Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--Healthy Gifts for the Holidays

#HealthyGifts
#Fitbit
#HealthyLiving
#ChooseHealth
#ActiveLifestyle
#HolidayGifts
#HealthyLifestyleTip
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#Livliga  
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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--Health Magazine Subscriptions

#HealthyReads
#HealthMagazines
#HealthyLivliga
#ChooseHealth
#NewYearResolution
#FreshStart
#HealthyLifestyleTip
#WhyLivligaWorks   
#Livliga  
#LiveVibrant

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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--Cut Up Veggies in the Fridge

#VeggiesInTheFridge
#HealthySnacks
#HealthyEating
#ChooseHealth
#Nutrition
#DiabetesMonth
#HealthyLifestyleTip
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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--Printouts of Healthy Recipes

#HealthyRecipes
#HolidayHealthyRecipes
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Diabetes-Friendly Turkey and Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Egg

There is nothing better than leftovers to inspire creativity. Before I discovered roast turkey as a great year-round food, I relished the leftovers in order to make my favorite comfort foods like turkey tetrazzini and of course, turkey hash.

 

Turkey hash is easy to prepare and is perfect for breakfast, brunch or a Sunday supper. My version is packed full of healthy ingredients that not only include high quality protein but also vitamins, especially vitamin C; minerals, like potassium; and antioxidants found in foods like garlic, onions and cauliflower used in this recipe. Providing comfort food that is also health promoting is particularly welcome during the colder months when we are combatting flu and colds. It nourishes our soul and our bodies. Below is my favorite hash recipe that is perfect for using up leftover turkey.

Diabetes-Friendly Turkey and Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Egg 

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato, cubed and roasted
• 1 ½ cups cauliflower, chunked and roasted
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked turkey, diced
• 4 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Cooking Spray, olive oil flavored

Directions

1. Prepare the cauliflower and sweet potato, placing them on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for 15 minutes at 375°. 
2. Next, spray a cast-iron skillet with cooking spray and add olive oil at medium heat. Add onions, peppers and salt. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add garlic, paprika and cumin. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. 
4. Add the roasted vegetables and turkey, stirring occasionally until the turkey is heated thoroughly, about 3 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, heat a skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat. Add eggs and fry for 3 – 5 minutes, or until they are cooked as you like to serve them. 
6. Divide the turkey hash to serve 4. Top each serving with an egg. Sprinkle evenly with pepper and serve immediately. 

Serves: 6
Calories per serving: 221
Total Fat: 9g
Carbohydrates: 13g
Sugars: 5g
Sodium: 430mg
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 21g

Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--Board Games

#FamilyGameNight
#BoardGames
#HealthyLifestyle
#ChooseHealth
#GiveYourPhoneARest
#KnowDiabetes
#HealthyLifestyleTip
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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--No TV in Your Bedroom

#BedroomSantuary
#NoTvInBedroom
#HealthyEating
#ChooseHealth
#GoodNightsSleep
#DiabetesMonth
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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--Workout Playlists on Your Phone

#MotivatingMusic
#Playlists
#HealthyOm
#ChooseHealth
#WorkoutPlaylist
#DiabetesAwareness
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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--LivSpoons in your Kitchen

#LivSpoons
#KitchenUtensils
#MondayMotivation
#HealthyEating
#ChooseHealth
#Nutrition
#breastcancerawareness
#HealthyLifestyleTip
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Weight bias is real...and very personal

I remember feeling different from a very early age. I made a joke of it saying “I was born big." In fact, I was tall from a young age and therefore bigger than any of the kids in my class, including the boys. I stayed the tallest until high school when I then shared being tall with a few others. My body developed early. I will never forget my second grade teacher having a meeting with my mom and telling her that I needed to wear a bra. Second grade! Then in fourth grade I got my period. All of this made me feel different; but what caused people to be cruel was my weight.

From about age six on I was slightly overweight...it wasn’t until after college and the Peace Corps I became obese. I recognized I was a very imperfect human from a very early age. It was made clear to me just how imperfect I was by how I was treated, the derogatory comments people would make about my size and weight, and the negative experiences I had because the world around me didn’t know how to include a big kid like me. I got the message loud and clear.

