Perfect example: last night I was working on my taxes with my husband Bruce and the TV was playing in the background.  We had an early dinner, about 6:15.  Mind you, it was really healthy — turkey meatloaf, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and quinoa tabouli.  I was priding myself on the fact that it was light and delicious, I ate just the right amount and I felt satisfied. Throw in the fact that we leisurely ate at the table, a friend stopped by and we all caught up on our days, and I just had to chalk it up to an enjoyable experience.

But when I fast forwarded several hours, I was seriously getting hungry.  My first inclination was to get some of my favorite gluten-free snack: Mary’s Gone Crackers.  We have a stash of the herb crackers and they’re perfect with hummus.  Then I entertained the idea of some gluten-free bread with peanut butter or an apple.

But then I thought twice and reached for water instead.

Whenever I eat late at night, I never sleep as well. Sometimes I feel restless, sometimes I seem to have the oddest dreams and sometimes it feels like I wake up feeling tired.  The truth of the matter is that our bodies do best when we go to bed having had time to digest our food. Eating late means they’re often working over time as we sleep to digest things instead of simply resting.

Water is great because it can fill you up and nip hunger pangs in the bud. And no, I don’t mean I drank a gallon, just a 10 ounce glass.  Even better, drinking the water didn’t disturb my sleep, I didn’t drink so much that I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and I felt great when I woke up this morning.

The trick for me is to pause before I act. Instead of just mindlessly grabbing and gobbling up a snack, I took the time to think through what was most important for me.

What do you do to stave off late night hunger? Have you ever tried drinking water as a simple solution to nip snacking in the bud?

Due to a host of factors including sometimes not drinking enough water, making a few detours from my usual clean eating, healthy fare, and these pesky fibroid tumors that I have — things can sometimes move a bit slow, if you know what I mean.

And I’ll be the first to tell you that I’ve been at a host of family functions and parties where there’s been a bevy of food. I’ve literally been working on practicing what I preach — avoiding holiday overindulgence and the weight gain that comes with it.  Doesn’t mean I’ve totally avoided eating some super rich foods but I’ve been trying only small samples to whet my appetite and avoid going overboard.  I’ve also been working on the idea that holidays aren’t only about food — they’re also about enjoying the company of our family and friends.

But when it comes to clean eating and keeping things moving during the holiday season, I’m a big fan of eating as many raw veggies as possible. To me, that’s one of the most powerful ways I keep myself regular.  Even though it happens to be frigidly cold today and more warm foods would naturally be in order, I can’t help but create a beautiful green salad along with the other items I’m making for a family birthday dinner that we’re hosting.

The good news is that there are lots of ways to get more raw fruits and veggies in your diet during the holiday season. Here are just a few ideas:

• bring raw veggies and hummus to a holiday party
• make a delicious raw smoothie with fresh fruit and a serving or two of raw kale or spinach thrown in
• juice your favorite veggies and fruit like cucumber, celery, kale, apples and ginger
• cut up bell peppers and cucumbers for snack time instead of high fat treats like cheese and crackers
• create a raw salad with your favorite lettuce and added some roasted vegetables on top for a nice mix of flavors and textures

What’s your strategy to keep things moving during the holidays and feel your best? What are you doing to ensure you’re eating enough raw fruits and vegetables?

It’s not that I don’t want to drink water.  In fact, without fail, I always feel more alert and focused when I’m drinking lots of water everyday.  And my skin looks so much better too!

What usually trips me up though, is days when I have a busy schedule of speaking and/or teaching.  On those days, to prevent myself from lots of trips to the bathroom, I tend to drink less.  I have one of those teensy weensy bladders and it feels like I constantly have to go. But it’s on just those days that I can easily get into a water deficit. And if I have a couple of those days in a row, I can easily find myself in a state of dehydration that affects how regular I am…or not.

I’ve blogged about water drinking many times before, sharing some of my tricks to keep hydrated.  In Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, I’m a ‘vata’ constitution type which means I’m naturally dry by nature.  Water drinking is one of my biggest, personal health missions to keep things operating at optimal levels.

