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At SFL, we teach you to eat read the ingredient list of the food products you are considering purchasing to ensure you are eating real food, not chemicals. The same thing goes for supplements. There are a lot of poor quality supplements on the market that have cheap and unnecessary ingredients added to them. This guide is meant to help you when choosing supplements you may need to take.  Your supplements should be CLEAN, just like your food! 

Table of ingredients to avoid in supplements: 

Cellulose starch: Used as a filler, binder, and disintegrate. If made from corn, it will contain free glutamate (MSG).

Corn starch: If it’s not labeled organic, it is typically from GMO corn and can cause allergic reactions.

Microcrystalline cellulose: A cheap filler.

Methylparaben: A known carcinogen.

Silicone Dioxide: It is the main component of beach sand and used as a flow agent. It can hinder digestion and the absorption of other nutrients as well as deplete HCL.

Triethyl citrate: A plasterizer.

Titanium Dioxide: Used for color, toxic for the liver. Also used in paints, plastics, paper, inks, food, and cosmetics.

Propy-paraben: Part of the paraben family of preservatives. Parabens mimic estrogen and can be hormone disruptors.

Sodium metabisulfite: Preservative, a bleaching agent. It can irritate gastrointestinal system and the central nervous system.

Anything ending in –ose: This is sugar (cellulose, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, lactose) Also, corn syrup, corn sugar, HFCS.

Artificial sugars: Sucralose, aspartame, sorbitol.

Poor quality oils: Sunflower oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil.

Food coloring: A few of the more common food coloring substances to look out for are FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake; FD&C Yellow No. 6 Lake; and FD&C Yellow No. 5 Lake (tartrazine).

Steps you can take:

1. If you take vitamins, get them now and read the labels. Do you see any fillers or additives?

2. Try to eat more foods that are rich in the vitamins you were previously taking.

3. Opt for a whole food vitamin to supplement your extra nutritional needs.

4. Discard any vitamins with fillers in them.

We could go on about the health benefits of what the Mediterranean diet can do for your family. Simply For Life has been at the forefront of this pattern of eating for years and it’s what our meal plans are based upon. There’s no disputing that a Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with lower risks of heart attack, stroke and premature death. It can also help improve metabolic and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of depression and anxiety. For two years in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked it best overall diet on the planet. 

What does the Mediterranean diet involve?
It includes fruits, beans, nuts, dairy, chocolate, red wine, olive oil, spices, and herbs. Red wine is usually consumed in the evening with dinner with no more than 1-2 5 ounce glasses. More is not better and we recommend specific wines to our clients.

It includes moderate amounts of seafood, poultry, and dairy. Mediterraneans don’t have a lot of red meat, but when they do it’s usually from pasture-raised, grass-fed and organically-raised sources. They always prioritize wild-caught seafood over farmed. 

Simply For Life Natural Markets carry only the highest quality meat and seafood. Everyone is welcome to shop at our Natural Markets and if you haven’t been in to try our meat and seafood options, you’re missing out! We have some of the tastiest, highest quality meat and seafood available. We work with local farmers and ask questions about how animals are raised and fed before bringing them into our markets. 

There is a focus on limiting processed foods, chemical additives, and sweeteners. Simply For Life nutrition coaches educate their clients about reading ingredient lists and eating mostly whole, fresh foods as much as possible. Eating food the way nature intended (most of the time) is the core of our beliefs! 

The primary fat source is extra virgin olive oil. 

Simply For Life has one of the best olive oils available which is sourced directly from Crete, Greece. You will see it on all of our meal plans and the founder, Bruce Sweeney, has had a passion for olive oil for years leading him to create one of the highest quality 100% pure olive oil available. 

How can the Mediterannean Lifestyle help your family?
In addition to delicious food, the Mediterranean lifestyle has a philosophy of life that values personal relationships, the pursuit of happiness and physical activity. They focus on the relationship around food including the “how to eat '' not only the “what to eat it”. They enjoy cooking and they take time to eat with family and/or friends. Eating with others provides valuable bonding time, strengthens family traditions and triggers some of our fondest memories. Some of our most cherished memories involve food. A taste or smell can fill us with nostalgic memories.

