One of the biggest mistakes that most people make is not sleeping enough. Sleep is just as important as exercising and nutrition when it comes to being the healthiest version of ourselves. But we don’t usually realize our inadequate sleep is what is triggering daytime drowsiness, lack of mental clarity, fatigue, and weight gain.

But what if you WANT to get adequate sleep but your mind and body says otherwise?

One of the biggest culprits of sleep issues is stress. Sleep and stress go hand-in-hand. When you’re stressed, you can’t sleep. When you can’t sleep, you’re stressed. Round and round we go!

When you address the core of your stress and sleep problems, your body can better rest and rejuvenate. But how do you figure out your sleep issues? The most common reason for sleep disturbances is a hormone imbalance.

Hormone Imbalances

All hormones and chemicals that govern our body are affected by sleep – even the hormones that control our weight.  

When we are asleep, the body is not producing as many stress hormones as when we are awake.  However, that said, if your body has produced too many stress hormones during your wakeful period, this may contribute to a vicious cycle of not being able to get to sleep or stay asleep.

Hormone imbalances can make you feel nervous, restless, and you can’t turn your brain off when it’s time to go to sleep. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, not enough sleep can influence hormones and getting a good night’s sleep is essential to keeping your hormones balanced. Another vicious cycle, right?

Getting adequate sleep is important for regulating a number of hormones, including cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, melatonin and even our hunger hormones (insulin, leptin, and ghrelin).

So, if you are having sleep issues, balancing your hormones may help you get the sleep your body needs.

How to Naturally Improve your Sleep

One way to improve your sleep is to make sure your body is getting ample amounts of magnesium.

Magnesium is one of the most common minerals on earth and is present in many foods and is essential for human health. This mineral has wide-ranging effects in the body and influences the processes that promote sleep. It helps relax the mind and body thus improving sleep. It also provides relief from the symptoms of stress and anxiety which can both have a negative impact on sleep. If your insomnia is related to an underlying mood issues such as depression and anxiety, then having ample amounts of magnesium in your body just might do the trick.

Magnesium can help us fall asleep faster.

Magnesium is known to help regulate melatonin secretion, a hormone responsible for guiding the body’s sleep-wake cycles. Magnesium also binds to GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors. GABA is the neurotransmitter responsible for quieting down nerve activity therefore it helps prepare your body and mind for sleep.

Magnesium can help us reach a restful sleep.

Not only can magnesium help you get to sleep, but it plays an important part in helping you reach a deep and restful sleep. Studies have shown a magnesium deficiency causes sleep patterns to be light and restless. This is partially due to this mineral’s influence on the nervous system.

Many of followers tell us they start sleeping well after starting to take Craving Defender which includes a balance of ingredients including the important mineral we’ve been talking about in this post, magnesium. And Craving Defender also helps defend our cravings and helps us lose weight—a WIN – WIN!

Struggle with cravings? Visit our Cravings Page!

The post How Hormonal Imbalances Block Adequate Sleep appeared first on Little Choices Everyday.

Carbohydrates are one of the body’s primary sources of energy and are vital for good health for everything from everyday tasks to exercise. However, many people don’t understand carbohydrates and are cutting back or doing a low-carb diet. This can be dangerous to your health and can often sabotage weight loss efforts.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, it is essential you know the difference between the different carbohydrates. There are good/complex/whole carbohydrates and bad/simple/refined carbohydrates.

So what exactly are carbs? “Carbohydrates are a key nutrient group (macronutrient) found in plant foods alongside proteins and fats. Carbs are found in a wide range of healthy and unhealthy food. They are your body’s premium fuel. They nourish your brain. They give you the energy to keep moving. Carbs power you through exercise by delaying the onset of fatigue,” says Dr. Shyamala Vishnumohan(opens in new tab), Doctor of Food and Nutrition Science (Ph.D.), Certified Prenatal Dietitian, and Real Food Advocate

Not all carbs are equal. Some give you energy, while others make you tired. Some help shed weight and others make you bloated.

Good/Complex/Whole Carbohydrates

These carbohydrates are foods are unprocessed and still in their ‘natural’ state – or very close to their natural state. They still contain their nutrition and are high in fiber and starch, which take longer to digest and contain important vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, and antioxidants. They also help regulate appetite and blood sugar, keeping you feeling full for longer.

These carbohydrates fuel your brain, give you energy, aids in digestion, helps you sleep better, prevents weight gain and burns more fat. Consuming these carbohydrates also help prevent cancer and lowers your risk of disease including heart diseases.

Food choices include fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Bad/Simple/Refined Carbohydrates

These carbohydrates are often highly processed with low nutritional content. These carbohydrates are known to make our blood sugar spike quickly, which then leaves us with a “crash” and more food cravings.

