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Fit Notes From Nancy

“I Can’t Get No Satisfaction”

Do you ever get a gnawing feeling in your gut even after eating, that  you just don’t feel satisfied? It may be time to change up WHAT you’re eating, This edition is including some great food tips from Christine Denney, the Oaks Food Services Manager.

                                                         

Sure Fire Ways to Satisfy

*Don’t Starve Yourself (deprivation often backfires into overdose)

 

*Do Eat Breakfast! Try starting your day with eggs or low fat dairy

Eggs have at least 6 grams of protein each and have been shown to help weight loss and to assist in sliming the waistline.  Boil or poach your eggs for little or no added fat, and try skipping the salt and adding only pepper or a little mustard.  Our taste buds can be retrained! Eggs not your thing? Non- fat yogurt makes a good substitute, aided by a little fresh fruit, and creates a good day-starter protein.

 

*Add Your Oats! Oatmeal is full of soluble fiber—the very stuff that keeps you feeling fuller longer because it slows your digestion. 

 

*Go Nuts! Almonds and other nuts make a great snack.

Full of healthful monounsaturated fats, this high fiber food keeps you satisfied for hours.  You have to watch your calories here as an ounce of almonds contains 170 calories (about 28 nuts).  Eating raw almonds (or other nuts) five times a week has been shown to lower cholesterol as effectively as medication---and those with plans including almonds lose weight, reduce body fat and shrink waistlines.  Raw, sugar free Peanut butter, can play a large part in a healthful diet. Although a legume and not technically a nut, peanut butter provides the same monounsaturated fats as almonds.  Paired with apple slices or celery, it makes a great snack.  It can also be used in salad dressings and sauces for a delectable protein and fiber addition to any meal.

 

 *Apples to Apples

Eaten raw, one study found that participants who ate a medium sized apple before each meal (65 calories) lost 40% more weight than those who didn’t.  A baked apple makes a satisfying “dessert” and needs very little addition of anything---add some protein with a tablespoon of walnuts!

 

*Avocados often get a bad rap as being high calorie and full of fat. But they contain vitamins and minerals including foliate and potassium and the fats are of the monounsaturated variety.  Enjoy a quarter of an avocado on your salad with some lime juice or even alone, and you will feel the satisfaction!

 

Foods that are HIGH IN PROTEIN, like turkey, chicken, legumes (beans & peas), eggs, cheese, nuts (almonds & cashews) are also LOW ON THE GLYCEMIC INDEX. They will keep you satisfied and slim!

 

Foods that are LOW IN PROTEIN, like white bread, white rice, potatoes, corn, and some high sugar fruits fill you up quickly, but don’t sustain you for long. The higher the sugar content, the lower the satisfaction.

 

Furthermore!! You can actually help your moods, especially the Winter Blues, by assisting your body’s production of Serotonin through the fatty acid Omega 3’s and 6’s found in Mackerel, Salmon, Sardines, Tuns, Walnut Oil, Flax & Flaxseed Oil, Canola Oil, Grape seed Oil, Chicken, Turkey, and Eggs. Foods high in B vitamins (Brown Rice, Chicken, Eggs, Leafy Greens, Legumes, Peas, Meat, Nuts, Seeds), Calcium (Almonds, Brewers Yeast, Leafy Greens, Fish w. bones, Tofu, Dairy Products), Magnesium (Turkey, Leafy Greens, Brown Rice, Sesame Seed, Shrimp, and Salmon), and tryptophan (Turkey, Soy Products, Peanuts, Almonds) also play a part in balancing the body AND the brain!

 

So, you CAN get satisfaction from the food you eat by being smart.

You CAN maintain your weight loss by eating right.

You CAN help beat the Winter Blues!

 

And of course, for a real fixer upper, come see us at the Oaks!

No good food is better than when someone else buys it, prepares it, and cleans up after it! Check our calendar to see what’s coming up in Ojai!

 

Happy, Healthy Holidays!     Nancy

 

 

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