North Americans are becoming more and more disconnected with the use of phones, social media, and television. One survey from LG Electronics Canada found that more than three quarters (76%) of Canadians believe that we're spending less time cooking and eating together as a family because we're too busy. The good news is that 64% of Canadians wish that they could enjoy more home-cooked meals with their families. 

We all know that families should eat together, but sometimes it’s tough to find the time. Work, school, sports practices, and other obligations can get in the way. Studies show that families who dine at home together are happier and healthier. The magic of the family table comes from the conversation and connection between parents and children.

Top Tips
Start small. If you’re not eating meals together at all, start with one night per week. Breakfast and lunch also count, so make it work any way you can with your schedules. Snack time, like an evening snack, could also work if nothing else does. Have a healthy homemade dessert like avocado chocolate pudding, yogurt, and berries or some dark chocolate. Just make sure you are sitting down to have the snack at the table with no phones or tv. Ask your kids this “what was your favorite thing that happened today?”. 
Family meals should be fun. Try a theme night like Taco Tuesday, Picnic Night or Pizza Friday. When you’re cleaning up, let your kids pick some of their favorite music to dance and make some after-dinner fun! Macarena Monday anyone? 

Parenting solo presents different challenges, but one parent at the table is still better than none. Sometimes, a caregiver, sibling or grandparent may be in charge of mealtimes. You can still get the benefits of a family meal by making sure healthful food is served and conversation is had. 

Going out to eat with friends or family? Here is a fun challenge to try: The first one to use their phone at the table pays the bill. Not only does it set the precedent for everyone at the table, but you’re also sure to have some laughs over it! 

Have a “no cell-phone” rule at the dinner table. The first one who pulls out their cell phone has to get up and do 20 burpees!! This can generate laughs to the poor soul who pulls out their phone first. NO ONE LIKES BURPEES.
Ask open-ended questions. “How was your day?” will often lead to “good” and there’s nowhere else to go with the conversation. Try these questions instead: What was your favorite part of the day? Would you rather questions are fun. Would you rather skydive or scuba dive? What’s your favorite tv show? What do you like most about school? What two things do you like about YOU best? What’s your favorite meal? What’s one of your most favorite memories?

Interested in learning more about how the Mediterranean Diet can change your life? Come see us

It can take many exposures for kids to acquire a taste for a certain food. Every fruit & veggie exposure counts. Even if they only try one bite, that’s a new exposure and it’s a win! A child may enjoy a fruit or vegetable and then may hate it out of nowhere. Don’t assume your child will never eat it again. When it comes to mealtime, it’s important to maintain your parental responsibility of feeding, and let your kids maintain their responsibility of eating. Keep exposing it in different and fun ways over time! We don’t recommend forcing vegetables on kids. You decide what, when and where and they decide how much and if they want to eat something served. If broccoli is left on the plate do not bribe them to finish it for dessert. Ask them if they’d be open to trying it another way Maybe with a cheese sauce, roasted, with butter and salt or raw with a dip. 

• Combine a new fruit or veggie with a dip! Kids love dips (ketchup included), so adding a dip can increase the chance they will like the new fruit or vegetable they are exposed to.
• Put it on a stick! Fruit or veggies on a stick can be a little more fun for kids.
• Cut into fun shapes. You can cut fruit into fun shapes for lunches to increase the enjoyment of that food. 
• Serve a salad, soup or veggie tray first. Leave a veggie tray out while you’re preparing supper with a tasty dip. Kids will choose meat and starch over their veggies on their plate, so serve it up first!
• Try roasting veggies like broccoli or green beans with some parmesan. Fat helps add flavour and may make the vegetable more appealing. Roasting brings out vegetables' natural sweetness as well. 
• Get kids involved in the kitchen! If they are involved in cooking the meal they may be more invested in eating it!
• Mix it up! Kids may prefer vegetables cold or warm. Texture or temperature can impact the acceptance of a certain vegetable. 
• We don’t recommend “sneaking” vegetables into your kid's diet. If they think you’re being sneaky about it they’re going to think it’s a bigger deal than it is. Just add them into regular meals like chili, spaghetti sauce, and soup!

