Some quick tip solutions to some common weight loss obstacles

How would you answer the question, “My biggest obstacle to losing weight is…?
If you answered any of the following, you’re not alone:

1) Stress, or the stress of handling difficult situations
2) Getting enough sleep
3) Finding the time to exercise and/or sticking with it
4) Battling cravings or a “sweet tooth”

Here are some quick tips to help you through these life circumstances. Not surprisingly, the solutions sound simplified, but are quite effective! Give these suggestions a try:

Eating small meals throughout the day helps keep blood sugar levels constant. This helps even out your moods, and leaves you better equipped to handle most any situation. So does regular exercise. It increases blood flow to the brain and throughout the body, improving your brain’s ability to process information and sensory system. Dehydration leads to fatigue, so stay well hydrated to avoid a response that is triggered by fatigue and irritation. Eating consistently also helps to minimize cravings. If you deny yourself all sweets, you may set yourself up for failure. A small piece of dark chocolate (1 oz) can go a long way towards staving off a binge.

Optimal sleep comes when the body is fatigued and the mind is at rest. Try to fall asleep in bed, rather than on the sofa. If you’re thinking about your day or watching TV when you fall asleep, your sleep may be disturbed and uneven. Avoid eating foods that make you uncomfortable just before going to bed, and allow ample time for your meal or bedtime snack to digest. Try drinking herbal tea an hour or so before you go to sleep to help you relax.

Plan your exercise or activity each morning as you brush your teeth. Prepare yourself by setting out appropriate clothing for the activity, such as walking or running shoes. Make it as important as any other appointment that you set for yourself.

More Good Foods Gone Bad

Even good foods can cause havoc in your life. Here are a few to watch out for.

Check out Jackie’s comments on DietDetective.com from this past Tuesday- October 14th, 2008.

Food: Dried fruits.

Problem:Exaggerate symptoms of candida and other yeast-feeding infections.

What Happens: According to Jackie Keller, founder of NutriFit and author of Body After Baby: A Simple, Healthy Plan to Lose Your Baby Weight Fast (Avery/Penguin, 2006), “Dried fruits are a concentrated source of naturally occurring fruit sugars that can exaggerate symptoms of candida and other yeast-feeding infections.” Candida albicans is a type of yeast-like fungus that inhabits the intestines, genital tract, mouth, esophagus and throat. Under normal conditions, this fungus lives in healthy balance with the other bacteria and yeasts in the body; however, certain conditions can cause the bacteria to multiply out of control. This can, in turn, lead to a weakened immune system and an infection known as candidiasis. “There are a host of candidiasis symptoms that vary from person to person and can include, but are not limited to, constipation, diarrhea, colitis, abdominal pain, headaches, memory loss, mood swings, prostatitis, persistent heartburn, severe itching, bad breath, and kidney and bladder infections. The disorder is often misdiagnosed, since there are so many symptoms,” says Keller. Symptoms often worsen after consumption of foods containing sugar and/or yeast, including all forms of fruits and grains.

How Much Do You Have to Eat? “Everyone is different, so it’s impossible to generalize, but I would think that since a ‘normal’ serving size is [about 1 ounce], having any more than twice what a serving size is supposed to be is having too much,” adds Keller.

1-2-3 Quick n’ Useful Tips

1) Leave the dishes!
Trying not to overeat? After you finish your meal, leave the empty container & dirty dishes in sight. They provide visual cues so you won’t forget how much you’ve eaten.

2) Starting your day with Starbucks?
Skip the “whip” and save about 150 calories and half the daily allowance of bad fat.

3) Check the label!
When choosing artificially sweetened drinks, desserts, & goodies, steer clear of any that contain the poorly tested artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium.

Playing “Celebrity Chef” for Flavors of L.A.

Last weekend I got to put on my purple chef’s coat and play “celebrity chef” for a charitable event at the beautiful Ritz Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey. The occasion was my second annual Flavors of L.A. benefit for the American Liver Foundation. It was great fun, cooking “live” for my table of guests – and everyone was thrilled with the deliciously healthy menu! We served a Seafood Cobb (lobster, crab and scallops surrounded by thin avocado slices, dressed with lemon vinaigrette); Fresh Spiced Pineapple with Turkey Sausage; an Heirloom Tomato & Goat Cheese salad; Wild Fresh Halibut with our new French Riviera Salt Free Spice Blend, served with Summer Succotash and Wild Rice; and the dessert was Apricot Rum Balls drizzled with bittersweet chocolate ganache served in a dark chocolate shell. YUM!

Jackie chats on Marilu.com as featured guest!

Jackie was featured as the guest expert for Marilu Henner latest live online chat.
To read the transcript from Marliu.com, please click on the link below:
Booty Camp Chat with Marilu and Special Guest Jackie Keller! 21 May 2008

*For more info. please visit Marilu Henner’s website at: www.marilu.com

Eating right- just another reason why Hillary remains such a strong candidate.

