What’s my do-over for fall? Well since I’ve just done a cleanse and I’m in a groove with clean eating, I’m focused on adding in 1-2 more servings of vegetables, leafy greens specifically, each day. Not so much a do-over but an add-on.

When I was younger, I always liked the concept of “do-overs” – you know, when you mess something up, you get another try. I love applying that metaphor to our health. It’s easy to be overly hard on ourselves – maybe you didn’t eat so clean over the summer – too much sugar, alcohol or caffeine and processed foods – or perhaps you went to one too many barbecues where you filled your plate and ate with reckless abandon.

So instead of beating yourself up if you didn’t eat as healthfully as you wanted to this summer, let’s have a do-over as we move into fall. But let’s do it in a gentle way that doesn’t feel so restrictive and difficult to maintain. Here are a few suggestions to help you refresh and refocus on clean, healthy eating as we move into fall:

· Identify one food to “crowd out” – It generally doesn’t work to try to change up all the things you’re eating at once, that just sets you up for failure. Removing one less than healthy item, however, can get you on the path to healthier eating. What’s one food for which you’ve been overindulging that you could eliminate? Think about a healthier option for that particular food, something that you would find satisfying. For example, you could crowd out potato chips by making a batch of kale chips. You can still have that crunchy texture in a much healthier form.

· Do a cleanse for a few days – In late August I did a 5-day raw food cleanse that gave my body a nice break – no sugar, dairy, meat, processed food or salt. I ate and drank the most delicious soups, smoothies and green juices that gave me the perfect restart and I’ve been doing a great job of maintaining my healthy eating ever since plus my sugar cravings are completely gone! The good news is that a cleanse can be very simple and inexpensive – for example, identify a few items that you would like to eliminate for a few days so your body and digestive system can rest.

· Eat in silence at least once per week – I love eating in silence with no distractions although I don’t do it nearly as often as I should. Cutting out all distractions helps you connect with your food and get in tune with your body in a powerful way. When we turn off the TV, step away from the computer and learn to be with ourselves, we can often discover that we’re eating far more food that we need to. Quiet down and slow down and your body will appreciate it.

What’s my do-over for fall? Well since I’ve just done a cleanse and I’m in a groove with clean eating, I’m focused on adding in 1-2 more servings of vegetables, leafy greens specifically, each day. Not so much a do-over but an add-on.

What’s your simple do-over plan that will help you reconnect, recharge and take your health up a notch this fall? Do tell!

I’m of the mind that we should all slow down and tune in, reflecting a bit more on our food choices. I’m not suggesting that you always need to choose the food that’s perfectly healthy (that’s why I like to employ the 80-20 rule — most of the time I make healthy, clean eating choices) but some forethought goes a long way to feeling good about your decisions, avoiding food guilt and managing your weight.  String together a few days of poor food choices and I bet you can easily beat yourself up over the pound or two you’ve gained.

This begs the question of how one becomes more mindful about what you choose to put in your mouth.  For me, it goes back to the notion of slowing down and tuning into the messages my body is sending and what feels right.  Whether you’re in your favorite restaurant with a bevy of menu choices before you or you’re at home planning tonight’s dinner, here are five questions to ask yourself that will help you become more aware of your body.

• How hungry am I?
• What food looks or sounds inspiring to me?
• What does my body most need right now?
• What, if anything, am I craving?
• Can I choose/make a clean eating meal (not full of fat, sugar or salt) that tastes good and will be just as satisfying?

I like to ask myself these questions because it gives me time to pause and reflect and determine what feels right. Usually I end up making a healthy, clean eating choice but sometimes I don’t. But I feel a whole lot better making my decision and enjoying the food from a place of self-awareness.  And when I’ve already slowed down to reflect on my choices, I often eat with greater awareness to the tastes and flavors and don’t rush through my meal at a breakneck pace.

Do you mindfully think before you eat? How has it helped you make better choices in the past? When can you start practicing it to support better health and awareness?

