How healthy are you REALLY eating? 3 bad habits that sneak up on you

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Jessica

Healthy eating is a challenge. Many of us do really great at making changes to our diet and then we get comfortable. You start to allow yourself to slip or give in to the excuses in your head – whether it’s to eat something you know you shouldn’t or to skip a workout.

Being healthy IS about balance. But it can be a very fine line. The key is to be aware of your choices. Bad habits sneak up on you and before you know it, you find yourself in the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting – which is NOT healthy.

Here are three bad habits to be super aware of so you can skip the pain of “falling off the wagon.”

1) Reaching for sugar for a “quick-fix.” It’s 3 p.m. and you’re dragging. You grab a candy bar, bagel, coffee, or soda for a pick-me-up. You rationalize that it’s “just this one time” because you “eat healthy all the time.” But reaching for that sugar bomb throws your entire system into a sugar rush and then a crash, which prompts another sugary/carb-tastic treat to get the high again. Solution: Reach for some protein. It will help keep your blood sugar level and make you FEEL satisfied.

2) Skipping meals because you don’t have time. This is a classic one. (One even I’m not immune to.) Sometimes you don’t even realize you haven’t eaten anything for hours because you’re so busy. Hey, it happens. But the trouble with that is when you DO eat, you’re famished and you eat way more than you should be eating. Solution: Keep some healthy snacks in your desk/car/purse. If you tend to get REALLY busy, set an alarm on your phone to remind you to eat a little something.

3) Drinking your calories. Whether it’s beer, wine, mixed drinks or just soda or juice, these calories add up QUICK. And you don’t even realize it. And what’s worse – many of us never factor in our beverages to our calorie count. So you may think you’re doing great – and you ARE – until you realize that the juice you had with breakfast, the soda at lunch and the beer with dinner totally put you over. Solution: Stick with water. It’s OK to treat yourself to a drink once a week; just don’t go overboard.

Stop giving in to the excuses your mind comes up with. YOU are worth more than the junk food you crave. Your health – both mentally and physically – with worth more than the momentary high of sugar.

Be aware of your body & your mindset and you will avoid slipping back into bad habits.

What bad habit do you find yourself falling back into?

Energybits: My No.1 go-to supplement

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Jessica

There’s a new love in my life and it’s green.

-Courtesty of Energybits.com

I’ve written about Energybits before, but after using them while training for a second half-marathon, I’m not sure my initial review did them justice. There are just so many things I love about this product and company.

First, what are Energybits?

Energybits are pure, 100% organically grown spirulina algae tablets. They contain more than 40 nutrients and the highest concentration of protein (64% – 3x the amount in steak) for just one calorie per tablet. I know it kinda seems icky to eat algae, but one of the research stats that Energybits provides on their website caught my attention:

Research done by NASA showed that that 1 kg of spirulina had the nutritional equivalent of 1000 kg of fruits and vegetables.

Holy smokes! That’s a pretty potent little supplement, don’t you think?

So, what do you use Energybits for?

Increasing Energy
Increasing Endurance
Increasing Mental Vitality
High Protein Snack
Curbing Hunger
Meal Replacement
Balancing Blood Sugar
Lowering Blood Pressure
Reducing Fatigue

Personally, I use it in the afternoons to combat that mid-afternoon slump. I also take about 20 tablets before I run and every few miles during long runs. When I don’t take them before or during a run, I notice I tend to have more “hard” runs – both mentally and physically. I struggle more; I feel tired; I feel worn out; I feel defeated. But, when I take Energybits, I’m smiling the entire time; I’m kicking ass and taking names; I’m LOVING running and often am faster and/or go farther than I anticipated.

So, who should take them? What if I’m not a runner?

That’s OK! Energybits are safe for EVERYONE! Kids can have them; seniors can benefit from them; even PETS love them. (My cats gobble them up!)

Who should use Energybits? Everyone!

What are Energybits made of?

They are certified NON-GMO organically-grown and PURE spirulina algae. No additives, chemicals, caffeine, sugar, gluten, animal products or artificial ingredients either. Just 100% spirulina algae, 100% natural, 100% green, 100% raw.

How do they compare to other supplements on the market?

