A Healthier New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR. I hope you were able to read through my last few emails of 2015 and take some of my advice for having a healthy, balanced holiday.

I personally took advantage of my long vacation to relax, spend time with family, eat delicious, local, healthy food, enjoy good wines, and of course, I always made time for some long walks, quick jogs, and/or yoga in the morning.

Even though I really nourished myself, I still feel the accumulation of a bit too much sugar (yes I allowed myself to indulge in delicious Freddo ice cream) and a bit too much wine and champagne (during my vacation, there was no notion of weekends vs. weekdays, every day was like a Saturday!). And I know this is the case for many of you. Which is totally OK on occasion, especially if you enjoyed it in a guilt-free way as I did.

But now the new year has started and the vacation is coming to an end (or has ended for most of you). So it’s time to get back on track and give our bodies a break from the toxic sugar (and alcohol) that we enjoyed over the holidays. Because even small amounts of sugar can quickly become addictive, and start messing with our hormones and our body’s metabolism and digestion. The best thing to do is to keep sugar (especially the processed kind) to a minimum in our day-to-day, and once a season, do a good 7-14 day detox where we have NO processed sugar (nor processed anything that turns into sugar or contains sugar). Same applies to other substances that can cause inflammation and irritation in our bodies, such as caffeine, gluten, dairy, processed meats, and GMO-foods such as soy and corn. It is HUGELY beneficial to give our bodies a short break from these foods a few times a year (or minimum once a year) to allow your body to “reset” and focus on getting rid of accumulated toxins.

Which is why I have created a seasonal 10-day detox, which I change up a bit depending on the season. Starting Tuesday January 19th (day after Martin Luther King holiday), I will be doing a small group coaching for a Winter Detox. I will give you all the tools you need in order to make this detox easy and successful, so you can feel all the amazing benefits from a proper detoxification without much effort. You will even enjoy it! I will provide you with a detailed guide for your detox, including suggestions for a 3 day “pre-cleanse” to do over the weekend prior to starting the detox, as well as suggestions for coming off of the detox. So it’s a 10-day detox but I’ll give you over 2 weeks of support. The best thing is that its completely doable for anyone. More details can be found on my website, and if you have any questions, shoot me a message to ms@balancewithmariana.com.

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Having Friends Over? My Easy, Healthy “Go-To” Dish for Entertaining

I don’t know about you, but I love entertaining and wish I could do it more often. Why don't I? Because it’s time consuming and so much work! I host dinner parties sometimes with the help of someone (say for ex., my wonderful boyfriend who cooks up an awesome churrasco) which makes it so much fun, but it’s once in a blue moon. 

But having friends over should be easy and fun. Plus, if I'm hosting, I know that I can keep it on the healthy side - a huge plus. So what becomes my solution? I invite people over for some wine and a few appetizers. And while it’s much easier to just buy some pre-made hummus and pita chips, it's more special (and healthy!) to make a dish or two of my own.  

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Craving Pasta? Try These Healthy, Guilt-Free Alternatives

Everyone loves pasta, but sadly, it's not so good for our bodies.  While a small portion of pasta is OK to have on occasion, it's one of those foods that unfortunately should be eliminated from your regular diet if you're aiming for sustained weight loss.

Why?  Because pasta is made from wheat flour that scores very high in the glycemic-index, meaning it causes a spike in blood sugar and insulin levels, which ultimately leads to weigh gain.  Also, wheat flour contains gluten, and it’s now well known that many people do better with no or limited amounts of gluten in their diet, myself being one of them.  Gluten causes inflammation in the gut, which can lead to a whole host of more serious issues.  

Therefore, I’ve discovered other pasta-like options that are not only gluten-free, but also higher in nutrition.  

Here are some amazing and healthy alternatives to your regular wheat flour pasta, all of which are gluten-free:

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Low-Carb Swaps for Lasting Weight Loss

In my experience, the best way to lose weight and get the body you want is by making small step-by-step improvements in your diet.  Super strict diets that require a complete overhaul of your diet are overwhelming and of course, hard to maintain. 

While some effort is required, making healthier choices is easier than you may realize. 

We all hate to give up our favorite not-so-healthy foods, and while there are some that are best avoiding all together, there are others that can easily be modified to make them lighter and healthier.  With some easy swaps that I’m about to share with you over the next few weeks, you'll see that we can keep these foods (with a few adjustments) in our regular diet while staying healthy and not gaining weight. 

Today I want to share my favorite swaps for SANDWICHES & WRAPS, as well as RICE, and I'll share 2 fabulous recipes that you can try this week!

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A Delicious Pumpkin Recipe for the Holidays

I have to admit that one of my favorite things about the Halloween/ Thanksgiving/ Christmas holiday season is the FOOD. And I know I'm not the only one!

However, it can be difficult to stay healthy especially with the abundance of desserts that are constantly served and so hard to resist!

The key is to allow yourself to indulge a bit, while finding ways to stay as healthy as possible.  And to stay on that healthy path, I always suggest dedicating some effort to planning ahead.  

I personally like to cook a lot during this season, and come up with healthier versions of the traditional heavier holiday meals. 

I challenge you to make this holiday season your healthiest yet, by finding the holiday foods you love and making healthier versions of them.  It's fun and easier than you may think! 

Today I want to share my healthy version of one of my favorite holiday desserts - Pumpkin Pie.

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A Superfood That Will Change Your Life

Do you have any digestive issues? Cholesterol concerns? Heart concerns? Are you catching a cold? Want to build more muscle? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should be eating chia seeds!

