How to read a nutrition label

How many times have have you been angry over someone in the grocery store standing in your way reading every box label? 

Well I am going to teach you how to be read a nutrition facts label and eat consciously 

So When I first look at a label I look at the Sugar if there is more than 2-3 grams I put it back the only item I will consider more sugar is cereal keep it organic high in fiber and low on sugar.

1.  I look at the serving size. Did you know that most cookies or bag of chips are 2 serving sizes? Did you know that a pop tart (AKA worst food on the planet)  pastry nutrition label is for 1 pastry and as we all know everyone eats both pastries. 

2. Check the calories stay within 2000-2500 calories a day.

3. The purple area of the graft is the % this is important You want the area in yellow to be under 5% and the Blue to be over 5%

4. You want to limit the fats, Cholesterol and Sodium. 

5. Remember sodium should be under 5% of your daily value. Too much salt and though you scale off which in return can discourage you journey to a healthier lifestyle. 

6. Total Carbohydrates... for me this use to be a only thing I would look at. I have had a hard time learning to love and trust carbs. I promise if all the other nutrition fact are going in the right direction then the carbohydrates will be ok. You can always subtract 1 carb per 1 fiber. HINT HINT WINK WINK this is why we want fiber. Oh and keep ourself regular in the bathroom ;)

7. Dietary fiber is great for cancer prevention such as colon cancer and it is lowers your risk for heart disease. Women need 25 grams per day and men should get 38 grams per day

8. Protein! You can get protein form Avocado, Beans, Lean Meat, Fish, Kale, Nuts, Quinoa, Oatmeal and many other great sources. 

9. You want to get enough of your Vitamins each day, Iron and Calcium are important even though new studies show that we do not need as much Calcium as recently reported. Get your 1,200 MG of Calcium from the food you eat. Great sources of calcium is sardines, plain yogurt, whole grain, bread. Here is a meal plan for Calcium Breakfast – Scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese.

Lunch - Spinach and Shitake mushrooms Dinner – Kale and Salmon

To step it up a notch I avoid 

GMO Genetically Modified Organisms

One of the others that is not on this list is Tomatoes I buy organic pizza sauce and salsa

I hope this helps you when it comes to picking foods that are going to fuel your body! 

Karissa Rawlins www.facebook.com/karissa.rawlins

How to keep the Momentum for the race.

If you are tired of starting over it is time to keep the momentum going. How you as? Well I am going to tell you how. I have found that when my momentum has stopped by enjoying a birthday party too much or enjoying a holiday for longer than I should I find my momentum suffers. When Momentum suffers you have to reach deep down into your self find the dedication and motivation again and recreate the wonderful feeling of momentum again. When you have Momentum I find it is easier to say no to some of the things that will set you back. I find it easier to get up an hour early and work on your goal that your have set a great mood for you day.

Lets imagine you are a Daytona 500 race car driver. When you hear start your engine you need to warm it up so what do you do? Well you tap the gas pedal. Remember this is just to warm up your car. Right before time you put your car in 1st gear and put on a mean game face. When you hit the gas pedal it is time to focus, make a quick game plan to get around the other cars so that you can gain some momentum. As soon as you start to get your speed you see the curve and you have no idea what is on the other side of the curve but you push the gas pedal harder because you are ready to see what on the other side of the curve so that you can take the next step to stay ahead of the pack. With all of this momentum you push ahead and you fly around all the other cars. As soon as you take your eye of the road you experience side swipes, flat tires, and small bumps in the road. It become a little tougher to stay on track when you hit the wall or flip your car. This is the moment the moment when you must dip deep find the voice in your head that says you got this, the voice that says you're still in the race. This is your race and you are ready to take the cup home!

As you can see the momentum of your car slow in the beginning slow but as you build up your momentum you can make anything part of your life. By setting goals and pacing yourself with a game plan you will soon be on a roll. What do you do when you hit life's little bumps along the way?

1. Set a goal and visualize it down to the most minute detail. See it, feel it, hear the sounds that accompany the end result (wind rushing through your hair, applause). Elite athletes visualize their performance ahead of time right down to the smell of the sweat dripping down their face as they cross the finish line. You can take this method and apply it to anything in your life like a job application making it to the hands of the employer you have been waiting to work for. Visualize that the application stands out above all others and the Employer giving you a call. Sounds silly? Try it what do you have to lose?

2. Make a list of the reasons you want to accomplish the goal. In our busy, distracting world, it’s easy to get blown off course. This is why you need to ground yourself in your goal. For extra “success insurance,” write your list with a pen. Studies show that when we write by hand and connect the letters manually, we engage our goal with the brain in the process. Because typing is an automatic function that involves merely selecting letters, there’s less of a mental connection. Hence my little composition notebook.

3. Break the goal down into smaller pieces and rewards. If you take on a project and try to do the whole thing all at once, you’re going to be overwhelmed.” Enter chunking. My system involves chipping away at a project. Break it down into the smallest realistic steps and only do one at a time. Neuroscience tells us that each small success triggers the brains reward center, releasing feel-good chemical dopamine.

4. Have a strategy, but be prepared to change course. Let Thomas Edison inspire you in this department: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.” “The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

5. Get the help you need. It doesn’t necessarily take a village, but our minds can sabotage our efforts. This is when you reach out to a friend, family member or group of like minded people to help you overcome the bumps in the road.

6. Motivation. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Go back to your Why. Why are you reaching for your goals? Put on your driving gloves because today my friend you are in the race. You will work harder, you will train harder and you will not see anyone else push as hard are you going to push.