Our best Squeeze program yet and fave new ingredient

 Oh structure we missed you so. We are midway though our Foodtrainers’ September Squeeze fall reset weeks.  Week 1, led by Lauren, concluded Sunday and week 2, my week, is off and running (shout out to our Squeeze achievers doing both weeks).

We design a new program, with new recipes each time (why do less work when you can do more?) but we never really know how it will go until we have a group of all ages, living in all different places, going through it. Many of Lauren’s week 1 squeezers told us it was our best squeeze yet…nice!  We asked our week 1 Squeeze grads to tell us how they felt:

I feel back on track/more confident/able to say no/in control/clear-headed, rested and resolved to continue.

This Squeeze is NO booze, grains, sugar, cheese or scale (yup a full week no weigh ins).  While it sounds like a lot of no’s we have a lot of yes’s too. We select special ingredients and what we call “secret weapons” to spice things up. My favorite this go around is ashwaganda. Ashwagandha is tough to say and tough to drink. Sunpotion politely says it tastes a little “earthy”, we say it tastes like dirt, unless you have it in our OMG Ashwagandha recipe. Why should you “ash”? It’s an Ayurvedic herb, used for over 3000 years, that lowers cortisol, helps body handle stress, balances thyroid hormones and improves body composition and sleep.

Try Ashwaganda and our other new favorites in our Squeeze Bundle 

Squeeze Nightcap: OMG Ashwagandha

We love us some golden milk and this ashwagandha nightcap is a spin on the classic. Don’t stress out about our recipe, if you don’t have all of these it’ll be ok.

And if you are stressing out…all the more reason to try this.

Ingredients:

·      1/4 tsp. Sun Potion Ashwagandha

·      1/2 tsp. Wakaya turmeric

·      1/2 tsp. Wakaya ginger

·      1 cup water

·      Pinch sea salt 

·      Pinch black pepper (pepper increases the effectiveness of turmeric)

·      1 cup almond or coconut milk

·      Optional drops NuStevia (optional)

·      *Add more sea salt or stevia as needed 

Instructions:

1.    Put ashwagandha, turmeric, ginger, pepper and water into a small saucepan, add water and simmer 8-10 minutes or until this mixture reduces and thickens.

2.    Add almond milk and stir, continue until mixture is warm (a few minutes).

3.    Add salt and stevia (if using) and stir again.

4.    Pour into a mug and sip. OMG, you’ve been ashwagandha’d.

If you want a reset, let us know and we’ll put you on the list for January “Whipping Week” info.

So what do you do when you need to reboot? Have you heard of ashwaganda? Any nighttime rituals you’d like to share?

Foodtrainers' Holiday Helper Rosh Rules (and YK too)

Well, actually don't

We’ve just shifted out of summer mode and the holidays are upon us.

While it can feel like September presents one thing after another, we're hoping that since  many of us are still casting off our summer holiday treatsare slightly less alluring (maybe?)

Here are Foodtrainers’ tips for a “sweet” new year. The only thing sweeter than honey cake is feeling svelte when September ends. Agree? Thought so.

 Rosh Rules (and YK too)

 Create room for holiday meals. If you’re familiar with Foodtraining through the holidays .you know that we believe in utilizing pre and post holiday days. For every holiday meal, have 1 day where you skip anything sweet (wine and fruit are sweet).

 Secret Holiday Weapons: have lemon squeezed in water before your holiday meal, this will prevent your blood sugar from rising sky high and may displace a glass of wine. The morning after holidays, try our magic green elixir.

 Employ our “traditional” 1 plate rule: make a plate with 1/2 veggies, 1/4 protein, 1/4 carb. If you can skip the carb and try making your plate ¾ veg, even better. No seconds (that would be 2 plates).

 Pick 1 treat per holiday: kugel, matzo balls and next week bagels-OY (if your clothes aren’t fitting really well, nothing about these foods will help, just a “sweet’ reminder). We cannot have it all and not expect post-holiday matzo balls in unfortunate, unwanted places…

*note this isn’t 1 treat per holiday meal, got it? One treat for RH and one for YK max, if you forego other treats we’ll sound our office shofar for you.
  So what should you eat? We say GO Gefilte or via sauce removal “naked” brisket, these are good protein choices. Roasted veggies (carrots being a “sweeter” veg is the least of your worries) are fair game. Also, a little known fact some feel spinach (silka) was one of the original signs of Rosh Hashanah. In terms of carbs, gourds (pumpkins and squashes) have symbolic meaning and are your best starch selection.

 BYOT (bring your own tea) Rosh Hashanah food is super sweet. Chances are the above-mentioned honey cake is redundant. Basically Rosh Hashanah dinner is dessert. So skip the sweets post meal, Tazo makes a great, organic cinnamon apple tea. 

 Don’t binge before you fast. If you fast for YK avoid the temptation to overdue it beforehand. This actually makes fasting more difficult. Stick to the one plate rule and the 1-carb per plate rule as well. 

 Bagels are a break up food , break fast or not.  Speaking of The Little Book of Thin, the holiday chapter is a great primer for the holidays (just saying).

 You are not alone! You can also #TIDEI (via twitter) if you need extra support. For example "my aunt is guilting me into eating _________" 
 Insta your plate @Foodtrainers @onesmartbrownie, one properly composed plate will receive some "secret post holiday weapons".
And of course we wish you a year filled with health and happiness.
Did you have a holiday meal already? How was it? Which of these "rules" resonates with you? 
Do you find September a difficult month?
*Congrats to our first week of September Squeezers who took the month by storm and put in 7 days of great eating and focus.