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

There are a lot of factors that affect our weight loss, some more obvious and influential than others. The exercise we choose to do and the food and drinks we choose to put in our bodies are clearly key components, but everything starts with the decisions we make. Our mental state, motivation and attitude all directly relate to everything we do. If we are in a bad mood, exhausted, bored, anxious or feeling any negative emotions or thinking pessimistically, we are more likely to make unhealthy choices. We look to food for comfort, stimulation or a pick-me-up instead of thinking of it as nourishment or fuel. When it comes to our frame of mind, stress can seriously influence us, sometimes without us really realizing it. The symptoms and affects of stress affect each of us all in different ways, so here are some tips and tricks to help you manage and alleviate any kind of stress and to keep you on your weight loss path. 

Stretching or Yoga. Exercise isn’t possible for all of us, and even if it is part of your routine you might not always have time or the ability to get in a workout when you need it. Doing a simple yoga sequence or some stretching is a great way to release any physical pain or tension as well as the mental pressure and stress you are feeling. 

Listen to music. Whether you put on your favorite album or make a playlist, listening to the right music can totally change your mood and can ease your stress. There are so many resources online, from music videos and playlists to soothing sounds and relaxing tones that will fit your situation if you don’t have what you want on hand. But it doesn’t always have to be relaxing music – sometimes we need something energetic and feel-good to boost our mood, or sometimes we need something angry or sad to help us embrace our stressful feelings and release them. 

Make a To-Do list. If you have a lot on your plate, it can help to get organized and make a plan to tackle everything you need to accomplish. A little bit of planning can help your day, week or month run smoother and decrease your stress over deadlines, upcoming events or anything else on your calendar. 

Do an activity you enjoy. This may seem obvious, but sometimes we get so caught up in our stressful situations that we can’t think about anything else. When we are rushed, nervous, or pressured in work or personal situations, sometimes we don’t want to or can’t step away from them. But taking a break and doing something that will make you happy, even if it’s just for the moment, is always a good idea. That can be as simple and quick as reading a chapter of a book, visiting a fun website, shopping online or making a tea. Or it can be something like having lunch with a friend, going for a walk or making plans for the future that you can look forward to. 

Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Though we may not always have a choice when it comes to our sleep schedule, don’t overlook it. Lack of sleep can increase our stress which can effect us in so many ways from the moment we wake up until we finally go to sleep at night. Not getting enough sleep can leave us cranky, tired and vulnerable – which ties in to our next tip. 

Watch your caffeine, sugar and snack intake. When we are stressed it can make us feel exhausted, anxious and defenseless to the bad decisions we don’t want to make. We seek out sugar and caffeine to pick us up and wake us up, or we look to sweets and salty snacks to keep us occupied and satisfy our cravings. You don’t have to deprive yourself, just make sure that you choose healthy options and keep it in moderation. 

Meditate. If you don’t know the sources of your stress, meditation is a great way to take a pause, reflect and loosen up. It may help you identify your stressor, or it’s just a perfect time to clear your mind and find calm. The best part is that it’s free and you can do it almost anywhere for any amount of time. 

Identifying your stressor is an important part of getting rid of it. We may not always be able to just walk away from what is stressing us, but knowing where our stress comes from can help us prepare for it and deal with it. This can include family, work, school, general obligations or even internal stress we put on ourselves or the stress of trying to lose weight and get healthy. Or sometimes it’s just nothing in particular, just the every day grind or your daily routine. Whatever stresses you, try some of these tips and take some time to reflect and make your life a little more stress free.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke in Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

When it comes to eating healthy and losing weight, we all know that white refined sugar is one of the first things to go. This can be especially hard for those of us with a sweet tooth, so we may look to artificial sweeteners or other alternatives to still get our sugary fix. And while some are low in calories, they can be full of chemicals. And after all, isn’t a sugar alternative still sugar? The truth is yes, you are still consuming sugar, but there are different benefits and downfalls to each option and some are more nutritious than others. Here is a guide to the sweeteners out there, how they affect us and how they can be used. 

