Are You Hungry Or Is It Emotional Eating?
Emotional eating can SABOTAGE your weight loss efforts and goals!!! I know this from personal experience…I’ve had “emotional baggage” and I suppressed those feelings with mindless eating….Everything from stress, depression, my childhood, anxiety, loss, self doubt, fear, disappointment, etc – I let those things consume me! Until one day, I grasped onto that I was bigger and better and needed help to overcome those feelings…I realized I needed to deal and move on from my past so that I could truly become who God created me to be!!!
Tips to get your weight-loss efforts back on track
Although negative emotions can trigger emotional eating, you can take steps to control cravings and renew your effort at weight loss. To help stop emotional eating, try these tips:
- Tame your stress. If stress contributes to your emotional eating, try a stress management technique, such as yoga, meditation or relaxation.
- Have a hunger reality check. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don’t have a rumbling stomach, you’re probably not really hungry. Give the craving a little time to pass. Gulp down some water!
- Keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you’re feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal the connection between mood and food.
- Get support. You’re more likely to give in to emotional eating if you lack a good support network. Lean on family and friends or consider joining a support group.
- Fight boredom. Instead of snacking when you’re not truly hungry, distract yourself. Take a walk, watch a movie, play with your cat, listen to music, read, surf the Internet or call a friend.
- Take away temptation. Don’t keep supplies of comfort foods in your home if they’re hard for you to resist. And if you feel angry or blue, postpone your trip to the grocery store until you’re sure that you have your emotions in check.
- Don’t deprive yourself. When you’re trying to achieve a weight-loss goal, you may limit your calories too much, eat the same foods frequently and banish the treats you enjoy. This may just serve to increase your food cravings, especially in response to emotions. Let yourself enjoy an occasional treat and get plenty of variety to help curb cravings.
- Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie snack, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip, or unbuttered popcorn. Or try low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
- Get enough sleep. If you’re constantly tired, you might snack to try to give yourself an energy boost. Take a nap or go to bed earlier instead.
- Seek therapy. If you’ve tried self-help options but you still can’t get control of your emotional eating, consider therapy with a professional mental health provider. Therapy can help you understand the motivations behind your emotional eating and help you learn new coping skills. Therapy can also help you discover whether you may have an eating disorder, which is sometimes connected to emotional eating.
If you have an episode of emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you’re making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that’ll lead to better health. Do NOT let your past define and consume you! Take control NOW! Do not allow emotional eating soothe your negative emotions..learn those triggers and and find a more positive way to control it!
Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
I recently came across Jamie Eason’s recipe of Turkey Meatloaf and I decided to try them out! They are so YUMMY, quick and easy to make – plus my kids love them (we all want our kids to LIKE healthy foods, right?!) You can make them at the beginning of the week, they are great to just grab and go if you are in a rush – PLUS I recently took one and crumbled it on top of my salad and made a wrap with it!
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground turkey or ground chicken breast
3 egg whites
1 cup of quick cooking oats (or Gluten Free oats)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dry yellow mustard
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chipotle pepper spice (we could only find this at Whole Foods)
2 tbsp garlic powder (2 cloves, minced)
2 celery stalks, finely chopped (approx 1 cup)
1 small onion, finely chopped (approx 1 cup)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line baking sheet with foil or spray muffin pan with Canola Oil or Olive Oil.
3. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. Roll the mixture into balls & place on your baking sheet or in your muffin tin.
5. Bake for 40 minutes (This may vary depending on your oven).
Makes 12 muffins
Serving size:
Men: 4 muffins
Women: 2 muffins
Calories: 80
Fat: 2g
Carbs: 4g
Protein: 11g
Tip: Watch Jamie make these muffins in the video here. She gives a lot of good tips!
Healthy Lunches Under 400 Calories
Spicy Bean and Guacamole Burritos
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup canned low-fat refried beans
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 3 tablespoons prepared guacamole
- 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
- 2 small (6-inch) whole-grain tortillas
- 1 cup red grapes
Make It
Stir together beans and salsa. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Place warm bean mixture, guacamole, and lettuce on tortillas and roll up. Serve with grapes on the side.
Grilled Cheese with Turkey and Tomato
Ingredients
- 2 slices whole-grain bread
- 1 slice cheddar cheese
- 2 ounces sliced turkey
- 1 slice tomato
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup pea pods
- 2 tablespoons low-fat ranch dressing
Make It
Make sandwich with bread, cheese, turkey, and tomato. Coat a skillet with cooking spray and toast sandwich for about 3 minutes on each side, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve with pea pods and ranch dressing.
