5 Great Blogs to Help You Keep Your Momentum in the New Year with Healthy Eating!

 

It seems it is easier to getting started in the New Year focusing on our healthy and healthier lifestyle. What is harder is sustaining the momemtum for long term success. We all need some ongoing inspiration and reminders of how to stay on track. Below are 5 Great blogs that will help you continue your focus on healthy eating.

5 Great Blogs to Help You Keep Your Momentum in the New Year with Healthy Eating!

Top 10 Right-Sized New Year Health Tips


8 Great Tips for Right Sizing Your Food Environment


6 Ways Livliga Helps Us Eat a Balanced Diet


Nutrition is About Portion and Proportion


Portions and Nutrition—How Do They Relate?

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The Science & Psychology Behind the Plate

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Vanilla Bean Shortbread—Holiday Worthy!

 

I have always loved shortbread. So much of it is the memories associated with this delectable treat. When our children were growing up a friend would make her homemade shortbread and share it with us at Christmas. We so looked forward to it each year. It was so good!

Since the children have grown up and we moved away I have been in search of a good shortbread so we could again enjoy this favorite treat. Most shortbread is packed full of butter and therefore high in saturated fat and calories. I wanted a shortbread that used half the butter and had less calories but didn't compromise on taste. I found one. The recipe replaces half the butter with canola oil which is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fat. And to make it that much more wonderful, each serving is only 101 calories! This recipe originally came from the Cooking Light Mix & Match Low-Calorie Cookbook.

This shortbread has the same flaky texture and lightness you look for in any good shortbread. The vanilla bean flavor adds a new dimension. I have never scraped out the seeds of a vanilla bean before. This technique provides a richness to the shortbread, and an aroma that is very appealing. They have been a hit with everyone I have shared them with. A definite repeat!

Vanilla Bean Shortbread

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Cooking Spray 

 
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Line bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with foil; coat foil with cooking spray.
3. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk
4. Place butter in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add oil then   beat again at medium speed until well blended.  Gradually add sugar, beating well. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean and add seeds to butter mixture. Discard bean.
5. Add flour mixture, beating a low speed just until blended.
6. Spoon dough into prepared pan. Place plastic wrap over dough. Then press dough to an even thickness. Discard the plastic wrap.
7. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut into 32 pieces. Carefully cool squares completely on a wire rack.
 
Nutritional Information
Servings: 32. Serving Size: 1 piece. Calories per piece: 101; Fat 6.4g; Protein .9g; Carb 10.1g; Fiber .2g; Sodium 39mg.

 

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Delicious Healthy Baking Recipes

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Easy Halloween Meal- Crockpot Burrito fixings Served Up on Livliga!

Halloween is a fun time to have friends and family over. And if you have an active family where kids are "trick or treating" or going to parties, you want a meal you can make ahead, is flexible so people can eat at different times and there is plenty for unexpected company. Most importantly, you want something hardy, that has protein, and will "stick to the ribs" since it is likely many will be eating too many sweets and lots of sugar!

Here is the meal I planned. It starts with a Barley, Black Bean and Corn Burritos crockpot recipe. This is actually a vegetarian meal and is something you can assemble and let slow cook early in the day. The crockpot fixings are then rolled up in a burrito and topped with salsa and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. The recipe describes placing 2 burritos on a bed of shredded lettuce to serve. If this is a much more informal meal, I suggest putting the lettuce in the burrito instead. It will make it easier to eat.

I completed the meal with strawberries. These can be cut up to be put in a bowl to eat or left whole so they can be eaten with your fingers, again depending on when and how you are serving your meal.

This is a simple yet festive meal that can be made to be very flexible and work well even if you are not having a "sit down" meal. Our family loved the burritos. The vote was to put it on the list of repeats.

Calories for 2 burritos with toppings is 402. One cup of strawberries is 52 calories for a total of 454 calories for the meal. I added a 6 ounce glass of red wine for 120 calories. Total for the evening festivities: 574 calories.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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Exploring Meal Delivery Services as Part of a Healthy Lifestyle

As we have all been faced with varying degrees of staying safe at home, more of the meal prepping has fallen on us as part of our daily responsibilities. Sometimes it feels hard to keep up with and also be mindful of what we are eating. Some have found a real benefit in subscribing to meal delivery services.

There is a lot to think about when deciding on whether a meal delivery service makes sense in your life. Are they actually going to be more helpful? Can they be affordable? And equally importantly, are there plans that are health-minded and able to be personalized for me?  

