Cut Out the Cravings

So we all know what mad cravings are like - if you are human like me anyway. :) But the important thing to know is - there is a whole lot more going on than just your "will power" or that it's "so hard" for you to not want certain kinds of foods.

For example - packaged food. I used to eat it all the time. It may have been like the only thing I would eat, especially before having kids. The stuff is addicting....and there is a reason for this. The food companies actually formulate each bite for maximum craveability! This is done with a special tantalizing balance of sugar, fat and salt - all of the things that our bodies and brains crave more of when we get it.

But while this can TASTE pleasing - it can be quite detrimental to your health and especially to your fitness results / goals.

Not sure what exactly JUNK FOOD is? You're not alone. If you only looked at packaging and what is claimed on the front, you might think so many things are healthy for you. These days many junk foods are being deceptively marketed and packaged as healthy choices. Let's look at a couple examples together.

Ok so this Heinz ketchup bottle markets "Reduced Sugar" in big letters because people think - "oh this MUST be better because sugar is bad, right?" Well there more to it than meets the eye. Whenever you see something that says "reduced sugar" or "sugar free" - make sure to turn that bottle over and read the ingredients. So much of the time it means that they have replaced the sugar with artificial sweeteners. For example - in this product, they have used Sucralose, an artificial sweetener, is listed as one of the ingredients. Given the many negative health effects artificial sweeteners have on your body, I'd pass on this one. When I have to make the choice - I would choose real sugar over artificial sweeteners for sure. So here - pick the regular ketchup even if it means more sugar.



Ok now this one is just awesome. Nutrition rich cookies - and look at all of these wonderful health claims on the front. Why wouldn't you want to eat these healthy cookies??? 


Well now that we know to turn the box over and read the INGREDIENTS - we can see what is really going on here....

Food advertising tracks are literally all over this box. We see things like nutrition rich, as much fiber as a bowl of oatmeal, as much vitamin C as a cup of blueberries, no trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup.

But on the back we see the truth. First of all - all of the mineral and vitamins are fortified. See the separate label for them? It has it's own section because it is not naturally found in the product! You may as well just eat some Oreos and take a vitamin pill to get the same effects. :)  And the ingredients. Remember the higher on the list, the more there is of it. Added sugar is the number #1 ingredient. We also see corn syrup. These sugars will be broken down quickly, creating a quick rise in blood sugar and then a resulting release of fat storing insulin hormone. Not good my friends. They can say all of this things on the front of the box through technicalities! Do your own research and read the back of the box please.

So what IS junk food? We can look at this little checklist here....

• Junk food has little to NO nutritional value
• Junk food is processed and packaged
• Junk food is high in sugar, fat, and salt - (all the things the brain craves and wants more of when you get it)
• Junk food can be high in calories (and if not - then artificial things are going on to make it taste good!)
• Junk food is rarely eaten out of real hunger

Quick Steps to Kill the Cravings

1. Clear out the JUNK! Get rid of the junk you have - donate it or throw it away! Do not buy it. If you don't buy it - you can't eat it! It's not doing anything good for your body so why invest your money in it?

2. Stock up on Healthy Snacks. Go to the store and stock up on some delicious and nutritious foods that will take the place of the junk food. Nuts, seeds, fruits, veggies, hard boiled eggs, hearty salads or burrito bowls are great items to have on hand! You'll eat less of these since they aren't empty calories. They are nutrient filled calories that actually satiate hunger and fuel your body appropriately. I have other great resources and lists of healthy snacks if you would like me to send them to you. Just get ahold of me. (contact info links below!)

3. HALT. Next time you feel a craving strike - tell yourself to HALT. Am I - Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired? If you're hungry - first drink some water and then reach for one of the healthy snacks from step 2. If you're angry - explore the issue and seek resolution. if you are lonely - reach out to a friend or an accountability partner (I can be that person for you - it's kind of my thing!). And if you are tired - focus on a plan to get more sleep!

