I’ve had the sincere pleasure of meeting and getting to know Chef Craig King. As a personal chef to the stars, his knowledge, depth and worldwide reputation on organic gardening, and delicious, healthy food preparation is enjoyed and devoured by thousands. We are lucky to have him here preparing amazing menus, and of course seeing his garden of health literally grow here on the N. shore of Maui at the beautiful property known as Lumeria Maui. Here his known “farm-to-table” practice is enjoyed by many guests.

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Besides seeing him prepare a feast for a special few or a few hundred, his kind ways and natural talents shine through in every bite.  I was overwhelmed with the first samplings one evening and to taste not only the freshness of the buffet he prepared,  but the blend of flavors that exploded from the simplest herbs and green selections were over the top.

Get to know Craig and watch these videos on how you too can eat for energy and I’m sure he will inspire you to not only grow your own fresh veggies but you’ll learn so much on how to sustain your own personal energy and vitality. Also scroll down to watch his “Here We Glow” video of his special cleanse. He is offering workshops on Maui on how you can do a “healthy” cleanse that leaves you feeling vibrant and strong. Contact and cleanse info below.

Chef Craig King:

Chef Craig King has been at the forefront of the healthy food revolution for more than 20 years. As the personal chef for some of the biggest names in the natural food business (Steve Demos, White Wave/Silk; John Mackey, Whole Foods; Michael Gilliland/Libby Cook, Wild Oats), as well as some notable Hollywood stars, Craig brings a deep understanding of food and its evolution to the show. He has a keen ability to create food that meets the client’s need in real time–– knowing how to balance what the client wants with what the client needs. He recently created and directed “Here We Grow”, a documentary film highlighting our troubled food system. His latest venture has been helping transform food in various institutional settings, including assisted and senior living centers. The installation of gardens in seven senior community centers helps highlight the beautification of the food transformation and demonstrate the practice of the farm-to-table philosophy. http://craigkingenterprises.com/

Here We Glow

Chef Craig King is offering his Glow Cleanse for you to enjoy. You can learn more here:

You may contact Craig direct at 820.281.2381  or e: ckcooking@hotmail.com to enjoy his company and receive a private consultation.

Feel free to share your comments.

Welcome to Maui Craig!  We’re all thrilled to have you as our neighbor and a part of our healthy ohana.

Yours,

Suzie Cooney, CPT  of Suzie Trains Maui Follow @SuzieTrainsMaui

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Maui, HI. December 20, 2011 : Listen & Learn About Ten Survival Tips For Holiday Parties on Suzie Cooney’s Radio Health & Fitness Segment with the Maui Breakfast Club, every Tuesday on Maui’s KNUI 900AM @ 7:30am

On air Suzie Cooney shares her 10 Survival Tips for the Holidays!

 CLICK HERE and  listen and learn how to manage those fabulous holiday parties. Save your waistline and those extra calories that may sneak up on you at the buffet line, pastry cart or holiday dinner.

It’s not easy to pass up a delicious dessert, or that yummy, oh so fat filled glass of eggnog. Don’t fret, make a plan and practice talking more and scan the buffet table or bar and make a plan NOT to lose it, but enjoy in moderation without regret or extra time on the treadmill.

Today, on this special holiday show I’ve listed 10 helpful tips to keep you smiling and not sweating too much at the gym. Enjoy your holidays and friends and just learning a few of these tips will see you through to the next party without gaining an ounce, well maybe a few.

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My top suggestion is to eat something prior to the party that combines protein and fiber to fill you up before you charge to front of the buffet line. Drink lots of water and leave the elastic pants or skirt at home!

Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trans Maui is a weekly guest on the Maui Breakfast Club with Tom Blackburn Rodriguez and Kellie Pali and shares every week, her healthy tips from how to train for big surf, to how to avoid weight gain at big buffets. For over 12 years she has helped hundreds of people get in the shape of their lives and live the life Maui offers. People come from all over to train and learn from her.

