2020 USANA Holiday Gift Guide

4 November 20204 November 2020 tdslsupport

Celebrate the holidays while maintaining your healthy, active lifestyle with the USANA Health Sciences 2020 holiday guide. You’ll find deliciously low-glycemic recipes, practical tips to make the most of the season, and exclusive savings on USANA products—including quality supplements, high-performance Celavive skincare, and limited-edition bundles.

https://www.usana.com/ux/cart/#!/en-CA/landing

EALTHIER IN 28 DAYS | ADOPT NEW HABITS AND MAKE THEM STICK

Eat healthy. Exercise. Drink plenty of water. Get enough sleep. You know these are the pillars of a healthy lifestyle. But even the best intentions don’t amount to much if they aren’t put into practice.

It’s hard making habits that stick—around 80 percent of folks fail to achieve their New Year’s resolutions. So, don’t feel bad if you’ve tried to master the same healthy habit time and again. What’s important is your willingness to give it another go.

Reaching your goals can be easier when you turn to science. Forming healthy routines requires working smarter, looking ahead, and adjusting your mindset. Think about it this way: your brain is lazy. It consumes the most calories per pound of any part of your body, so it likes to run on autopilot as often as possible to conserve energy. People tend to stick to certain behaviors because it requires less thought, which in turn uses up less brain power.

Your mind may not immediately adapt to change, but the good news is the human brain can literally rewire itself over time. All it takes is a conscious effort for a few weeks, and suddenly those new, healthy patterns become second nature. The longer you go, the easier it gets.https://www.instagram.com/p/CE68I6DHg2x/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=13&wp=562&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwhatsupusana.com&rp=%2F2020%2F11%2Fhealthy-habits%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A2205.0000000017462%2C%22ls%22%3A1412.3899999976857%2C%22le%22%3A1523.9049999945564%7D

28 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER YOU

Work smarter, not harder, and start tackling your goals today. Below, you’ll find tips to achieve some of the most sought-after healthy habits. Choose one area to improve, and take it one day at a time. Before you know it, new, healthy habits will be yours.

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

HEALTHY EATING

Nutrition is the foundation of a healthy life, and a balanced diet is the quintessential example of outsmarting your own brain with simple changes.

Day 1 – Track your current weekly eating habits, including meals and snacks. Assess where you spend most of your day and when you most commonly reach for snacks. Pick three unhealthy processed foods you eat often and would like to replace with healthier options.

Day 2 – Research whole and low-glycemic foods you enjoy eating to swap out your three picks from day 1. Make a shopping list. Plan a few fun and tasty weeknight meals while you’re at it—eating healthy doesn’t mean missing out on rich and varied flavors.

Day 3 – Hit your local grocery store to start phasing out the processed foods and snacks stuffed in all the places you usually hunt for a quick bite.

Day 4 – Drink a full glass of water before dinner and adjust your portion sizes. Whole foods tend to be more filling, and a little goes a long way.

Day 5 – Determine if you snack because you’re hungry or simply bored. Avoid temptation by removing nearby treats altogether. Jot down a list of activities you find rewarding and will use to help curb your cravings—perhaps crafting, reading, or exercise.

Day 6 – Check your pantry for foods that are close to expiring, look up more delish recipes to use them up, and plan your next trip to the grocery store.

Day 7 – Take note of where you succeeded during the past week and where you fell short. Jot down a few ways you can improve. Repeat this routine over the next several weeks to enjoy more energy and the overall benefits of healthy eating habits.

HEALTHY LIVING

Break away from screen time to focus on your goals and those around you. Spending time with the people you love and visualizing what you want to achieve can be a game changer.

Day 1 – Fill a water bottle and write a list of physical and social activities you enjoy. Look into local clubs, museums or galleries, browse local events, or check out classes online. Make a concrete plan to add at least one activity this week.

Day 2 –Commit to one simple, healthy change each week and continue to build for the duration of the challenge:

Week 1: Keep your water bottle nearby to sip throughout the day.
Week 2: Place your phone beyond arm’s reach when you go to bed. And don’t go to bed until you’re tired, or you risk upsetting your circadian rhythm.
Week 3: Set your alarm for the time you’d like to wake up—the same time seven days a week—and make yourself crawl out of bed when it goes off. No snoozing!
Week 4: Congratulations! The worst week (Week 3) is over. This week, avoid all screens (not just your phone) 30 minutes before bedtime to give your brain the best quality sleep. Tune out at night to wake up refreshed and tackle every busy day.