Need more solutions on how to make healthy food exciting for your kids, book your free consultation or ask your Simply For Life Coach!

Are you eating boneless skinless chicken and salad again?? Snooze! When making a lifestyle change, you need to enjoy the food you’re eating in order to be able to keep up with the changes long-term. If you don’t get enough variety you can easily start to fall into the “just another salad, ugh!” rut! We’ll share some our favorite ways to keep your meals feeling and tasting fresh, new and fun, to ensure you don’t get bored of your fresh, healthy meals. It is inevitable that there will be new recipes you try that you do not enjoy. Remember, this is part of the learning process and we’re here to help you find more and more recipes you’ll enjoy and look forward to eating!

Fat = Flavor

Are you eating egg whites, plain steamed vegetables with no butter or oil? People still don’t realize that they don’t need to be afraid of fat. Fat is a flavor carrier. Butter, bacon, and fatty meats, as long as they are grass-fed, are luxuries that standard “healthy” diets do not offer. Fat does not make you fat. What it does do, however, is make your real food diet far more delicious than any diet out there. It makes you feel satisfied and keeps you fuller longer. Pastured bacon and whole eggs beat an egg white omelette any day of the year.

Butter

Butter is ideal for cooking eggs and making pan sauces. Buy unsalted, grass-fed butter so that you can control the saltiness. Try making an herb or garlic butter and use it on top of your veggies.

Olive

Oil Drizzle some olive oil onto your food at the end of the cooking process. Do not overheat it. Olive oil is perfect for drizzling over roasted vegetables or for making salad dressing. You can also use it to lightly cook spinach, as long as you keep the heat low.

Coconut Oil

This oil can handle high heat. Use coconut oil to sear meat, make curries, and pan fry salmon tor chicken.

Pastured Bacon

Pastured bacon makes everything better! Bake your bacon at 350° in a cast iron pan and then cook your meat or eggs in the fat. You can also use the bacon in salads, greens, or anything else.

Avocado

Avocados are creamy, rich, and satisfying. Eat them with your eggs in the morning or add them to your salads. Since hummus and dairy-based dips are out, guacamole is a great alternative.

Spice up your life!

Adding a different fresh herb or spice to an old recipe can completely change a meal, as does just adding fresh herbs in the first place. A basic mixed greens salad or chopped salad will taste entirely different with some fresh basil, mint, cilantro, dill, parsley and so on. Don’t be scared to try a new herb. The same goes for new spices. Spice blends in particular can be an easy and great new addition to your culinary repertoire.

Salt and Pepper

The most important thing you can do to add flavor to your food is to properly use salt and pepper. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be afraid of salt, especially if you aren’t eating any processed foods. Properly seasoned food doesn’t taste salty. It just tastes yummy. When using broths and butter, stick to the low-sodium varieties so you can control the flavor of your food.

Add Texture

Adding an element to your plate that breaks up the texture is another way to keep food interesting. If everything is soft, add something crispy / crunchy or vice versa. Instead of cooking two cups of broccoli with your salmon, have a cup of broccoli with a crunchy salad. Add a bit of cheese to your salad to make it more satisfying. Add crunchy nuts to a stir-fry or a salad. Try raw veggies with a bowl of chili to give you some much-needed crunch.

Increase Variety

Are you eating chicken and vegetables everyday? That’s going to get old real quick and we want you to enjoy your food so you can stick with it long term. If you are picky, encourage yourself to try new foods prepared different ways. Be open to new foods and you might surprise yourself!! Switching up your food regularly also exposes you to more nutrients to help your metabolism stay in fat burning mode.