Tune in every week, Tuesday on Maui’s KNUI 900AM  at 7:30am or click here to catch the daily, live broadcast from anywhere in the world.

Tom, Suzie and Kellie photo by Simone Reddingious

Feel free to share your comments and tell us your  tips to help our audience enjoy the holidays without sabotaging one’s hard work to get in and stay in shape.Follow @SuzieTrainsMaui

If you’d like to join my confidential mailing list and keep  up to date with Suzie Trains Maui and other health related news, go here:

Sign up for your FREE Suzie Trains Maui Email Newsletter

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Childhood obesity is out of control. Who is at fault?  How can you help as a parent, as a physician as a community? Since when do we have to worry about children at the age of 8 to have high blood pressure, heart disease and other such morbid diseases? Should McDonald’s be applauded for adding apples to their popular “Happy Meals”. Should we be “happy” about this?

Listen in on Suzie Cooney’s weekly health  & fitness segment on the Maui Breakfast Club, with hosts Tom Blackburn Rodriguez and Kellie Pali-Cruz each Tuesday on KNUI 900 AM @ 7:39am. Today’s topic: Childhood Obesity: Things to Know and How to Help Radio Segment.

To Listen click here:

We need to lead by example and share with kids and teens of all ages to get up off the couch, turn off the cell phones and get healthy.  Schools need to find better solutions for cafeteria food and cut the sugar and sodium out completely.  Parents, are you the best role model you can be?  What do you think the or a solution could be.

AP Huffington Post

I think that Mrs. President, Michelle Obama is doing what she can, but is holding the biggest jumping jack contest on the Whitehouse lawn enough to get an entire country off their duffs?  I’m pleased but we all know it starts from the top. Educating the kids and parents on how to eat well with less should be their main focus. Regulate what is actually available to purchase on food assistance programs is another way to be sure kids just aren’t drinking Koolaid and eating crap.

Here are some links that may help:

Preventing Obesity in Children, Causes & Diseases 

Under Pressure, McDonald’s Adds Apples to Kids Meals

Should Doctors Avoid Calling Children Fat?

Thank you for stopping by Suzie Trains Maui. The topics and opinions here are an expression of those who care. We encourage your input and feedback to better serve our readers and community.

What are your thoughts and feelings on this subject? We’d like to hear from you. You can help others by sharing and caring here.

In good health and warm aloha,

Suzie Cooney, CPT   owner of Suzie Trains Maui

of Suzie Trains Maui

TweetAugust 23, 2011Taken from the Maui Breakfast Club: Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui, Health & Fitness Segment every Tuesday morning at 7:38 am on KNUI 900 AM.  LISTEN HERE

Just the word visceral sounds bad and that it is. It’s not pretty and it’s deadly.  Also referred to as abdominal obesity or the “middle-age spread”.  The definition of visceral fat is basically subcutaneous fat that settles deep within the cavity walls of the abdominal area and also covers the abdominal organs. This condition can lead to many health concerns such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol,  hormone imbalances and even cancer.

An excerpt taken from the Harvard Medical School states this:

“One reason excess visceral fat is so harmful could be its location near the portal vein, which carries blood from the intestinal area to the liver. Substances released by visceral fat, including free fatty acids, enter the portal vein and travel to the liver, where they can influence the production of blood lipids. Visceral fat is directly linked with higher total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, and insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance means that your body’s muscle and liver cells don’t respond adequately to normal levels of insulin, the pancreatic hormone that carries glucose into the body’s cells. Glucose levels in the blood rise, heightening the risk for diabetes.”

How does your waist measure up? Typical guidelines for men’s waistline: if  over 40 inches in diameter and for women over 35 inches are indicators that you may be dealing with this condition. Pinching more than an inch can be a concern.

Besides the role of over eating and a poor diet and lack of exercise  that plays in the main contributing factor leading to the accumulation of visceral fat, there may also be hereditary factors that also play a hand. Knowing this may help.