While watching my favorite candidate, Hillary Clinton, juggle what seems to be an impossible schedule, I am increasingly amazed at her energy and stamina.
She must be eating well – or at least I hope so, because the right fuel will really help her right now. If I were coaching her, I’d recommend that she eat a really good breakfast daily to start the day off right, and have fruit available constantly so that she always has something nutritious to snack on. In fact, that’s what I’d recommend for all of those whose day starts really early, and ends very late. Additionally, I hope Hillary is eating plenty vegetables, moderate servings of whole grains and lean proteins and drinking lots of water.

She sure looks good, considering her grueling schedule – and going strong! I fervently hope she keeps on going – straight to the White House as our next President!

Cup of tea, anyone?

Not only socially acceptable – tea drinking is a great way to fortify your health, naturally!

Recent research** continues to validate the health benefits of various types of tea, especially green tea, white tea and black tea. These teas possess high levels of plant chemical compounds called polyphenols (a large group comprised of many types of sub-compounds). There is growing evidence that tea polyphenols reduced the risk of heart disease, and some studies have associated the consumption of tea with a lower risk of several types of cancer including those of the stomach, oral cavity, oesophagus and lungs. Wow – one study even compared the antioxidant activity in tea to that found in fresh, unprocessed spinach and onions, two popular vegetables. Tea came out higher in both cases, although fresh vegetables and fruit provide important health benefits.

Would you care for lemon, milk or honey?

**African Jounral of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (19), pp. 22877-2296, 4 October 2007 www.academicjournals.org/AJB

TV Guide channel features “Body After Baby”

Have you ever watched the TV Guide channel to find out what’s coming up next on the tube? If so, you may have noticed the programming that’s playing on the top half of the screen while you wait for the information you’re seeking to scroll into view.

Well, I had the pleasure of taping a segment this week on the TV Guide channel’s most popular program, The Fashion Team. And what fun it was! The production staff was friendly, efficient and easy to work with, and the segment, which airs Monday night, April 27th and throughout the week, was great. It’s about my book, Body After Baby (Avery, 2007) and how it helps Moms get back in shape after childbirth, the healthy and most effective way.

If you get a chance, tune in to the TV Guide Channel and watch the show- and let me know what you think. Personally, I think it’s better watching than most of the shows that scroll down “below the line”!

Exercise in Motivation

Health & Fitness
Exercise in Motivation

To help you identify and hone in on your fitness goals, try this introspective writing exercise adapted with permission from Body After Baby: A Simple, Healthy Plan to Lose Your Baby Weight Fast by Jackie Keller, founder of NutriFit LLC.

Think about the positive impact exercise has had on your life in the past — or how you hope it might impact you now. Then, fill in the blanks in the following sentence:

If I _________, then I _________.
For example: If I start walking daily, then I’ll have more energy and feel better about myself.

Now, take it to the next level…
If I _________, then I _________.
If I have more energy and feel better about myself, then I’ll be happier about how I look.

And then to the next…
If I _________, then I _________.
If I am happier about how I look, I’ll have more confidence overall and feel happier about my marriage and being a mom.

Another example we can think of to help you get started:
If I eat a turkey sandwich with mustard, tomato and cucumbers for lunch, I won’t crash and burn by 2 pm.

If I don’t crash and burn by 2pm, I can sneak in a 30-minute yoga video while the baby naps.

If I can sneak in a 30-minute yoga video while the baby naps, I’ll feel energized and accomplished, and will be motivated to take a long afternoon stroll tomorrow.

As you move through each level, you’ll get to discover what’s truly motivating you. Once you’ve tapped into that drive — whether it’s more calm, more confidence or even just a smaller size — start leaving yourself little notes to encourage your new healthier habits.

If you’re constantly frenzied, try posting “I need five minutes” on your phone as a reminder to take some deep breaths. If you need a confidence boost, tape a note to your bathroom mirror exclaiming “You’re a great mom!” All of these steps can help you change a negative mindset and remind you to take care of yourself (not just your newborn), to listen to what your body is telling you and to cut yourself some much-deserved slack. Consider them love notes… to yourself!

This article was published in the Health & Fitness section of Parenting.com:
Click here to view

Jackie Weighs In on stroke prevention.

According to a study just released last week by researchers in the Netherlands, American men and women have a higher incidence of stroke, compared to Europeans. The study states that women are twice as likely to have a stroke as European women, and American men have a 61% higher chance compared with European men.

To prevent blood clots that could lead to a “brain attack,” be sure to keep your blood thin with antioxidant-rich foods like dark chocolate, orange juice, tropical fruits, cranberries, onions, kale, green beans, celery and endive.

Also be sure to supply your body with foods that are rich in the vitamin B-6, like bananas, figs, prunes, avocado, walnuts, and whole grains while enjoying a healthy supply of omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish such as anchovies, sardines, trout, salmon and canned albacore tuna.

Don’t forget the important compound rutin, found in buckwheat, and quercetin, found in cranberries and kale and flaxseed oil and flavones found in thyme – all little foods that pack a big punch.

Further, avoid saturated fat found in red meat, fried foods, butter and high fat dairy products.

In addition to eating and avoiding certain foods to further prevent clots, be sure to stay away from natural and man-made diuretics, which can speed up the excretion of calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc.