* Little by Little* Monthly Newsletter for January 2013

• Little by Little * Newsletter...January 2013

 

It’s hard to ignore the refreshing feeling a new year brings. It’s a chance to re-evaluate your life and think about where you might like to make changes...Goals? How many of you make new goals at the beginning of each New Year? How many of you work hard at reaching those goals? How many of you toss your goals aside? Listed are some goals that you might want to give a try!!!

 

Get going this year by adding fruits and veggies to your diet! Put dried fruit in your chicken salad, frozen spinach in spaghetti squash casseroles, or double the diced peppers, mushroom and onions in your morning omelet.

 

Research shows that increasing the number of fruits and veggies you eat, decreases your risk of health ailments like high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabeties.

 

Eat healthy fats...Start by switching ground beef to ground sirloin or ground turkey, tuna or salmon...Top your salad with slivered almonds instead of shredded cheese. You can also expand your use of avocado. Use the tasty fruit as a sandwich spread, whole-wheat cracker dip, salad topper or omelet partner.

 

Studies show that people who balance their protein distribution throughout the day are more successful at maintaining a healthy diet...Eat at least 15 grams of protein at breakfast... To meet this goal, include foods like hard-boiled eggs, fat-free yogurt or Greek yogurt, and low fat cheese in your breakfast. Adding diced chicken to your eggs, or almonds to cereal can also help you rack up a few grams of protein.

 

Americans eat more wheat than any other grain. Whole wheat is high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, and it’s a great way to energize yourself. Other grains have much to offer in way of nutrition, too. Set a goal to try new grains this year...Grains such as: Quinoa, barley, buckwheat, oats, bran, and flax seed. Search online for healthy recipes using these grains...Make sure to share your recipes with us members here at * Little by Little*.

 

Improve Your Culinary Skills...At home cooking is required to live a healthy lifestyle. If you rely on convenience foods and restaurants too much, you will most likely over-consume calories. Make cooking more fun by inviting someone from our group to come help make a new recipe. The best way to improve your skills is simply by practice!

 

Who wants to cook in a dirty, cluttered or disorganized kitchen? Cleaning up your food prep and storage areas is a great way to promote healthy eating. When healthy foods are accessible and easy to create, you're more likely to consume them. A few suggestions to kick-start your kitchen into a health-supporting room is to designate an area (recipe box, note book ) to place healthy recipes you’d like to cook. Move your produce draws up to eye level in your fridge, and place a basket in the cupboard filled with healthy snacks.

 

Spice up your meals by trying a new herb/spice once a week!

 

I wasn't raised up on meals using herbs & spices...Mom only used salt & pepper to flavor her dishes...No onion, no garlic, nothing...So I really don't know how to use these items, yet alone I don't know how most of them taste...Perhaps if someone amongst our group is familiar with using them, and would like to give a discussion/demo to help educate us, see Tammy or Marlene.

 

Plan your meals in advance. Organize your grocery list and write down what meals you’re shopping for on the list so you remember what you planned to make while you’re bustling through the grocery store...Take time over the weekend to ask your family what they would like for meals, keeping in mind to discuss healthy choices with them.

 

Exercise...Make exercising fun...Invite your * Little by Little* members to join you for a walk, or some simple exercises from your chair...Challenge yourself by setting a certain amount of minutes each week that you plan on working towards...Such as, * Okay this week, I plan on exercising for 60 minutes.* Then its up to you to do some form of exercise that week in order to reach your goal of 60 minutes...Perhaps one day, walk in place for 5 minutes, and do leg lifts from your chair for 5 minutes...Then once you have reached that goal, make a new one for the next week, and increase set amount of minutes, such as 75 minutes...Make sure you reward yourself once you meet that goal...DO NOT reward yourself with food...Rewards don't have to be expensive...Rewards don't have to cost you any money...Put your thinking cap on, am I am sure you can come up with some cool rewards for yourself.

 

In order to reach your set goals, keep these words in mind...

Positive thinking...Good attitude, Strong will, and Determination!!!

Stay focused and Don't Give up!!!

 

Happy New Year Wish
My Happy New Year wish for you
Is for your best year yet,
A year where life is peaceful,
And what you want, you get.
A year in which you cherish
The past year’s memories,
And live your life each new day,
Full of bright expectancies.
I wish for you a holiday
With happiness to soar;
And when it’s done, I wish you
A great year, with weight loss galore.

 

Don't make your New Years Goal something that goes in one YEAR and out the other!

 

Tammy Hoff's Final Comment is...* Do Not Quit !!!