Well, check out this table:

The company

I completely fell in love with this company, Bits of Health. After reading how the company was found – by Catharine Arnston – I was even more in love because her story hit so close to home for me. Here’s a bit of her story from the Energybits site:

“Catharine totally changed her career four years ago when her younger sister developed breast cancer and was told by her oncologist to eat an alkaline diet to help her heal. An alkaline diet is primarily fresh food that is green. It introduces enzymes, phytonutrients, chlorophyll into the body which builds the immune system and oxygen into the cells (cancer can’t exist in oxygen). Catharine shared all her research with her sister, who changed her diet and healed. The experience was life changing for Catharine. Clearly an alkaline diet was good for one’s health but why wasn’t anyone telling the rest of America? She decided she would. So, Catharine gave up her 20 year career to return to school to study nutrition and help others understand the importance of green nutrition and an alkaline diet. She became a Board Certified Health Coach at New York’s prestigious Institute of Integrative Nutrition/SUNY“

Not only did we attend the same training for health coaching, but we both have been touched by breast cancer. I felt an even more instant love when I received my first bag of bits and Catharine had hand-written a note on my invoice. How many CEOs do YOU know who personally thank a new customer for their order?

energybits letter

PLUS, the company gives 30% of all product revenue to non-profit partners and college teams. With the recent Boston Marathon bombing, the company put together a “Go the Distance” campaign in which they offered 10% off a bag of bits and donated $26.20 to The One Fund by using the code “BOSTONSTRONG”. It’s heartwarming to see a company step up and help out.

One last thing about the company – all they do is algae. They are 100% committed to providing the BEST algae on the market. Instead of knowing a little bit about a lot of things, they’ve chosen to know EVERYTHING about one thing – ALGAE. They currently offer 4 different products – all of which are made with 100% certified non-GMO organically-grown algae. Check out the comparison chart below:

Try them out

So, after all this, you know you want to try them, right? Good news: I’ve got an exclusive coupon* for you – 20% off when you use “DIVA“. If you’d like to try a sample, please feel free to drop me an email & I’ll get you a sample in the mail!

*Disclaimer: I am an ambassador for Energybits. I do receive a small compensation for any purchases made using my coupon code (DIVA). The company has provided me with free samples, however I have paid for my own full-size bag of Energybits and am providing my honest opinion of the product. Trust me – If I didn’t LOVE it, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Body, Mind, and Soul: Lessening the Effects of PTSD (Guest post)

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Jessica

Good morning! I’m so excited to share this guest post about PTSD from the amazing Adrienne May with you today.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is notorious for being difficult to treat. Everyone’s case is unique, and their treatment needs are different. It can be hard for healthcare professionals to pinpoint exactly what each person needs. But here’s some good news: there are ways that YOU can treat your own PTSD.

Actively Coping

One of the best ways you can deal with your PTSD is by doing just that: dealing. Instead of avoiding the issue and exhibiting self-destructive behavior (even though it’s tempting), you can be proactive about yourself and take action.

By “taking the bull by the horns,” as the saying goes, you gain a sense of empowerment and control over yourself and your life. This is one of the most important steps you can take in overcoming your PTSD. You rule it; it doesn’t rule you.

Remember that you’re not going through this alone. There’s a whole force of people out there waiting to help you. Use those resources! Talk with family members, friends, doctors, nutritionists, and anyone else you think could help you in any aspect of life, not just PTSD.

Get Moving

Exercising is so good for us, our bodies actually require it. Depriving your body of strength and endorphins isn’t going to help you overcome your obstacles. Exercise has been proven time and again to combat stress and depression, and the evidence is mounting that it also helps PTSD.

yoga and PTSD

Exercising releases endorphins in your brain, which help you feel better and have a better outlook. It also boosts your self-esteem and self-image. You will get stronger, faster, and healthier, and this will make you feel better, both physically and emotionally.

In addition to the great health benefits, exercising gives you something in your life that you can do on your own terms and absolutely control yourself. You choose the activity, how long, and other factors. You’ll also sleep better at night if you’ve been physically active during the day.

Eat Well

There are certain foods that optimize body and brain functions, and can help you feel more balanced, resilient, and stable. These foods include whole grains, dark-colored fruits like blueberries and pomegranates, and leafy green vegetables.

Including these foods in your balanced meals with help and enhance the work exercising is doing. You’ll be better fueled for your workouts, be fuller longer, have stable blood sugar, and feel better. You’ll also want to avoid processed and refined foods if you want to see and feel results.

Alternative Therapies

There are other treatments you can pursue in addition to exercise and healthy eating. Meditation and yoga have been proven to lower stress and anxiety by creating a sense of ‘oneness’ with yourself. By doing this, you escape everyday life, and have control over your own emotional state and sereneness.

Acupuncture is another alternative therapy that yields results. Your acupuncturist will talk with you about your mental state and any physical ailments you have. They’ll then customize an acupuncture treatment just for you that can relieve anything from pent-up emotional stress to chronic back and knee pain, and often more than one ailment at a time.

Just like with any diet and exercise program, you should talk with your primary care physician about starting anything new. They may prescribe you medication or a multivitamin, or they may give you a clear “go ahead.” Regardless, it’s important to discuss things with your PCP, since they have your medical history and can advise you on which activities you would do well in or which ones to avoid.

Adrienne May is a military spouse, a mother of three and is the featured author for the Military Spouse Central blog with an active social network of over 100,000 military spouses and family members. Follow her on Google+ or tweet her at @AdrienneMay.