Smoothies

I have a few people ask me about smoothies lately, so here are a few of the recipes I use in my diet and in my programs.  If you don't have a blender or a Magic Bullet or Nutri-Bullet, I suggest getting a personal-sized blender, like the Hamilton Beach one they sell at Wal-Mart for $15. 

Smoothies make great on-the-go breakfasts or snacks.  If you are having a smoothie for breakfast, be aware that some smoothies have a lot of fruit in them and that means a lot of sugar (even though it is natural sugars in the fruit).  I recommend either saving these smoothies for an afternoon pick-me-up or pairing it with plenty of whole grains and vegetables to lower the impact on your blood sugars.

Spinach Smoothie: (Makes 1-2) Blend 1 cup spinach, ½ cup pineapple chunks, ½ cup plain Kefir, 1 medium banana, 1 cup water.  For more nutrients, I recommend replacing 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup Bolthouse 100% Carrot Juice.

Cilantro Surprise Smoothie:  Blend 1 cup almond milk, 1 cup coconut water, 1 cup papaya or frozen mango, 1 cup cilantro, 8 large fresh or frozen strawberries, 4 dates until smooth. *This is a great detoxing smoothie for removing metals from the body. 

Big Breakfast Smoothie:  (Makes 2) Blend 3/4 cup water, 1 banana, 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 3 cups spinach,  1 apple (peeled and cored), 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/4 avocado, 2 Roma or vine tomatoes, and 1 whole carrot.

Spicy Blood Mary Lover's Smoothie:  (Makes 1-2) Blend 8 vine or roma tomatoes on high.  Add 2 large red bell peppers, 1-2 white onion slices, 4 large celery stalks, 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tsp celery salt, 1 Tbsp chili powder, dash cayenne pepper, and 1/4 avocado.

Fruit Smoothie:  Blend 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk, 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, 1/4 banana, and 1/2 cup ice.

Main Squeeze Summer Smoothie:  (Makes 2) Blend 1 1/2 cups ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced, 1 cup raspberries, 1 banana, peeled and sliced, 1 cup orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed).

Apple Pie Smoothie:  (ice optional)  Peel and cut one apple.  Combine apple with 2 Tbsp wheat germ, 3/4 cup plain yogurt, tsp pure vanilla extract, sprinkle cinnamon or apple pie spice.

The above smoothie recipes and more can be found in the My Healthy Helper cookbook! 

If you have a juicer, Dr Oz has a great Kale, Pineapple and Ginger Detox recipe:  Juice 1/2 cup pineapple, 2 large cucumbers, 1 bunch kale without the skins (4 cups chopped), 1/2 lemon squeezed, 1/4 inch of ginger and 1 bunch of mint (1/2 cup).

 

A daily journal

The key and one of the most important steps in the Eat Smart System is keeping a daily journal.  Research shows that people that keep a basic journal (just writing down what you eat) lose more weight than those that don't!  

If you're using pen and paper, buy a regular spiral notebook, or go for a pre-organized book like the My Healthy Helper 30-day journal.  A good smartphone app and websites are myfitnesspal.com and sparkpeople.com.  Write down the time you ate, what you ate, and how much you ate. Make a habit of jotting notes right after you eat.  Include every single bite, lick, and taste (anything larger than a crumb counts). And don't forget to keep track of your sips. Even the most diligent diarists often forget to include the glass of white wine they had at dinner and their 3 p.m. handful of M&Ms.  Your journal can also consist of much more than a simple food diary. It can contain detailed information about your exercise efforts, your feelings and behaviors -- whatever will raise self-awareness and keep your enthusiasm, determination and optimism at a consistently high level.

Researchers from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research followed more than 2,000 dieters who were encouraged to record meals and snacks.  They found that the single best predictor of whether a participant would drop weight was whether the person kept a food diary. It trumped exercise habits, age, and body mass index. The number of pounds people lost was directly related to the number of days they wrote in their log.