Here are some thoughts about meal delivery plans and the choices available:

Why meal delivery service plans can be helpful now—

• Easy way to plan your meals for the week ahead
• Allows you to budget 
• Not wasting money with junk or unused foods
• Menus designed with ingredients for specific meals delivered to your home
• Easy way to home cook a meal when you are not comfortable cooking
• You can stay in place

 

What to look for in a meal delivery service plan?

• Choice in frequency—decide on what makes sense for you…how many meals do you want delivered each week and for how many meals a day
• Quality of ingredients—is it important that the ingredients be fresh or is is okay that the meals have been prep and prepared so all you have to do is warm it up
• Cost—the cost can very…the fresher the ingredients the more costly the plans can be…also the frequency and quantity of meals each week influences the overall cost
• How much prep is required by you—this is a really important question…all of us are different…be honest in what you are ready to take on
• Flexibility and variety in choice—each plan varies…make sure you find a plan that meets your needs
• Number that can be served with an ordered meal—if you are looking for individual meals or meals to serve a family make sure the plan you like can meet that need
• Calories—this is important to note because plans vary in the amount of calories per meal. Make sure to find a plan that meets your healthy lifestyle needs. In looking at the plans previously I found many of them ranged from 600-1000 per serving per meal. My goal is to find meals for 400-500 calories per meal.

 

How do I find plans?

• Ask your friends and those who share specific health requirements with you like those in the bariatric community or diabetes community
• Look to experts you respect
• Check out online reviews like: ConsumerAdvocate.org
  

 

Some examples of plans—as a place to start—

• Freshly- good for quick meals and single people
• Veestro- good for eating vegan
• BistroMD- good for special dietary needs
  

 

What to keep in mind once you have your delivery—

• Since most plans come to serve multiple people
• Remember to measure—Livliga helps! Use those LivSpoons!
• Remember to pre-portion for all intended meals from the order received
• Serve your meals up on right-sized plates and sit down to eat it to maximize the pleasure from your meal and the sense of feeling satisfied at the end of the meal
• Think about how the meals you order fit into the bigger daily plan and weekly plan for eating healthy

It is so important to find the rhythm and routines that support us in a healthy lifestyle. For some that can mean taking advantage of meal delivery services. Any way we can create a healthy food environment and sustain a healthy lifestyle is the right one for us.

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Healthy Lifestyle & Weight Loss

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Why Livliga Works—It’s the Best Value for Our Money and Our Health

We all know it and struggle with it. Overeating is an everyday reality. We live in a super-sized world. Even worse, we have been programmed over our lifetime to believe that more is better and that the better deal is getting more for the money we pay, especially when it comes to food. “What makes those larger sizes even more troublesome is that they’re marketed and sold as bargains. When people learn to equate massive amounts of food with a good deal, it becomes an even more Herculean task to change their behavior,” says Diane Ty, Portion Balance Coalition Project Director from Georgetown University Business School in a recent Quartz article. Another problem is that the value we get for our money is equated with quantity, not quality…and it is killing us. More is not better when it comes to the consumption of food.

In reality, more is often given to us at the cost of quality. And of even greater concern is that we are programmed to eat what is in front of us. Huge portions amount to huge meals that add on pounds that ultimately affects our health. As New York University nutrition science professor Marion Nestle has put it, “larger portions encourage people not just to eat more, but to underestimate how much they’re eating. It’s as much a mental game as it is a mathematical one.”

As is becoming apparent, in order to change our behavior we will need to change our culture. More is not better when it comes to food. Amounts do matter. A portion is not the same as a serving size. Food corporations, restaurants, grocery stores convenience outlets and even our homes will need to right size their offerings so all of us can become aware of right sized amounts. Currently we have no idea what right-sized servings look like. Our only frame of reference is super-sized portions.

How do we get started? Where we have the most control…our homes. And there is no better time than today to begin. When you listen to the successful weight loss stories on TV or read them in a magazine what do all those individuals say? Every single one has changed their food environment. They swapped out healthier foods for the less healthy ones, they planned ahead, they measured what they ate and they changed how they spend their time, fitting in exercise and healthier activities. 

As most will agree, losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle long term is more a mental game than a physical one. We have to permanently change behaviors and live in an environment that supports us in that healthy lifestyle. We need to invest in ourselves and the tools we need to succeed long term. Livliga was created for just that purpose. 

Livliga created a system of right-sized tableware with psychology and measurement built in to help all of us serve up healthy meals in just right serving sizes. Not only have the dishes been right-sized but when you put the right amount of food in or on our dishes it appears plentiful so you can be satisfied at the end of the meal. This is important because we don’t want to feel deprived our denied because if we do we will end up eating more, right? So the psychology of the dishes is key. That is also why they are artist designed and use colors that calm us and make us feel better rather than the opposite, which is what a lot of restaurants do. That is why Livliga now has 3 patents and 3 national awards. We truly are unique and can make a difference in helping people live a healthy life long term. As we think about it, what is the best value we can receive in our lives? Our good health.  With good health we can pursue our dreams, live up to our responsibilities, and have the energy to give to those we love and care about, including ourselves.  Livliga is a means to help you achieve that best value of all…your good health. 

