Coach Corner: Summer Bodies Are Made In The Winter!

Ingrid M. Hughes,
Independent Team Beachbody Coach

Website: www.IngridInPa.com/blog

IN THIS ISSUE:

Eating With All of Your Senses
8 Guilty Pleasures That Are Actually Good for You
Video: 4 Easy, Healthy Carb Swaps for Weight Loss
Save $30 on Daily Sunshine in March
Introducing BEACHBAR!
Recipe: Moroccan Carrot Salad
Recipe: Glowing Green Smoothie Bowl
Join My Team!

Eating With All of Your Senses

If you’re new to eating healthy, that phrase may bring to mind an unappetizing image of a boring plate of salad topped with grilled chicken next to a piece of fruit. It’s what you might scoff at as “rabbit food.”

Yes, foods like fruits, veggies, protein, and whole grains are part of a balanced, healthy diet, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with plain oatmeal and a banana for breakfast every day.

Whole foods can act as a blank canvas for exciting flavors and textures. It’s all about targeting your senses by maximizing the deliciousness of your healthy meals, so you’ll want to eat them again and again. First, let’s explore these senses and how they affect your eating experience.

How Your Senses Affect Your Eating Experience
Eating is all about the senses. Taste, smell, sight, touch, and even sound all play into our enjoyment of food.

Taste
Taste is crucial to appreciating food. You have 10,000 taste buds that are wired to like sweet, salty, and rich (aka, fatty) foods because they contain lots of calories and nutrients compatible with survival.

Smell
Smell works closely with taste to create flavor. There are five tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami), but there are thousands of smells to help you recognize what you’re eating.

Touch
In the case of eating, touch can be referred to as texture. Texture is worth mentioning because a lot of our comfort foods rely on creamy and crispy textures. You “taste” fat as the creaminess in cheese, ice cream, and avocado. Crispy textures are common in cookies, fries, and chips. Both textures can be leveraged to make healthy food tasty.

Sight
Sight counts; we eat as much with our eyes as we do with our mouths. There’s a reason why those food videos and photos on Facebook and Instagram are so popular! Dr. Brian Wansink of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab found that people are more likely to over-serve themselves if their plate is similar in color to the food they’re eating. Another reason to add all kinds of color to your cooking!

Sound
Sound can also play a role in your eating experience. You probably know quite a few people who would shun soggy fries and limp bacon, and who can blame them? The crispiness and crunchiness of some foods can be critical to its enjoyment.

We may prefer crunch because it’s a sign of freshness. A lot of food companies capitalize on this by selling chips, crackers, pretzels and chocolate chip cookies. You can capitalize on crunch in your favor when you make healthy snacks like crispy baked zucchini fries.
Sound can negatively affect your food experience, too. Non-food related sounds such as a noisy restaurant can distract you and depress your overall enjoyment of the meal.

8 Healthy Eating Tips to Banish Boring Meals
Healthy eating should be about making wholesome foods taste so good you’ll want to eat them all the time. Here are a few culinary tips and recipe suggestions to elevate your healthy eating game:

1. Go for full-flavored salads
Does it bother you to see a 500-calorie salad, but you don’t blink an eye at an 800-calorie cheeseburger? If so, it’s time to dash that double standard. A healthy, satiating salad with protein, tons of veggies, flavorful toppings, and a light dressing can provide you with essential nutrients and satisfy all your senses.

While it may sound counterintuitive to add calories just to get you to eat your veggies, it’s entirely possible to jazz them up without sabotaging your weight-loss goals. Be smart about what you’re adding: skip calorie bombs like candied nuts, watch portion sizes, and uses spices to add flavor and depth.

2. Try a new cooking technique
You know the healthy cooking drill: baked chicken, broiled fish and hard-boiled eggs ad nauseum. Switch things up and experiment with new cooking techniques so you can make mouthwatering meals. Different cooking techniques create different smell and flavor compounds that can enhance the taste of food.