Pucker Up: Add Some Acid

Sometimes, food seems to just be “missing something.” A lot of times, it’s missing a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar. Acid works a lot like salt in that it tends to bring out all the flavors of the food. Add some vinegar to your kale, for example, and you’ll be surprised at how much better it tastes.

Dressings, sauces and dips

This is an easy way to keep foods interesting and delicious! Add a fresh tasting dip, sauce or dressing to a vegetable based meal and you can transform the meal completely! Learning how to make new dressings, sauces and dips is one of the best ways to stay on path with a healthy lifestyle. They can be poured over salads, smothered over piping hot cooked veggies, eaten on their own as a snack or a soup, add bulk to any veggie meal, and make the same salad base taste completely di erent every time.

Switch up your veggies

Shake up the way you cut! If you always chop your vegetables into small cubes, try sticks, grating and shaving, or food process your veggies into a grain-like texture. Spiralize your zucchini, carrot, beetroot or sweet potato into “pasta” and either eat with a fresh veggie sauce or dip or toss into a salad with your other veg.

• Roast or grill vegetables
• Steam or boil with butter or olive oil, salt and pepper
• Enjoy raw veggies alone on the side or with a healthy dip
• Salads- change up your salads (Caesar, Greek, tossed, fruit salad, spinach, etc) so you don’t get bored.
• Stir-fry-for a quick tasty side, add coconut oil, butter or olive oil to any veggies you have on hand and stir-fry them for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and any other spices you enjoy.

Eating an optimal diet should never be boring. Using the right ingredients and techniques will allow you to cook food that is both nutritious and tasty. Get on board the Simply For Life flavor train and take your lifestyle change to a whole new, delicious level!

Shame, guilt, disgust... What else do you feel towards yourself after giving in to the temptation of ‘not so good’ food? It’s normal to indulge in a few drinks, maybe a few chips you hadn’t intended to eat. There’s no need to feel guilty. Just get back on track!

Accept that perfectionism isn’t realistic. The “all or nothing” approach does not work, ever. PERIOD. You need to find some balance and that’s where your SFL consultant can help. One bad meal will not ruin your week or your weight loss efforts. Life happens. One dietary mistake doesn’t mean you’re a failure, nor is it a green light for binge-eating. You can’t change the past. Obsessing isn’t going to do anything except make you more and more anxious and prolong the guilt. Acknowledge what happened and keep moving forward with healthy lifestyle choices most of the time that nourish your body.

Be Kind to Yourself. We tend to be pretty mean towards ourselves. If we spoke to our friends the way we talk to ourselves, we would not have any friends. Treat yourself with respect, and learn to forgive yourself. You can be full of understanding and accepting of other people, so why not be kind to the person who matters most: yourself?

Negative emotions effect weight loss. Negative emotions have negative effects on your body. They hinder digestion, create stress, effect self-confidence and body image. Harboring negative feelings toward yourself about bad choices, can be worse than consuming the inferior food in the first place.

Remember that being healthy is about finding joy and balance in the things you do and eat!

At SFL, we teach you to eat read the ingredient list of the food products you are considering purchasing to ensure you are eating real food, not chemicals. The same thing goes for supplements. There are a lot of poor quality supplements on the market that have cheap and unnecessary ingredients added to them. This guide is meant to help you when choosing supplements you may need to take.  Your supplements should be CLEAN, just like your food! 

Table of ingredients to avoid in supplements: 

Cellulose starch: Used as a filler, binder, and disintegrate. If made from corn, it will contain free glutamate (MSG).

Corn starch: If it’s not labeled organic, it is typically from GMO corn and can cause allergic reactions.

Microcrystalline cellulose: A cheap filler.

Methylparaben: A known carcinogen.

Silicone Dioxide: It is the main component of beach sand and used as a flow agent. It can hinder digestion and the absorption of other nutrients as well as deplete HCL.

Triethyl citrate: A plasterizer.

Titanium Dioxide: Used for color, toxic for the liver. Also used in paints, plastics, paper, inks, food, and cosmetics.