 

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Book Review: Release Your Regain

Dr. Kristin Lloyd, PhD, LPC, CCH does it again! Her new book, “Release Your Regain” goes to the heart of the chronic challenge of post-bariatric surgery regain. She shares the specific ways we can stop the shame, embrace our ability to make positive change, and gives us the steps we need to take to make the changes we want in order to live life as our healthiest selves. She makes it clear that only we have the power to make the change. It may not be easy but it is possible.

Because Dr. Lloyd is a post–bariatric patient herself she brings personal understanding and insight as well as empathy into the realm of the tough subject of regain. An important insight she shares is that we can’t tackle the regain until we are ready to or, as many of us already know, we will not succeed. She walks us through the steps necessary to be ready for change.

As a psychotherapist, Kristin is able to outline the issues and stages we can take to get control of our regain by addressing the emotional, psychological, and behavioral reasons for weight regain after weight loss surgery. As she points out, “…you can release your regain at any time or stage of your journey.” She further explains, “…the majority of regain comes from poor lifestyle choices and a lack of behavior modification after surgery.” And additionally, she points out “Post-op issues are life skills issues and largely emotional regulation issues.” Often these are the issues that are glossed over or neglected. That is why this book is such a great resource for the WLS community.

Every chapter has “Reflection Questions” at the end of it. These help you understand what your challenges are and to personalize the process to make it work for you. Kristin makes clear, “Lasting lifestyle change occurs over time. It is not a light switch. It doesn’t just happen. It’s intentional, gradual, and requires a practice of new behaviors.”

Finally there is a book to help us let go of the shame and our regain, allowing us to better understand ourselves emotionally and embrace the healthy lifestyle we seek.

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10 Nature Inspired Healthy Lifestyle Tips

There are so many reasons why we feel we live on an emotional roller coaster. With twenty-four hour news coming into our inbox, accosting us on our TV and viewed on our computers, we often feel overwhelmed with negativity. It seems we live in an ever-increasing world of stress brought on by political mayhem, environmental disasters, and mass genocide. How can we find some balance and embrace a more serene approach to the world we live in? As research and our own hearts tell us, the solution is simple…go back to Nature. In our homes and in our own backyard it is important to incorporate elements of nature to support a healthy lifestyle. Below is a list of Nature Inspired Healthy Lifestyle Tips to help you find balance and serenity that you can tap into and enjoy on a daily basis.

10 Nature Inspired Healthy Lifestyle Tips

1. Create a Nature Inspired Healthy Food Environment

 • Check out: Why Livliga Works—It's Nature Inspired

2. Paint Your Kitchen and Dining Area in Calming, Positive Colors 

 • Check out: Livliga's Pinterest Board—2020 Color Trends

3. Eat Whole Foods, not too much, mostly plants

 • Check out: Michael Pollen, In Defense of Food

4. Choose Dishware that is Nature Inspired and Right-sized

 • Check out: Livliga nature-inspired dinnerware 

5. Choose materials that you use to cook with and eat on that are earth-friendly and healthfully made

 • Check out: What Debra Lyn Dadd, toxic-free products expert, says about Livliga!

6. Take a Walk in the Forest

 • Check out: the benefits of Japanese forest-bathing, or shinrin-yoku

7. Read poetry about nature, from poets like Walt Whitman or Maya Angelou

8. Create Your Own Garden

 • Did you know the famous painter Monet created his own garden so he could paint  what he loved over and over again?

9. Listen to Nature Inspired Music

 •Especially when preparing your meal and eating it 

 •Enjoy Beethoven’s Pastorale

10. Take photos of you in Nature

 •Blow them up and frame them to put in your kitchen, where you eat, and any other  area you want to add some fun memories in Nature. 

We tend to reflect in our mood what we are experiencing around us. To buffer ourselves against the negativity we are feeling we need to create a positive environment to live in. Our home becomes our sanctuary. Make it a reflection of the beauty of nature.  Your mind, body, and soul will thank you.

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Why Livliga Works—It's Eco-Friendly and BPA-Free

When we were ready to manufacture Livliga products we thought it was important to provide a product that in its very structure and material was healthy for people to use. It has never made sense to us at Livliga that people are asked to live healthier lives but the tools being provided to them are made of materials that do not promote health, quite the opposite, and in fact, are not eco-friendly or BPA-free.

Our dishware is made of porcelain. This is a material of the earth. It is important to point out that porcelain is a durable material that will wear well and last. The energy used to create our dinnerware is offset by the longevity of its use.  We use non-toxic colors that are both cadmium and lead free and exceed FDA standards. We certify each lot of our product every time we manufacture. We meet the highest standards.

Not only is our product made of health-supporting materials, it can also be used safely in a microwave and can be put in a dishwasher without worry of degradation, as can be seen with plastics. Because we are not made of plastic we are considered BPA-free. What is it about plastic that makes it harmful to our health? Here is what Harvard Medical School says, “Studies have found that certain chemicals in plastic can leach out of the plastic and into the food and beverages we eat. Some of these chemicals have been linked to health problems such as metabolic disorders (including obesity) and reduced fertility. This leaching can occur even faster and to a greater degree when plastic is exposed to heat. This means you might be getting an even higher dose of potentially harmful chemicals simply by microwaving your leftovers in a plastic container.” What is significant to point out here is that this statement encompasses all plastics, including those designated as BPA-free. Current studies are highlighting that all plastics leach, including BPA-free plastics. In a recent article in Live Science it was stated, “Worries over bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical commonly found in plastics, have led to a surge in BPA-free products. But now, a new study suggests that the chemicals replacing BPA may also be cause for concern. The study found that, among U.S. children, exposure to two common chemicals used in place of BPA — called bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF) — is linked with an increased risk of obesity. Both BPS and BPF are similar in structure to BPA and can be found in some types of plastic, canned goods and other products.” Not only have BPA-free plastics been linked to health issues for children, they have also been associated with health issues for men and women, including infertility. The only way to protect yourself from the effects of plastic is to avoid your exposure to them, especially when consuming food. Livliga helps you do just that.

The packaging we use for our dinnerware incorporates post consumer waste, and we also source from companies that have a reforest program as part of their renewable program.  All packaging is recyclable and we encourage recycling.

Bottom line: Livliga is all about living a healthy lifestyle. The tableware we make and the information we share is to support each of our customers in living life as their healthiest selves. Our eco-friendly and plastic-free products do just that.

Live well. Be well!

Download Our Free eBook:
The Science & Psychology Behind the Plate

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Life in Quarantine : 7 ways to bring back some routine and a sense of normal

We’ve all been forced into a very challenging time in our lives.

In quarantining at home, some of us have the company of our partners and/or kids, while others of us are completely alone. Some of us have lost our jobs, while the rest of us are trying to figure out a new routine in working from home. While we all understand that it’s a critical time to keep us and those around us safe, it doesn’t make this period any easier.

 We’re noticing some common trends in our clients who have been reaching out lately.


The top three types of panicky emails and calls are as follows:

– My weight loss is all of a sudden slowing down dramatically.

– My weight loss is completely stalling or plateauing.

– I’m re-gaining weight.


What’s happening?

Firstly, being quarantined or isolated at home has completely toppled our normal routines.
Our habits and behaviours are directly built onto our routines and daily structure. When the structure to our day goes out the window from one week to the next, understandably our habits and behaviours are affected.

And secondly, many people are experiencing intense and varying emotions.
Emotions like stress, anxiety, depression, helplessness, feeling overwhelmed, etc. negatively impact our ability to be resilient and adapt to new circumstances.


Below are the most common changes in behaviour we’re seeing among our clients who are out of work or are currently working from home.

– More comfort foods (most commonly chocolate, cookies, ice cream, and chips).

– More snacking and nibbling on food in between meals.

– Boredom eating.

– Less structured meal and snack times.

– Poor sleep schedules.

– Increased screen time.

– For some, less physical activity, for others, more physical activity.

– A relaxed attitude towards delaying fluids 30 minutes after eating and prioritizing protein.

In all honesty, these are ALL completely normal reactions to a drastic change in routine combined with an uncertainty of when things will return to normal.

None of these changes in habits or behaviours are “bad” they’re just our response to trying to adjust and cope with a new type of normal.


What changes have you noticed in your habits and behaviours?

If you recognize yourself in some of the points above and you feel ready to make some changes, the list below offers some good starting points. Pick just 1 or 2 points to incorporate each week. Go at your own pace.

7 ways to bring back some routine & a sense of normal in quarantine:

1. Establish meal and snack times.

Write down specific times for your meals and snacks. Be realistic. It’s okay if the times don’t match your schedule pre-quarantine. If you’re waking up at 9 a.m. now for example instead of 6:30 a.m., maybe plan your breakfast for 9:30 a.m. Post your new eating schedule on the fridge. The goal is to challenge the habit of wandering into the kitchen and opening up the fridge and pantry every hour.

2. Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time.

Rather than having noon roll around and only then deciding “what’s for lunch?”, be intentional and plan meal and snack ideas for the week ahead of time. It especially makes more sense to plan ahead while quarantined because we’re grocery shopping significantly less often and/or you might have a tighter food budget than normal.

3. Do something active or restorative daily.

Think of the time of day when you struggle the most. For the majority of people, it’s late afternoon or evening. This is the perfect time to schedule in an activity or simply inhale some fresh air.

Some simple outdoor activities include: going for a walk, playing with your kids in the backyard, gardening, reading on your balcony, or simply people watching from your front steps while sipping tea and soaking in some sunshine.

If you can’t go outdoors for whatever reason, find some videos online. There is something for everyone! Maybe your body needs something calming like meditation, deep breathing, stretching, visualization, or yoga. Or maybe your body is craving movement, in which case you might want to try a dance class, a HIIT workout, a Pilates class for beginners, some muscle resistance exercises using just your own body weight (no equipment), or a series of exercises using just your upper body. Regardless of what activity you choose, don’t forget to breathe deeply to reap the full benefits!

4. Pack your meals and snacks the night before.

This strategy isn’t for everyone, but it can be especially helpful if you’re someone who doesn’t make the best choices when you’re at your hungriest. Having food ready and portioned means when it comes time to eat, there are no decisions to be made. All of a sudden, the easiest and fastest choice becomes the prepped option.

5. Eat at the kitchen table.

Did you know that eating quickly and not paying attention while eating can result in consuming more in a sitting and/or eating more often?

Start by picking one meal or snack that you want to dedicate to eating at the table without distractions. Ideally pick the meal or snack that you find the least satisfying or filling. Keep the following in mind: take small bites, chew slowly, really try and savour each bite, explore the flavours, notice the texture, etc. Don’t prep your next bite until you have swallowed. Check in with your stomach after you’ve eaten half of your plate (how do you feel? are you half full or maybe almost full?). Remember how cautiously and attentively you ate in those first weeks after surgery? Aim for this kind of experience.

6. Enjoy your treats.

Why should treats be a part of your plan? Because you’re human!! During this emotional and uncertain time, needing some comfort or fun foods is 100% normal.

You may be feeling like you’ve been treating yourself everyday as it is, so why would you want to continue if you’re trying to get back on track? Intentionally treating yourself DOES NOT mean binging on chips while watching TV to numb your anxiety and stress. Intentionally treating yourself also DOES NOT mean standing in the kitchen pantry raiding a box of cookies while the kids are screaming in the other room.

Treating yourself is INTENTIONALLY enjoying a special food while you’re calm, present in the moment, and truly tasting every bite. It’s also important to pick a food or beverage that you truly enjoy.

7. Catch up on quality sleep.

Poor sleep (meaning either not getting enough sleep or having poor quality sleep), not only negatively affects our mood (often then impacting our food decisions), but is also associated with a higher body weight. Similar to our first point on this list, establishing a daily routine is important. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. The average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Both too little and too much sleep have consequences. If you know this is one you want to start working on, search for “sleep hygiene tips” online.

If you feel ready to make some changes and 1 or 2 of the points above resonated with you, great! Go for it!!

If you’re barely treading water these days, you likely aren’t ready to make any changes and that’s okay too. We’re all coping differently right now.

Above all, be kind to yourself during this difficult time and remember that the conditions we’re living through right now are temporary. Take it one day at a time.


We’d love to hear your thoughts. How are you coping? Do you have a tip or two to add to our list?

– Lisa & Monica, your bariatric dietitians

P.S. Looking for support in your weight loss surgery journey? We encourage you to check out our Bariatric Bundle: Maintenance Toolkit and follow us on Facebook (@bariatricsurgerynutrition)!

Guest Blog Bio

 Lisa Kaouk, RD, MPH (left) and Monica Bashaw, RD, M.Sc(A) (right) are compassionate and enthusiastic registered dietitians specialized in working with adults before and after bariatric surgery. With over 15 years of experience and over 6000 patients counselled, they are the experts in all aspects of bariatric surgery nutrition. They are patient and committed, and most importantly, they understand that life after bariatric surgery is filled with many new challenges and lifestyle changes. Visit their website bariatricsurgerynutrition.com to view all the resources and content they've created to help others on their bariatric journey.

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Why Livliga Works—It's Nature-Inspired

Celebrate is a black and white bistro dinnerware design that has etchings of animals and plants found in nature and includes poetry to inspire a healthy lifestyle.

Nature is so healing. The more the world around us is riddled with dramatic happenings, the demands on our time and emotions are intense, and where we can often feel helpless to control events, our salvation is getting back to nature.