With the holidays upon us and lots of gatherings to attend, I find that it’s even easier to be water deficient.  Stop by a friend or family member’s home, and the first question may very well be, “what can I get you to drink?”  When you look around and see lots of festive cocktails, it’s a natural inclination to go with the flow and have one yourself.  So for me, it’s all about finding some balance with the water drinking at both parties and at home.

When I’m heading to a function, I like to begin with the end in mind and set my sights on drinking at least one eight ounce glass of water before having any alcohol.  If I’m really on my game, I’ll up that to two. Then I feel so much better about having a glass of wine or cocktail.  In a perfect world, I’d also have a glass of water in between every glass of alcohol I’d drink.  The funny thing, though, is that I’m not much of a drinker anyway. One glass of something, and I’m usually good for the whole evening. 

I came across a handy water drinking tool recently that’s been helping stay on my water drinking toes.  My friend Tracie has a cool website called tinyrituals.com.  She is all about the power of water drinking to feed your body and soul. I especially like her Time to Hydrate sticky pads, a simple way to keep track of your water drinking during the day.  In fact, I thought it was such a handy tool that I’ve given each of my clients a Time to Hydrate pad as a holiday gift.  

So far, I’m at about 26 ounces for the day and it’s just about noon.  Not too bad, but I find that I often start the day strong with water and then fizzle out over time.  This is a good reminder to keep on going.

What do you do to stay on track with water and make sure you get enough in? Water’s your secret to stay sufficiently hydrated during the cold winter months and the holiday season?

PS You can get a full list of simple and fabulous ideas to keep you feeling your best during the holidays with my audio recording, “Clean Eating During the Holidays: Outwit Holiday Overeating and Overindulgence.” You can check out all the details here: http://bit.ly/109omL

Truth be told, however, water really is an elixir that keeps our bodies strong and healthy.  It hydrates the skin, helps with detoxification and ensures that our bodily functions are working properly, just to name a few.  It’s also a great way to increase our energy without having to resort to caffeine.

But the question is, if you’re not naturally drawn to water, how can you build more of it in to support a clean lifestyle?  What can you do to get more down if you’re more inclined to drink coffee or nothing at all?

I talk a lot about ways to drink more water over on Twitter, mostly because that’s one of my biggest clean eating challenges. Talking about it keeps me focused on it. Yes, I can integrate more healthy foods in easily and we barely eat anything that’s processed, but the water thing…that’s my biggest obstacle.

So here are a few suggestions to get things flowing if you find you could use some additional hydration (and most people can because Americans tend to be chronically dehydrated).

• Use a straw. I love getting my water in this way, it goes down so much easier
• Choose a special glass or mug that you love. I swear that what I use to drink the water in has some impact on how much I get in, so there are a few cups I gravitate to
• Drink 8-16 ounces as soon as you get up in the morning.  We’re naturally dehydrated after a night of sleep and keeping it right by your bed makes it a no-brainer
• Drink herbal teas.  Water doesn’t have to be just water. What creative ways can you use to get it in?
• Add slices of lemon, lime or orange for flavor
• Add naturally sweetened flavor packs.  Celestial Seasonings makes Zingers to Go that you can add to your water and they’re only sweetened with stevia (a natural sweetener), nothing artificial like aspartame.

What do you do to get more water in? How does drinking more water support creating a clean eating lifestyle. Do Tell!

The question is, did you enjoy Thanksgiving in moderation, consciously eating and feeling good afterward, or did you fall off the wagon of your healthy plan, eating plentiful amounts of pumpkin pie, mac and cheese and stuffing?

If you’re in the camp of not doing as well as you would have liked, now’s the time to course correct and get back on the track before Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s, not to mention the plethora of holiday parties, throw you off track for good! In fact it’s possible to go to your favorite functions and completely enjoy yourself without letting out some space in your belt buckle.