If you must know, sometimes I eat really fast and eat while I work. Sometimes I only psuedo-taste my food because I’m distracted by the list of things I’ve convinced myself I need to get done immediately.  And sometimes I barely remember the meal. 

Oh my gosh, can you believe I’m telling all my fast eating secrets?  But my point is that even when I know better it doesn’t mean I always heed my own advice.

The good news is that I said sometimes — this is definitely not an everyday experience, and like everything else, my health is all about continuous improvement so I’m working on it.

Truth be told, clean eating has everything to do with the quality of the food we’re eating and how we’re preparing it but it also involves the experiences we create when we’re eating our food.  Are you eating slowly and mindfully or are you rushing through just to get to the next task? Are you distracted by the TV or you creating a quiet space to get more focused on your food and really enjoy it, chewing each bite with reckless abandon?

Here are a few ideas that work for me when it comes to combining clean eating and mindfulness to slow down and be more present:

1. Include high quality, home cooked food. I love eating a meal when I’ve enjoyed the experience of preparing it. I have so much more appreciation for my food when I know I’ve used quality ingredients and had fun doing it.  And even if it doesn’t come out perfectly, the energy I put into it is also the energy I receive back as I eat.

2. Create a relaxing and enticing ambiance. Whether eating alone or with others, food just tastes better and is more enjoyable when I feel good about the space I’m in. Light a candle, put on your favorite music or get out your favorite napkins and tablecloth.  Great atmosphere rocks!

3. Get quiet and listen to your body. When I’m wrapped up in the rapid pace of my day, I can lose sight of eating clean and drinking lots of water, let alone trying to enjoy my food. But even taking 10 minutes to do nothing but eat your meal is a powerful tool to get you focused on your senses and out of your head and thinking mind. Not only will you really taste and enjoy your food, but you’ll also give your brain a break.

4. Chew oh so slowly. I’m talking about at a snail’s pace, tasting every yummy bite.  That alone will help you tune into the flavor and texture that you probably so often miss.

This is just a short list to get you thinking about how you can slow down and tune it while enjoying clean foods.  What will inspire you to be more mindful during meals? How do you keep distractions to a minimum and keep focused on clean foods? What’s one thing you can do differently today? Do tell!

We tend to think of a meal as something that’s big, often heavy and has to come at certain times of the day. But I when I think healthy meals, I’m of the mind that less is more, eaten when your body tells you it’s ready.

Here’s what I mean specifically.  Less food that’s higher quality and more satisfying.  Smaller portions eaten slowly that fill you up.   Eating until you feel comfortable, not to the point of bursting as you mindlessly watch TV.

Simplicity and greater pleasure come from increased self-awareness and turning our radar ON. And when we do, the possibilities for more pleasure and great health increase substantially. Not to mention the fact that we increase the likelihood of losing weight in a natural way.

I often teach a class called “The Ecstasy of Eating: 6 Steps for Satisfying Self-Nourishment.” It’s all about helping people slow down, tune in and get more enjoyment from their food.  We actually get to practice the six steps during the class, like breathing deeply while eating, and people begin to tune into what they notice about themselves and their food.  Even the most basic of foods, a piece of bread, a carrot, an apple can be more enjoyable when we get slow.

How do you find simplicity in your meals and how does that support your health? What helps you feel satisfied?

I first heard about FitDay awhile ago from a friend, and then others kept mentioning it to me, which was the sign that I was overdue to check it out. And how cool it is.

It’s a website where you can track all your fitness and eating activities and goals, and monitor your progress. What I like about it is that it focuses on helping you increase your awareness. I’m a firm believer that healthy eating, plentiful amounts of exercise and hitting your weight loss goals has everything to do with slowing down and becoming more aware of what you’re putting in your mouth — exactly how many calories, and how much fat, protein and carbohydrates.

Why is this so important? Because most of us are clueless about just how much we really consume it a day and what’s right for us individually. The simple act of inputing what you’ve consumed and seeing the calories and other information is enlightening. Even I forget just how many calories some foods have. And imagine how easy it is to overindulge when you’re in front of the TV, mindlessly eating. This will help you become more conscious and even make subtle shifts.

