Rippy Zippy Day

When I was a kid, the first day of the month was always called, RIPPY ZIPPY DAY! Remember paper calendars? The kind we hung on the wall and wrote on? They reminded us of doctor's appointments, birthdays and meetings? For many, those days are over, replaced by phones, i-pads and computers. Myself, I still hold on to the paper calendar but I am technically challenged and it takes way longer to program something, than write it! (Those of you who know me, stop smiling...)
Well - Tomorrow is March 1st - RIPPY ZIPPY DAY! I plan on making the most of the month of March. I plan on making some significant changes in my diet and exercise routine and invite anyone who would like to join me - to jump on in! March has 31 days and we all know that it takes 30 days to change a habit - so lets have at it!

1 I have been working on eliminating gluten from my diet as I struggle with gluten intolerance. The issue has been, I need to balance out the rest of my diet. I plan on being completely GLUTEN FREE for the month of March and will really see how much of an impact it will make. You all know that I approach diet as a lifestyle approach and if you cannot live with the dietary change than it is not worth doing it for a certain period of time and going back to bad habits. Those of you struggling with belly issues, aches and pains, difficult weight loss - perhaps gluten is your issue also. If you think it may be - try going gluten free for one month and decide if it is your issue. Remember - you cannot simply take gluten out and replace with "gluten free " junk. Strive to replace with whole foods. Brown rice, quinoa, gluten free oatmeal to name a few.

2. Hand in hand with gluten comes SUGAR! Sugar is addictive! I have blogged on this before. Research has shown that sugar is more addictive than cocaine in lab rats. I know I need to eliminate it as best I can and replace with low sugar fruits like apples, pears, cantaloup and berries! In conjunction with this, I plan on increasing lean protein and healthy fats in my diet to counteract the "sugar detox". Remember! Fake sugars are not an acceptable replacement. They negatively impact your metabolism and for many, increase cravings for sugars and processed carbohydrates.

3. Increase weight resistant exercise! I am a long distance runner and cyclist and tend to slack on resistance. This month I am going to try to change that.

I usually do not blog about myself, but I felt it important to share my goals with you as a form of accountability and also to get you all thinking of where you want to be on April's RIPPY ZIPPY DAY!

If you would like more info and tips on eliminating gluten and/or sugar in your diet and also tips on how to increase whole foods in your diet - please contact me at chgallo@comcast.net

Here is to a great March! Noreen Gallo MSRD

Do Carbohydrates control you?

Do certain foods have a vice grip on your cravings? Do you wake up in the morning with all the best intentions to eat healthy and avoid carbohydrate rich foods, only to have your hand in the bag of pretzels or goldfish by the end of the afternoon. Does this often lead to a night of "overdoing" it with sweets, crackers and ice cream? Do you wake up the next morning feeling hung over, cranky and in a complete brain fog? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be experiencing CARBOHYDRATE INTOLERANCE. or Insulin Resistance.

What is Carbohydrate Intolerance?

In a nutshell, it is when the body loses its ability to break down sugars and starches in a proper way and thus leading to major blood sugar swings. Often this is the result of a diet high in excess processed foods, sugars and starches and not enough healthy proteins, fats and complex carbohydrates. When you eat a simple carbohydrate alone, this leads to a quick spike in your blood sugar (BS) followed by a dramatic drop in BS leaving you hungry and craving more carbs. Blood sugar that is spiking and dipping all day leads to increased fat storage and intense cravings for more of the same types of foods. Up and down, down and up = FAT STOREAGE!

For fat loss you need to decrease your consumption of white carbs such as foods containing sugars and white flour. Primarily all processed foods! Try to follow the 5 ingredient rule! Avoid as much as you can, foods with more than 5 ingredients on the label, especially if you cannot pronounce the ingredient!

Link the healthy carbs that you do eat (fruits, whole grains, brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes etc.) with a lean protein and/or healthy fat. For example, a handful of almonds will blunt the impact of an apples natural sugar on your blood sugar. Research has indicated starting your day with a healthy fat may increase your metabolism!

Make sure to spread your lean protein intake across the span of the day to help level out blood sugar. Eggs in the morning, tuna on your salad at lunch, snacks of nuts and seeds, low fat or nonfat greek yogurt and a balanced dinner with lean protein and lots of veggies are all great ideas.

Last but not least LIMIT YOUR SUGAR INTAKE!! As hard as it may be for someone addicted to the white stuff, it will get easier. After about 2 weeks, you will notice a decrease in cravings for sugar and an increase in energy!

YOU CAN DO IT!