3. Be BFFs with your pantry
Salt and pepper alone won’t cut it. You have to learn how to flavor with herbs and spices if you want to whip up tasty meals. These flavor agents give ingredients their cuisine identity. Plain Jane chicken, for example, can turn Italian with rosemary and oregano, or Asian with soy sauce and ginger.

4. Add some zest to your dish
Squeeze lemon or lime juice over a savory dish to brighten and enhance its flavor, no extra salt needed! Use lemon in place of vinegar in marinades and salad dressings. Invest in a zester so you can work the fragrant lemon peel into meat dishes and dessert.

5. Pretty-up your meals
Plate your food in a way that piques your appetite. Use a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to add color (and nutrition!) to your meal. Get creative with presentation and layer colorful salad ingredients in a mason jar.

6. Health-ify your cravings
Play with flavor and texture to make a healthier version of your favorite comfort foods. For example, have you tried cauliflower rice? This is simply cauliflower shredded in a food processor and used in place of rice in your favorite dishes. Look for it with the prepared produce or in the freezer section of your grocery store.

7. Host a dinner party
Instead of shelling out dough at a restaurant, throw a dinner party to bond with your friends. Eating with loved ones helps you build more positive memories related to healthy eating.

8. Add a touch of umami
Umami refers to savory, the fifth taste. There are tons of high-umami foods that can give your healthy dish a flavor punch. These include caramelized onions, shiitake mushrooms, cheese, ripe tomatoes, chicken broth, fish sauce, and even nutritional yeast.

The Bottom Line
Patience is key. Did you know that it can take upwards of 15 tries before most kids and adults will learn to like a new food? If you’re someone who has (finally) gotten yourself to crave healthy food, you know it takes time for your eating habits to change. Be patient and pretty soon you’ll master the art of healthy eating.

8 Guilty Pleasures That Are Actually Good for You

Just because you’re eating healthy, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice everything you love. You can indulge in some treats to satisfy your cravings without sabotaging your diet. If consumed in moderation, these tasty foods and drinks can please your palate and provide some great health benefits at the same time.

Just make sure to reread the first part of that last sentence, because while red wine is on this list, downing a bottle of wine every night will do more harm than good. On the other hand, if you pay close attention to serving sizes and use portion control, you can feel safe to occasionally indulge in these pleasures without feeling guilty.

Red Wine
Red wine is full of antioxidants, which can keep your heart healthy and lower the risk of certain diseases. There’s also a key ingredient in red wine called resveratrol that has been shown to prevent damage to blood vessels, reduce cholesterol, and prevent blood clots in rats.

However, not everyone reacts to alcohol the same, so although red wine is a great source of antioxidants, it might not be the best indulgence for everyone. For example, findings from the Copenhagen Heart Study, which examined the alcohol consumption of 6,000 men and 7,000 females for 12 years, revealed that people with a high risk of cardiovascular disease benefited more from moderate wine consumption than those considered low risk.

Dark Chocolate
Attention chocolate lovers: You don’t have to give up your favorite treat if you’re on a diet! Studies show that dark chocolate, which is 72 percent cocoa or higher, has numerous potential health benefits, not the least of which are reducing inflammation and blood pressure. The source of cocoa’s power: Polyphenols, particularly flavonols, which are phytonutrients that act like antioxidants, and which cocoa has in greater abundance than many “super fruits,” including blueberries and acai, according to a study in the Chemistry Central Journal.

Have you ever felt like chocolate can make a bad day better? You’re not just imagining it. Dark chocolate can raise serotonin levels in the brain, which can improve your mood. But don’t think you can swap out a bowl of blueberries for chocolate. Although dark chocolate has less sugar than milk chocolate, just four squares can tally up to 11 grams of sugar. Even though it’s better for you than some other sweet treats, you shouldn’t get too carried away and devour an entire chocolate bar in one sitting.