The good news  is there’s so much you can do to help avoid this condition. Getting your weight under control will help. Portion control and a healthy diet is first. Avoid all sugars and alcohol. ( See my article: Suzie’s Foods to Avoid ) Strength training or resistance training will aid in the elimination of visceral fat but most of all it will take some high-intensity cardio to assist in the breakdown of the visceral fat.

Start out with 30 minutes at a moderate intensity than work your way up to a much higher intensity of exercise. ( Always check with your physician first before embarking on a heavier work out regimen.) Remember, spot reducing does not work, this is a total body approach.

I hope you enjoyed the radio segment. A special thanks to the Maui Breakfast Club and to you for spreading the word and being healthy.  It does a body good.Tweet

Aloha,

Suzie Cooney, CPT owner of Suzie Trains Maui and Mental Health Advocate

Previous Radio Show: August 16th: Mental Wellness: Why We Need to Have “Hope” for Our Body’s Health and Our Mind’s Health Radio Segment with Suzie Cooney

Follow Suzie on Face book for up to the minute updates: http://www.facebook.com/suzietrainsmaui

References:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Abdominal-fat-and-what-to-do-about-it.shtml

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/waist-size-linked-with-longevity/

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/how-does-your-waist-measure-up/

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-visceral-fat.htm

TweetAh food, glorious food! You’ve heard of the jingle, and you’ve also heard of the book by now, “Eat This Not That” by David Zinczenko. He’s a great guy and it’s a good read but I want to give you a quick serving of what you may know, should know or simply choose to ignore. Yes, I’m pretty fed up with how unhealthy food is still king, drive-throughs are killing us,  and that we simply choose not to choose the right food. Okay, I’m breathing and I’ll calm down here, but please for your own health or someone else you know, pass this along. I want you healthy, I want your family healthy and I even the dog and cat. Like the Jerry McGuire movie and Cuba Gooding Jr., “help me help you.”

You can enjoy food but food is for feeding your organs, skin muscles and everything else to function at high levels. Eating for pleasure is okay, but tone it down a bit and think of my 90/10 rule.  Eat 90% for staying alive and 10% for pleasure. I may sound a bit sarcastic in this portion of information I’m sharing , but I’m very serious and very concerned about our nation’s health. Frankly, I’m embarrassed. I train people from all over the world and I constantly hear about how we ( Americans ) eat too much and eat terribly.  I wish I was from Australia, or New Zealand or even Iceland,  then I’d be too cold to eat, or to busy chasing kangaroos.

Soft Drinks

OMG or Oh my gosh. Help us all! I’m surprised anyone still has any teeth left and everyone is not one big, walking pimple. Sorry to be so graphic, but hello, is this America or what? Adult acne is a real problem caused by sugar. I’m happy to see more reaching for other drinks, but still be careful, soda is one of the leading sources of empty calories in America. Instead, have plain or flavored water, herbal iced tea or skim milk. If you crave a sweet drink, limit yourself to one glass of fruit juice a day—better yet, cut it with seltzer water. If you feel diet sodas help you lose weight, drink them—but try to get down to one a day or you’ll never lose your taste for super-sweet foods.  Heck the chemicals alone in diet soda should scare you to death and the sodium content alone causes bloating and water retention. People drink more because of the “0″ calorie factor, but keep in mind the sodium from the carbonated water will cause fluid retention and bloating which is very attractive. Chemicals alone don’t cause the harm, it’s the behaviors behind those who drink the “diet” sodas.

Alcohol

If I could show you all my abs right now I would. You want to see your abs again, put a cork in it. Want to lean out now? I suggest  change your party friends, change your scene and lifestyle and if you must, maybe once in a while, but drink less. I challenge my clients to stop cold turkey for 2-3 weeks and watch what happens. They come running in and lift up their shirts and say, “Suzie, you were right!”  Maybe it’s only a 4 pack for now but the 12 pack is coming! What a difference.

