By now you must know that I am not afraid to take on touchy subjects. I feel that with an audience of mostly working professionals, we gotta talk about alcohol. And the timing is just right. Alcohol is a significant thread in the fabric of socialization. We will soon be back to the days of raising a glass, of wining and dining clients, and of team happy hours.
(more…)
One of the many perks of working in an office environment is the abundance of free food. From stocked kitchens and holiday treats to cookies, candy dishes, lunches, bagels, and doughnuts, the workplace often becomes a culinary playground. While these offerings can bring joy and foster a sense of community, they can also pose challenges for those striving to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. In this guide, we’ll explore strategies to navigate the office food scene without compromising your well-being.
(more…)
In recent years, fasting has gained immense popularity for its potential health benefits, including weight loss, improved metabolic health, and enhanced mental clarity. Traditional fasting methods often involve abstaining from all calorie intake for extended periods, which can be quite challenging for many people. However, there’s a new and less restrictive approach on the block: dirty fasting. In dirty fasting, you primarily consume liquids until late in the day, providing you with more energy and flexibility than traditional fasting methods. This article explores the concept of dirty fasting, its potential benefits, and why it may be a more attainable fasting approach, as it was for me.
(more…)
This week I attended a conference in San Diego, and at one point, to my horror I found that I was EATING CHILI LIME TORTILLA CHIPS FOR BREAKFAST.
WHAT THE WHAT? This my friends is a classic case of the “Free Food Trap,” and no one, not even the ones with the most willpower, are safe.
Whether it is a work event, friendsgiving/family Thanksgiving, holiday party, or even just minding your own business in Costco, there is FREE FOOD everywhere. And no matter how financially secure you may feel, for some reason, the natural reaction is to shovel it in like you were at the Last Supper.
Free food, it’s one of life’s greatest pleasures, right? We all love to indulge in delicious treats, and when they’re offered to us without a price tag, it’s even better. However, this “free food trap” can lead to overindulgence and impact our health, especially in typical scenarios like holidays, work events, kids’ school functions, and parties. But fear not, we’ve got strategies to help you navigate these situations while still enjoying yourself.
The good news is, there is a logical explanation, a primal reason in fact. And the key to escaping the food trap is understanding this reason and figuring out a way to outsmart it.
(more…)Did you know hot sauce can be a powerful weight loss tool? From boosting your metabolism to reducing your appetite, hot sauce has been found to offer a range of benefits for those looking to improve their health. In this article, we’ll explore these benefits, as well as the different categories of hot sauce.
(more…)
For many, the comforting ritual of sipping a steaming cup of coffee is a cherished part of the day. However, concerns about weight gain often loom large, especially when considering the addition of creamy, flavorful coffee creamers. The good news is that with a mindful approach and a few clever techniques, it’s possible to enjoy the indulgence of coffee creamer without tipping the scales. In this article, I will give you specific recommendations and a great method to make sure no matter what you choose, you can sip and stay skinny! Thanks to my husband’s friend Chris H for inspiring this article!
(more…)
In business, accountability and metrics are important. How is a company supposed to know if it is meeting its goals and gains if there is no understanding of daily, weekly, quarterly sales? Similarly, fitness goals also need measurable metrics. But what are the right ones, and how should you track them? The #fitprofessional is here to help.
NOTE: This is not to be interpreted as a recommendation of how many calories/macronutrients you should be eating. While the tools highlighted here are a good litmus test, everyone should consult with a medical professional and/or dietician to ensure that the numbers are consistent with their individual health profiles.
(more…)
Have you ever had a long weekend and felt like you needed a “detox”. Maybe you had too many glasses of wine at that wedding. Maybe you ate a lot of croissants on that summer vacation to France. Or maybe you just feel a little sluggish, and the fantastic promise of many products in the market that will “clean out your liver” and “detox” you is very tempting. This article should make you reconsider. Based on a true story.
(more…)
We are going to talk about portion sizes. I categorized this as a saboteur because I have seen many cases, including with me, of eating nothing but healthy whole food and gaining weight. It is SO frustrating.
The only explanation lies in CICO, Calories in = Calories out (read my cardio post for more explanation and breakdown of CICO). Portion sizes matter in this equation. And thanks to Supersize menus, we have a skewed view of what they should be. So I will use this article to understand the problem, and then offer a guide to retrain your brain – which is what I had to do after being brainwashed by the skewed portion size saboteur.
(more…)
You know it’s summer when you start seeing pictures of the frothy, creamy, colorful Starbucks drinks pop up on the menu.
