OFFER EXTENDED: Save $15 on Foodist Kitchen until January 8 using code NEWYEAR2017

For me nothing is more flattering than when someone I trust and respect in my field says something nice about my work. Of course it makes me happy when a family member or close friend compliments me too, but I can’t help but wonder how much the love bias is influencing their words.

So when author, scientist and fellow healthy food writer Jules Clancy reached out to tell me how much she enjoyed my Foodist Kitchen program, my heart skipped a beat.

I have been following Jules over at Stone Soup for years and know she’s an experienced cook. So I was deeply flattered to hear that she got so much from the program even though it is primarily designed for beginners.

When she offered to share her favorite highlights from the program with all of you, I jumped at the opportunity. I’ll let Jules take it from here.

Use code NEWYEAR2017 to get $15 off Foodist Kitchen until Jan 6 January 8.

Jules Clancy LOVES real food and hanging out in her kitchen. She has a degree in Food Science and is the author of ‘5-Ingredients 10-Minutes’. For a free eCookbook of delicious 5-ingredient recipes sign up for the Stonesoup weekly newsletter.

Read the rest of this story »

OFFER EXTENDED: Save $15 on Foodist Kitchen until January 8 using code NEWYEAR2017

As I’ve explained before, cooking is by far the most important habit you need if you want to take control of your health. The reason for this is pretty simple: you can guarantee that your plate is filled with vegetables and other Real Foods that are satisfying, nourishing and delicious.

If getting Real Food on your plate is easy and you’re excited to eat it, then you have a recipe for long-lasting good health. You win.

An added benefit of cooking at home is it’s a great way to detox from weeks of holiday parties, family feasts and airport food. Amirite??

Of course, cooking your meals at home is easier said than done.

If you don’t feel confident in your cooking skills the whole “satisfying and delicious” part may elude you.

If you’ve always relied on recipes to decide what to buy and how to turn it into dinner then getting Real Food on your plate “easily” sounds like a pipe dream.

If the extent of your kitchen talent is heating up a frozen dinner, then eating “vegetables and other Real Foods” is a genuine Christmas miracle.

Cooking isn’t one skill. It’s several skills (knife work, flavor pairings, intuition for flavors and when food is “done”) mixed with a set of habits (grocery shopping, keeping a clean kitchen, using up leftovers) the end result of which is ease and confidence in the kitchen.

And for one reason or another many of us never learned these essential lessons.

I created Foodist Kitchen to solve this problem and teach you to cook without recipes in 30 days. And what better time to start than in your week off before the New Year?

From now until Jan 6 January 8 use the code NEWYEAR2017 to save $15 on the Foodist Kitchen program.

Read the rest of this story »

For the Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup. 

This week beans are more satisfying than meat, anxiety means you’re smart, and the latest science on sugar and health.

Too busy to read them all? Try this awesome free speed reading app to read at 300+ wpm. So neat!

I also share links on Twitter @summertomato and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Read the rest of this story »

When I was a dieter I had a mindbogglingly long list of things I “should” do to reach my goals.

I should go for a run every morning.

I should do 100 crunches per day.

I should be a size 2.

I should not drink calories.

I should never eat ice cream.

It makes me exhausted just thinking about it.

Amazingly I was able to do many of these things (I’ve written before how I actually have pretty strong willpower). But it was a constant battle and it still never felt like I was doing enough. No matter how hard I tried, I was never happy.

It took me years to understand that it was in fact all these shoulds that were holding me back. That I had externalized my motivation, letting it be dictated by goals outside my true feelings, and by doing so sold myself short.

Read the rest of this story »

“It’s been the easiest 33 lbs I’ve ever lost.” ~Angela

Angela just discovered Foodist a few months ago after a lifetime of being overweight and chronic dieting. By changing the way she approaches food and health, she’s been able to lose 33 lbs in what she calls the easiest weight loss of her life.