Propy-paraben: Part of the paraben family of preservatives. Parabens mimic estrogen and can be hormone disruptors.

Sodium metabisulfite: Preservative, a bleaching agent. It can irritate gastrointestinal system and the central nervous system.

Anything ending in –ose: This is sugar (cellulose, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, lactose) Also, corn syrup, corn sugar, HFCS.

Artificial sugars: Sucralose, aspartame, sorbitol.

Poor quality oils: Sunflower oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil.

Food coloring: A few of the more common food coloring substances to look out for are FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake; FD&C Yellow No. 6 Lake; and FD&C Yellow No. 5 Lake (tartrazine).

Steps you can take:

1. If you take vitamins, get them now and read the labels. Do you see any fillers or additives?

2. Try to eat more foods that are rich in the vitamins you were previously taking.

3. Opt for a whole food vitamin to supplement your extra nutritional needs.

4. Discard any vitamins with fillers in them.

At SFL, we teach you to eat read the ingredient list of the food products you are considering purchasing to ensure you are eating real food, not chemicals. The same thing goes for supplements. There are a lot of poor quality supplements on the market that have cheap and unnecessary ingredients added to them. This guide is meant to help you when choosing supplements you may need to take.  Your supplements should be CLEAN, just like your food! 

Table of ingredients to avoid in supplements: 

Cellulose starch: Used as a filler, binder, and disintegrate. If made from corn, it will contain free glutamate (MSG).

Corn starch: If it’s not labeled organic, it is typically from GMO corn and can cause allergic reactions.

Microcrystalline cellulose: A cheap filler.

Methylparaben: A known carcinogen.

Silicone Dioxide: It is the main component of beach sand and used as a flow agent. It can hinder digestion and the absorption of other nutrients as well as deplete HCL.

Triethyl citrate: A plasterizer.

Titanium Dioxide: Used for color, toxic for the liver. Also used in paints, plastics, paper, inks, food, and cosmetics.

Propy-paraben: Part of the paraben family of preservatives. Parabens mimic estrogen and can be hormone disruptors.

Sodium metabisulfite: Preservative, a bleaching agent. It can irritate gastrointestinal system and the central nervous system.

Anything ending in –ose: This is sugar (cellulose, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, lactose) Also, corn syrup, corn sugar, HFCS.

Artificial sugars: Sucralose, aspartame, sorbitol.

Poor quality oils: Sunflower oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil.

Food coloring: A few of the more common food coloring substances to look out for are FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake; FD&C Yellow No. 6 Lake; and FD&C Yellow No. 5 Lake (tartrazine).

Steps you can take:

1. If you take vitamins, get them now and read the labels. Do you see any fillers or additives?

2. Try to eat more foods that are rich in the vitamins you were previously taking.

3. Opt for a whole food vitamin to supplement your extra nutritional needs.

4. Discard any vitamins with fillers in them.

We could go on about the health benefits of what the Mediterranean diet can do for your family. Simply For Life has been at the forefront of this pattern of eating for years and it’s what our meal plans are based upon. There’s no disputing that a Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with lower risks of heart attack, stroke and premature death. It can also help improve metabolic and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of depression and anxiety. For two years in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked it best overall diet on the planet. 

What does the Mediterranean diet involve?
It includes fruits, beans, nuts, dairy, chocolate, red wine, olive oil, spices, and herbs. Red wine is usually consumed in the evening with dinner with no more than 1-2 5 ounce glasses. More is not better and we recommend specific wines to our clients.

It includes moderate amounts of seafood, poultry, and dairy. Mediterraneans don’t have a lot of red meat, but when they do it’s usually from pasture-raised, grass-fed and organically-raised sources. They always prioritize wild-caught seafood over farmed. 

Simply For Life Natural Markets carry only the highest quality meat and seafood. Everyone is welcome to shop at our Natural Markets and if you haven’t been in to try our meat and seafood options, you’re missing out! We have some of the tastiest, highest quality meat and seafood available. We work with local farmers and ask questions about how animals are raised and fed before bringing them into our markets. 