During second grade my best friend and I were picked up for lunch from school so we could be taken home and served “diet food.” Oh how I remember having to eat grapefruit and choke down calves liver. I hated every minute of it. My friend and I felt like flunkies... and we were only 7!

Probably the worst and most humiliating experience I had was when I was thirteen. My mom, out of apparent exacerbation and probably in hopes of shocking me into weight loss, took me to a maternity store to buy me clothes, including bathing suits, prior to going on a spring vacation. Describing my reaction as mortified doesn’t come close to how I felt. It seemed so wrong, and I was so hurt. But I deserved maternity clothes, right? After all, I was a fat person and deserved what I got.

www.ObesityCareWeek.org

As someone who has looked differently and felt differently I have always empathized with the underdog or those who have been ostracized or treated unfairly. I want to protect those who need protecting, fight for what is right, and take action to make things better. It feels wonderful to be part of a growing community of like-minded individuals. Each of us is taking steps to promote change and make a difference.

I started Livliga to make a difference and help people live healthier lives. In order to achieve this goal means supporting a world free of weight bias. Each of us deserves to live in a world where we can live our lives to the fullest in our healthiest form...mentally and physically.

National Obesity Cares Week is all about fostering a community that raises a unified voice rejecting weight bias while demanding those living with obesity receive the care, support and access to information that can make an important difference in their lives.

Like so many, my experience may have scarred me but it has also empowered me to not want someone else to be treated in the same horrible way. Each of us can make a difference. Each voice matters. There is so much good we can do together.

Let’s not have one more generation suffer from teasing, bullying, abuse or ignorance. Let’s help each child live well and live vibrant! Let’s start by making a difference now. Take the pledge.

You can join us and take action to change the way that you care about obesity by taking the Take 5 Pledge. The Take 5 Pledge is intended to inspire action by addressing the 5 reasons to care and encourage us to change the way that we care about obesity Visit www.ObesityCareWeek.org to take action and change the way that we care about obesity.



#Take5Pledge
#ItStopsNow
#metoo
#OW2017
#NOCW2017
#NOCWvoices

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Ten Quick Tips for Bariatric Friendly Mindful Eating

Eating with Intention and Attention

The key to mindful eating is being fully present when you eat. It is about eating with intention and attention. This allows you to be aware of your food environment and the food you are eating. Being mindful also creates a positive space for you to eat right-sized healthy foods, enjoy the process, and feel satisfied at the end of the meal.

Since we have spent most of our lives grazing when we eat, not paying attention to what we eat or the amounts we eat, it is a journey to become fully mindful and present when we eat. This is particularly true in the bariatric community. Thinking ahead about how to support ourselves in making a manageable space for being mindful when we eat helps us prepare to be present.

Sit down to eat

  Below are Ten Quick Tips for Bariatric Friendly Mindful Eating:

1.  Right size your food environment, starting with your dishes 
2.  Eliminate any distractions at mealtime—turn off the TV
3. Make time for your meal, don’t rush it, slow down and enjoy
4. Sit down to eat
5. Create an attractive environment to eat that makes your feel good as you eat. Feast your eyes as well as your stomach
6. Chew slowly to allow you to savor the flavors
7. Put your cutlery down between bites to help you slow down and appreciate your meal
8. Plan out when you eat and what you eat for each day. Think about making your meals colorful and interesting. Vary your menus. 
9. Measure your food. Busy week? Prepare your recipes and pre-measure multiple meals. This helps you become effortlessly mindful
10. At the end of the meal take a moment to be aware of how you feel both physically and emotionally. Become aware of what it feels like to feel full and satisfied.

Measure Your Food

   There are many benefits to becoming mindful. First and foremost it helps us succeed long term in living a healthy lifestyle. It assists us in changing our relationship with food. Other benefits for the bariatric community are:

    •    Knowing when you are full sooner
    •    Feeling satisfied with less food
    •    Reduces chances of over-eating
    •    Improved digestion

Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--reusable water bottle

#MondayMotivation
#SignOfAHealthyLifestyle
#Hydration
#Intention
#HidrateBottle
#SelfCare
#ActiveLife 
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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--An Annual Park Pass

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#ActiveLifestyle
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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle--workout clothes in closet