Day 3 – Plan a weekend activity for you or your family. It could be as simple as hitting the drive through for ice cream, taking the dogs to the dog park, going on a short hike, or trekking through the nearest natural history museum. For a longer adventure, consider a camping trip or all-day hike. And don’t forget your water bottle!

Day 4 –Think about your one-, five-, and ten-year plan. It may be daunting to think that far ahead, but a plan builds excitement as you set goals to work toward.

Week 1: Spend 20 minutes making a dream board.
Weeks 2–4: Look at your memory board and make a list of three tasks you would like to complete this week to work toward your goals.

Day 5 – Spend 30 minutes working on your list from Day 4

Day 6 – Today’s the day! Take time to enjoy your weekend activity. Focus on staying present and in the moment. This is when memories are made.

Day 7 – Call—not text—someone you care about. Bonus points if you block out some time on your calendar to meet up in the next week or two. Use your smartphone’s calendar app to track your many newfound outings and send invites to your friends and family to keep everyone synced. Repeat this routine over the next several weeks to enjoy more time with those you love and reap the rewards of healthy living.

HEALTHY EXERCISE

It’s time to rethink your exercise routine. You don’t have to go to a gym or be miserable to burn calories. There are a ton of fun ways to get moving.

Day 1 – Choose the best time of day to fit in a workout—by which I mean move moderately to elevate your heartbeat, but not so much you stress your body. If possible, avoid blocking out time first thing in the morning or last thing at night, as it’s more difficult to increase your heart rate.

Day 2 – Exercise for at least 20 minutes. Measure your metrics with a fitness wearable, if you have one.

Day 3 – Take note of how your body feels, such as any particular soreness or pain. Work out for 30 minutes, avoiding the same muscle groups you worked out the day before, if possible.

Day 4 – Increase your exercise time to 45 minutes and increase or decrease the intensity of your workout based on how you feel from the last several days. Enjoy a healthy post-workout snack as a reward.

Day 5 – Enjoy a rest day from your workout, but be sure to walk or move for at least 30 minutes.

Day 6 – Exercise for 45 minutes to one hour. Continue working out for at least 45 minutes, five days a week.

Day 7 – Note any lingering soreness or pains. Avoid burnout by slowly increasing the intensity of your workouts, whether you’re jogging, swimming, pogo-sticking, or curling dumbbells. Get comfortable with the motions by repeating this routine over the next several weeks. Your healthy exercise habits will be set in no time.

Healthy Cove

HEALTHY GRAZING BOARDS: A QUEST FOR FLAVOR AND FRIENDSHIP

28 May 201928 May 2019 tdslsupport

Almost every great adventure begins with a reluctant hero fighting against seemingly unconquerable odds. But it ends with a victorious feast, new friends made, and lessons learned. It may seem like a stretch, but this is no different from my first experience making a charcuterie board.

Also known as a gazing board, this party platter urges you to find the best food you can and share it with those you care about (or want to impress). And you can make it as healthy as you want. From the herbal, nutty aroma of exotic cheeses to the sweet, sour flavor of pickled olives surrounded by wild berries and fresh veggies—be your own hero as you embark on the unforgettable adventure of making and presenting your first grazing board.

Searching for Flavor

Your first obstacle is to find all the ingredients you need. Because you’ll need a lot of them. As you make the quest to look for unique foods, seasonal fruits, and the freshest veggies you can find, you’ll discover you must search out boutique grocers in every corner of the land.

Go all out with your ingredients. And remember, quality and abundance are key. It also helps to know early on there really isn’t a wrong way to make a grazing board.

Cheese and meat: Traditional charcuterie focuses more on cheeses and cured meats. For healthy options, try fresh cheeses, like Mozzarella or Ricotta, instead of aged ones. And go with lean protein options like eggs or shaved turkey. For more healthy ideas, click here.
Fruit and veggies: pickled olives, grapes, and berries go well with traditional cheeses and meats, but don’t be afraid to pile your board with all kinds of healthy, tasty options. You can easily ditch the meat and cheese and make veggies the centerpiece if you want. This is your chance to go to the local farmers market and discover something new.
Everything else: Don’t forget all the delicious extras you can add. Pistachios, almonds, and other nuts are great for adding flavor and texture. You can also include sweet or savory jams and jellies, mustards, or other pickled items or garnishes. Herb sprigs and flowers can bring even more color and aroma to your board.

You’ll quickly learn that searching for the perfect parts of your grazing board is a real-life adventure. It will get you out into the community discovering new flavors and cultures, supporting local businesses, and encouraging you to meet new people and places.

If you want to make a vegan grazing board, check out this article.

