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Eating salmon (wild) is one of the best ways to get Omega 3 fats. We ALL need these essential fatty acids and this is a tasty way to get them.

Often we get really complicated about our health and wellness programs, but the reality is if we just brought up the nutrients and water a bit in our diet we would feel a whole lot better.

Today, I discuss a little bit about Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) particularly Omega 3s.

I'm also going to show you how to get this magnificent nutrient in a wonderful 10 minute meal.

I hope you enjoy the video. If you'd like more information about the few basic vitamins and nutrients I use, I'd be happy to share that with you.

If you'd like more recipes like this one, click on the image of the book below for more info.

Today I show you what I do with my produce when I bring it home from the store.

The thought of consuming pesticides with your healthy food choices is not at all appetizing, but do you know why consuming pesticides is harmful?

I recently heard a Dr. talking about this subject and one of the biggest problems it causes is to your gut health. We actually have about 40 trillion bacteria in our body, most of which are in our intestines. These are known as our gut microbiota, and are hugely important to our health.

Fruits and vegetables are great sources of nutrients to our gut microbiota, but the pesticides can kill the good guys.

So wash that produce and add some vinegar to the water to kill the bad guys and keep the good ones.

Since this kills some of the bad bacteria as well as the pesticides it also helps preserve the produce longer in the fridge.

Interested in the 10 Minute Chef Cook book? Click below.

How do I get rid of belly fat?

This is the #1 question I get, and it is an important one.

Most people think they can exercise their belly fat away, but the truth is it is a sign of too much sugar, and flour in the diet.

Today's video compares and contrasts a diet most people assume will help them lose weight and one that will actually do the trick.

The grams of carbohydrates we eat per day plays a significant role in weight loss – specifically loss of belly fat.

Here's a general guideline to help you get started:

If you are:

• Trying to maintain weight eat apporox. 100-150 grams of carbs.
• Trying to lose weight keep carbs at or below 100 grams.
• If you are in metabolic distress and struggling with obesity or Type II diabetes keeping them around 50 would be good.

You might think it difficult to track grams of carbs, but if you are tracking your food with My Fitness Pal, the information is already there for you and you can make some meaningful changes toward your goal.

I would...

Often when I'm working with clients on their nutritional program the initial thought is one of loss, and fear of deprevation.

I've learned over the years if we focus on quality over quantity our eating improves and our bodies align with their ideal size and shape.

If we are eating quality food in the right amounts, we tend to be more satisified and experience less hunger and cravings.

Cravings are an example our body telling us something's not right.

We need something better.

Sometimes better is whole unprocessed food, good fat, and high quality protein and vegetables.

Sometimes better is a walk to calm our anxiety.

Sometimes better is a good quality night sleep.

More is rarely better.

When trying to improve our lives and our health, this thought of chosing better over less may help.

Watching the quality and quantity of what we eat is crucial to living a fit, lean, lifestyle, but that doesn't mean we can't eat out.

Today I had lunch with my workout partner Mary Ann.

Fortunately we like the same thing, so we shared a Tostada Salad and each had a glass of wine. We both track our food with My Fitness Pal, and this lunch fit nicely into our calorie range.

An alternative if you're with someone who does't like to share is to choose something on the appetizer menu.

Paying attention to what we eat and how we move, is one of the best we can do for our health.

 If you'd like to receive a free pdf for guidlines to eating healthy and choosing quality macronutrients. Click below.

For the record, I don't recommend ANY diet.

...Why?

Because they ultimately fail and I want everyone I know to succeed at their goals.

Why do diets fail? Because they are not our diets, so how can anyone else provide a diet that is right for us.

So what do I recommend?... Paying attention to our behaviors. We all have our own issues:

• Tastes
• Deficiencies
• Food Sensitivities
• Lifestyles

We have to decide what is ultimately best for us – what will serve us well.

Here's the thing though, we don't need someone to tell us eating packaged, processed food, fast food, and junk food is bad, we all know this, but the trick is how do we do what's good and stop what's bad?

We need to set our own boundaries and we monitor and measure our adherence. Ultimately setting a few boundaries will actually increase our freedom.

It's not unlike a bank account. Most of us can't buy anything and everything we want. We need to know how much we have to spend and how much items cost.

Yet, this exactly...

This is a question I hear a lot - along with how often should I weigh myself?

It depends on whether you youse it as a management tool or a judgement tool.

What’s the difference?

Many people who weigh themselves assign a value of self worth or loathing to this number, and I want to start off by saying what I’m sure your head already knows but your emotions may forget.

You are not a number on a scale. You are a loved and cherished human being who is valuable beyond measure. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and I hope and pray you embrace that truth with every cell in your being.

…So what about the scale then? Should I weigh? Should I never weigh? If I do weigh how often? Let me answer this with with a few other questions for insight. …

...Should we ever look at the money in our bank accounts?
...or check the price on items we purchase?
Why?

To be good managers of our money. We need information to make good decisions.

This is why I...

I'm a snacker. I wish I could just stick with the normal 3 meals a day, but I like to snack, so I had to find healthy options that wouldn't keep calling me back for more.

I love Skinny Pop White Cheddar popcorn and this is a go to snack of mine, but I have to say it is hard to stop with one serving. My favorite snack is this little combo:

I put 1/2 cup of Frozen cherries in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. (you might like to keep them frozen...in the summer that's a yummy cool treat)

I add a 1/2 cup of Fage Plain 2% Greek Yogurt.

I buy the 2 cup size and score the top to let me know what 1/2 cup looks like.

I put that on top of my semi-warmed cherries and top the whole thing with .5 ounce of raw pecans.

I have used this little combo as a snack, breakfast, lunch, or desert.