 Vivente, is reminiscent of grape tendrils and growing, healthy plants, in a classic dinnerware pattern.

Livliga is based off of natural elements and is focused on featuring those elements and themes to support everyone in living a healthier lifestyle. Each pattern evokes thoughts and visual expressions of what inspires us in nature. All are a collection of invigorating and restorative hues designed to infuse vitality and life.

Even current color trends are all about building a calmer, more soothing environment in our homes.  We live in such a stressful, fast-paced world that our homes have become all about a comfortable place that soothes, energizes and replenishes. The source of the inspiration is Nature. The colors are inspired by the natural elements of sky, earth, water, and plant life.

Hälsa, which literally means “good health” in Swedish, is a bold design in various hues of blue evocative of the natural elements of the sky and the sea beautifully incorporated into a portion control dinnerware pattern that encourages you to be healthy and mindful when eating in order to support a vibrant lifestyle.

All of Livliga’s designs are nature-inspired.  Each of our designs reflects a different aspect of nature. Halsa is of the sky and sea; Vivente is of plant life and expresses the vitality of growing things; and Celebrate is of the earth, animal life, and plant life in its healthiest, most balanced form. The Aveq pattern reminds us of colorful wildflowers along a bubbling brook.

Mindfulness is a cornerstone of Livliga’s effectiveness. A growing practice of Japanese forest-bathing, or shinrin-yoku, has shown that spending time being present and mindful in nature is proven to reduce blood pressure, stress levels, and heart disease. Livliga reflects this inside your home with our designs and colors intended to create a calm, positive and supportive food environment that is enjoyable, nourishing, and satisfying.

The Aveq pattern is a contemporary design that is both whimsical and inspiring. With its flower-like design of circles and dots it uplifts the spirit and makes each meal more joyful and enjoyable. The colors used in the porcelain pieces remind us of a wildflower meadow next to a clear blue stream. Alive with color yet serene in its effect.

Many cultures have long recognized the importance of the natural world to human health. We also know the proven health benefits. Increasingly, we have witnessed the consequences of consuming foods that have been altered by harmful man-made chemicals or are highly processed and highly refined. Livliga reminds us of how we can embrace nature and live a health-filled life by eating balanced meals made of whole foods in right-sized amounts.

Interested in finding out more about how Livliga works and supports your health? Check out this article:  Why Livliga Works—Our Dinnerware is Lead-free and Uses FDA Approved Food-safe Inks

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Healthy Living Starts with Heart Healthy Self Love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Livliga's Celebrate pattern we remind people to "Nourish Your Heart,"which is so important as part of Self Love

 

We focus so much on our physical selves that we often forget that the biggest challenge to weight management and living life as our healthiest selves is being in touch with our emotional well being.  Self Love is good for our hearts, both physical and emotional.

There is a new term floating around in social media called “self partnering.” Emma Watson is cited as the person who coined the phrase. If we look at the phrase as a way to describe enjoying who we are, the way we are, and being comfortable in our own skins it is easy to see why self partnering can be a good way to be.

Living life to the fullest, especially if we are living with a chronic disease, is not about a number on a scale or a size of clothing. It is about living a healthy lifestyle and enjoying the process. It is about making a plan work for you. We have to take into account our preferences and the dynamics of our lives. The biggest down fall for all of us is when we think we need to conform to certain “expectations” or  “ideals.” To succeed we need to know ourselves and choose a path and healthy lifestyle routine that is best suited to who we are and how we live. Here are some tips to help you focus on self-love with self-care in 2020.

