Shed Holiday Excess with a Food-Based Cleanse

The New Year is here: are you feeling as healthy and vibrant as you can be?  If your holiday celebrations have left you vowing to turn over a new leaf once and for all, a food-based cleanse may be the perfect solution.

 Weight loss, increased energy, improved sleep, and reduced cravings are all results of detoxing.  If you thought that starvation, strange liquid concoctions, and bulking up on a bevy of pills and supplements were all requirements for cleansing, forget everything you have heard!  Cleansing with food is safe, and perhaps more effective, than drastic, harsh techniques. 

 Ready to get clean?  Bulk up on leafy greens, fresh fruits and vegetables, clean water, and high-quality protein sources.  Focus on eliminating common food irritants such as: processed foods, wheat, dairy, soy, caffeine, and sugar.  Read on for more tricks-of-the trade to set you up for cleansing success. 

 1- Scheduling Smarts: Planning a detox is like planning a vacation; you need to look at your calendar and see when you can take ‘time off’ from food and alcohol indulgences. Chances are you will never have a few weeks free of social commitments and mealtime obligations but be strategic and choose when temptation will be at a minimum. 

 2- Pre-Detoxing:   Sugar and caffeine are the two culprits that cause the most withdrawal symptoms.  If you are particularly sugar or caffeine dependent, try to wean off the stimulants fully before starting to cleanse.  A sugar and caffeine-free diet help to keep cravings in check, energy levels up, and will make the removal of other ‘favorite’ foods much easier and less tempting. 

 3- Kitchen Cleanout: To make your cleansing plan easier to stick to, give your refrigerator and pantry a makeover.  Get rid of the foods that tempt you.  Do you like to mindlessly munch on candy after dinner?  If it’s not in the house, your habit becomes much easier to break.  Once cleaned out, take a trip to the market and stock up on leafy greens, citrus, berries, and cleanse friendly snacks so you can stay on track. 

 4- Exit Strategy:  How you end your cleanse is just as important as how you begin.  Give yourself a few days or a week to gradually re-introduce the foods you have omitted. You have just diligently worked to clean out your body, so it would be foolish to start throwing all sorts of toxins back in.  People sometimes find that they have previously unnoticed sensitivities to wheat or dairy, and they feel so much better by continuing to leave them out of their diets.  Others are shocked that their once overwhelming cravings for coffee, sweets, cheese, and/or bread have vanished. 

 Amanda Skrip (www.amandaskrip.com) provides culinary and wellness services to inspire healthy living.  She specializes in food-based cleanses, weight-loss, and eating for energy.  Amanda teaches cooking classes and wellness workshops around the city including Detox 101 and a Natural Foods Boot Camp.  You can check her schedule here (http://www.amandaskrip.com/?page_id=138)

Work Out for Free!

Thanks to the Chicago Park District, you can start your 2011 off right.  Work out for FREE January 2nd-9th at all Chicago Park District Fitness Centers.

The Chicago Park District has over 70 fitness center located across the city that feature state-of-the art equipment and a variety of fitness classes!  To find a location in your neighborhood click here.

Watch the video below to learn more!

Do you workout at a Chicago Park District Fitness Center? Share your experience and comment below.

Revamp Your Resolutions

 Revamp Your Resolutions

By Sandy Sfikas, RD, LDN

Doesn’t it feel like less and less of us are making New Year’s resolutions these days? It could be because at times they’re nothing more than obligatory and far-fetched vows like these: “I won’t eat late at night anymore!” Or, “I’ll exercise every morning at 6am, no matter what.” They sound like empty promises, right? Even if your intentions are positive, if you have no plan as to how to achieve your resolutions, they’re likely to flop. Think about what’s really important to you and design a plan to go and get it. Here are some suggestions for realistic and achievable resolutions, along with ways to succeed:

 

1. I will not stuff myself at every meal.

Plan: I will eat every 3-4 hours so I don’t get over hungry. I’ll carry around healthy snacks and remind myself that I’m keeping my energy and metabolism steady throughout the day.

1. I will eat breakfast every morning.
   Plan: I’ll create 3 different simple morning meals so that I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to eat.
2. I won’t raid the kitchen at bedtime. Plan: I will try other tactics to escape my cravings like brushing my teeth, taking a bath, or enjoying a cup of hot tea.
3.  I will exercise 3-4 days per week, every week.  Plan: I will carry my exercise clothes with me in the car at all times. In addition, I’ll plan to do something different like a pilates or yoga class once a week.
4. I will eat more fruit (this is my resolution!).
   Plan: I’ll keep fresh and frozen fruit in the house at all times. I’ll research what fruits are in season during the year and try one new fruit each month. (I even have an app on my phone that tells me what’s in season every month and how to enjoy it!)