It's easy to overlook bites, licks, and tastes. But that's a huge mistake — there are 25 calories, on average, in each mouthful. Translation: Six little bites a day add up to around 15 extra pounds a year.


Adopting the practice of journaling will not only help you to succeed in your efforts to lose weight, but you also can use journaling to assist you in reaching other desired goals and aspirations, in order to have a more successful and fulfilling life experience.

My Healthy Helper Programs, 8 Week Group

The second program you can choose from is the 8 Week Group.  Starting Monday, March 4, 2013 at 9pm CST and for every Monday for a total of 8 weeks, we'll have a group conference call at 9pm CST.  On the calls, we will cover that week's topic, review your action steps and have a Q& A Session.  This is a great opportunity to start eating healthier or jump start your weight loss!  By the end of the 8 weeks you will have the knowledge to plan, shop, cook and eat healthy and already will have experienced a joyful energy!!

You Get:
*Initial Health History Consultation
*8 weekly coaching sessions
*8 weekly action plans
*Recipes and meal plans
*Access to a private Eat Smart Facebook group
*Access to recorded coaching sessions
*Daily Inspirational emails
*One-on-one coaching session (phone or Skype)

BONUS:  The entire Meal Planning Program (videos & materials)
BONUS:  The Grocery Store Tour video

Join by February 14th, and your investment is only $99.  (After 2/14 at 11:59pm CST, the cost goes up to $150 - that's a savings of over $50!)  I am limiting this group to 10 so sign up now!!

An overview of each week:

Week 1:  Be Prepared

Week 2: Cleansing

Week 3: Physical Activity

Week 4:  Primary Foods

Week 5:  Deconstructing Cravings

Week 6:  Breakfast Experiment

Week 7:   Food Pyramids and MyPlate

Week 8:  Take care of yourself

Frequently Asked Questions:
I might need to miss a class or two?  NO Worries.  All classes are recorded, and you'll get your weekly action plan via email after each class.

I'm already so stressed and time starved - how will I have time for this?  1.  We start with a couple changes at a time, and keep building over the entire 8 weeks, so it's not a huge landslide of information.  2.  With the bonus Meal Planning Program, you will learn how to shop, plan and cook smart so you have more time to do what you love to do.  You will also experience a new found joy and energy from eating smarter.

Will I be able to ask questions?  Yes.  Each call will have a Q&A session for individual questions, plus you'll have access to the online community which I will manage between classes.  If you have a question, someone else is probably also wondering the same thing.

My Healthy Helper Programs, One-on-One Coaching

The first program you can choose from is the one-on-one coaching.  This is a 6-month program.  Here we take the Eat Smart System and break it into weekly lessons and action plans.

You receive:

• An initial Health History Consultation.
• A weekly action plan.
• Daily inspirational emails.
• A 30-day journal each month.
• Personalized meal plans and recipes from the Meal Planning Program.
• 2-50 minute one-on-one coaching calls (over the phone or on Skype) each month, for a total of 12.
• Free admission to any special events I host (a great opportunity if there is one in your local area).
• Access to the Eat Smart System video library.
• A grocery store tour, either locally or on video.
• A copy of the My Healthy Helper's Eat Smart System Cookbook.
• Continual motivation and email support during your journey.

The cost is $570 paid in full for the 6 months (a savings of $180) or monthly payments of $125.  I accept all major credit cards and paypal. 

I recommend this program:
1. If your goal is to lose weight, 15 lbs or more.
2. If your goal is to reduce or eliminate medications from high cholesterol, high blood pressure and acid reflux/heartburn.
3. If your goal is to incorporate healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle into your home for you or your whole family.

In this program, not only do you receive the tools and the knowledge to change your habits, but you also get all the information and education about the foods you are eating.  The Eat Smart System, discussed in a previous blog, is ten steps to a healthier life!  They include keep a daily journal, drink plenty of filtered water, follow the Live Off The Land Diet, plan ahead, include physical activity that is not just exercise, make simple changes over time, learn about your cravings so you can demolish them, take care of your Primary Foods, learn about the foods you are eating and take care of yourself!

Emphasis is on individuality and tailoring this program for YOU!  Each person is different and so your diet should be.  That is why this program is the best way for me to work with you as you learn to work with your body.  For example, I am most productive in the morning so it is too easy for me to skip breakfast so my diet incorporates a yummy spinach smoothie first thing and then I usually eat homemade pre-prepared foods like egg muffins or steel-cut oats in the crock pot. 

This system was created based on what I learned and the tools I used to lose over 30 lbs and lower my body fat percentage from 40% to 26% and maintain that weight loss, in addition to my certification education received at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  I am passionate about empowering you so you can achieve your goals and feel good about yourself and your life!

If you are unsure about making this commitment, book a free Health History Consultation today to get more information and discuss your concerns today!  You may catch the fire!!

My Healthy Helper Programs, Eat Smart System

The next couple posts I will be talking about the different programs My Healthy Helper has available for anyone that is looking to lose weight and eat healthy.  When you have the right tools and knowledge, eating healthy is just eating smart.  So, I created the Eat Smart System to make it easy to coach individuals and groups on how to eat and live healthy. The Eat Smart System is based on following 10 steps:

1.  Keep a daily journal.

2. Drink plenty of filtered water.

3.  Follow the Live Off The Land Diet.

4.  Plan ahead.

5.  Physical activity is not just exercise.

6.  Make simple changes over time.

7.  Demolish cravings.

8.  Take care of your Primary Foods.

9.  Learn about the foods you are eating.

10.  Take care of yourself!

All of my programs are based on the Eat Smart System.


The Eat Smart System is unique because it addresses not only what foods to eat, but also your habits and lifestyle.  It integrates all the tools you need including education on food, lifestyle, cravings, journal, meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking.  When you learn the Eat Smart System and apply the principles, you will see healthy weight loss, an increase in energy, a confidence in the kitchen, at the grocery store and whenever you eat, and a joyful feeling every morning.  This isn't a diet and isn't something you follow for 90 days and then stop.  This is knowledge to feed your body, mind and soul for a lifetime.

A Grocery Store Tour

What is a My Healthy Helper Grocery Store Tour?

I do two types of grocery store tours:
1. An individual tour of your local grocery store
2. A group tour of a grocery store

An individual tour of your own local grocery store is a great way to spend 2 hours of one-on-one time with your Health Coach.  Prior to the tour, you will need to complete an hour-long Health History Consultation and submit a weeks worth of your daily food log.  Both of these tell me a lot about you, what you are currently eating and what your goals are.  This is to ensure that you get the most out of your tour, like what specific foods to discuss and recommend, advice on budgeting, saving and planning.

 During the tours we will walk through several sections of the grocery store to learn about making smart shopping choices for health and wellness.  We will spend some time in the produce section, the bread aisle and the breakfast/cereal aisle.  I have found that these are three main areas that can be confusing when it comes to eating healthy.  This is because there is a lot of confusing information out there on whole grains, organic and ingredients.  So, we will discuss reading labels - what to look for, what to avoid and what are some of these things!  You will leave understanding the difference between carbohydrates and what are whole grains.  I have handouts on buying organic, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and sugars.  As we walk through the store and talk about snacks, you will have recipes in your handouts for many of the ones I mention.  I encourage questions!!

Everyone who takes a tour individually or in a group will leave with several handouts and recipes.  If you are not currently enrolled in either the 3-month or 6-month program, you will be offered a discounted meal planning program and be invited to attend any of my other special events, workshops or classes. 

My next Grocery Store Tour in the Lake Geneva, WI area is Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 2pm at the Lake Geneva Stinebrink's Piggly Wiggly.  The cost is $15 per person or $20 per couple, clients already enrolled in a program are free (included in your monthly program fee), AND the first 5 people to register, get their tour for FREE!!  Space is limited, so email me at myhealthyhelper@gmail.com or call 630-697-6932. 

