Empowered mornings this month

For a lot of people, an increase in rich and sugary foods over the holiday season can leave them feeling lethargic, a bit on the blue side, feeling a bit more "puffy" or bloated, and discouraged by the thought of a restrictive New Years diet to rebalance.

Yet under the knee-jerk pressure to get everything cleaned up in as little time as possible (which tend to be short-lived,) I think the New Year brings a legitimate desire for renewal and something fresh. You might be feeling this and have a sense it's time to focus on feeling well...body, mind, and spirit.

What we eat and how we eat is one important layer.

Here are some suggestions to gently begin to shift your morning eating routine with balancing food:

Paleo Pancakes with frozen blueberries: I've suggested these in the past and they tend to be a crowd favorite. If you're

working with blood sugar stability or looking to reduce inflammation, these are far less aggressive than traditional pancakes. Toss your frozen berries right into the batter. Here's a brand I've found at most grocery stores.

Mom's eggs: When I visit my parents across state, my mom always makes her simple and hearty vegetable scrambled eggs (which I love). Chop tomato, onion, and green bell pepper and sautée in coconut oil until soft. Then scramble with some quality eggs.

Open face breakfast sandwich: Toast your favorite grainy bread (I suggest bakery sourdough, ezekiel, or a paleo bread) layered with mashed avocado, greens, and soft boiled eggs. Add crab meat or smoked salmon if you really love savory or you find extra protein grounds and satiates you.

Gut renewing smoothie bowl: soak 1 TBS of chia seeds overnight then mix in 1 scoop of protein powder and 1 TBS of your favorite nut/seed butter (add vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, or any other favorite spice) and top with chunks of a green-ish banana for a prebiotic boost.

Blended smoothie: I usually suggest most people living in a cold winer climate right now steer clear of anything especially cold right now. Though there's a subset of people with hot metabolic fires (even through winter) that may feel pretty good with a smoothie. Many people are also able to meet a good deal of their nutritional needs with a nutrient dense smoothie. This is the reason I'm keeping it on the list. You can include greens like kale, spinach, or celery, fruit like berries, banana, pineapple, fat like avocado or nut butter, and protein from a plant-based protein powder or a collagen protein powder. For a winter-friendly smoothie, you might opt for baby spinach, banana, almond or peanut butter, and protein powder (which can be made room temperature).

Of course there are far more breakfast options than these. Some people need things to be even more time-efficient. But with more people working from home, there's often more wiggle room to take 10-15 minutes to make something substantial. The act itself is a gesture of goodwill.

Remember there are plenty of ways to eat food you love, regulate your eating and body weight, and reduce physical symptoms without yanking yourself through something unpleasant. Let's let eating feel good.

Happy New Year!

Warmly,

Laura

Ready to work more closely with your diet and eating habits? Eating psychology retreat on January 22nd, 2022.