There is a focus on limiting processed foods, chemical additives, and sweeteners. Simply For Life nutrition coaches educate their clients about reading ingredient lists and eating mostly whole, fresh foods as much as possible. Eating food the way nature intended (most of the time) is the core of our beliefs! 

The primary fat source is extra virgin olive oil. 

Simply For Life has one of the best olive oils available which is sourced directly from Crete, Greece. You will see it on all of our meal plans and the founder, Bruce Sweeney, has had a passion for olive oil for years leading him to create one of the highest quality 100% pure olive oil available. 

How can the Mediterannean Lifestyle help your family?
In addition to delicious food, the Mediterranean lifestyle has a philosophy of life that values personal relationships, the pursuit of happiness and physical activity. They focus on the relationship around food including the “how to eat '' not only the “what to eat it”. They enjoy cooking and they take time to eat with family and/or friends. Eating with others provides valuable bonding time, strengthens family traditions and triggers some of our fondest memories. Some of our most cherished memories involve food. A taste or smell can fill us with nostalgic memories.

North Americans are becoming more and more disconnected with the use of phones, social media, and television. One survey from LG Electronics Canada found that more than three quarters (76%) of Canadians believe that we're spending less time cooking and eating together as a family because we're too busy. The good news is that 64% of Canadians wish that they could enjoy more home-cooked meals with their families. 

We all know that families should eat together, but sometimes it’s tough to find the time. Work, school, sports practices, and other obligations can get in the way. Studies show that families who dine at home together are happier and healthier. The magic of the family table comes from the conversation and connection between parents and children.

Top Tips
Start small. If you’re not eating meals together at all, start with one night per week. Breakfast and lunch also count, so make it work any way you can with your schedules. Snack time, like an evening snack, could also work if nothing else does. Have a healthy homemade dessert like avocado chocolate pudding, yogurt, and berries or some dark chocolate. Just make sure you are sitting down to have the snack at the table with no phones or tv. Ask your kids this “what was your favorite thing that happened today?”. 
Family meals should be fun. Try a theme night like Taco Tuesday, Picnic Night or Pizza Friday. When you’re cleaning up, let your kids pick some of their favorite music to dance and make some after-dinner fun! Macarena Monday anyone? 

Parenting solo presents different challenges, but one parent at the table is still better than none. Sometimes, a caregiver, sibling or grandparent may be in charge of mealtimes. You can still get the benefits of a family meal by making sure healthful food is served and conversation is had. 

Going out to eat with friends or family? Here is a fun challenge to try: The first one to use their phone at the table pays the bill. Not only does it set the precedent for everyone at the table, but you’re also sure to have some laughs over it! 

Have a “no cell-phone” rule at the dinner table. The first one who pulls out their cell phone has to get up and do 20 burpees!! This can generate laughs to the poor soul who pulls out their phone first. NO ONE LIKES BURPEES.
Ask open-ended questions. “How was your day?” will often lead to “good” and there’s nowhere else to go with the conversation. Try these questions instead: What was your favorite part of the day? Would you rather questions are fun. Would you rather skydive or scuba dive? What’s your favorite tv show? What do you like most about school? What two things do you like about YOU best? What’s your favorite meal? What’s one of your most favorite memories?

Interested in learning more about how the Mediterranean Diet can change your life? Come see us

It can take many exposures for kids to acquire a taste for a certain food. Every fruit & veggie exposure counts. Even if they only try one bite, that’s a new exposure and it’s a win! A child may enjoy a fruit or vegetable and then may hate it out of nowhere. Don’t assume your child will never eat it again. When it comes to mealtime, it’s important to maintain your parental responsibility of feeding, and let your kids maintain their responsibility of eating. Keep exposing it in different and fun ways over time! We don’t recommend forcing vegetables on kids. You decide what, when and where and they decide how much and if they want to eat something served. If broccoli is left on the plate do not bribe them to finish it for dessert. Ask them if they’d be open to trying it another way Maybe with a cheese sauce, roasted, with butter and salt or raw with a dip. 