Coffee
Coffee is rich in antioxidants. In fact, many people get a huge portion of their antioxidants from coffee. There have also been studies that examined coffee as a protective component against diseases like Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and liver cancer. The caffeine in coffee can also help enhance an athlete’s performance.

All that being said, this is in reference to plain, black coffee. It’s a whole different story when you start adding four pumps of syrup, six packs of sugar, and whipped cream on top. If you really can’t stand the taste of black coffee, try swapping your usual “splash” of half-and-half for non-fat milk, unsweetened almond milk, or coconut oil.

Beef Jerky
As with many foods, natural is better. Natural beef jerky can be a protein-packed snack that’s relatively low in calories. Some brands can give you between 8 to 12 grams of protein per one-ounce serving in less than 100 calories. Even better is jerky that’s made from grass-fed beef, which contains omega-3s — the same healthy fats that are in avocados and fish. Go natural, avoid preservatives, and make sure to read the label.

Pasta
Diet programs are often riddled with warnings against eating too many carbs, but you actually do need them, especially if you’re very active. Skip the white pastas and opt for whole-wheat, which is full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Fiber helps keep you feeling full for longer. It also helps control blood sugar, reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of colon cancer, and promote good digestion. As long as you avoid smothering your pasta in butter and salt, whole-wheat pasta can be a good substitute for white pasta when you’re craving comfort food.

Peanut Butter
PB&J sandwiches are a favorite for elementary school lunches, but they don’t have to be just for kids. Peanut butter is a perfectly healthy option for a snack or as part of a meal. A two-tablespoon serving of peanut butter contains seven to eight grams of protein and two grams of fiber. Both of those work together to help fill you up and feel more satisfied after you eat. Peanut butter also provides a good amount of vitamins and healthy monounsaturated fat. Pay attention to the type of peanut butter you buy, because some brands can run high in the sodium and sugar departments. If you want to play it safe, organic and natural brands are best.

Popcorn
Popcorn is the ultimate movie snack. Unfortunately, standard “movie popcorn” is mostly just processed chemicals doused in butter. But if you make popcorn from scratch by popping organic kernels and adding your own spices, you can still enjoy this crunchy snack without the guilt. Popcorn is a whole grain, and it’s a great source of fiber, which aids and reduces cholesterol and blood pressure.

Salsa
Good salsa is essentially just a bunch of fruits and veggies thrown together with some seasonings. It’s easy to make your own, and you can customize it to include all of your favorite veggies. Tomatoes and onions are the base of most salsas, and they contain a ton of vitamin C, while still being low in calories. Add in some peppers to get an extra boost of veggies.

The next time you’re struggling to stay on top of your diet, turn to this list for some guilt-free inspiration. Just remember: Moderation is key. It’s safe to indulge a little bit every now and then, but be conscious of serving sizes.

Video: 4 Easy, Healthy Carb Swaps for Weight Loss

Spring Price Break! Save $30 on Daily Sunshine in March!

Save on the Smoothie for Picky Kids and Pickier Parents

Daily Sunshine is Beachbody’s healthy 3-in-1 smoothie for kids that’s been designed specifically for their unique dietary needs. It is hard to get kids to eat right, so it is exciting to have an option that is clinically proven to be a great option for kids to have a healthy shake and snack.

The Daily Sunshine smoothie comes in two flavors: smooth and creamy Chocolate and fruity and sweet Strawberry Banana. Each is made with organic fruits and vegetables, organic pea protein, and healthy fats, and each has 3 grams of fiber, probiotics, vitamins C & E, calcium, and vitamin D. Here are Daily Sunshine’s Strawberry Banana Nutrition Facts label and Daily Sunshine’s Chocolate Nutrition Facts label so you can see for yourself.

Daily Sunshine has carefully been formulated to include the building blocks of nutrition kids need to help them grow up healthy and strong, and 4 out of 5 pediatricians approve of the formulation. The ingredients in Daily Sunshine differ slightly depending on which flavor you choose. But both the Chocolate and Strawberry Banana flavors have a fruit and veggie blend of apple, sweet potato, flaxseed, spinach, blueberry, acerola cherry, and strawberry, which are all very healthy and tasty options for a kids' shake.