The key is to getting into action immediately (as in this week!) to rein in your eating. Here are three simple steps to get you started:

• Use Thanksgiving leftovers for healthy, low fat dishes — I’m a big fan of turkey chili and turkey soup. In fact, I already whipped up some tasty turkey soup yesterday with lots of fresh veggies and brown rice noodles. I added carrots, onion, celery and fresh spinach along with fresh dill and parsley. Light and refreshing.
• Drink up — water that is. Have you been so busy eating and even drinking a bit more than usual that your water intake has gone down? It’s super easy to get dehydrated and dehydration often masks itself as hunger when in reality a tall glass of water can relieve those hunger pangs instantly. Not to mention make us feel a lot more alert and energetic.
• Be conscious of everything you put in your mouth this week. If this weekend was about too much celebration, think carefully about everything you plan to put into your mouth. Do you need it or simply want it? How can you eat less of it and still be satisfied? Start with small portions and choose wisely. Your increased awareness alone can save you LOTS of calories.

What’s your personal plan to stay on track with healthy eating and feel your best during the holidays? One’s one thing you’ll start doing this week?

The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too strict, devoid of essential nutrients. Perhaps you are living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful. Your body tries to correct the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. A craving for something sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water, or more love in your life. The key to stopping sugar cravings is to understand what your body really needs.

Your body knows best and is always trying to create balance. However, products like refined foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and drugs, which have little or no nutritional value, are confusing to the body. They throw it off balance and can create serious cravings, as your body tries to get what it needs to restore internal harmony. The more your food is whole and healthy, the easier it is for your body to stay in balance, giving you a happier, healthier life.

No book or theory can tell you what food is right for your body. Rather, you need to increase your awareness of your body and its unique needs. Of all the relationships in our life, the one with our body is most essential; it takes communication, love, and time to cultivate. As you learn to decipher and respond to your body’s cravings, you will create a deep lasting level of health and balance.

The next time you have a craving, treat it as a loving message from your body instead of as a weakness. Try these steps to respond to your body:

* First have a glass of water and wait ten minutes.
* Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit and sweet or root vegetables.
* Determine what is out of balance in you life. Is there something you need to express, something being repressed? Think about what happened in your life just before you had this craving
* When you eat the food you are craving, enjoy it, taste it, savor it; notice its effects. This will help you be more aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.

Ingredients: 1 pound fresh ginger root, 2 liters water, juice of 2 limes, maple syrup or agave nectar to taste. Directions: 1. Thinly peel the fresh ginger, grate and mix with water in a large sauce pan. 2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Cover the pan, turn off the heat and leave for 24 hours. 3. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve. 4. Add the lime juice and maple syrup or agave. Stir until dissolved. Serve chilled.

Ingredients: 3-4 tea bags of your choice water. Directions: 1. Fill an extra-large mason jar with lid with water, add 3 or 4 of your favorite tea bags. 2. Place in sun for one full day and let the shining rays pour in heat and energy, bringing out the wonderful tea flavors. 3. Sweeten if so desired with natural sweetener, serve room temperature or cold over ice. Option: Garnish with mint leaves or lemon wedge.

To start your day right, set a large glass of water by your bed each night and drink it when you wake up. When the first thing that flows through your body each morning is water, it pulls out toxins left over from the previous day and freshens your system for the day ahead. Keep a bottle of water accessible throughout the day, whether you are on the go or at a desk. Having one close by will remind you to take a sip when thirsty. The first sip will usually let you know how much more water you need. A sip or two may be enough, or you may need a big glass. If you drink most of your daily water before early evening, you most likely will not be thirsty before bed. This is good, because drinking before bed, and then waking to use the bathroom, disturbs your peaceful night’s sleep.

What about quality? Some people like bottled water, while others prefer filtered water. The key is to like the taste of the water you are drinking, and the water should agree with your body. If the taste of plain water is unappealing, experiment to see how you can make it tasty and drinkable. Adding a few mint leaves, a wedge of lemon, a sprig of parsley, slices of cucumber, a twist of lime or a squeeze of orange are great ways to make water more tempting or to jazz up your water routine. Also, drinking tea or juice and eating raw fruits and vegetables contribute to the hydration process. So, splash in the waves, swim in the sun, drink plenty of water and enjoy the summer fun!