Earlier this week I showed you how to put on a few pounds the healthy way. Since then, I’ve received a few emails from individuals thanking me for the post but were still concerned about their appetite and desire to eat.

“I’m just not hungry”

Force feeding yourself and enhancing your appetite can be a tough task at times so I wanted to share with you a few natural herbs, spices, supplements and activities that will boost hunger and get you eating a little more.

EAT WITH YOUR EYES, NOSE & TONGUE

COLORS.

You’ve heard it over and over that we eat with our eyes. The colors red, yellow and orange have been shown to increase appetite. Try adding these to your plate:

* red, yellow & orange sweet peppers * cherry tomatoes * orange slices

SMELL.

We’ve all walked into our mom’s kitchen and instantly got hungry just from the smell. Adding fragrant herbs to the food can also enhance your appetite. Try cooking with:

* cloves * oregano * fennel * caraway * garlic

TASTE.

The next time you prepare a dish, try throwing in some of these herbs, spices and foods to increase your taste buds and appetite

* Parsley * Oregano * Basil * Nutmeg * Mint * Garlic * Cinnamon * Cayenne * Turmeric * Cumin * Peppermint * Spearmint * Bitter melon * dark cocoa * Red wine * apples

SUPPLEMENTS

Being deficient in minerals like Iron, Zinc and Magnesium have been linked to a decreased appetite. Add a multivitamin supplement to your day that includes these and add more high zinc foods like

* Shellfish * Red Meat * Nuts * Dairy * Whole grains * Nuts * Dairy

EXERCISE

Take 15 minutes before your meals and engage in a little exercise whether it’s a brisk walk, a few pushups or even jumping jacks.

I hope that you’ll incorporate of few of the above into your routine and that you’ll start noticing an improvement in your appetite and overall health and weight!

We all know that being in love can add so much joy and  happiness to one’s life, but studies show that it could also add other things like extra weight!

According to a study from North Carolina at Chapel Hill, newly cohabitators put on average of 3 lbs, and new brides packed on triple that!

Allow your love to grow and flourish, but not your bottom! So here are a few tips to follow to avoid those unnecessary pounds:

Create your own food space: Make sure that you both have some shelf space in your pantry as well as some room in your fridge so you can stock it with healthy goodies and snacks.

Stakeout the takeout menus- No, you don’t have to go under cover but you do want to be sure that you order from healthy places. Scout the eateries that offer grilled foods in addition to fried. Order from friendly restaurants that will work with your diet and honor your wishes of dressing on the side. If you’re checking out Chinese menus, then find places that offer a healthy option of brown rice instead of white. If you’re dining out, then follow the tips of the dinning princess and learn how to maintain your physique and control temptation.

Make a dinner date each night- A dinner date is not in front of your TV! Eating while watching mindless TV can also lead to mindless overeating. Schedule a time every night when you and your sweetie can enjoy a relaxing time together while eating healthy.

Stay on the best dressed list -just because you moved in with your boyfriend, doesn’t mean that you have to wear his clothes! Remember to keep dressing sexy! Looking hot will keep you aware of your body and keep you both in love. Plus, all that hard work you have put in, won’t go to waste.

You can still Love your sweetie, while maintaining the Love Your Life Program and looking better than ever!

 Shaneek AKA Miss Murder

Look how unhealthy the world is becoming!
 
 
Working with a Diabetes Research Company, I have been enlightened about the harmful effects of High Fructose Corn Syrup. In the last few years, HFC’s have been gaining the bad rep that they deserve until recently.
 
 
Have you seen these new commercials by the Sweet Promise Company promoting this cheap, unhealthy sweetener? If you haven’t seen them, click on the video below and watch the madness.

I have to admit that Sweet Promise did a great job in making people feel like HFCs are natural and safe, including myself. Why? Because it’s just corn!
 

Plenty of theories have been shown to link High Fructose Corn Syrup to the rise in obesity, diabetes and other health complications, but there is still no solid evidence that this sweetener is worse than sugar. I choose to eliminate it from my diet completely until proven completely safe.I prefer to use other natural sources of sweeteners like raw sugar, stevia and xylitol.
 
 
Let me summarize the story behind High Fructose Corn Syrup.
 

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFC) is one of the most widely used ingredient in prepackaged foods and soft drinks. HFC is made of corn starch and contains two sugars: fructose and glucose, that make this ingredient much sweeter than sugar. HFC is infused in so many products including your ketchup and favorite cereal. HFC is also used to extend the shelf life.
 

How glucose is absorbed:
 

Our bodies metabolize glucose differently than fructose. When we consume carbohydrates that contain glucose, our body increases the production of insulin which helps transport energy to our cells. Meanwhile, another hormone called leptin takes action and starts sending messages to the brain telling it that the belly is satisfied and to regulate fat storage. Another hormone ghrelin is then suppressed, assisting with the regulation of food intake. The body is just an amazing machine!
 
 

Now, let’s take a look at how fructose is absorbed:
 
  When our bodies metabolize fructose, insulin is NOT secreted, leptin is NOT produced, and ghrelin is NOT suppressed.
So, we can only assume that if fructose causes a miscommunication between the body and the brain regarding satiety, regulating fat storage functions and food intake, then our body will continue to be hungry and consume more calories than needed, leading to weight gain.
 
 

Once again, companies like Sweet Promise will totally disagree with these theories, but until proven 100% safe I refuse to consume any products containing High Fructose Corn Syrup.
 
Personally, my diet growing up was overly infused with HFCs and my weight gain was enough proof for me. Since cutting out processed foods, my body has transformed like never before. Our bodies were engineered to process the earth’s natural foods, not processed pop tarts. 
 
 
I am not an expert, but I have researched enough to make my decision against High Fructose Corn Syrup. You don’t have to listen to me, but do listen to your body.
 

It’s really sad how money runs this world. Major food companies would rather sacrifice health and quality to gain a higher profit margin.
 
High Fructose Corn Syrup is in everything!
 

 
 
Stay tuned and look out for an upcoming article where I explain the harmful of effects of High Fructose Corn Syrup on your skin.

You’ve heard this over and over and over!

It takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message from your stretched out belly telling you that you are full. Well, you don’t have time to sit around and watch your food for that long so you decide to over indulge and continue to stuff your face.

Guilt kicks and you begin to justify your actions. It is your “cheat” day again, your birthday is coming up and your wise mother told you to never waste food. You picture all the starving people in the world and it is your duty to eat for their cause.

You may be laughing right now ladies but you know it’s true!

I have justified my overeating habits plenty of times but since adopting the Love Your Life Program, I have learned to control myself.

The Cleveland Clinic offers these suggestions to help prevent overeating:

• Use a smaller dish, so that it looks like your plate is more full.
• Serve up an appropriate portion, and don’t tempt yourself with seconds.
• Put away leftovers quickly after dinner, and store them in portion-controlled containers. Freeze whatever you don’t want right away.
• Never eat right out of the bag, box or takeout container. Put bowls or platters of food away or out of sight during dinner. 

Here are a few more tricks that I use in addition to the previous suggestions. 

• Drink a protein shake 30 minutes before your meal
• Drink a glass of water before your meal
• Eat at the table and slowly eat your meal
• Eat your protein first
• Fill your plate with veggies
• Fill up on soup before your meal
• Make a promise to stick to your planned portion
• Chew strong flavored gum after your meal

For your homework this week, I would like you to start applying some of these tips while paying attention to your hunger level. 

Please feel free to post more helpful hints so we can all benefit.

Keep me posted!