YAY!!! THE SUN IS SHINING IN NEW YORK – we hope everyone enjoyed Mother’s Day! But now it’s time to get back on track and get moving and losing in the right direction. Regardless of where you are right now – the big question is where do you want to be? Some of you are just super amazing and in such a great place. Others wish you would have gotten there already, and some even wish they didn’t put it off until now. But unfortunately there is no turning back and you must either continue on or start on the path to where you want to go.  

Ginger is a flowering plant that has been used for centuries as a spice and a natural remedy. Though many of us don’t incorporate ginger into our daily lives, its numerous health benefits should earn it a place in our kitchens. It is so easy to add ginger to our day – add slices of ginger root or ground ginger to a mug of boiling water, or ginger teas are a great alternative and come in many flavors. It can also be added as a dry spice to numerous recipes. Here are just a few reasons to give it a try. 

Prevention. When it comes to cancer prevention, ginger is an amazing and relatively unknown source of benefits. Ginger has been shown to help battle certain types of cancer, including ovarian cancer by destroying cancer cells and even causing the cells to then attack and kill each other. It may also prevent the growth of colorectal cancer cells according to recent research. Ginger can also help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease by helping to slow down the loss of brain cells. Ginger can also boost your immune system which means you will get sick less often and will help you recover faster when you do get ill. And a strengthened immune system means that when everyone around you is getting sick, you will be more resistant. 

Treatment. Ginger has long been used to help treat gastrointestinal issues. It has been known to help alleviate gas and it relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract, which can provide relief for people with IBS. This comes from its antioxidants, which has anti-inflammatory effects. People who suffer from arthritis have found relief with ginger – it can help with inflammation, swelling and pain. It is also a common treatment for nausea, and is even safe for pregnant women experiencing morning sickness. It can also help with motion sickness, vomiting, dizziness and cold sweating. 

Overall Health. Ginger is extremely soothing and healing for anyone suffering from a cold or the flu. It can also promote healthy sweating as a way to rid our bodies of toxins. It can also be a natural way to help open up airways for people who suffer asthma and can help alleviate other symptoms. Another great benefit of ginger is improved circulation, which can open your pores and make you feel energized. The list goes on and on – ginger can provide pain relief, clear your sinuses, heal frostbite, block acid heartburn and more. 

Weight Loss. While the numerous health benefits are enough of a reason to start incorporating ginger into our diet, the weight loss aspects make it even better. Ginger is a fat burner, and it ensures that when you are losing weight you are burning fat and not just losing water weight. It also stimulus your appetite and digestive system, so it can be a great way to boost your metabolism before a meal. Some research suggests that ginger can help keep blood glucose levels in check and keep us from crashing during that low energy afternoon time when we look for caffeine and snacks. It even helps with exercise by relieving tired muscles after a workout so you can stay active. One of the best aspects is that it helps your body absorb nutrients. When you are losing weight and making a healthy change, our bodies can really benefit from the maximum absorption.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

One of the biggest concerns for people about to start a weight loss program and people trying to reach their goals is hunger. If we could eat healthy and correct size portions and not feel hungry, losing weight would be significantly easier. Many of us enjoy eating healthy foods, but when we are left feeling unsatisfied we go off plan. The physical hunger pangs affect us mentally – we think we need to eat as soon as we feel even a little bit hungry. Fighting these feelings can be some of the hardest moments on our weight loss journey. But often times, over eating and constant snacking are just bad habits we need to break. 

When it comes to weight loss and eating healthy, feeling hungry a couple times a day is normal. This doesn’t mean feeling starving or constantly hungry – your meals and snacks should leave you feeling full for a reasonable amount of time. Meals should leave you feeling satisfied and energized for 3-5 hours and they should never be skipped. Drastically reducing your food intake and going to extremes is never good. Under eating can cause you to feel feeble and frail, can deprive your muscle of the nourishment they need and can also cause you to binge. You should never feel weak or lightheaded, but eating as soon as you feel mild hunger isn’t necessary. Feeling hungry lets you know when it’s time to refuel and it also lets you know that you are balanced.