Check out my hidden camera video of my 8 and 9-year-old niece and nephew tasting Daily Sunshine for the first time!

I am so excited to share with you that this healthy kids' shake is soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO, and it contains NO artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives.

Take advantage of the savings and try Daily Sunshine for $30 off!

Click to Purchase CHOCOLATE Daily Sunshine

Click to Purchase STRAWBERRY BANANA Daily Sunshine

Introducing Beachbody’s New Snack Bar: BEACHBAR

The BEACHBAR is a crunchy, chewy, and delicious snack bar that is a good source of protein and just 150 calories — perfect for a wholesome afternoon snack. BEACHBAR comes in two flavors: Peanut Butter Chocolate and Chocolate Cherry Almond. Both are made with nut pieces and nut butters, protein crisps, and topped with a ribbon of chocolate. They are gluten free, have zero grams trans fats, and contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

At 150 calories per bar, you get 10 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of sugar. BEACHBAR is the perfect on-the-go snack to keep you going until your next meal. And, since they are both delicious and nutritious, BEACHBARS are also great snacks for meetings at work, to keep in your bag, or to toss into your child’s lunch box.

How Do I Purchase BEACHBARS?
BEACHBARS will be available for purchase from your Team Beachbody Coach (that’s me!) starting April 7, 2018. Look for more information in my next newsletter.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

This easy, healthy Moroccan Carrot Salad recipe features an exotic blend of spices and a light lemon dressing that is clean eating at its finest.

3 medium carrots grated
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
1 clove garlic chopped
¼ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground paprika
1 dash cinnamon
½ tsp. Himalayan salt
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste; optional)

Combine carrots, oil, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne (if desired) in a large bowl; mix well. Let salad marinate, covered, in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Glowing Green Smoothie Bowl

Switch up your smoothie routine by combining your favorite leafy greens into a delicious and vibrantly colored green smoothie bowl. We used spinach, but you could swap in arugula or kale, or even add a few sprigs of parsley. Topped with tangy kiwifruit, banana slices, and shredded coconut, this is a smoothie that can be eaten with a spoon! Shakeology makes it even more nutritious, so you can feel extra good about your morning meal or your afternoon snack.

This smoothie bowl is a great way to use up extra greens in your fridge. Have a lot of greens (even slightly wilted greens are fine)? Freeze them in one cup portions in individual bags with berries or cut fruit, if desired. Then, when you make a smoothie, simply empty the bag of frozen greens into your blender with Shakeology and water or almond milk.

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup ice
1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
1 cup raw spinach
¼ large banana cut into thick slices
1 medium kiwi peeled, cut into thick slices
2 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut

Place almond milk, Shakeology, spinach, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. Place smoothie in a medium bowl. Top with banana, kiwi, and coconut; serve immediately.

Join My Team!

I am looking for individuals, with a blessed to be a blessing heart, who SERIOUSLY want to change their life physically and/or financially. Our team wants to share with you how to build an in-home business from the ground up and how to make a part-time or full-time income while doing it.

We will personally mentor and train you, show you what we are doing and how we are doing it, and give you step-by-step guidance on how to get there PLUS so much MORE. We have: weekly training calls, a training boot camp, social networking How-To’s, templates, and access to an exclusive group of other successful business owners. The training is 100% FREE once you sign up to be a Coach on our team. This is something you don’t want to miss! Oh, and did I mention Coaches get 25% off Shakeology and other Beachbody products (10% off clothes), and if you're active duty or honorably discharged from the US Armed Forces, there's an additional thank-you-for-your-service discount?!

If this sounds like a good fit for you, contact me and let's hit the ground running!

** Team Beachbody® does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach's income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill.