous veggie or berries or an apple.  These swaps will work if you can nail down what you’re actually craving.  This isn’t for the indecisive snacker.

At this point, you may be asking yourself what can you have for a snack?  Can you eat anything fun?  This is why planning is key.  Be aware of your macros, even when you snack.  To help you come up with some ideas, below is a list full of possible snacks to satisfy your hunger.