Otherwise, contact me to schedule your individual grocery store tour!!

Would you like to see a group tour at a grocery store near you?  Contact me!

Please become a follower of this blog!!

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/myhealthyhelper

WHO AM I?

I would like to start by telling you a little about myself:



I grew up eating somewhat normal foods like eggs, meat and potatoes, salad with iceberg lettuce and ranch dressing, and canned vegetables.  I never ate breakfast cause I wasn’t hungry early in the morning, I always took a lunch to school and most nights, my mom made dinner.  We didn't eat a lot of fast food.  Ketchup was a staple and we used margarine.  My brother was labeled a "hyperactive child" so we had a lot of sugar free foods in the house.  I remember the first time I saw a friend make kool-aid... I was amazed at how much sugar you add!  I was always super skinny w/ chicken legs.  I graduated high school at about 125 lbs, 5 lbs more than when I started.  I am also petite at 5'3."  In college, I began to fill out and I thought this was normal.   

Suddenly it is new years 2001 and I see a picture of myself.  I see a very round person, almost recognizable.  I realize I have to take back control and nip this in the bud!  I don’t realize how bad it is…. I start eating more salads, cut some fat and lower my calories.  I also did a little exercise.  I start to feel a little better and some of the tightness in my pants went away.  

So I read a few books.  And they all recommended I weigh myself for my starting weight.  This is when the mirror slaps me in the face – I weigh 15 lbs more than I thought I did and I already thought I weighed too much!  So I started taking this serious by eating "low carb", taking aerobics classes and working out on the cardio machines.  My biggest challenge was food – I didn’t know anything about healthy eating and I didn’t know how to cook.  I realized that everything I had been eating for the last 5 years was either a prepared meal like Hamburger Helper and frozen meals or was fast food and take out.  So, even with an increase in exercise and a decrease in alcohol consumption, I was going to need to completely relearn how to eat.  

I struggled for several years, until, in 2005, I found a weight management program that not only educated me on food, healthy eating, cooking and the right types of exercise, but it also gave me all the tools I needed to succeed – and succeed I did!  I broke my weight plateau, reached my goal weight, felt good and lowered my body fat %.  With a little bit of knowledge, I discovered how easy it can be to eat healthy and I felt empowered.  I learned so much about the importance of journaling your food, exercise and how you feel.  I became a breakfast eater!

I decided to teach others what I had learned.  The next 4 years, with a few stumbling blocks, I maintained my weight loss and worked with a company coaching individuals to achieve their own weight loss goals.  I held groups and workshops in a wellness center, a fitness center and in clients' homes.  I became passionate about empowering others through education.  In 2010, I went out on my own and created My Healthy Helper.  I began assisting my clients to plan, shop, cook, and eat healthy.  I even created my own cookbook.  I was not only helping people who wanted to lose weight, but also those that wanted to eat healthy and teach their own children good eating habits.  I worked with a few church groups too because I learned through my faith that God is also passionate about our health.  He created our bodies to be machines that could amazing things with the right fuel, including self-healing.  He wants us to take care of this treasure He has given us while we are here on earth!

Today I am a Health Coach, working on completing my certification and ready to empower you with my “Eat Smart System,” a 6-month program that feeds your primary foods like knowledge, faith and relationships so your body can be fueled by your secondary foods.  The Eat Smart System is 10 steps to losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  It is tailored to each individual because each person's body is different, responding to food in different ways.  It encompasses everything I have successfully used with clients over the last 7 years.  Because I have worked with people in different cities and states, I made sure this program can be done by anyone anywhere - thru teleclasses, skype, video calling and email. 

How can you become a client and join the program?  Schedule an hour-long Health History Consultation, where we will discuss your current habits and health, your concerns about health and your goals.  I will also explain to you the difference between primary and secondary foods, what is included in the 6-month program and how to sign up.

Email me today for your appointment!  myhealthyhelper@gmail.com