More people are drinking to soothe and comfort some of our most challenging days in this new world. Besides adding to depression, and being a depressant to slow down your metabolism, alcohol and weight loss don’t mix. It’s hard to make good eating habits  when the fog or buzz starts making decisions for you.

There’s lots of sugar in a chardonnay say vs a red cabernet. And that delicious margarita, look out and say adios. My point is obviously, alcohol can add a lot of extra calories to your diet, and it’s more caloric than other foods. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram (carbohydrates and fat contain only 4 calories per gram; fat contains 9 calories per gram). But there are reasons besides the calories to skip sipping.

Hop on the wagon and hold your wheels tight. Do your best and recognize how great you’ll feel.

Foods Containing Trans Fat

Love the tasty tortillas, butter cookies and everything with trans fat is simply yummy. The biggest offenders are margarine and vegetable shortenings—although, there are trans fat-free versions of both now—and processed food such as frozen meals, crackers, ramen soups, cake mixes, chips and candy. To see if a product has trans fat, check the ingredients list for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Don’t go by the nutrition facts panel: By law, a product can contain up to 0.49 (nearly half a gram) of trans fat per serving but still read “0 g” on the label   My favorite replacements are heart-healthy olive and canola oils.

Fried Foods

June 23, 2011 USA Today just published this article: “Potato Chip Worst Culprit for Weight Gain”   They open with, “Blame the potato chip. It’s the biggest demon behind that pound-a-year weight creep that plagues many of us, a major diet study found. Bigger than soda, candy and ice cream.”

You’ll notice that more chips are being bought these days  for they are not as expensive as other snacky food and it’s a comfort food conesuir first choice. Their glossy bags and bright colors yell, “eat me, you’ll feel better and I taste wonderful.”  That is no marketing mishap. 

The down and dirty: Don’t confuse foods made with trans fat with simple fried foods. There is a difference, but you should do your best to avoid both. Even when they don’t have trans fat, fried foods in restaurants are often cooked in oil that is reused. This can create by-products that have been linked to a variety of diseases. And fried foods are highly caloric. Frying causes a food to absorb more fat and calories.

One alternative you can try is oven-frying. Cut potatoes into strips, toss or spray with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and cook in a 400° oven until brown. And if you can’t live without potato chips, choose baked varieties made without trans fat. Crunch sparinglly please.

 White Bread

As a kid I used to love the Old Wonder Bread. I can see the color wrapper with the rainbow and what’s wrong with a good old fashion p & j sandwhich? Nothing, as long as you reach for a little more than just starch.

Don’t panic—you can still have your carbs,  ( you need carbs as fuel ) they just have to be whole grain. Compared with refined white flour, whole grains are not only more nutritious, they also have lots of fiber that will keep you fuller longer. To help you, “refined,” when referring to processed carbohydrates, means they have been stripped of their fiber and the many nutrients now known to be cancer-fighters, critical for heart health, helping to stabilize blood sugar and even enhance bone health.

To get truly “whole wheat” or “whole grain” bread, you need to be on your toes. Packaging can be misleading. Some brown “wheat” breads, for example, don’t even contain whole wheat! To make sure you’re getting a meaningful amount of whole grains, check that they show up at the beginning of the ingredients list. Bread should have at least two grams of fiber per slice.

This also goes for rice which we love in Hawaii. Brown rice is better. Although it takes longer to cook, it’s worth it in every bite. One scoop not two.

High-Fat Milk and Yogurt

Although milk and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium and protein, there is no reason to have the full-fat version when so many lower-fat versions are available. Again, be careful, look at the sugar content also.

More and more people are drinking alternatives to milk, such as almond milk and soy milk.  Keep in mind, a cup of whole milk has 7.9 grams of fat—4.5 grams of it saturated—and 24 milligrams of cholesterol. Compare that to a cup of nonfat skim milk’s 83 calories, 0.2 grams of fat, 0.125 grams of saturated fat and 5 milligrams of cholesterol. People complain of the taste but you’ll get used to it.

I recommends fat-free or one percent milk. As for cheese, opt for reduced-fat versions with no more than 5 grams of fat per ounce.  I’d really prefer you to avoid cheese if possible.

Keep it real, and keep it real food. I really love what I do and it’s important that you know I’m looking out for you. I’m not the kind of trainer or lifestyle coach that preaches, I live it, breathe it and eat well. I know it’s hard to be disciplined sometimes, but you have the power and the knowledge to make better choices. Everytime you eat, think of how your organs will feel, your muscles and your everything else if you feed it well. You’ll not only feel more energized you’ll notice that the world around you will be different. You’ll also be more aware of maybe some habits that need to go away for good.

Please do your best, walk tall and make each bite count.

See you on the water or maybe on the beach here in Maui one day.

Aloha, Suzie Cooney, CPT of Suzie Trains Maui

To learn more about Suzie go to:http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/   

You wonder how top professional athletes eat to win? Practice, like anything! It takes practice and discipline to choose the right training program, know how to recover, what gear to select, but what to eat?  People often ask me, what should I eat?

Discover the benefits of  knowing what to eat so you can to be your best,  finish your first windsurfing slalom event, SUP race,  or complete your first marathon. Eating for sports performance requires planning, testing and seeing what digests easily.  The last thing you want to worry about is running out of steam and crashing early, or worse losing everything on the course you just ate!  There’s no one perfect formula that suits all, so be patient and find out what you like and plan ahead.

In this article I’m going to keep it short and delicious and tell you what I eat to do my best for all the sports I enjoy! My breakfast, everyday consists of healthy, satisfying protein and complex carbs. I need fuel to get me through training 4-5 clients back to back or a training session on the water. I’ll blend a cup of low-fat yogurt ( prefer the Greek higher protein content ), a cup of high quality granola blended with a cup of fresh berries!

Developing and balancing your training routine is for some, much easier than creating healthy eating habits for your sport(s) of choice. I recommend to keep it as simple as possible and to include a combo of fueling carbs with some protein. The two components will be satiating and energy sustaining.

We’ve heard way too long that carbs are bad. Sure, if you’re sedentary and sitting on the couch eating a whole bag of potato chips, a loaf of white bread washed down with a soda, and the only surfing you do is channel surfing! 

Think of carbs and associate the word “healthy or whole grains” instead or think of the phrase “complex carbs”; fuel for the brain and your muscles. Most Americans eat “refined” grains with high contents of sugar and little to no fiber.  Whole grains or healthy grains contain necessary nutrients like magnesium (  plays an important role in bone health and blood pressure regulation ) Vitamin E ( functions as an antioxidant ) and zinc (  for the metabolism of the foods you eat ).

Carbs are GOOD if you choose the right ones and use it as fuel.   Some examples of good carbs are: oatmeal, quinoa or granola. On race day, my first choice is a cup of oatmeal with a pinch of raw sugar for taste with fresh berries on top and a half a cup of coffee and lots of water mixed with a little electrolytes .  This is easy for me to digest and can keep me fueled for at least 2+ hours of high intensity!

Next, let’s talk about protein which is necessary to keep your muscles in tip top shape as  you break them down. The best way to consume healthy amounts of protein for athletic performance is to eat nutritious, low fat foods such as lean red meat, nuts,egg whites, fish, beans, rice, and low fat dairy products. I also enjoy mid morning during my heavy client loads, a protein shake with about 27+ grams of protein and low in sugar. I’ll use VitaCoco  coconut water as my base and add a cup of fresh berries.

How much protein to consume will vary for each person. But for most athletes and in my book all of you are atheltes if your reading : divide your current weight by 2.2, multiply that number by 1.4, the number you come up with is the number of grams of protein you should consume. Another method to try is consuming 10 to 15 percent of your daily calories from protein sources.

The right amount of healthy grains and protein will be different for each athlete ( you ).  Eating the two combined all throughout the day is really key. So before performance, during if possible and after to assure proper recovery and repair of the muscles and tissue you broke down. There is a proper balance that one should try to achieve and I recommend taking it slow as you introduce new foods. Be sure you can tolerate certain foods and “practice” combining the two. Don’t wait until the morning of a special event. That can be disastrous.  Also, remember to hydrate well before and after.

Make each stroke count, paddle hard, or rig a big sail and enjoy the benefits of eating well.

Aloha and see you on the water and at the finish line!

Suzie Cooney, CPT   of Suzie Trains Maui

To train with Suzie while visiting Maui or to hire her for your next SUP Fitness Event/Clinic you can contact her at info@suzietrainsmaui.com

You can also go to her website at http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com   

Follow Suzie on Face Book : http://www.facebook.com/suzietrainsmaui.com

Thanks to Jon and thanks so much for sharing your great, healthy eating tips with my audience! You’re a great trainer AND a great cook!

Spicy and will knock your socks off AND keep your waistline trim.

To see more of Jon’s videos, go to: Fitness on the Run Show: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Fitness+on+The+Run+Show&aq=f

Jon, thanks again!  Yum!

Suzie Cooney, CPT  Suzie Trains Maui

Although the Thanksgiving Holiday is a time of family and friends, giving thanks and maybe a football game or two, it’s also a time, for some, a food free for all that can quickly add unwanted inches to your waistline.

But, if you have a game plan you can enjoy the day without adding the extra wobble!  Here are a few tips to keep your weight loss and fitness goals on track:

1. Don’t exercise as an excuse to indulge. You might say to yourself, “oh I’ll have a second serving of mash potatoes.” Well, that extra 300 calories you can eat in under 15 seconds, will take you at least 40 minutes or more of moderate cardio to burn that off.
2. Slow down. Allow your body to register the food you are putting in your mouth. For those fast gobblers, your body and brain can’t keep up with your mouth to know when it’s full.  So 20 minutes is a good target amount of time to eat. Also include a sip of water before each bite.
3. Cook with low-fat ingredients. There are many healthy substitutes for cooking a delicious meal. For example, try low fat, sodium free chicken broth, or low fat or fat free sour cream for the mash potatoes.  Also, sugar substitutes can save you hundreds of extra calories. And remember to cook the stuffing outside of the bird vs. inside. Reach for white meat vs. brown meat.
4. Holidays can be stressful times for many and is one of the main factors why people over eat during the holidays.  If there are too many relatives, kids or barking dogs all sitting around in one room, instead of reaching for 2 extra bread muffins, or another beer, take a break, get up and walk outside for some nice fresh air. If you’re the one who is so kindly cooking, plan ahead and have everyone bring a dish.
5. Watch out for pre dinner grazing. Sure, if you’re the cook, you can taste a little here and there. If you’re simply passing by the kitchen to “test” a few things before they are served, before you know it that could be an extra 500 calories.
6. Lastly, wear tighter fitting clothes! Leave the elastic pants in the drawer or use them to wash the car.

Here is a helpful link to help you prepare healthy, low-fat dishes this Thanksgiving. Brought you to by the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thanksgiving-recipes/NU00643

I give thanks to all my friends and ohana on Maui.

Happy Thanksgiving

Suzie Cooney is a certified personal trainer on Maui. Learn more about her and her services at www.suzietrainsmaui.com/blog

She can also be reached e: Suzie@SuzieTrainsMaui.com

Suzie Cooney, CPT

Are you a chronic dieter?  How many fad diets have you tried? Diets statistically just   don’t work.  The pounds come off you put them on again, and so the yo-yo cycle continues.

When we set out to go on a “diet” we are not truly committed. Take the word “diet” out of your language and replace with “lifestyle.”  Also, instead of using the word “lose” replace with “shed”. It also requires you to dig deep and discover what is the true convincing factor, as to why you want to shed the weight once and for all. It has to come from deep within and include daily reinforcement.

Most diets are simply not sustainable.  It’s going to take more than just a book, a few low- cal recipes and a DVD they sell to go with it, to make the critical mental shift. Depriving yourself, viewing your diet as a miserable journey adds to the failure component.