• Combine a new fruit or veggie with a dip! Kids love dips (ketchup included), so adding a dip can increase the chance they will like the new fruit or vegetable they are exposed to.
• Put it on a stick! Fruit or veggies on a stick can be a little more fun for kids.
• Cut into fun shapes. You can cut fruit into fun shapes for lunches to increase the enjoyment of that food. 
• Serve a salad, soup or veggie tray first. Leave a veggie tray out while you’re preparing supper with a tasty dip. Kids will choose meat and starch over their veggies on their plate, so serve it up first!
• Try roasting veggies like broccoli or green beans with some parmesan. Fat helps add flavour and may make the vegetable more appealing. Roasting brings out vegetables' natural sweetness as well. 
• Get kids involved in the kitchen! If they are involved in cooking the meal they may be more invested in eating it!
• Mix it up! Kids may prefer vegetables cold or warm. Texture or temperature can impact the acceptance of a certain vegetable. 
• We don’t recommend “sneaking” vegetables into your kid's diet. If they think you’re being sneaky about it they’re going to think it’s a bigger deal than it is. Just add them into regular meals like chili, spaghetti sauce, and soup!

Need more solutions on how to make healthy food exciting for your kids, book your free consultation or ask your Simply For Life Coach!

Are you eating boneless skinless chicken and salad again?? Snooze! When making a lifestyle change, you need to enjoy the food you’re eating in order to be able to keep up with the changes long-term. If you don’t get enough variety you can easily start to fall into the “just another salad, ugh!” rut! We’ll share some our favorite ways to keep your meals feeling and tasting fresh, new and fun, to ensure you don’t get bored of your fresh, healthy meals. It is inevitable that there will be new recipes you try that you do not enjoy. Remember, this is part of the learning process and we’re here to help you find more and more recipes you’ll enjoy and look forward to eating!

Fat = Flavor

Are you eating egg whites, plain steamed vegetables with no butter or oil? People still don’t realize that they don’t need to be afraid of fat. Fat is a flavor carrier. Butter, bacon, and fatty meats, as long as they are grass-fed, are luxuries that standard “healthy” diets do not offer. Fat does not make you fat. What it does do, however, is make your real food diet far more delicious than any diet out there. It makes you feel satisfied and keeps you fuller longer. Pastured bacon and whole eggs beat an egg white omelette any day of the year.

Butter

Butter is ideal for cooking eggs and making pan sauces. Buy unsalted, grass-fed butter so that you can control the saltiness. Try making an herb or garlic butter and use it on top of your veggies.

Olive

Oil Drizzle some olive oil onto your food at the end of the cooking process. Do not overheat it. Olive oil is perfect for drizzling over roasted vegetables or for making salad dressing. You can also use it to lightly cook spinach, as long as you keep the heat low.

Coconut Oil

This oil can handle high heat. Use coconut oil to sear meat, make curries, and pan fry salmon tor chicken.

Pastured Bacon

Pastured bacon makes everything better! Bake your bacon at 350° in a cast iron pan and then cook your meat or eggs in the fat. You can also use the bacon in salads, greens, or anything else.

Avocado

Avocados are creamy, rich, and satisfying. Eat them with your eggs in the morning or add them to your salads. Since hummus and dairy-based dips are out, guacamole is a great alternative.

Spice up your life!

Adding a different fresh herb or spice to an old recipe can completely change a meal, as does just adding fresh herbs in the first place. A basic mixed greens salad or chopped salad will taste entirely different with some fresh basil, mint, cilantro, dill, parsley and so on. Don’t be scared to try a new herb. The same goes for new spices. Spice blends in particular can be an easy and great new addition to your culinary repertoire.

