THE MOST IMPORTANT RULES FOR HEALTHY EATING....YES THE MOST IMPORTANT
You know what to do in theory - avoid processed foods and trans fats, include more protein, and load up on the fresh fruits and veggies. Easy! Unless, of course, the last time your weekly menu even partially resembled such a wholesome eating plan was before work, stress, or the perils of keeping up online took over your life.
And these days eating healthy can be confusing at best and too much hard work. It doesn't have to be that complicated and if you follow these simple rules you just might find that it's a lot easier than you thought to be one of those annoyingly perky healthy people.
Eat food that is as close to its natural state as possible
My rule is to always choose food that is as close to its natural state as possible. Eat the whole egg, not just the white. Choose full-fat organic dairy over low-fat, antibiotic-ridden dairy and small amounts of nature's fats (organic meat, avocado, oils, nuts and seeds) in your diet.
Calories don't count
If you choose to eat a balance of natural foods you'll soon learn that calories don't count. This is because when it comes to energy in versus energy out, 2 + 2 does not always make 4. Lot's of people gain weight and feel awful on a low-cal diet and lose weight by regularly indulge in meat, (good) fats, and a daily feast of vegetables, seeds, full-fat dairy, and nuts.
It's all about listening to your body - which is tough to do if your mind is overwhelmed with sugar and chemicals from all that low-fat food.
Avoid dieting
If you're not going to count calories, then I guess you'd better give up dieting as well. (Bet you'll be sorry to say goodbye). I don't have to tell you that most diets depend on restricting something -whether it's calories, a certain food group, foods at a certain time of day, etc.
Well the evidence is in, and it's not pretty.....
Coming soon is an opportunity to join me for my fall cleanse where you will be eating real food every few hours, even chicken soup!!! You also will go into the holiday season feeling great and ready to look awesome in your evening finest. Check out the details at .... http://thehealthylifestyleconsultant.com/cleanse.aspx
Here is a testimonial from a client.... I have Crohn's disease. My doctor's told me that diet has nothing to do with it and I could eat whatever I wanted. After going through severe diarrhea and weight loss, followed by low energy, weight gain and inflammation everywhere, I sought Wendy Schnitzer's advice. She helped me connect certain foods I was eating to the inflammation - namely gluten and soy and when I eliminated them, I felt better almost immediately. She worked with my whole family to think about eating as a way to better health. By eating real , unprocessed food, that was delicious and satisfying, I began to lose my unwanted weight without even trying. I felt well enough to want to exercise again. The ultimate proof was that my labs came back "perfect" in my doctor's words. As an experienced yo-yo dieter, this is the first time I don't feel obsessed by food. I have a new way of thinking about it that helps me feel creative and an active participant in the health of my whole family. I could not have gotten to this place without Wendy's careful guidance.
Judith Shahn, Senior Lecturer,
University of Washington
Super-Healthy Chicken Coconut Curry Recipe
This recipe would have to be one of my all-time favorites. What's not to love about a recipe that tastes fantastic, takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, and has all the ingredients for a healthy and nutrient-filled dinner with metabolism-boosting benefits!
Chicken Coconut Curry
Serves 4(possibly with leftovers)
- 1 - 1.5 pounds chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are preferable to breast as they're higher in purine, an important form of rich protein with fat loss and health benefits. They're also much tastier, and cost less!
- 3 cloves fresh garlic or 2 flat teaspoons crushed garlic if you can't be bothered
- One large red chili, or chili flakes to save time
- An inch or so of fresh ginger
- Coconut oil
- 4-5 bay leaves
- 2 tins organic coconut cream or milk (coconut oil and cream are super-good for your metabolism and a wonderful way to boost long-term energy)
- 4 stalks celery including leaves
- 2 handfuls of mushrooms
- 1 large carrot
- 1 large handful green or yellow beans, or snow peas if beans aren't available
- Half a head of cauliflower
- Some baby corn (optional)
- Organic sea salt
- Fresh coriander or basil
If you know you'll be home late or are prone to dinner-time laziness, it helps to chop the veggies in the morning and leave them in a bowl in the fridge. I chop everything pretty roughly, myself - so long as it's clean and any unwanted stalks or heads are removed, and then it's all good. You'll notice my quantities are fairly vague as well - this is because I just throw in however much looks right to me at the time! Nobody said cooking has to be a fine art.
The exception is the fresh ginger, chili and garlic (if you use it) - chop fine, and throw into a wok or large, deep pan after heating with some coconut oil. While that's simmering (keep an eye on it and stir occasionally), take 2 minutes to cut up your chicken thighs. I use cooking scissors as they're far quicker than a knife. Throw the bird in, and get to work on your veggies. Or stop for some wine if you were smart enough to pre-chop in the morning.
Once the chicken is pretty much done (around 5-7 minutes), add your veggies, and stir-through. Within a minute or two, add your coconut milk, and throw in those bay leaves, along with a few pinches of sea salt. Let cook on low for around 10-15 minutes, or put the lid on if you want to speed this process up. Stir occasionally either way. Use this time to unpack your bag and prepare your things for the next day.
Serve with freshly torn coriander or basil mixed through and possible some additional sea salt. Pick out the bay leaves first if you can be bothered!