It can be hard to understand, but mild hunger actually is a good thing because it also indicates that you aren’t over eating. Many of us have been over eaters, either eating huge meals or constantly snacking all day, or both. This is unhealthy for many reasons, and feeling hungry lets us know that we aren’t over eating anymore. Eating meals that leave us feeling stuffed will stretch out our stomachs and make it harder to eat the right portions. It makes it so every time we eat, it feels like we haven’t eaten enough because our stomachs are used to eating more. It takes some time, but soon your stomach will adjust. Your body should be able to digest and use up the food you eat, otherwise you are gaining. That’s why even eating too much of a healthy food isn’t good for weight loss. If you are constantly consuming you can’t lose. 

A healthy and disciplined eating routine will keep you nourished and keep you from over or under eating. Feeding your body clean foods for fuel and staying hydrated is the best thing for your weight loss. You will feel lighter and fitter, and soon it will show on the scale. So next time hunger happens, don’t immediately feed into it. Try and control it and remember it’s one of the challenges of making a healthy change.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

This evening begins the Jewish holiday of Passover. This week long holiday is a celebration of freedom in the Jewish faith, with traditions including celebratory meals and symbolic foods and restrictions. This can be a tough time for many of us, trying to navigate the dietary changes and also being faced with huge feasts. Luckily you can fit two cheat days into the Passover week, so take advantage of that and try to stay as clean as possible the other days. Plan ahead and find healthy and clean alternatives that fit into your Passover plans, such as these suggestions and recipes below. 

For Passover ONLY, some breakfast, lunch and dinner options:

1)  MATZAH: 1/2 sheet original Matzah with 1 tbsp of peanut butter (or sunbutter if you can’t do the peanut for Passover)
2)  MATZAH AND FRUIT: 1/2 sheet Matzah with 1 tsp of peanut butter or sunbutter with 1 piece of fruit or 1 cup of fruit
3) EGGS: 4 egg whites and 1 cup of veggies or 2 regular eggs with garden salad
4) Basic grilled chicken or turkey with 1 sliced cucumber and 1 chopped pepper – in a bowl you will have the 4 oz of protein with a sliced cucumber and 1 slice pepper. Salt pepper lemon – always yummy
5)  Light tuna or chicken salad or egg white salad with 1 matzah (1 tbsp light mayo)
6) 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 cup fruit
7) Chubby Potato:  1 large white potato with 1 cup of veggies on top and 1/4 cup of melted cheese and bake 🙂
8) For dessert you can do any fruit with peanut butter
9) Peanut butter ice cream cups – combine 1 tbsp of peanut butter and 2 tbsp of whip cream and place in cupcake pan and freeze.  Makes 12 – you can have 1 for a dessert or snack.

Squash Kugel

This is a super healthy recipe that puts an delicious twist on a classic dish.

Ingredients:

•2 medium butternut squash, cut in half, seeded

•3 tablespoons vegetable oil

•2-3 egg whites

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•1 teaspoon cinnamon

•¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

•½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

 1. Rub squash with a dab of oil.

2. Place cut side of squash down on metal baking sheet.

3. Bake squash in the oven at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes (until soft).

4. Scoop out the squash, discard the skin.

5. Place squash in food processor with the rest of the oil, egg whites, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Puree until smooth and creamy.

6. Place in a 9-inch tart pan or casserole dish and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

7. Serve! 

Charoset 

This traditional dish is already a great recipe for eating clean.  

Ingredients:

•2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into cubes

•2 cups walnuts, chopped

•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•½ cup orange juice

•1 tablespoon lemon juice

•¾ cups currants

Instructions:

1. In food processor, combine all ingredients until desired texture is achieved.
2. Serve! 

Make Your Own Maror

Combine 1 horseradish root (about 4 inches) peeled and chopped with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a food processor. Pulse until horseradish is well ground. Store in a glass container until ready to serve. 