4. Stick With It.  The first few days going without junk will be the hardest. You might be ornery and get a headache because your body is like "HEY!!! Where is the junk I'm craving??" But it will get easier if you stick to your plan. Your taste buds WILL adjust to the foods that you are eating. When your diet is filled with junk foods, then that is what you crave. But if you shift your diet to one that is filled with fresh, nutritious foods - then your taste buds will forget all about the old food! Stick with it - one day at a time and you can break free from the horrible junk food - sugar addiction!

I run monthly accountability groups where I help people with their nutrition plans and their fitness. It's a safe place where you have me to hold you accountable and support you on your journey. If you'd like to join my next one - please send me a message on facebook HERE or email me HERE. I'd love to help in any way that I can!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Pancakes don't have to be bad for you! If you are buying the store bought pancake mix - you're not doing much for yourself in the way of clean eating. But if you want to switch it up a little bit and make some healthy pancakes - try these Sweet Potato Pancakes!!

Why sweet potatoes? So many of my clients think that carbs are bad for you. But that's just not true. It's just important to eat the healthy carbs - the ones that are the most nutrient dense. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, Manganese, Copper, and vitamin B6. Additionally they are a great source of potassium, dietary fiber, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and phosphorus.

Make these pancakes in small sizes and drizzle a little pure organic maple syrup. YUM! This will be a great way to start your day :)

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
2 large organic eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour or coconut flour
olive oil or coconut oil for frying
pure maple syrup

How to do it:

1. Add sweet potato and eggs into blender, blend until smooth.
2. Add in baking powder and the flour of your choice. Blend again until smooth but try not to over mix. Stir if needed but do not over mix it! If you still see lumps just let it be. Set the mixture aside.
3. Heat your pan on medium-high heat, add in your preferred oil. My preference is extra virgin olive oil.
4. Pour your desired amount of pancake batter. I like to make small ones! Cook, when you see bubbles on top, flip the pancake and cook the other side.
5. Repeat until all batter is cooked, and top with pure & organic maple syrup.

ENJOY!!

xoxo,

Krysta Joelle

Spaghetti Squash Dinner

Want to try to cut down on carbs normally eaten through pasta? While you can eat clean whole grain pasta - another option is to ZOODLE it!! Use spaghetti squash as you "noodle" and it tastes amazing. Plus it's filled with more fiber and nutrients than your traditional pasta noodle...plus it's so much lower in calories and fat!

Ingredients:

• 1 (2-3 pounds) spaghetti squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with a nonstick spray.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise from stem to tail and scrape out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper if desired.
3. Place squash, cut side down, onto the prepared baking dish. Place into oven and roast until tender, about 35-45 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let rest until cool enough to handle.
5. Using a fork, scrape the flesh to create long strands.

Now for a wonderful mixture to put on top!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (if you're not dairy free!)

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until you get your desired texture.
2. Add to your scraped strands of spaghetti squash
3. Any leftover mixture can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator

Ultimate Reset 2.0

I finished my 21 day journey with the Ultimate Reset this past Sunday and I have been meaning to blog about my results and what I learned and this week has just been nutso. Today was my "work" day as I had a few hours kid-free. Then our car accident happened and the day got away from me. Time flies by so fast when you are working hard to get stuff done without little minions around :)

I also got a hydrafacial and let's be honest - that was worth it! They are my favorite and if you've never tried one - you really should!

But back to my Ultimate Reset.

I'm going to make this post simple and to the point. Because I'm tired, my brain is fried and I really want a glass of wine :)

First off - let's back up. What is the Ultimate Reset and why did I want to do it again? Click HERE to read more about that.

You might ask me "but you already eat clean and live a very healthy lifestyle. why do you need to do this?"

Because I believe in balance and living life with the 80/20 rule. 80% clean and 20% balance (aka - chocolate and wine!)

But after time - and vacations and getting a little too lax, I start to feel a little sluggish. There are still toxins in our environment that I cannot always control.