Salt and Pepper

The most important thing you can do to add flavor to your food is to properly use salt and pepper. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be afraid of salt, especially if you aren’t eating any processed foods. Properly seasoned food doesn’t taste salty. It just tastes yummy. When using broths and butter, stick to the low-sodium varieties so you can control the flavor of your food.

Add Texture

Adding an element to your plate that breaks up the texture is another way to keep food interesting. If everything is soft, add something crispy / crunchy or vice versa. Instead of cooking two cups of broccoli with your salmon, have a cup of broccoli with a crunchy salad. Add a bit of cheese to your salad to make it more satisfying. Add crunchy nuts to a stir-fry or a salad. Try raw veggies with a bowl of chili to give you some much-needed crunch.

Increase Variety

Are you eating chicken and vegetables everyday? That’s going to get old real quick and we want you to enjoy your food so you can stick with it long term. If you are picky, encourage yourself to try new foods prepared different ways. Be open to new foods and you might surprise yourself!! Switching up your food regularly also exposes you to more nutrients to help your metabolism stay in fat burning mode.

Pucker Up: Add Some Acid

Sometimes, food seems to just be “missing something.” A lot of times, it’s missing a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar. Acid works a lot like salt in that it tends to bring out all the flavors of the food. Add some vinegar to your kale, for example, and you’ll be surprised at how much better it tastes.

Dressings, sauces and dips

This is an easy way to keep foods interesting and delicious! Add a fresh tasting dip, sauce or dressing to a vegetable based meal and you can transform the meal completely! Learning how to make new dressings, sauces and dips is one of the best ways to stay on path with a healthy lifestyle. They can be poured over salads, smothered over piping hot cooked veggies, eaten on their own as a snack or a soup, add bulk to any veggie meal, and make the same salad base taste completely di erent every time.

Switch up your veggies

Shake up the way you cut! If you always chop your vegetables into small cubes, try sticks, grating and shaving, or food process your veggies into a grain-like texture. Spiralize your zucchini, carrot, beetroot or sweet potato into “pasta” and either eat with a fresh veggie sauce or dip or toss into a salad with your other veg.

• Roast or grill vegetables
• Steam or boil with butter or olive oil, salt and pepper
• Enjoy raw veggies alone on the side or with a healthy dip
• Salads- change up your salads (Caesar, Greek, tossed, fruit salad, spinach, etc) so you don’t get bored.
• Stir-fry-for a quick tasty side, add coconut oil, butter or olive oil to any veggies you have on hand and stir-fry them for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and any other spices you enjoy.

Eating an optimal diet should never be boring. Using the right ingredients and techniques will allow you to cook food that is both nutritious and tasty. Get on board the Simply For Life flavor train and take your lifestyle change to a whole new, delicious level!

Shame, guilt, disgust... What else do you feel towards yourself after giving in to the temptation of ‘not so good’ food? It’s normal to indulge in a few drinks, maybe a few chips you hadn’t intended to eat. There’s no need to feel guilty. Just get back on track!

Accept that perfectionism isn’t realistic. The “all or nothing” approach does not work, ever. PERIOD. You need to find some balance and that’s where your SFL consultant can help. One bad meal will not ruin your week or your weight loss efforts. Life happens. One dietary mistake doesn’t mean you’re a failure, nor is it a green light for binge-eating. You can’t change the past. Obsessing isn’t going to do anything except make you more and more anxious and prolong the guilt. Acknowledge what happened and keep moving forward with healthy lifestyle choices most of the time that nourish your body.

Be Kind to Yourself. We tend to be pretty mean towards ourselves. If we spoke to our friends the way we talk to ourselves, we would not have any friends. Treat yourself with respect, and learn to forgive yourself. You can be full of understanding and accepting of other people, so why not be kind to the person who matters most: yourself?

Negative emotions effect weight loss. Negative emotions have negative effects on your body. They hinder digestion, create stress, effect self-confidence and body image. Harboring negative feelings toward yourself about bad choices, can be worse than consuming the inferior food in the first place.

Remember that being healthy is about finding joy and balance in the things you do and eat!