Bitter Herbs Salad

Combine 2 hearts of romaine lettuce, 1 small head of radicchio, 2 cups arugula, 1 stalk of celery, 2 scallions (chopped), 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/4 cup chopped dill, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (optional) and dressing (1 garlic clove, salt to taste, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil). 

Coconut Macaroons

This classic dessert can be made healthy with just a few adjustments. This makes several macaroons depending on how large you make them. 

Ingredients:

•6 egg whites

•¼ teaspoon sea salt

•½ cup agave nectar

•1 tablespoon vanilla extract

•3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl whisk egg whites and salt until stiff.

2. Fold in agave, vanilla and coconut.

3. Drop batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, one rounded tablespoonful at a time is suggested. 

4. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned.

5. Let cool and enjoy! 

Have a happy and healthy Passover!!

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

Caffeine is everywhere – and many of us would even consider ourselves caffeine addicts. Some of us need our morning coffee to get through the day, while others look to soda or tea for our pick me up. The truth is, caffeine is a naturally occurring compound that can be found in over sixty plants from coffee beans and tea leaves to cocoa pods used to make chocolate – it is even found in some medicines. Caffeine itself won’t hurt your weight loss, but the products we consume to get what we need from this compound are what cause us problems. When we are exhausted and have to get through the day we will do almost anything in the moment. We have coffee after coffee, and when we really need it we sometimes load it with sugar. We look for sugary snacks or junk food to wake us up and keep us occupied when we are bored or tired. The decisions we make and the things we eat when we need energy aren’t always healthy, which is where our need for caffeine can get us into trouble. 

Why is caffeine so addicting? It is a central nervous system stimulant that is technically considered a drug. It acts on the brain and nervous system, causing an energy boost that includes increased alertness and improved mood. But these affects are temporary, which can cause a cycle where we keep going back to the foods and drinks that gives us caffeine. The good news is that there are other ways to get the same affect as caffeine without actually consuming it. Here are some examples. 

Log off before bed. What you do before bed can be just as important as what happens after you fall asleep. Research has shown that the blue light from electronics can make it harder for you to fall asleep by suppressing your melatonin levels which can throw off your body’s sleep clock. It is suggested that we should log off of our computers, tablets, smart phones and other devices at least an hour before bed time. You can find another way to wind down, such as reading a book, which will give you more restful sleep and you won’t need caffeine the next day.

Small bursts of activity. Believe it or not, getting active can help wake you up and boost your energy. Going for a brief walk is a simple, low impact way to get your body moving. Stretching can help loosen you up and relieve tension, and also warm your body up and wake it up. Getting some fresh air and sunshine can boost your mood, clear your mind and give you a little restart to the day. Letting the sun shine through your windows in the morning can also help get you out of bed naturally. 

Eat a healthy breakfast! Breakfast being the most important meal of the day is true for many reasons. If you have a healthy, hearty breakfast in the morning it will help power you through the day. Whole wheat and protein are both great options, like egg whites or whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana. 

Take a power nap or meditation. Though not all of us have the time or opportunity, a 20-40 minute power nap can help increase your alterness and performance. Meditation is an easy alternative that you can do from almost anywhere. It will also help you de-stress and regroup, which might mean that your focus can return when your head is in the right place and you don’t need help from caffeine to get through they day. 

Make sure you are hydrated. Even just a 1.5% loss in your normal water volume can cause you to feel fatigued, unable to concentrate and it can damped your mood. Dehydration isn’t always our first thought when we look to the causes of our loss in energy, but luckily it is easily fixable. Keeping a bottle or glass of water nearby is a good way to make sure you are drinking enough during the day.  

Even when we feel stuck, there are always healthy alternatives. We sometimes feel forced in certain situations, but all of our choices are ours to make. So then next time you look for caffeine, try one of these alternatives first. 