What you might not know is that many of these favorites, even when not supersized, are the calorie and sugar equivalent of a large candy bar. And have far in excess of the recommended sugar intake sometimes on a daily basis. While following my 80-20 approach can definitely leave room for an indulgent Starbucks drink as is, regular consumption of these “empty calories” will not only add up but will leave you unsatisfied, as there is no significant amount of protein, fiber, or fat in any of them.
But you don’t have to be left out in the heat. You can have your cake and eat it too on the reg. Here’s how.
(more…)
When I saw influencers start to post videos with AI-designed meal plans, I immediately opened my Chat GPT app and joined the fun. I will say that ChatGPT did a pretty good job, if not lacking a little in variety. I also learned you have to be REALLY SPECIFIC about what you want, so you don’t get weird combos (you will see).
(more…)
When I need something to eat during the day when I am working, I literally sometimes have NO TIME to either prep or time to get lunch out. Not to mention, the latter is expensive and can add up to 100s of dollars a month!
For this post, you will find the DAOFitLife “awards” for the best types of low-carb wraps.
(more…)
Have you ever taken a pair of jeans out of the closet you haven’t worn in a while? There is already an inner battle in my head when I do. Should I try them on? What if they don’t fit? What if I’ve gained weight? How did they fit the last time I wore them?
Now you shimmy them on. You might already be on the struggle bus in the shimmy process. Or you might get them all the way up but they don’t quite zip. Or they might zip, but that’s only a technicality. It zips but doesn’t quite fit.
In my day job, I like developing a “mode of analysis” for all my projects and issues I handle. So here is the DAOFitLife “Mode of Analysis” for your tight-jean issue. Step by step, with decisions along the way that you make based on what you feel is right for you!
(more…)Spring break is a time to let loose and enjoy yourself, but it doesn't have to come at the expense of your health and fitness goals. Whether you're planning a…
In 1 Corinthians 10:31, it says, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
So how do food and faith collide? Whether you follow a certain religion or just are one with the universe, food and how you treat your body with it can have a powerful role on your spiritual life. In this season of Lent, I was curious about how something so innate to our body survival – food – can connect with faith – which for those of us who follow one, is a way of feeding our souls.
(more…)Do you ever wander through a grocery store, and you start snaking through the center aisles through the bright beautiful colors of foods in boxes and bags? If you stop and pay attention to how you feel, it may be giddy, excited or just want to eat everything in sight?
Believe it or not, you are being seduced.
(more…)You want to try a diet. I get it. I am not here to stop you. It’s that time in the middle of winter when you have that panic moment – you’ve been super busy at work the holidays threw you off and you started a fitness kick but stopped it at the end of dry January.
So here is a list of popular diets – and some criteria to consider before going on one. I am also including DAO resources with deep dives on the super popular ones – Keto, Paleo, and Intermittent Fasting.
(more…)If you have been listening to mainstream media, you probably are convinced that sugar is the devil incarnate when it comes to healthy eating and weight loss. Yes, sugar is delicious and tempting and even comforting. But eating too much can lead to all kinds of problems – including weight gain and obesity, . And most Americans eat way, way too much. (up to 5 times the recommended amount by the American Heart Association).
Sugar is also really sneaky. It is EVERYWHERE…in places you don’t even suspect. So when you are at a conference and innocently picking up that cup of yogurt at breakfast, thinking you are being “good”, you are likely just inhaling a bunch of sugar. You might as well have had that danish! Even when it comes to less obvious “evils”, there are so many conflicting opinions. Fruit is good. No, fruit’s just like sugar, it’s bad. White sugar is bad, but honey and date syrup are legit “clean eating.” Or the “sugar is sugar is sugar” trope.
It all comes back to being smart, not being dogmatic. In this article, I boil down what you need to know to be smart about sugar. Most of the reason we overconsume is lack of information and marketing hacks. This article will give you the knowledge you need, so you don’t have to deprive yourself.
(more…)It’s a new year and a new start, which means it’s the perfect time to focus on yourself and make some positive changes. One way to do this is to “glow up,” or make improvements to your physical and mental well-being. You can “glow up” in many ways, and a lot of it is bigger than what you see on the outside. A true “glow up” is an inside AND outside job.
Here are some tips on how to glow up this January.
(more…)Many New Year’s resolutions involve quitting. Quitting drinking, quitting smoking, quitting sugar, Or starting some big challenge – mainly involving working out. We see the gyms and workout studios fill up with determined people who may have been in a holiday cookie blur but could be mistaken for ironman training competitors. So hardcore and leaving no space on cardio machines, workout classes and you can forget the bench press. You may go to a yoga class and experience namaste or a foot in your face.
The hard and simple truth: You can’t outrun, outdance, outkickbox, or outnamaste a bad diet. And I am looking to partially prove that and some other things by my 2023 New Year’s Resolution.
(more…)