Crafting an Experience

Now that you have all your fancy, fresh, and unique ingredients, you can actually build your board and craft an experience of gastronomical grandeur. This is the second trial you—as the hero of your story—must overcome. But, as with the first, you’ll quickly realize it’s just another part of your awesome, new adventure.

Find your foundation. You can use a glass or ceramic platter or go with a wooden board. Just make sure it’s the right size for what you want to do.
Start by placing the two or three largest items like cheese wedges, bowls of jelly or olives, or large vegetables.
Begin filling in the spaces working from bigger items to smaller ones. Keep everything bite-sized, and try to keep similar items together.
Add some style and asymmetry by placing items in threes. You can go with an elaborate design you find online or just make your board a chaotic cornucopia.
Add the finishing touches with herb sprigs, flowers, berries, nuts, and seeds.

This is your chance to showcase all the delicious goodies you’ve found on your journey. Find foods with striking colors and try to complement them. Make it your way and add your style. There really aren’t any rules as to what can or can’t be on a grazing board. If you love gardening, it could be filled with all of your home-grown vegetables. Or if you want to focus more on protein options, you could go more traditional and cover it with cheese and antipasti.

The experience you craft is in your hands. For design ideas click here.

Celebrating Your Journey

Now that your board is complete, you need some friends and loved ones to share it with. So invite them over for a relaxing evening and good food. Place your board in an easily accessible location, typically close to the drinks.

Then stick around and share your healthy grazing board with pride. You traveled far and wide, discovered new places and flavors, and now you get to have some fun and tell your stories. Where and how you got the ingredients really can become the main talking point around your board. So get ready to be the expert on the heirloom tomatoes or locally sourced fresh cheese you included.

Nothing is quite as photogenic as a well-made grazing board. So make sure to snap plenty of nice photos and share them, along with your stories, on social media as well. It’s a great way to showcase healthy habits in an artistic way that’s all you.

You’ve broken out of your comfort zone. You’ve fostered a community of people you care for. You’ve had a healthy adventure and created something to be forever proud of. But it’s not the end of your story, because you can always do it again. Maybe next time you’ll add some mango pieces or a bowl of fresh salsa.

Here at East Coast Life Solutions, we know that it’s easy to get off track. Healthy food tips and ideas make it easy to keep going in the right direction. When there is good healthy food at your fingertips you are less likely to be tempted to indulge in less healthy temptations.

And we know many of you are already healthy grazing board experts. Please share your tips and tricks below to help us new adventurers on our journey.

Healthy Cove

6 NUTRIENTS YOUR KIDS NEED

26 August 2018 tdslsupport

Help your kids be their best by providing them with the nutrients needed for proper development. Learn about the 6 nutrients your kids need. As a parent, you do your best to teach your children to make healthy eating choices, but let’s be honest—kids will be kids.

Help your kids get the nutrition they need so they can live a healthy and happy life.

SHOP – USANIMALS

Healthy Cove

Living a Healthy Lifestyle Is Actually Doable

4 April 2018 tdslsupport

Raise your hand if you’ve ever struggled to live a healthy lifestyle. I know I sure have. And it can be super easy to feel down on yourself every time you skip the gym or choose drive-thru for dinner. Especially when you see all the moms on Instagram who post videos of their insane home workouts and healthy meals (while somehow still managing to raise their kiddos), or the pics of the shirtless guys by the pool with abs for days.

If we’re comparing ourselves to some perfect image of health, it’s no wonder living a healthy lifestyle can seem so daunting.

But maybe it doesn’t have to be so hard.

Here are three small ways you can get started living a healthy lifestyle today.

1: Drink Up

If you think about it, water is pretty darn important. About 71 percent of the earth’s surface is covered in water, and about 60 percent of the adult human body is made of water. So if you thought you were a meat suit running around, think again. You’re really more of a mermaid. YAS!

Here’s just a few of the benefits that come from drinking water:

Can help increase energy and relieve fatigue
Helps to flush out toxins
May improve your skin complexion
Aids in circulation and digestion
Transports nutrients
Helps maintain body temperature and absorption

Water You Waiting For?

Make it a habit to keep a water bottle on hand. Keep one at your desk, throw in one your gym bag, and even keep a glass on your kitchen table—wherever you need a visual reminder to drink up.

When was the last time you took a drink of water? (Take a swig now.)

2: Meal Prep

Unfortunately, it’s true what they say—beach bods are made in the kitchen. If your goal is to lose fat or build more muscle, eating healthy meals is a must. Fortunately, this is where meal prepping can be extremely helpful. Not only will this prevent the McDonald’s employees from knowing you on a first-name basis, but you’ll save on money and time as well. Think about it—buying food in bulk to prepare healthy meals will be much cheaper than grabbing fast food every night.