Pizza Burger
Ingredients
- 1 vegetarian burger
- 1 whole-grain hamburger bun
- 2 tablespoons canned pizza sauce
- 1 slice part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 small apple
Make It
Warm burger and place on bun; top with pizza sauce and cheese. Microwave sandwich for 20 to 30 seconds to melt cheese; add fresh basil. Serve with apple on the side.
Meatball Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 meatballs
- 1 whole-grain hotdog bun
- 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce
- 1/2 cup sliced green pepper
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesancheese
- 1 medium orange
Make It
Warm meatballs in microwave. Place on bun with sauce and peppers, and sprinkle with cheese. Warm sandwich in microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Serve orange slices on the side.
Chili and Chips
Ingredients
- 1 cup canned turkey or vegetarian chili
- 1 1/2 cups frozen broccoli
- 3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup crushed corn chips
Make It
Mix together chili and broccoli and microwave for about 5 minutes, until broccoli is tender. Top chili mixture with shredded cheese and crushed chips.
Gluten Free Spicy Hawaiian Turkey Burger
Lately I have been craving everything pineapple (please don’t ask if I am preggo, not the case LOL) – every time I go to the store I am picking up pineapple chunks and rings to eat with cottage cheese, yogurt, by itself. A few days ago I saw someone on Pinterest post about eating Chicken Pineapple burgers, I didn’t have any ground chicken, but I keep TONS of ground turkey in my freezer, so I decided to come up with my own little concoction of Spicy Hawaiian Turkey Burgers.
All the ingredients I used are Gluten Free, I didn’t use a hamburger bun b/c I didn’t have any GF buns at the house right now, but you can easily use either GF or whatever you use. I think this would probably be good in a wrap too..hmm, that might be my next experiment! I think the pineapple is juicy enough and as long as you don’t overcook your burger, any type of sauce is unnecessary but if you wanted to add something, a little BBQ sauce would be my recommendation. I would also throw a couple slices of red onion on these next time but I didn’t have any on hand this time. As you can see in the pictures, I served these burgers with some steamed kale and a side of mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries).
GF Spicy Hawaiian Turkey Burger Recipe
(makes 4 burgers):
1 pound ground turkey
4 pineapple rings (or equivalent slices, cut about 1/2″ – 3/4″ thick)
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 GF hamburger buns (or none if you choose)
1/4 cup Liquid Ammino’s
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Himalayan Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
Combine the ground turkey, liquid ammino’s, 1/2 the paprika, 1/2 the chili powder, Himalayan salt, garlic and Cumin. Lightly mix with your hands and divide into 4 even balls. Form patties, making them slightly thinner in the middle and sprinkle with remaining paprika and chili powder. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill to medium heat. I used my George Foreman and put it on 350. Top with cheese for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time to melt. Remove to a plate and grill buns if desired.
For the pineapple, I dipped them in Parisan BBQ Sauce – it’s all natural and GF. If you are using rings, put them directly on the grill over medium heat. If you are using pineapple slices or chunks, thread onto skewers and grill skewers in the same fashion. Assemble burgers and enjoy.
Gluten Free Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup
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Gluten Free Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup
from: The Dainty Chef
TurboFire 5 Day Inferno Plan Day 4
I woke up this morning and I weighed myself – but I didnt lose anything or gain anything….This could be because Monday’s and Tuesday’s are my hardest workout days – I teach multiple classes and then workout afterwards and lift weights – so that probably has a lot to do with it! For the rest of the week I just do my own workouts at home or the gym! Today I did PiYo Strength 16. I can say – today has been my FAVORITE day with all the meals and snacks!!!!
Breakfast was Chocolate Shakeology and then for snack – apples with peanut butter. But I decided to change it a little – I did chocolate hazelnut butter and OMGOSH! It was so good. I use Justin’s brand of PB and Almond Butter and they had sample packs of chocolate hazelnut butter so I had to try it out and I think I am hooked. It was the same amount of calories, so I didn’t feel bad switching out the PB with the HNB.
Lunch was an egg salad wrap with a side salad. I have never made egg salad with cottage cheese before and it was oh so yummy!!!! It’s so funny because I actually feel like I can cook and make things…
Snack #2 was Almonds with an orange and I was def ready for my snack. I had waited too long between lunch and snack and I could tell – so I was ready!