Despite her success, Angela still has progress to make and is trying to figure out some of the more subtle aspects of her healthstyle. Today she asks a question that every foodist must grapple with at some point along their journey, which is how to know if an urge to eat (or skip a workout or other healthstyle behavior) is coming from a place of physical need or some other impulse that should be resisted?

This question is particularly difficult for people who have spent a lot of time dieting, since by its very nature dieting teaches you to ignore your body’s basic signals and use willpower to stick to your plan. As Angela explains, it can be very difficult to trust the different voices in your head that are pushing you to care for yourself, especially if you believe they were what caused you to be overweight in the first place.

There are several things to consider when you’re learning to answer this question for yourself, including what situations are the most important to get right, how to learn from your mistakes when you get it wrong and how not stress out when you find yourself in a position of uncertainty.

Wish you had more time to listen to the podcast? I use an app called Overcast (no affiliation) to play back my favorite podcasts at faster speeds, dynamically shortening silences in talk shows so it doesn’t sound weird. It’s pretty rad.

Related links:

Bonnie Transforms From a Junk Food Speed Eater to a Mindful Vegetable Lover and Loses 40 Lbs

‘The Myth of Willpower’ (chapter from Foodist) and free starter kit

The Worst Thing You Can Do if You’re Trying to Lose Weight

Foodist: Using Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting

Way of Life app

Listen:

Listen on iTunes

Listen on Stitcher

Listen on Soundcloud

If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please fill out the form here and tell us your story.

For the Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup. 

This week the secret to self-control, saturated fat is good for you, and why you aren’t a “picky eater.”

Too busy to read them all? Try this awesome free speed reading app to read at 300+ wpm. So neat!

I also share links on Twitter @summertomato and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Read the rest of this story »

If there’s anything 2016 has inspired me to do it’s to go back to the basics. While some years I get excited about all the fancy new gadgets that can help me keep my healthstyle running smoothly, this year I’ve been more interested in the things I already know I can rely on.

One of the nice things I’ve noticed about my healthstyle after doing this for nearly a decade is that my gear doesn’t change much. There are a few notable upgrades this year (Fitbit and Kindle have some amazing new products), but overall it’s still the same stuff I’ve been using year in and year out.

There is something comfortable in that knowledge. Knowing that even going from student to professional, from single to married, from California girl to New Yorker, the things I use to care for myself haven’t changed all that much. When it comes down to it, life isn’t that complicated.

Read the rest of this story »

Shelbey came to me wondering why she has the habit of overeating when she’s alone and supposed to be studying. She sits down to eat and turns on the TV, planning to finish dinner and then hit the books. But instead she usually keeps eating through the entire show until she feels so sicks she can’t do anything at all.

To her credit Shelbey has already thought through possible psychological reasons she’s doing this, but hasn’t come up with any solutions. She’s a very hard working woman who is always pushing herself for self-improvement. She’s a good student, exercises regularly, and meditates often. What she never does is give herself permission to relax.

One of the symptoms of being too productive is having anxiety about down time. All humans need to relax and recharge both physically and mentally, but highly productive people often feel guilty and anxious about taking these much needed breaks. If this goes on for too long it can lead to avoidance behaviors like overeating.

It can be difficult to acknowledge that rest is needed, but Shelbey and I come up with a plan for her to recognize her anxiety and give her the space to unwind.

Wish you had more time to listen to the podcast? I use an app called Overcast (no affiliation) to play back my favorite podcasts at faster speeds, dynamically shortening silences in talk shows so it doesn’t sound weird. It’s pretty rad.

Related links:

Imposter Syndrome

What I Learned from 10 Days of Silence

Listen:

Listen on iTunes

Listen on Stitcher

Listen on Soundcloud

If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please fill out the form here and tell us your story.

For the Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup. 

This week how your gut sabotages your diet, how to teach your kids to love veggies, and why exercise leads to weight gain.

Too busy to read them all? Try this awesome free speed reading app to read at 300+ wpm. So neat!

I also share links on Twitter @summertomato and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Read the rest of this story »