Meal prepping will also help you to stay on track with your healthy eating when you’re busy, because you’ll already be prepared with ready-made meals.

From Apples to Zucchinis

The premise for meal prep is simple. Start by setting aside one day a week for prepping, and decide how many meals you’d like to prepare.

For example, let’s say that every Sunday afternoon, you will prepare dinners to last Monday through Friday. To start, select a few healthy recipes beforehand to try out and be sure to have all your necessary ingredients on hand. From there, cook up enough food and chop enough fruits/veggies to last a week.

Rubbermaid offers a pretty good selection of cool containers that work great for separating your meals into convenient servings so they are good to go whenever you need them. Check out some other comparison brands for convenient storage ideas. You can even use something as simple as plastic baggies to store your veggies or snacks.

Cook Up Some Health

If cooking is your jam and you love trying new recipes, try switching things up each week with different healthy recipes like savory chicken stir fry, zesty taco quinoa casserole, or even grill up some healthy Hawaiian BBQ salmon burgers.

If you prefer an easier, healthy meal each day and you’re okay with something simple like chicken with a baked sweet potato or veggies, it can still taste anything but boring. You can cook up boneless, skinless chicken breasts beforehand, and then season them the day of. Monday could be a nice lemon pepper seasoning, Tuesday, drizzle your chicken in Buffalo sauce, make Wednesday’s chicken Cajun-style, and so on. You can also toss in a delicious and easy-to-make black bean, corn, and quinoa salad for an extra kick of flavor.

Git ’Er Done

Meal prepping is also great for multitasking. Listen to a podcast or audiobook while you cook, or get caught up on your favorite guilty-pleasure show. You can even start a load of laundry while you’re at it.

As an added perk, you’ll probably discover that you are actually cutting down on time spent in the kitchen. After preparing dinners for the week, you may find yourself throwing together the next day’s breakfast or lunch before cleaning up.

It’s a great way to get a lot done all at once.

3: Work Out a New Workout Program

Exercising is another way you can live a healthy lifestyle, and there are tons of great health benefits associated with regular exercise like weight loss and improved boosts in energy.

The great news is, there are so many interesting exercise options to choose from. So if you’re not a fan of running or lifting weights at the gym, don’t do it. Instead, pick something you really like.

Here’s a few fun options:

Dancing—Bollywood dancing, ballet, ballroom—the list goes on and on with dance options. You could even take a twerkout or Zumba dance class at a local gym, or play an hour of Just Dance on your Xbox Kinect or Dance Dance Revolution on the Wii.
Hiking—If you’re a nature lover, hiking totally counts as exercise. You could also go for long daily walks, try rock-climbing, or get into mountain biking.
Yoga—There are so many different kinds of yoga classes you could try. If you don’t mind the heat, go with hot yoga. If you’re an acrobat at heart, give acroyoga a try. There’s even a thing called goat yoga with baby goats and it looks delightful. Seriously, look it up.
The Sky’s the Limit—This is your chance to get really creative. Try hula-hooping, jump roping, unicycling, water aerobics, or even larping. (Stands for live action role-playing. Think of mock sword fighting in your favorite Zelda costume.)
The C’s—Try a home calisthenics program or CrossFit class at the gym. These kinds of workouts will really build your overall muscular strength and endurance. And okay, it doesn’t start with a “C,” but let’s add karate to the list for kicks.
DIY Workout—Invent your own mini workouts to do throughout the day. Take the stairs at work instead of the elevator. Do calf raises when unloading the dishwasher. Get down and plank while waiting for your tea kettle to boil. Do tricep dips on your couch during TV commercials. Taking these little extra steps can definitely add up in a good way.

When All Is Said and Done

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, there isn’t a magical cure-all. But by taking little steps such as these every day, you really can improve your overall health, and by doing so, improve the quality of your life.

How do you live a healthy lifestyle? Comment below with your favorite examples.

HealthyLifestyle-Checklist

Healthy Cove

Healthy Shopping: How to Read a Food Label

24 February 2018 tdslsupport

As consumers, we are constantly bombarded with marketing ploys advertising ‘healthy’ foods.

Unfortunately, we cannot always trust the health claims on the front of a package to accurately reflect the overall nutritional quality of the food. You get the real dirt on a product by looking past the health claims and reading the Nutrition Facts Table and the Ingredients List. All packaged foods are required to have both. Read on to learn how to read a food label.