1. Personalize your approach. It is clear diets don’t work. And there are so many different approaches to eating and preparing food. Pick the method that works for you both in the types of foods you prefer to eat as well as the way you consume them. If you are able to prepare your food regularly then a healthy eating style that allows you to cook healthy foods might be perfect for you. However, if you travel a lot for work, following the WW plan may make more sense since it is adaptable to eating out. Do some research and find an approach that works best for you.                                                                                                               
2.  Pick a plan that suits you and your lifestyle. What are the foods you prefer to eat? Are you a meat eater? A Vegetarian? Do you want to focus more on a plant-based diet? Do you like the structure of a specific diet plan? It is important to focus on a plan that will work with who you are, what you prefer to eat and that is possible for you to stick to and maintain. Doing what is “hot” and the latest fad may set you up for failure. It is best to know what will work for you in the long term. Wanting some ideas about good options? Check out the 2020 US News and World Report on the Best Diets, which means they are relatively easy to follow, nutritious, safe, effective for weight loss and protective against diabetes and heart disease, to discover which might be best for your lifestyle.                                         
3. Connect with purpose. Research has shown that if we follow a healthy lifestyle plan for a specific reason and purpose we are more likely to succeed in the long run. If we try to change up our habits or lose weight because somebody else shamed us into it we will not have the drive to accomplish it. If becoming healthier, including losing weight, is part of a bigger mission in our lives where we have a drive to make it happen then when things get tough we can break through the barriers fortified by our greater purpose. Read some of the success stories of weight loss shared in magazines and online and you will see each person who succeeded had a greater purpose than just losing weight. What is your purpose for wanting to live a healthy life? 
4. Keep it Simple…It is way to easy to make achieving a healthy lifestyle complicated. We want to change EVERYTHING! We want to change our routine, how we eat, when we exercise, how much we sleep, what we drink, you name it, we want to change it. Sustaining all that change at once inevitably becomes too hard to do. It is better to start with one change and build on that change overtime. 
5. Take the long view and make it about a lifestyle. We know diets don’t work. They have a beginning and an end. A lifestyle is a continuum. It is a journey and a way of being. How do you want to live your life as your healthiest self?

It is possible to both love ourselves and challenge ourselves to live life as our healthiest selves. This isn’t about being at your “perfect” size or fitting in to your “skinny” jeans. It is about feeling good, having the energy to get up in the morning to tackle your must do’s as well as your bucket list. Self Love is critical to our ability to live life as we deserve and want…as our healthiest, vibrant selves.

In Livliga's Celebrate pattern we remind people to "Find Wellness," which is so important as part of Healthy Living

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Emotional Barriers to Sustained Weight Loss Success

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Learning to Cook the Foods you Love—Guest Blog and Recipe from Denise Roden

Portobella Pizza Crust with Low-Carb and Bariatric-friendly Ingredients...Served Up on Livliga's Celebrate Plate!

Soon after my bariatric bypass surgery, I realized I must find a way to enjoy the foods I love!  My favorite foods are Italian: lasagna, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs; and any food that contains pasta, sauce, meat and cheese. Unfortunately, these dishes are also my “trigger foods.” “Trigger ” are foods, or occasions, that cause you to completely fall off the wagon. Understanding this dilemma, I started my quest to satisfy my cravings with healthy ingredients.

The biggest challenge was eliminating refined wheat, often found in pizza dough or pasta. I experimented with many keto and paleo recipes, without success. I knew I had to feel satisfied or I would scramble back to the kitchen for unhealthy choices.

One day, while shopping, I noticed huge portabella mushroom caps. They usually come 3 or 4 to a pack and they are a vegetable—right? Also, mushrooms are a perfect complement to my other ingredients. I thought of turning them upside down, removing the stems and scraping the gills.  That makes a nice space for all of my ingredients. I use my own tomato sauce, made from local tomatoes in the summer, with no added sugar. However, Rao’s Pizza Sauce contains only 2 grams of sugar per ¼ cup and is available at most supermarkets. Next, assemble your toppings. Use any protein! Most meats and cheeses are low in carbohydrates. I like to use mild Italian sausage and shredded mozzarella. Feel free to add any veggie you like. Vegetables contain carbs, but they’re the “good carbs.” Pop these pizzas in the oven and get ready to savor.

Ingredients 

• 3 Portobello mushrooms caps 
• 8 oz of mild Italian sausage 
• ½ cup Rao’s Pizza Sauce 
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions 

1. Wash the mushroom caps and remove the stem and gills.
2. Turn your oven on broil and broil gill side up for 5 minutes then flip and broil the other side for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the mushroom caps and start assembling your pizza. I divided the ingredients listed above among the 3 caps starting with the sauce, meat then cheese
4. Put the mushroom caps back in the oven and heat until the cheese is melted. Usually 2 to 3 minutes.

Nutritional Information
Serves: 3. Calories: 270; Total Fat 19g; Saturated Fat 3.6g; Total Carbohydrate 5g; Dietary Fiber 1g; Protein 16g.

To view a short video on Portobello Mushrooms Pizza’s please visit my Facebook page Bariatric Center for Success.

Guest Blogger Bio

Denise Roden is a successful Roux-en Y Gastric Bypass patient since 2004.  Denise is committed to providing quality education & coaching services to the bariatric community. She is credentialed as a Bariatric Support Group Leader, a Success Habits Trainer, a Back On Track Trainer, and a Bariatric Health Coach.

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Healthy Grilling that is Father’s Day Friendly and Diabetes Friendly

Let's celebrate our Fathers.  For many of us Father’s Day is synonymous with outdoor grilling and the smell of barbecue.  It makes us think about all we love about summer.