 Once you’re following a plan, find ways to reward yourself for your hard work (not with food!). Buy a new exercise shirt or get a massage. In addition, forgive yourself for any mishaps. Resolutions are just goals to help you live a healthier and happier life. Focus on the positive, and the rest will fall into place. Happy New Year!

Sandy Sfikas is a registered dietitian, who in addition to seeing clients, is the editor of a international diabetes magazine. She has both a nutrition and journalism degree, and has worked in clinical settings as well as health clubs. She feels fortunate to have a career and clients that motivate her to continue to advance her knowledge of nutrition and wellness.

How to Curb Late Night Eating

Every person most likely has dealt with late night hunger pangs. Whether it be in front of the tv late or when returning home from a long night out, hunger seems to strike in the early morning hours with full force. This can be annoying  as it is not only during these hours that we seem to lose all self-control and indulge in anything within reaching distance, but also because this food typically doesn’t have time to digest and therefore can pack on the pounds very fast. Here are Healthy in Chicago’s tips for avoiding late-night pig out sessions.

1. Load up on protein at dinner. Protein keeps you full longer, so will help to starve off those cravings. Protein will satisfy the appetite, so those that are of age and will be drinking alcohol at night will be less likely to munch later on at night. Also, contrary to popular belief, loading up on lean meats instead of carbohydrates before a night out drinking alcohol is better for your stomach and digestive system.
2. Set up a healthy snacks .If you know you will be hungry when you come home from studying or a night out, make a plate beforehand with what you are “allowed” to eat. The portion sizes are what can get lost when snacking late at night; so setting up a proportional snack beforehand can be beneficial.
3. Drink water. A lot of the time you are getting “hunger pangs” they are actually for water. This would make sense for those indulging in alcohol that is depleting their bodies of water. So, drink a glass of water or a sport drink and then reevaluate to see if your hunger is still there.

4. Make a sign for your fridge. Better yet, lock it. If possible, buy an easy lock and, if your late night eating is a serious problem, lock it up. This may seem a bit extreme, but sometimes, you just need to be reminded to not late night eat.

5. Leave the money at home. If there is a “late-night” place you like to stop at after getting drinks with friends or on the way home from a late night at the office, avoid stopping there by simply leaving your money that you would spend there at home.
6. Don’t feel too guilty. If you do happen to over-indulge late at night, don’t beat yourself up about it. There is a reason your body is craving food, whether it be from the calories burned on the dance floor or the brain power utilized while working. As long as it is not a regular occurrence, your body will not be affected by this one late night eating session.

Forrest Yoga

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet and spend time with the founder of Forrest Yoga, Ana Forrest.  She is very passionate about her yoga practice and bringing Chicago Forrest Yoga.

What is Forrest Yoga?

Forrest Yoga isn’t like your typical yoga.  According to Ana’s website, it stresses and challenges, both physical and emotional. It uses intense pose sequences, compassionately taught, to develop skills in awakening each of the senses.  Forrest Yoga pays special attention to abdominal work and breathing. Vigorous sequences of poses are intended to build heat in order to sweat out toxins and release emotions stored in the body.  The main difference from “regular” yoga…the physicial and emotional tie.  You are asked to go inside yourself and work through your personal issues while working your body. 

Ana Forrest invented this type of yoga by drawing upon her personal history of abuse, epilepsy, alcoholism, and bulimia to create an intensely physical vinyasa-style (the type of yoga people think of when they do typical yoga)  practice that aims to heal psychic wounds. Thus the emotional aspect to this type of practice.

Is Forrest Yoga for You?

Forrest Yoga appeals to those who want a strong physical and emotional practice.   For those interested in taking a Forrest Yoga class here or there, be prepared to sweat and have it hurt when you laugh the next day!  This is the yoga class to give you bathing suit abs.  It also can emotional help you work through issues from the day, week or your life.

According to the Forrest Yoga website, “Forrest Yoga does not require strength or flexibility; it only requires that you bring a willingness to learn how to feel authentically and respond honestly. As you advance in Forrest Yoga, step-by-step, you learn to intelligently ride your breath into the exhilarating advanced poses. In addition, you learn to exercise your emotional body through the full spectrum of feeling.”

Where to take Forrest Yoga in Chicago

• Equinox (Lincoln Park and 900 N. Michigan Ave)
• Turbodog Spirit Center
• YogaNow
• Echo Yoga Studio
• Moksha Yoga Center
• David Barton Gym

Stay tuned to find out how YOU can take a Forrest Yoga class taught by Ana Forrest herself FREE in November!!