Diets also fail because our expectations are too high. We are a society of instant gratification. One needs to be patient, make simple changes and recognize your mistakes and not beat yourself up over them. Move on.   Long term goals are good, but set short term goals that you can achieve daily and weekly will add to your overall success.

Fad diets set you up to fail. Right around the corner of a good day, a ferocious binge awaits. Surround yourself with supportive people who don’t sabotage your efforts.

For every 3-5 pounds you lose, everything starts to feel better! You have more energy, your stress levels drop, your blood pressure drops and your joints of your body and move more freely.

In closing, my clients who are seriously successful with their shedding of weight are serious about their portions and measuring their food. They are also very good at keeping simple food journals to help them keep on course.

Keep up the good work everyone! Aloha,

Suzie Cooney, CPT

http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com

If I can help you achieve your short and long term “lifestyle” goals, I’m here to help! You can reach me at suzie@suzietrainsmaui.com

Find me on Face Book : http://www.facebook.com/suzietrainsmaui

How Fiber Helps You Lose Weight
Suzie Cooney, CPT

(Papaya, kale, brown rice and Swiss chard and apple)

We are fortunate to enjoy the plentiful great fruits and vegetables Maui offers. I often tell my clients to lose weight eat as much fiber as you can safely digest. Or when filling your plate, imagine your plate like a clock. From 12pm to 6pm, is a field of greens and other delicious vegetables.

Fiber is a virtually indigestible substance that is found mainly in the outer layers of plants. Fiber is a special type of carbohydrate that passes through the human digestive system virtually unchanged, without being broken down into nutrients.

Fiber is the part of plant-based foods that our bodies can’t easily digest. It passes through our digestive tract without providing nutrition or calories, and yet it is healthy and acts as a good scrubber.

Fiber helps to keep us regular ward off certain diseases and can also reduce our risk to colon cancer. Fiber also helps cholesterol to exit the body therefore reducing the risk of heart disease.

Fiber makes us feel full sooner and stays in our stomach longer than other substances we eat, slowing down our rate of digestion and keeping us feeling full longer. Due to its greater fiber content, a single serving of whole grain bread can be more filling than two servings of white bread.

Fiber also moves fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.

Some good examples of fiber-rich foods include:
• Legumes (lentils, dry beans and peas)
• Other vegetables
• Fruits
• Brown rice
• Whole grains (wheat, oats, barley)

Products labeled “whole grain” are made with the complete grain kernel, whether the grain remains intact as in oatmeal or it is ground to make bread, pasta or cereal. Watch out for labels that read, “100% wheat” or “multi-grain” or coloring added. Most wheat bread is almost identical to white bread except that caramel coloring has been added to make it look more natural.

Refined grains like white rice and those used to make white bread and sugary breakfast cereals have lost most of their fiber and nutrients. They turn into blood sugar (glucose) so fast and may cause a spike in your insulin level. This signals our body that plenty of energy is readily available and that it should stop burning fat and start storing it.

We know that an insulin spike is followed by a drop in insulin level that leaves us feeling tired and hungry and wanting to eat more. The unfortunate result of this event is that it makes us want to eat something else with high sugar content. Fiber helps keep our blood sugar at a more consistent level.

Adding more fiber to your diet will likely help you lose weight and improve your health. Start adding more slowly to see how you tolerate it.
Of course, regular exercise and plenty of fluids will also assist you in your weight loss efforts.

To help me stay in shape and eat healthy I make sure I get enough veggies and fruits, so I have them delivered each week to my home. I love the service Kula Fields offers and that I know I’m getting what my body needs. Now I have no excuses to eat well!  I make delicious smoothies with young coconut milk and Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Puree and all the fruits I can find.

Remember, take it slow on introducing more fiber. I promise you will see a great change in your body and feel great too.

Aloha and in good health,

Suzie Cooney, CPT of Suzie Trains Maui

www.suzietrainsmaui.com