Chia seeds are packed with Omega-3’s, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, antioxidants - that help lower cholesterol, reduce risk of heart disease, build muscle, and improve bowel movements.

They’re also packed with phytonutrients that boost the immune system, support bone-building health, and improve hair, skin and nails.

Lastly, because of the high protein and fiber content in each small serving, chia seeds will suppress your appetite by making you feel full, therefore a great tool for weight-loss!

And in my opinion, the KEY to making the introduction of chia seeds into your diet a GREAT one, is learning how to make Chia Pudding. With these 3 recipes that I will share with you, you’ll see how simple yet delicious chia pudding can be. Enjoy for breakfast, or a smaller portion for dessert or snack.

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A Key Ingredient to a Healthy Life: HYDRATION

Happy July everyone!  

From where I'm sitting, it is HOT, and I have just finished an entire batch of my homemade lemonade (well, lime-ade) in under one hour!  Clearly my body was in need of extra liquid given the heat I just walked through on my way back from yoga. 

So today I thought it would be relevant to address a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle, especially during this time of the year: Hydration.

We need to be drinking LOTS AND LOTS of water.  I literally can't say it enough to my clients.  Most people are not drinking enough, and it really is a key ingredient to optimal health.

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will make a huge difference in your digestion and energy, as it flushes your intestines and helps eliminate toxins.

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Struggling With Breakfast? 4 Easy, Healthy Breakfasts to Keep You Full All Morning

Happy Wednesday Morning everyone!

Today I wanted to talk about one of my favorite topics - Breakfast!

Many of you have heard me say this before, but I will say it again - breakfast is SO very important!.  It is definitely one of the most important and valuable tools for achieving a healthy lifestyle.  And it can be so yummy! 

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10 Easy Dairy and Gluten Substitutions to Try Now!

Summer starts this month, and we're all hoping to look amazing this bathing suit season...  

Regardless of whether or not you will be detoxing this summer, I really think it's worth it for everyone to start exploring with cutting back on diary and gluten (check out my blogs: 5 Reasons You Should Stop Consuming Dairy and Some Truth Behind this Gluten Free Trend ), and today I thought it would be helpful to give you a few ideas to make your dairy & gluten free experimentation a bit easier.  

Below are 10 easy swaps (5 gluten and 5 dairy substitutions) that I have started incorporating into my regular cooking.  Give these a shot, and please share some of your favorite gluten and dairy-free swaps!

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A Protein and Fiber Rich Breakfast to Give You Energy All Morning

Most of you know that my favorite breakfast is a green smoothie, but its important to switch it up a bit.  What's important to keep in mind is that you need a good dose of protein, healthy fats and fiber in each meal, especially in the morning.  This helps keep you full, it keeps your blood sugar stable, and of course, it supports proper digestion.

While I have found that a "super-food" protein smoothie is my go-to solution, I often crave something warm and more hearty.  On those days, I usually go for a warm bowl of oatmeal.  However, as I started paying closer attention to my body and how it feels after different meals, I came to realize that my beloved oatmeal usually didn't keep me full long enough, and I was often feeling tired two hours after my breakfast.  Why?  Because while plain oatmeal has some fiber and protein, it's just not enough on it's own, and if you add sugar or honey (as I did) without adding more fiber or healthy fats, it can cause a spike in your blood sugar.  So I started playing around with my oatmeal to make it a better, more wholesome (and more delicious!) breakfast. 

Here is one example that I came up with recently, and absolutely love! It's a gluten-free, protein- and fiber-rich, multi-seed, and delicious oatmeal recipe:  Quinoa, Millet & Chia Oatmeal.

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Easy Weeknight Quinoa & Tempeh Salad

One of the key things I try to teach my clients is that healthy cooking doesn't have to be complicated.  It doesn't have to be a chore.  And you don't need to be a chef.  But like everything, it gets easier with practice.

So I'm going to start sharing with you some healthy and easy recipes. Here is an easy weeknight salad dish that I love:

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A Cleansing Red Smoothie for Valentines

While I don’t particularly like the excessive marketing around Valentines Day, it is nice to share the spirit of LOVE, and to get in the mood with a nice red dress or lipstick.  Another idea is starting your Valentines Day with a nice healthy red smoothie.  I've recently tried adding beets to my smoothies, and it tastes amazing, giving the smoothie a nice added sweetness.  And apart from giving off a nice red color and sweet flavor, beets are surprisingly nutritious!

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Chocolate in the Morning? A Delicious, Healthy Recipe to Start Your Day

A filling nutritious breakfast is key to starting off your day right. And it's the best time of the day to squeeze in a good serving of greens, and most of the minerals and vitamins we need for the day.

So I love making smoothies with clean, nutrient-rich ingredients, that give me a good amount of morning energy (I no longer need coffee!), but that also taste amazing. Also, smoothies are so quick and easy to prepare- I throw the ingredients into my nutribullet, blend, and it's ready to go!

Here is an example of one of my favorites, which has raw cacao to satisfy my chocolate craving, without spiking my blood sugar as most other processed breakfasts would.

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My Top 10 Health Tips

We've begun 2015, and we've all thought about our resolutions for the new year.  Everyone has at least one goal in mind related to getting healthier, fitter, or reaching a target weight.  But it's this time of the year when I see many people determined to try the latest diet, instead of focusing on longer term lifestyle changes.

Too many people are focused on calories in- calories out, and missing out on the true toxic, weight-gain triggers.  Here are some tips that many people don't realize are KEY to losing those extra pounds, and more importantly, to getting your health on the right track in order to keep those pounds off for good...

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