Sugar (White Refined)

Though it is well known that white sugar is one of the last things you want in your diet when you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle, do we really know why? Besides cavities, what does it do to us? Many would say that it is addicting, and while it may affect your dopamine levels (your brain’s happy chemical) it is not officially proven that this is true. But that doesn’t meant that it isn’t a hard habit to break. Most of us grew up with white sugar and we associate the taste with happiness, pleasure and a reward. Breaking the mental ties with sugar is just as hard as keeping it out of our coffee, but it will help you in more ways than just weight loss. Recently a link was found between sugar and unhealthy levels of blood fat, which can worsen your cholesterol. And while sugar does not cause diabetes, there is still an association with sugar consumption and the disease. It can also increase inflammation and cause a spike in your blood sugar. Cutting sugar out of your life can be tricky, and some of us can’t go cold turkey, but some of these sugar alternatives may be able to help. 

Honey

Honey is probably the most well know sweet alternative and many of us may use it already. There are a lot of pros and cons to honey. Even though it is high in many vitamins such as B2 and B6, and is also high in iron and manganese, it’s glycemic index is worth noting (higher than agave but still lower than refined white sugar). And even though it is known to have anti-fungal and antibacterial affects, and raw and dark honey are even known to have antioxidants, it is still 60 calories per tablespoon. It can be used as an alternative to refined white sugar and is slightly better than sugar and other alternatives, but it should still only be used sparingly, or avoided when it comes to weight loss. 

Maple Sugar

When we think maple sugar we immediately think pancake breakfast, but pure maple sugar is a common natural sweetener that has always been popular. It is high in antioxidants and some minerals, but like honey is it high in calories (50 calories per tablespoon) and it has a specific and strong flavor. It can be used in baking and other recipes as a sugar alternative, but like honey it is not much different from refined sugar except that it is natural and unprocessed. 

Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is made from the sap of the coconut palm trees, it is not processed and it has a low glycemic index. Not to mention that it is also a source of vitamin B8, potassium, zinc, iron and calcium and it also contains antioxidants. But this does not mean that it is a rich source in any of these benefits – real food is always better – but it is more nutritious than other options. It is also said to taste the most like refined white sugar and it can be replaced 1:1 with regular white sugar. So what’s the catch? Coconut sugar is high in fructose (fruit sugar) – it has almost the same amount as regular sugar. And also the cost, it is more expensive than refined white sugar. And it can have a slightly different taste (some people say it is like caramel). 

Agave

Many of us have probably seen the word but still aren’t familiar with it. Agave nectar or syrup comes from the agave plant, which is like a cactus, which means that it is vegan. This liquid is the consistency of honey and is similar in color. Some people who do not like honey prefer the taste of agave, and it is said that it also does not have a bitter aftertaste that you sometimes get with artificial sweeteners. It has a lower glycemic index than refined sugars so it is good for weight loss and it is also diabetic friendly. Though something to keep in mind is the fact that it has more calories than refined sugar, but it is also much sweeter so less can be used. It is a great sugar substitute in many recipes such as smoothies, but the translation can be tricky. For example, when replacing white sugar with agave, for every cup of white sugar use 2/3 cup of agave and then reduce the other liquids in the recipe by 1/3 of a cup. It can also cause baked items to brown more quickly, so reduce the heat slightly and bake for a little bit longer. 

 Stevia

Stevia became very popular recently for being calorie free and natural, but that doesn’t mean it can be used without control. Just because it has 0 calories does not mean that it will aid your weight loss, especially because it doesn’t help you curb your cravings. It is also important to be aware that some brands may be chemically processed and mixed with sugar alcohols – not all Stevia is 100% natural. Always check the labels, some contain fiber and other components as well. When it comes to flavor it is very sweet, so less may be used when it comes to using it in recipes (but be aware that when substituting for sugar, the ratio is 1:8 which will affect other ingredients). 

Artificial Sweeteners

What is the difference between Sweet’n Low, Equal and Splenda? It’s all about what they are made of with. Sweet’n Low is saccharin (an artificial sweetener) as well as dextrose and other ingredients, Equal is aspartame and Splenda is sucralose (a synthetic compound discovered in 1975). And though they are all calorie free, they are completely artificial, offer no nutrition benefits and are full of chemicals. While their lack of calories is good news for weight loss, their contents are far from healthy.

So now that you know the difference between sugar and sweeteners, what’s the best one to use for weight loss? None of the above 🙂 Of course I would rather you not incorporate any extra or added sweeteners to your food and go with the natural. However I know that’s not always realistic for many. So if and when you have to add sweetener to your menu then choose agave. It is chemical free and with its low glycemic index, it can have a positive response to your blood sugar levels.  

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018