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#WorkoutClothes
#Intention
#Activewear
#SelfCare
#Wardrobe 
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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle-- sunscreen and bug spray in the cabinet

#MondayMotivation
#SignOfAHealthyLifestyle
#sunscreen
#bugspray

#summertime
#SelfCare 

#Intention 

#Livliga
#LiveVibrant

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12 Tips for Losing 50 lbs or more

About five years ago I went on a journey that ultimately caused me to create what is now known as Livliga, a healthy lifestyle company, focused on mindful eating through right-sized tableware and subtle portion control. It was my way of figuring out how to live a healthier lifestyle.  In the process I lost 50 pounds and have been successful in keeping it off.

My Before and After Photos when my husband and I both lost over 50 pounds

To lose 50 pounds or more requires a little different approach than if you only have 10 pounds to lose. Below are my 12 tips for losing 50 pounds or more:

1. Have the long game in mind but break it down into small steps. You need to have the ultimate goal in mind but look at it through a daily lens. Planning is key from what you eat to your exercise to your nightly sleep. Creating healthy lifestyle routines will help you keep to the plan to reach your goal.
2. Weekly menu planning and grocery lists help you stay organized and focused, and avoid bad decisions after a long day when you’re tired and yet still have dinner to prepare. The easiest way to stay in control of what you eat is to start cooking more at home. Include the others in the household in planning and fixing meals. Cooking can be fun, especially when the responsibility and time spent is shared with others…this includes children.
3. Right-size your dinnerware. Our dinnerware in the US has grown over 51% in the past thirty plus years. The bigger the plate the more you want to put on it to make the plate look plentiful to your eyes. Don’t eat off a plate that is bigger than 10.5 inches and make sure your plates have rims. Better yet, invest in dinnerware that has been designed to make right-sized amounts of food look plentiful and also helps you measure the food you want to eat—Livliga!
4.  Set up a healthy food environment. Make sure the first things you see on your kitchen counter top or in your refrigerator and food pantry are healthy and support your diet. Avoid buying any prepackaged snacks. Instead have fruits in a bowl on your counter; place cut vegetables, lowfat yogurt and hard-boiled eggs at eye level in your refrigerator. In your pantry stock water-packed sardines and tuna next to your protein powder and PB2. Visually hide crackers, prepackaged cookies and snacks so you don’t see them automatically.
5. Keep track of your food, exercise and sleep with photos and an app like Fitbit or Apple Health. Accountability is key. We have to keep our mind honest by taking the time to log our food, exercise and sleep. With out keeping track it is way to easy to forget and slip up.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Work on Mindfulness which will help you get more in touch with your body and mind—YOU are the priority and SO worth it! Consider Tai Chi, yoga and meditation to help you become more present.  It was shocking to me to discover how unmindful I was. So much of life we spend in an automatic mode and do by rote…especially when it comes to overeating. The best way to combat it is to be present in our own lives.
7.  Build in ongoing exercise and physical activity.  Invest in an exercise tracker like a Fitbit—⅔ of your work out should be cardio and ⅓ resistance training. Make a goal for how much exercise and “steps” you want to achieve each week and schedule it in. It won’t happen if you don’t plan for it.
8. Document your progress in photos, blogs and Facebook. Taking photos is a great way to share your success and take a moment to see how far you have come and how much you have changed.
9. Find a buddy to join you on your journey. You are more likely to succeed if you don’t do it alone. Make friends at the gym, join a support group, or create your own. Having friends in your life that share in the desire to live a healthy lifestyle can make all the difference in your long-term success.
   
   
   
   
   
10. Forgive yourself for slip-ups and remember tomorrow is a new day. None of us are doomed to fail but we are human and should not expect to be perfect. There are days we will fall back into our old, bad habits. You have to own it and forgive yourself to move on.
11. Reward yourself for your successes. Create new rewards that are not food related and have a list that includes things you enjoy that don’t cost money as well as treats that do. Among my favorites—watching my favorite movie curdled up in my cozy clothes and then I love getting a massage. Both are delicious and give me the lift I need to keep on track. One doesn’t cost money, the other does.
12. Acquire an Attitude of Gratitude. Bad moods and feelings drag us down and make it seem impossible for us to achieve our dreams and our goals. Gratitude actually makes it easier for all of us to do what we need and want to do, especially when it comes to weight loss. Keep a Gratitude Journal or use an app like fiveminutejournal.com to document your gratitude and be able to access it when you most need it.

