FatScrap 30th August to 5th September 2010 - Who Do You Think You Are?

Hi and welcome back!

In your quest to be healthier, fitter and slimmer have you thought about how you see yourself? Are you always looking for and seeing the negative -what you don't like about yourself, how you don't want to be, all the failures you think you make?

Where your focus goes, your energy flows so is it worth the time and effort of giving all your energy to feeling negative? What would it feel like to focus on the positive - what you do like about yourself, how you would like to be and all the achievements you do make?

For some of you feeling negative may feel comfortable - it's what you always do, it gets you noticed, it allows you to feel sorry for yourself but it also can keep you stuck and attract even more negativity into your life. The thought of changing yourself into a more positive person might even feel quite scary as this might be someone you would not recognise.

When you are thinking of making changes in your life, first think about who you would be if you made this change. Can you really see yourself as healthier, fitter or slimmer person for example? Would you like to be a person who can say "No" to the less healthy foods and "Yes" to exercise? Can you hear yourself saying "thank you" to the compliments that come your way? Can you see yourself looking in the mirror and thinking "Wow, I look good!"? Can you imagine waking up feeling like you want to make healthy choices for the rest of the day? If not, then you have to ask yourself the question what is the point of becoming healthier, fitter and slimmer if I don't really want to be that person!

On the other hand, if you do want to be that person, then be that person now! The sooner you start making the choices that a healthier, fitter and slimmer person would make, the sooner you will see yourself being healthier, fitter and slimmer. Change will not happen without action, so today....

ACT AS IF YOU ARE!

Sue x

FatScrap 23rd to 29th August - Increase Your Vegetables And Fruit Intake

Hi and welcome back!

This week I would like to encourage you to eat more varieties of vegetables and fruits.There is an abundance of English seasonal produce in the shops right now, from potatoes, beans, broccoli and beetroot to tomatoes, courgettes and peppers and the fact that they are in season now means that they are right for us to eat now. Eating in tune with the seasons provides our body with the nutrients it naturally needs at the different times in the year. It also means that we eat these foods when they are fresher and taste best. On a more holistic level, eating with the seasons allows us to connect with nature and connect with ourselves. We can become more intuitive about what our body needs. If you think about, tropical fruit for example, are grown in the tropics, where the climate is hot. These foods are natural cooling to the body. So do we really want to eat pineapple in the winter when our body is crying out for warming foods? And of course, there is always the environmental argument and the consideration of how far our food has travelled to get to our table...

Aim for at least 3 portions of 3 different vegetables a day (a portion is 2/3 tablespoons) and two portions of fruits (a portion is one whole fruit e.g orange or a handful of smaller fruits). Also choose different colours of vegetables and fruits as the colours reflect the different nutrients that they contain. Make sure you include at least one portion of leafy green vegetables and one portion of berries in your choices for even better health protection.

When it comes to juicing, then vegetable juice is a better option but I would suggest you do not count it as one of your 3 portions but as an added bonus portion. On the other hand fruit juice should be counted as one of your fruit portions and I would only recommend you have one small glass. On the whole it is better to eat your fruit and vegetables whole rather than juiced as you gain more nutritional benefits and your body uses more energy (calories) to digest them!

When choosing your meals, choose the vegetable or fruit part of your meal first and then compliment them with your other choices. Today, for example, for my lunch I chose roasted butternut squash, sweet potato and beetroot and added some tofu and rice.

To motivate you to choose more of these wonderful foods you might like to learn more about the health benefits that they provide. There are lots of sites on the web with information but here is a link for one that I like http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/vitamins-nutrition-chart.html  and http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/minerals-nutrition-chart.html

Stocking up your fridge, freezer and cupboards with lots of vegetables and fruits will mean that you always have them available. Bulk roasting root vegetables or Mediterranean vegetables will give you ready to eat options that can be added to salads, made into dips or reheated, added to soups or other hot dishes. Preparing a large leafy salad and storing in an airtight container will give you a couple of days worth of instant nutrition for days when time is short. Making a large pot of vegetable soup will give you warmth and fullness in minutes on our cooler summer days but of course there are always the cold soup ideas like Gazpacho that can be pre cooked and ready to refresh and cool you on those hotter summer days which hopefully we may see a few more of.

Not only are vegetables full of lots of healthy nutrients but they also contain very few calories meaning you can eat a lot of them to fill you up!

Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and beans are the life changing foods that will help you feel stronger, look better and stay healthy so why not make it your goal to eat more of these foods today and for the rest of your life!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP 16th to 22nd August - Making A Start On Becoming Healthier And Fitter

Hi and welcome back!

Having had some quiet time and a bit of rest from the blog for a couple of weeks I now feel refreshed and it's time to get back in touch with you all, so hello to FAT-SCRAPPERS old and new and any followers... and thank you for being here!

As there are a few new FAT-SCRAPPERS joining us I am going to go back to basics this week which will help all of you to get on track again if you have stepped off.

The first stage of FAT-SCRAP is preparation as it is a big key to success. De cluttering your cupboards and fridge of the foods that will not give you the best nutrition in order to achieve the results you are hoping for is the first place to start. Then using the shopping list to restock your cupboards, fridge and freezer will mean that you have lots of choices available and it will be quick and easy to create  healthy, nutritious tasty meals.

Using your meal planners make your goals this week around eating regular, balanced ,healthy meals. It helps if you start first by choosing the fruit/vegetable part of the meal first, then the protein and then the starchy complex carbohydrate, so for example, a dinner choice might be broccoli, beans and carrots with roast chicken and jacket potato.

One of the main reasons that weight loss groups are popular and successful is because they offer support and accountability. This blog is a place where you can find both of these tools. By recording your daily food diaries you will be accountable and I will be able to support you with advice about your choices. You can also record your how you are feeling, any highs or lows and hopefully support each other.

Following the FAT-SCRAP principles and using the tools will help you to keep focused, prepare well, create action and be successful. So make a decision to act today and, if you like, use this page to connect, focus and achieve great results!

Sue x