When June comes around we all look forward to spending more time outside, enjoying time with family around a picnic table and hanging out with friends by the grill.  The challenge is to stay mindful of what we are grilling and serving as we look for simpler ways to provide meals in the summertime. Eating healthy does not have to be time consuming or complicated.

Preparing your meats for grilling. There are simple ways for us to add flavor to our proteins without adding unnecessary calories. For instance, Walt and I have come up with savory rubs that are made up of pure spices and herbs with virtually no calories, absolutely no fillers, no sugars, and that are heart-healthy, bariatric-friendly, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, and sugar-free. We also offer tenderizing marinades that make for juicy, melt in your mouth, family-friendly options. These are all offered on our blog, always for free. Check out some of the choices below:

Meat and Fish Rubs

Super Easy Chicken Marinade

Super Easy Chicken Marinade

Recipes for Easy Sides. To make it a meal, provide a few different salads that can make serving up healthy meals outdoors healthy and tasty. The great thing about summer salads is that they can be made ahead of time, at your convenience, and then served up later when it is mealtime.  Here are a few of our favorites from our blog:

Broccoli and Sweet Apple Slaw with Dried Tart Cherries

Classic Potato Salad

5 Fruit Salad

5 Fruit Salad

A simple meal hack.  Buy store-bought salads from pasta salad, carrot salad, or a green salad with various lettuces and then put them in your own bowls for serving. Help everyone measure out right-sized portions by hooking the recommended LivSpoon® (a stylish serving spoon with measurement) on the side of the bowl of the salads you are offering so people can naturally serve themselves appropriate servings. 

For dessert. To make it super easy, offer fruit popsicles or get pre-made cookies out of the freezer like our original Rosemary Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies.  

Summertime meals can be easy, tasty, and healthy! 

Healthy Eating Tip: Introducing our new LivSpoons in the much-desired sizes of ⅓ cup and ¼ cup! Now Livliga is offering the completed suite of LivSpoons to make it convenient, comfortable, and a cinch to prepare and serve up healthy and right-sized meals anytime and for any season! Mindful eating just got a little more effortless!

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Cooking Light With Livliga: Tasty Meatless Lasagna

Overnight Vegetable Lasagna—Low Carb, Easy and Delish! 

As so many people are looking to add more vegetarian meals to their weekly diet, this recipe from my favorite Cooking Light cookbook, Low-fat Low-Calorie, is a great one to add to the repertoire. It is my go-to vegetarian meal when I need to plan ahead. It is truly an overnight recipe that you can make a day ahead and then bake at your convenience.

This recipe was the first vegetarian meal I prepared for my young family and that they liked. In fact, years later, our kids still request and enjoy this lasagna. It is the only lasagna I make!

What is amazing about this lasagna, in addition to being vegetarian, using lots of zucchini (really!?!), and is easy to make, is that its generous servings have only 35.7 carbs! To be considered low carb a recipe has to have less than 43 carbs in it. For a lasagna that uses real pasta noodles and also provides nice-sized servings, this is a dream come true!

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ½-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained, cut into smaller pieces if desired
• 1 ½ cups fat-free, no-salt-added pasta sauce
• 2 cups nonfat cottage cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 12 ounces fresh zucchini, trimmed and shredded (about 3 medium)
• 6 (1-ounce) slices provolone cheese, cut into thin strips
• Vegetable cooking spray

Directions

1. Combine tomatoes and pasta sauce in a small bowl; stir well, and set aside. 
2. Combine cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and pepper in a small bowl; stir well, and set aside.
3. Spoon one-third tomato mixture into bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2 -inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles over tomato mixture; top with one-third zucchini. Spoon one-third cottage cheese mixture evenly over zucchini; top with 2 slices provolone cheese. Repeat layers twice with remaining tomato mixture, noodles, zucchini, cheese mixture, and provolone slices. 
4. Cover and refrigerate casserole overnight or for at least 8 hours until you are ready to bake.
5. Bake at 350°, still covered, for 45 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 additional minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Make-it-a-Meal Tip: We completed the meal  with a simple tossed green salad with 2 tablespoons of lite balsamic vinaigrette for 60 calories and a slice of grilled garlic bread for 112 calories. The total calories for the meal are 480. It is a delicious and satisfying meal all members of the family enjoy.

Nutritional Information

Serves: 8. Calories: 308. Calories from fat 25%; Fat 8.5g; Saturated fat 5.1g; Mono fat 0.0g; Poly fat 0.0g; Protein 22.4g; Carbohydrate 35.7g; Fiber 2.3g; Cholesterol 23mg; Iron 0.0mg; Sodium 783mg; Calcium 0.0mg

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Healthy Lifestyle & Weight Loss

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