 ~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

Cutting calories and eating smaller portions are common ways to help you lose weight, but could it also help you live longer? Several studies and some new research has shown that when you cut back, it can cause your body to react in a way that can extend your life. It is worth noting that this is not an extreme – starvation is never healthy or recommended. But many of us eat such large portions and snack too often, which can hurts us when it comes to more than just our weight. 

There are two sides to this concept. The first is that making the change to a healthy lifestyle from an unhealthy lifestyle will medically make you so much healthier is so many ways, thus extending your life. Heart disease, cancer and diabetes are some of the top causes of death of men and women today. Losing weight and adopting healthy eating habits can reduce your risk of developing these diseases. Eating clean and cutting back will put you in a better state of overall health, and has been known to improve cholesterol levels, heart rate, blood pressure, body fat and weight, which will help you live longer. 

The second part of this point of view is that the changes your body goes through when it consumes less calories is good for you. When you consume less, your body increases its rate of “cellular recycling” – a process by which our bodies reuse nutrients in our cells. In a way, it triggers survival mode in our bodies, causing us to use every bit of what we eat and drink. It is a natural process called autophagy, which is defined by the physiological process in our bodies that deals with the destruction of cells. At first glance, this doesn’t sound good. But when you think about it, you realize that it is a perfectly healthy process. For example, our skin is constantly being created and rebuilt, whether that is after we have been injured or just from daily living. Skin cells are constantly lost and rebuilt. The same goes for most of the cells in our body. At some point, almost all of the cells in your body die and are recreated from within. When you eat too much and have fat or toxins built up inside you, your body can’t function and rebuild as well as it could if you were eating clean and smaller portions. Eating healthy also ensures that when your body is creating cells and rebuilding itself, it is using the nutrients you are feeding it. It’s true when they say you are what you eat. 

Again, going to extremes and drastically cutting calories is never good. It can cause you to feel dizzy or depressed, or it can cause memory loss and reduce your bone density. Eating on your weight loss plan provides you with enough nutrients and calories to live healthy, lose weight, and maybe even live longer.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

Eating vegetables is something that not everyone enjoys, but we all know that it is an essential part of eating clean and losing weight. We all have our little tricks for making them tasty – cooking them, steaming them, broiling them, covering them in salt or spices, or some times they are best raw. But what many people don’t know is that there is actually a difference when it comes to consuming vegetable cooked or raw. Some vegetables are at their nutritional peak when they are cooked, while others loose some of their healthy benefits. 

The difference lies in the type of nutrients. Some vegetables contain water soluble vitamins and enzymes. This means that they dissolve in water, so when they are heated in water or steam is created, the nutrients disappear (not completely, but they are depleted). Vitamin C and B are two of these vitamins, and they are often decreased in cooking. Potassium, calcium and iron are minerals that are decreased by more than half in the cooking process. In general, these vegetables are called cruciferous, and they include cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts and other similar green leafy vegetables. Kale, beets and red peppers are a few more examples – beets can lose a quarter of their folate when cooked and peppers lose some of their vitamin C. 

On the other hand, some vegetables get a healthy boost from cooking. One reason is that when certain vegetables are cooked, their cell walls become less rigid which means that they are easier to absorb and we can easily take in their nutrients and digest them. The heat can also release antioxidants in some vegetables. Asparagus is one example – the heat from cooking ignites its glutathione which is a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals, which is why it is know to help fight certain types of cancer. Mushrooms increase in potassium when cooked. Carrots should also be cooked – they will have more beta carotene, which is an antioxidant that can be converted into vitamin A and improves eye and bone health. Spinach is a great vegetable to cook – you will be able to absorb more iron, magnesium and calcium. 

One way to keep the nutrients in your vegetables is to choose a fast cooking method so your vegetables spend the least amount of time cooking. Steaming and microwaving are two quick methods. It’s also important to keep in mind that vegetables start to lose nutrients as soon as they are harvested, so store them properly and only buy what you need so nothing sits around too long. If possible, buy locally and what is in season to obtain the most nutrients. 

The bottom line is that vegetables are still full of benefits no matter how you consume them. They each offer their own range of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants and they will always be an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018