And most of it - for me it comes down to my MINDSET. Sometimes I need a swift kick in the arse to get my brain back on track. To not binge on the snack food when I let myself have it. To not have wine too much. Just to get myself right again. It's not about losing weight or having a six pack. It's about feeling healthy - mind, body and spirit! And since I've already done the Ultimate Reset once - I knew it would help me accomplish that. So I went for it again!

What did I learn this time? What was reinforced?

A few things.

1. I am so much stronger than I give myself credit for. Some people tell me "you have amazing willpower - I wish I could do that". Trust me - it's NOT easy for me. I have to mindfully work at it every hour of every day. It all comes down to choices. Do you want something to change? Then you simply MUST work at it and change what you are doing! If you don't want to or think you "can't" change behaviors in your life - then you truly are not ready for change or you do not want it bad enough.

2. Not eating after dinner is so key for me to feeling great. My body has proper time to digest all of my food and I wake up feeling so clear, I have less anxiety, and my body feels so light and healthy. It's hard to even describe how amazing you feel after doing this.

3. I stopped taking my anxiety medication. I debated whether I was going to share this or not. But I decided, what the hell. I'm about being real, so here it is. Do I think this is the right answer for everyone? NO. We are all different and just because I'm doing something, doesn't mean its the right path for someone else or that I think they should do it too. I think we should do what works best for US and not worry about what anyone else is doing.  But I wanted to stop taking the meds and really put in the effort to work through my anxiety with different techniques and promised myself I was going to be serious about this effort. My food has so much to do with my anxiety. Food affects us you guys. Bad things in our foods - certain foods - they affect me psychologically and emotionally. I did a LOT of self-reflection over the last 3 weeks. LOTS. A. LOT. I've done a lot of reading, and praying, and journaling. I have had the least amount of anxiety over the past 3 weeks than I have in over a year.

4. I love veggies. I'll remind you....this is coming from a girl who only like 3 years ago wouldn't touch veggies. I would literally not eat an entire dish if it was touched with onions or peppers. I only ate corn and it turns out that isn't even a vegetable at all (can you say heart smasher?). Now I swear - I crave veggies. You feed your body the good stuff, and it craves the good stuff. So don't tell me "I could never eat like you because I just don't like that many veggies". I won't buy it. My husband is still in disbelief when he sees my food because he knows how extremely anti-veggie I was before.

5. I REALLY missed working out with weights. I still worked out by doing my elliptical - but I am so happy to be back to using weights for strength training. My body is in so much pain from soreness right now because I worked out doing Hammer and Chisel the past 3 days. No pain no gain, right? :)

So now for the fun part. Results.

I wouldn't say my pictures are quite as drastic as the first time I did the Ultimate Reset - you can see those results here from last year --> 2015 UR Results

left is day 1, right is day 21

Last time I did it, my weight went down to 134 and that's where it stopped. That is the weight I am at when I'm treating my body 99% perfect, with no cheats.

This time, I got down to the exact same weight - which shows me that it the weight that I truly go to when I'm at my healthiest. I started at 143 this time - so 9 pounds down.

Most of my weight and bloat when I have it is held in my stomach area, my face and my legs. All of that went away. I could care less about what that stupid scale says. That number doesn't mean anything to me - all I care about is how I FEEL. And I feel great. I feel light and on top of the world.

I share the number because 90% of the people ask me about it and want to know.

So here are my pics. 9 lbs down but more importantly - so much healthier emotionally and physically.

If you are interested in hearing more about how the Ultimate Reset works - let me know and I'd love to chat!!

What is next?

I plan to do the Hammer and Chisel program until our new Core de Force program comes out. Mama is really to do some MMA style workouts!! :)

Thanks for reading!!

Carb Talk

Let's talk CARBS!

Lots of people have tried super low (or no) carb diets to lose weight. And while these can be beneficial to help people in their short term goals - I really want to talk about what KIND of carbs you should limit or avoid. The ones that are affecting you the most are REFINED carbs.

Not ALL carbs are bad. You actually NEED good carbs!

What is a refined carb?? Refined carbs are forms of sugars and starches that don’t exist in nature. They do come from natural whole foods, but they have been altered in some way by processing to “refine” them. Processing methods include industrial extraction, concentration, purification, and enzymatic transformation. It’s easy for most of us to identify sugars, because they taste sweet and usually come in the form of crystals, syrups, or powders.

What can happen when you limit or remove a lot of refined or simple carbs and sugars from your nutrition plan?

1. You may feel LESS hungry. Fat actually burns longer and slower than simple carbs so your energy stores will take longer to deplete. This means that you might not need that afternoon snack or that you won't be completely starving by the time for your next meal. You may also notice that it takes longer to feel hunger in the mornings after you wake up once you've cut out the simple carbs and refined sugars out of your diet.
2. You burn MORE fat. When you limit or stop or limit eating simple carbs and sugars - your body no longer has readily calories to burn - so it switches over into burning stored fat as energy! This means you will notice a fast change in the way your pants fit around your waist and thighs!
3. You have MORE energy. When your diet consists of simple sugars and refined carbs - your body is on a continual energy roller coaster. Right after you eat, your energy is super high and then an hour later your energy level crashes. All of that can change once you cut out these things from your diet. When you replace your meals with nutrient dense foods that sustain your energy levels for hours at a time - you won't deal with that frustrating roller coaster of energy levels.
4. You will have a FLATTER stomach. Even after 1-2 weeks - you will notice that your stomach will become visibly flatter. That is one reward that shows you quickly how much you're helping your body! And who doesn't want a flatter stomach? Seriously :)

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So let's get practical. Here are some good examples of foods lower in refined carbs and added sugar:

• fresh/frozen meat or poultry
• eggs
• fresh/frozen fruit
• sweet potatoes
• all vegetables
• whole grains (whole grain rice, oats, barley, quinoa)
• nuts and seeds
• unsweetened nut butters
• unsweetened coconut
• whole legumes (beans, peas, lentils)
• gaucamole
• unsweetened, all-natural dairy products (milk, plain yogurt, cheese, butter, cream...)
• 100% stone-ground whole grain breads or crackers without added sugar (check ingredients!!)
• herbs and spices
• oils 
• unsweetened vinegar
• most red wines

Main refined carbs to avoid:

• white flour
• white bread
• white rice
• pastries
• soda
• white pasta
• sweets
• breakfast cereals (unless you find a really good one!)

Your best bet is to shop the perimeter of the grocery store! If you do need something from the inside aisles and it's in a package or box - READ the labels! You may be so used to looking at the nutrition information and at calories or fat - but the most important thing to look at is the INGREDIENT list. Make sure that if there are grains, it says 100% WHOLE grains or 100% WHOLE wheat. If you see "sugar" in there - that is ADDED sugar and not the natural sugar in the food. So that is always a red flag to me. And the higher up in the list of ingredients, the more there is of that ingredient.

Example - the outside of this box may say in big letters "made with whole wheat!". It might also rave about the vitamins included. But then you turn the box over and your eyes should immediately go to the ingredients. First ingredient is "whole wheat"...this does NOT mean 100% whole wheat. Just PART of the wheat. You want it to say 100%! Then look at all of the different added sugars and processed ingredients! This is why ingredients matter. This is from a box of Frosted Flakes!

One great app you can download on your phone is called "Fooducate" - you can take your phone with you to the grocery store and scan any item and most things are in there with a food rating. It will tell you reasons why it's been scored as such. While it may not be perfect - and some opinions may vary product to product - I've found it to be a useful tool to at least learn more about what I might be buying for me and my family to eat!

I hope you found this helpful! If you have any questions or would like to talk about your nutrition and would like some tips, I'd LOVE to help. Nutrition is one of my passions and I love to help people to live healthier lives.

Feel free to connect with me on Facebook --> Click Here 

Or you can email me anytime as well! --> Email Me

Two Weeks Down

Two weeks ago I started the Ultimate Reset program.  I have done this program once before in June of 2015 when I was dealing with a torn meniscus in my knee so it was really helpful that I knew what to expect. You can click on the link above to read more about the Ultimate Reset and why I'm doing it - but I just wanted to give a little update and share how I'm feeling so far and my thoughts and feedback.

So today was day 15 and I will say that Week 3 was my favorite last time and it's proving to be my favorite this time too.

Week one is the hardest in my opinion because drastically you're cutting a lot out. Any treats or snacks that I was sneaking in here for there (which I needed to STOP), any alcohol, any caffeine (HELLO, COFFEE?), and then you quickly throw out any meat as well.

So the first few days, you're pretty much detoxing and wishing you could have coffee. You're a little tired and your body is going through a lot.

I got through the first week and followed my plan completely. You are not supposed to work out hard core at all throughout these three weeks and they recommend only yoga or light cardio.

I tried yoga a few times, but then really just wanted to do my elliptical. So I stuck with what I wanted to do. I didn't work out every day though. When I felt my body needed rest, I didn't do anything. Just listened to my body.

The second week I had a little monkey wrench thrown into my plans. I developed a cough that was keeping me up at night so I wasn't sleeping well. So not only was I tired from the work my body was going through internally from the reset, but I also was just plain TIRED. So very few workouts happened in week 2. My food was all on plan besides one day I skipped lunch.

The food is actually really good and filling on the Ultimate Reset. Last year when I did it - I made most of the recipes it gives you for each day. This time around I'm following more of the "Reset in a Crunch" - where they give you a few different options to choose from each day. This way is just SOOO much easier because I can keep the same groceries and not have to spend so much time in the kitchen and preparing.

So the first week is Phase 1, the second is Phase 2, and the third is Phase 3. This chart explains what is happening in each phase.

Right now I'm having 3 cups of fruit in the morning. For lunch I'm having this HUGE, ginormous microgreen salad with tons of veggies and toasted pumpkin seeds and sometimes either avocado or a sweet potato.

Here is another image that explains it well!



Dinner I have some sort of mix of sauteed veggies and either miso soup or 1/2 sweet potato. I pretty much just keep my fridge stocked with tons of veggies I love and use them up however I feel like it that day :)

Today was great - but I wasn't even thinking and I grabbed a handful of the girls (non-buttered) popcorn when they were eating snack and we were snuggling. So I guess that is a cheat, but it was only one handful :)

I didn't do this Ultimate Reset to lose weight - but that has definitely happened and it's pretty drastic so far. I can't wait to post my results after this last week!!

So if I didn't do this for weight - what is the biggest reason I did it?

Because doing things like this are really good for my brain and my mindset. Yes I already eat clean and healthy - but I also let those snacks sneak in at night. I also love wine and chocolate like any other normal woman! :) Sometimes I just need a few strict weeks to reset the way my brain works and work on my cravings. It's good for me so I choose to do it every now and again.

And I'm SO happy. It has NOT been easy at all. It's a lot of work and preparation and WILLPOWER to say no to stuff all of the time. Like my husband decided to buy these amazing looking dark chocolate pieces with pistachios. A giant bag of it. It looks amazing and I just want to dig into the bag!!

But only 6 more days. Chad and I have a date night this weekend so I'm really going to want a wine, but I will hold strong. We can choose our hard - choosing to eat healthy and not have a drink should NOT be considered hard. There are a lot harder things in this world <3

Anywho - that's my update so far!

I will update next week after I'm done with the whole program and will give my final results and my overall feedback of the program. The good and the bad and why I would or wouldn't recommend it to others. :)

If you'd like to learn more about how this works, what you eat when you're doing this or anything - feel free to email me or message me on Facebook anytime! I would love to chat with you more about it.

To see my results from the Ultimate Reset I did in June 2015 - click here --> RESULTS!