Dinner – I ate like a king! Thin cut loin steak, baked potato and fresh cooked spinach w/ low fat sour cream, chopped garlic and parmesan cheese! I normally don’t like sour cream, but I decided to make the spinach like the recipe said and I ended up LOVING it. The steak was great and so was the baked potato. I felt very satisfied and not like I was still hungry.
TurboFire 5 Day Inferno Plan Day 3
I didn’t think I would see any weight changes since I woke up extremely sore from my workouts yesterday – but I did!!!! I was kinda shocked – but then again I am a lean, mean, fat burning machine with the 5 day plan! Today I did NOT feel like working out – I think it was the fact it has been rainy and dreary here all day, so I really wanted to lay on the couch all day. But NOPE I got my butt up and worked out, plus taught my TurboKick class. I felt great all day long and surprisingly I still have a ton of energy – I thought I wouldn’t have as much energy with doing this meal plan, but I feel better than ever – maybe its all the clean eating?!
Day 3 weight – 124.6 – 2 pounds lost so far!
This morning for breakfast I had low-fat cottage cheese with 2 pineapple rings – this is something I love to eat anyway, so it was way good. I usually eat a smaller portion of it with eggs or whole wheat toast, so today I had more of it to eat. I use to hate cottage cheese, it use to be so disgusting – but, I guess as I started integrating more and more healthy foods into my diet I started liking things I had never liked before – cottage cheese being one of those foods! For my first snack I had some veggies dipped in low fat ranch dressing.
I am NOT a baked potato fan – I never order them at restaurants and honestly probably havent had one in over a couple of years!!! So I was not really excited about lunch today. After I made my potato in the microwave, made the turkey bacon and diced it up and then piled on the fat free cheese – I actually enjoyed my baked potato! The recipe also called to have fat free sour cream on top, but I opted out – I dont like sour cream either lol..I also added in 3 strawberries…My daughter had them at lunch and I wanted something sweet!
Snack #2 was a favorite!!! Greenberry Shakeology, strawberries, milk, water, ice – blend! This is the perfect snack bc it keeps me full in between meals and it tastes amazing!
Dinner – Chicken tacos on whole wheat tortillas, pico, avocado, cilantro and on the side black beans! I LOVED THIS DINNER! I really wasnt that hungry when I started making dinner, but I knew I had to teach my Turbo class and workout afterwards, so I was going to be hungry later and I would rather eat my meal early than after 8pm. I almost didn’t finish, it was a big dinner. Another recipe going down in my “fav recipe book” 
TurboFire 5 Day Inferno Plan Day 2
Today, was a great day – I never felt like I was starving (and I even taught TurboKick and PiYo back-to-back), the food on day 2 menu was delicious. I finally feel like I can cook lol..Who would have thought?! Oh and because I did PiYo Strength today along with Turbo I doubt I will see change in weight tomorrow morning. I know I will be sore and when you are sore, most likely your muscles are retaining water and will actually make you weigh more – but we will see!
Day 2 weight: 125.2 – lost 1.4 pounds so far!
This morning I woke up and was ready for breakfast. I didn’t have cantaloupe (my grocery store did not have any) so I opted to have my yogurt with raspberries and then drizzled the honey on top! I have done this several times for breakfast, so I knew it was going to be good. I also took my Activit Vitamins from BeachBody and drank 12oz of water with 1/2 package of Crystal Light Peach Mango to-go. When it came to snack time, I really wasnt that hungry, so I cut my Shakeology snack in half.
By the time lunch rolled around, I was HUNGRY! But it was more than filling. Turkey wrap on a whole wheat tortilla, spinach leaves, avocado, tomatoes, light italian dressing. I have never made my own turkey wrap, this recipe was awesome and definitely going down in the books as a lunch favorite!
Snack #2 – I call them Ants on a Log – because thats what it looks like! 2 celery sticks, peanut butter in the middle and instead of raisins, I put dried cranberries on top – DELICIOUS! My kids even had these for their snack today!
I changed up my dinner a little. It called for teriyaki grilled salmon, but I do not like grilled salmon – only in my sushi – weird right lol?!? So I opted for grilled tilapia instead. Teriyaki Tilapia, seared pineapple ring, brown ginger rice and I also did not find bok choy at my grocery store (I live in a po-dunk town that would never have anything like this lol), so I exchanged it with broccoli again. 
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