In my experience, many people read nutrition labels, but often do not know really know what they are looking for. Here are a few tips for choosing healthy foods:

Check the Serving Size

If you know the serving size you can accurately compare foods to make the healthiest choice. Remember serving sizes are not standard. For example, some loaves of bread list the nutrients per 1 slice, while others list per 2 slices. You also need to compare the serving size to the amount you eat. People often eat more than the serving size on the label.

Look for Added Sugars

Many foods that appear healthy such as cereal, granola bars, and fruit-flavored yogurt are high in added sugars. Added sugars do not include the natural sugars in fruit and milk products. 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon. It is recommended to limit added sugars to 48 grams (12 teaspoons) or less per day. This sounds like a lot of sugar but it adds up fast. One can of pop contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar.

Sugar has many hiding places…

Brown sugar Cane sugar
Corn syrup Dextrose
Fructose Glucose
Lactose Golden sugar
High-fructose corn syrup Honey
Invert sugar Maltodextrin
Molasses Sucrose
Maltose

Watch for Saturated and Trans Fat

It is important to limit these fats day as they can increase ‘bad’ cholesterol levels. These fats are mostly found in fatty meats, high-fat dairy products, fried foods, pastries and doughnuts. Your daily intake should be less than 20 grams of saturated and trans fat combined.

Limit Salt

Most packaged or canned foods contain added sodium. It is recommended to limit sodium intake to 1500 milligrams per day. Look for products that state ‘no added salt’ and rinse canned foods before eating.

Choose High Fiber Foods

Adults should consume 25-38 grams of fiber daily. Look for foods that contain at least 3-4 grams of fiber per serving. (insert photo)

Read the ingredients list

Ingredients are listed by weight. Foods at the top of the list are what the product is primarily made of. Avoid foods that list sugar or hydrogenated oils in the first 3 ingredients.

Final Note

Of course, there are ways to fill your cart with healthy foods without ever looking at a label. If you shop the perimeter of the grocery store and choose only whole foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and fish, and low fat dairy products your diet will likely be high in fibre and low in added sugars and salts. The packaged and processed foods are mostly in the aisles of the store and this is where label reading is required.

Still curious about healthy shopping? Learn more about healthy snacking here.

Over whelmed with were to start? East Coast Life Solutions has 28 Day Healthy Lifestyle Programs to help you to get on track visit our website and check out our Offerings

Coast Lifestyle

Six simple ways to kick-start healthy eating habits

17 September 2017 tdslsupport

9660040_S Healthy eating is a combination of a number of different factors. From portion control and proper nutrition, to counting calories and eliminating sweets, maintaining a healthy diet can be a little overwhelming.

When it comes to eating healthier, the key is to work smarter — not harder. Here are 6 simple ways to kick-start healthy eating habits:

1) Unlock the potential of frozen vegetables.

Frozen? Yes. Fresh vegetables are always a healthy choice, but prepping them can be time consuming and they can go bad before you get a chance to eat them. Frozen vegetables are cheap and require no prep. Toss them into your morning omelet or sauté a serving with dinner. When veggies are ready to use at a moment’s notice, you’re more likely to eat them.

2) Eat your vegetables first.

Start off each meal by eating the green stuff before the protein or carbs. Doing this will keep you from filling up on the main course, and will even help you eat less when you get to the other foods on your plate.

3) Plan ahead and cook extra protein.

When you’re making dinner, cook an extra serving of protein and add it to tomorrow’s lunch. Toss your extra chicken into a fresh salad or use last night’s steak in a tasty wrap.

4) Invest in a dressing mister.

Dressings can add a lot of calories to a salad — one tablespoon of olive oil has almost 120 calories by itself. One spritz from an oil mister distributes just 5 to 10 calories evenly for a lighter, tastier salad. Plus, making your own dressing means you’ll get to make it exactly how you like it.

5) Substitute salt with seasonings.

While we need some salt each day to maintain balanced health — 1,500 mg of sodium daily — the average Canadian consumes more than twice that much. It’s all too easy to consume too much salt, which can lead to a lot of health problems. Just one teaspoon of salt adds up to over 2,300 mg. Instead of salt, boost your meals with onion powder, garlic or basil. Not only do these spices add flavor, they offer a lot of health benefits as well.

6) Plan tomorrow’s meals before you go to bed.

Invest in a good set of food containers and make an effort to plan tomorrow’s breakfast, lunch and snacks before you go to bed. Planning ahead will help save time in the morning, and you’ll be less likely to buy a high-calorie, high-sodium, expensive lunch.

Changing any habit takes time, and adopting a healthier diet will take practice. Start slow and make simple changes to ease into your new lifestyle. Once your old habits are a thing of the past, healthy ones will become easier than ever.