My friend Rhonda has partnered up with a friend of hers to use it and encourage each other each day on their progress. I love that. 

How do you think you could use and benefit from Fit Day? Are you already using it? Share your story and encourage others! 

Take it from me, a seriously slow eater, I’m all about the chew. And according to my my mom and husband, I could easily win the prize in a slow eating contest! But there’s a method to my madness. Chewing helps us in myriad ways, not to mention enhancing the overall eating experience.

Take a listen to the audio tip and find out why chewing slowly is so important and how many times you should really chew your food.

What about you, do you regularly take the time to chew your food slowly? What’s your secret to success? And if you don’t, what gets in the way?

I’ve definitely been surprised to find out that not having everything hot, especially in the middle of winter, in one of the coldest weeks we’ve had, is actually tolerable. I might even say doable.

Every morning I’ve been picking up my allotment of freshly made organic juices, smoothies and soup at my friend Glen’s cafe.  And I’ve been surprised by how great soup can taste at room temperature. Each day we’ve been treated to a delicious concoction of healing and cleansing ingredients. To give you an idea, yesterday’s soup was asparagus, tomato, avocado, parsley, sun dried tomato, yellow pepper, lemon, lime, green onion, Braggs amino acids and Italian seasoning. Delicious. Today’s soup was even better and it was seriously green – dandelion greens, spirulina, sunflower seeds and a host of other super healthy ingredients.  But the taste was simply divine. I could definitely eat this every day.

I’ve also noticed that I’m not nearly as hungry as I anticipated I’d be considering I’m eating all liquids for a week. It’s interesting how our body can adapt.  And eating lighter and really tasting the food has increased my mindfulness. It’s a nice and welcome shift from my overeating during the holidays when I was away from home visiting family and gave myself a little license to eat more than usual. Last month my mindfulness went out the window so I’m pleased to be getting back on track.

I like this journey – it’s helping me slow down and tune into my body in interesting ways.

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?

Holidays are the perfect time to throw our healthy eating out the window, kicking diets to the curb. We often eat without awareness, tend to consume a lot more calories than we usually might, can ignore intuitive signs that we’re full and can rationalize eating high fat foods. Ring a bell?

But when it comes to holiday cooking, all it takes is a little forethought to make food taste great without adding unnecessary calories. Here are a few simple tips to keep your Thanksgiving cooking healthy and low fat but packed with flavor.

• Use chicken broth and fresh herbs in dishes to add flavor
• Focus on roasting and baking instead of frying
• When making green beans – instead of using bacon , add toasted sesame seeds — less fat and lots of flavor
• When making sweet potatoes or other favorite sides dishes - use pure maple syrup or agave nectar as a sweetener instead of sugar or marshmallows (I never did understand the appeal of sweet potatoes with marshmallows anyway!)
• Stuffing – use whole grain bread for a healthier twist than white bread
• Substitute olive oil for butter in recipes

What are you favorite ways to add flavor but stay on track with healthy eating when the holidays roll around? Share your ideas below and have a happy Thanksgiving!

And back when I was in my 20s and 30s, it wasn’t such an issue to eat like that — no serious repercussions. But as I’ve gotten older and my body has changed, that Thanksgiving overindulgence that used to seem so great can easily signal the start of some serious holiday weight gain. And when all is said and done after the holidays, returning to a healthy diet, losing weight and feeling your best is never as easy as it seems.

So how can you enjoy Thanksgiving without feeling heavy and bloated the next day, let alone somewhat guilty? With a little forethought it’s not hard at all. Take a listen to this week’s audio tip for three simple steps to help you thoroughly enjoy Thanksgiving without the guilt of total overindulgence and to ease you into the holiday social scene with an eye to maintaining your weight.

What will you do this year to be mindful about Thanksgiving eating yet really enjoying your food. Share you thoughts below.