When you have 50 pounds or more to lose and have struggled with losing weight for a long time, you may want to consider medical weight loss programs and/or weight loss surgery. These are important options to consider depending on your health issues, age and the place you are in your life. Discussing your options with your primary care doctor and a weight loss specialist, like an endocrinologist, can help you make the best decision for you.

To Your Success! Live Vibrant!

#LiveVibrant

#Livliga

#HealthyLifestyle

#HealthyLiving

#WeightlossJourney

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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle -- A Journal

#MondayMotivation
#SignOfAHealthyLifestyle
#InspirationChallenge
#Intention
#Journaling
#SelfCare
#JournalBook 
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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle -- Flower Garden

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#SignOfAHealthyLifestyle
#InspirationChallenge
#Intention
#FlowerGarden
#Perennials
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How can it be manageable to eat well and live with diabetes?

 Getting control of our food environment seems to be the number one challenge for all of us. It is the cornerstone for managing our health. It is not only how much we eat but also what we eat. Most of us know what we need to do. The challenge is doing it in a world that is super-sized, focused on all things food and with no frame of reference for what is right-sized and healthier for us.

For those living with diabetes or diagnosed with being pre-diabetic, which combined are now one-third of the population in the US , it is also all about blood glucose levels.

When asked in a recent online exchange what the biggest daily challenge was as a person who lives with diabetes, one person answered:

Most people would say that the biggest challenge is keeping blood glucose levels in range. Why is it important? Because it's the high blood glucose levels over time that lead to complications of diabetes.

Why is it a challenge? Because *everything* affects blood glucose levels! Food obviously impacts blood glucose levels, but in addition, the GI of food and nutrient composition will affect the rate of impact. 

It comes back to knowing what you are eating and the amount of what you are eating. Foods have to be measured in order to calculate the impact the food you will be eating will have on your insulin levels. This never goes away. It is a constant reality for everyone living with diabetes.

As someone else stated about the daily challenges of living with diabetes:

Diet. Oh my gosh I am not a diet type of person. Diabetics are supposed to have low sugar, low salt, low fat diet. Well, I can't. I love food too much (well, I love GOOD food too much), and salt is definitely my best friend. So, I slip up with my diet fairly often, which results in potentially dangerous situations. Not so fun :)

The answer to eating well and living well with diabetes is all about controlling our food environment.  We have to make it manageable and doable to eat good food and in right-sized amounts. Preparing our own food at home is a great way to control what foods we eat and what ingredients go into those foods. This is true whether we need foods for on-the-go meals or for sit down meals at home for ourselves, with family and with friends. 

In order to succeed long term we have to create a food environment that is healthy for us to live in. Livliga is a tableware company created for just this purpose—to right-size our food environment. Every piece of tableware has subtle measurement built in. This way no matter what we consume we’ll know what amount it is. Every thing has been designed to be beautiful and yet subtle so we will want to use it at every meal and with our family and friends. There is no need to prepare and measure our food separately because it is built in to the dinnerware. Best of all the dishware is designed to make right-sized amounts of food look plentiful so we can feel satisfied with right sized amounts of food. We never have to feel deprived or denied. How wonderful to have tableware designed for our needs that is artist-designed and science-based! There are even different patterns to choose from so we have colors and designs that suit us and our décor! 

Just because you live with diabetes doesn’t mean you shouldn’t surround yourself with beautiful and helpful tools. In fact you deserve it! Finally there is a whole suite of products designed to help you live in a healthy, appealing food environment just for you!

The world around us may still be super-sized and focused on decadent foods but we can control our own home and create a healthy food environment to support our eating well and living well…one healthy, right-sized bite at a time.

#LiveHealthy

#HealthyLifestyle

#HealthyLiving

#Diabetes

#LiveVibrant

#PortionControl

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Sign of a Healthy Lifestyle -- Bath Salts

#MondayMotivation
#SignOfAHealthyLifestyle
#InspirationChallenge
#Intention
#HealthyPleasure
#BathSalts
#BathSoak 
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