These carbohydrates can leave you feeling fatigued, irritable, constipated, and are even known to cause nutrient deficiencies. They also are linked to diabetes, obesity and other health conditions. 

Foods include white breads, white sugars, white pastas, snack foods, candies, french fries, donuts, juices, and soft drinks, just to name a few.

If you haven’t already noticed, food manufacturers and marketing companies are working hard to target those watching their carb intake and display “Low-Carb” or “Zero-Carb” on their packaging. In processing, the bran and germ of the whole grain are removed, which also removes fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants leaving them with little nutritional value. Sugar, sodium, and preservatives are then often added to enhance flavor and prolong shelf life. As always, check the ingredients for fillers, artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, and other unhealthful additives that sabotage our health and weight loss efforts.

Be bad/simple carb-free for life!

Many who go on low-carb diets, and then go off their low-carb diet usually gain the weight right back. Our bodies will go into shock if we go without (bad) carbohydrates for a period of time and then reintroduce them. When our bodies are shocked, it almost always results in gains. It’s best to remove all processed foods and stick to healthier choices for life to maintain your weight and a healthy lifestyle.

Looking for other ways to increase your energy levels and lose weight? Check out our amazing Craving Defender – Designed with you in mind!

You may also like this post.

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Today’s our last day (at least in this segment) with tips to increase your energy levels and lose weight. Something maybe each of us wants. It’s one we often don’t want to be important, but it is key to both increased energy levels and weight loss.

Get More Sleep

Many of us do not get enough sleep due to our busy life schedule, long list of to-dos, dealing with family members and meeting a deadline. Sleep deprivation drains your energy levels and makes you feel tired, grumpy, and lethargic the next day.

Your brain takes time to function optimally and this comes from adequate sleep for at least seven to nine hours each night. Getting adequate sleep not only boosts your energy levels, but also helps you lose weight fast.

Your body burns fat naturally while you’re sleeping and too little sleep can trigger a cortisol spike. Cortisol is a stress hormone which signals your body to conserve energy to fuel your waking hours. In other words, your body is more apt to store fat. You will also feel hungrier and less satisfied after meals, and your energy will decrease.

You can improve your sleep quality by reading a book, listening to relaxing music, taking a bubble bath, and limiting the use of electronic devices, like laptop or mobile.

Unplugging your wifi during the night hours has also been shown to improve sleep. This is because the WiFi uses radio frequency EMF to wirelessly transmit data from your wireless router to your devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers. The radio frequencies exposes everyone within its range to this EMF radiation and has been known to disrupt the deep restful sleep we all need.

We hope you received some valuable information from these posts and are ready to have energy to help you lose weight!

Want more ways to increase your energy and lose weight? Add Craving Defender to your daily routine!

The post Increase Energy & Lose Weight Tip #5 appeared first on Little Choices Everyday.

Do you know getting regularly engaged in exercise reduces your likelihood of chronic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease? It also increases your energy levels and helps you lose weight.

That’s our next tip:

Engage in Exercise and Physical Activities

Research has revealed that performing daily activities not only increases your energy levels but it also fights fatigue including that early to mid afternoon slump.

One study found that fatigue and sleep quality was highly improved in participants who engaged in a low-intensity running program three times a week.

Another study reported that the following factors improved for those who participated in a 6-week exercise program:

• Cognitive function
• Overall fatigue
• Work ability
• Sleep quality
• Emotional exhaustion

Increasing the frequency of workout can also help you boost your energy and achieve your weight loss goals.

Try doing the following physical activities:

• Walking or running
• Biking
• Hiking
• Swimming
• Playing outdoor games
• Gardening
• Taking the stairs instead of elevator

Summer is a great time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Get outside before the heat of the day and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration or heat exhaustion.

Want more ways to increase your energy and lose weight? Add Craving Defender to your daily routine!

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Do you need to increase your energy levels? Are you ready to lose weight? We’ve been giving you some tips to help and today’s tip is an important one!

Tip # 3. Avoid Processed Sugar:

Reaching for a sugar-filled snack may give you an energy boost but it is for only a short-time. When you consume large amounts of artificial, processed or added sugar it can cause a rapid drop in your energy levels, making you feel more fatigued and tired.

Consuming processed sugar not only zaps our energy and increases the number on the scale, but it contributes to numerous illnesses and diseases. Our bodies do not know what to do with these processed sugars so it just sits in our liver—our main fat-burning organ.

On the other hand, our bodies know how to handle natural sweeteners which makes them a whole lot healthier to consume. Eating natural sweeteners and making more healthy choices will increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin, allowing for a slow and steady release of sugar in the bloodstream.

So, choose wisely: Honey, stevia, dates, maple syrup and Monk Fruit sweeteners are our favorites. Make sure you select pure and when possible, organic brands.

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In order to lose weight, our metabolism needs to be working properly. Our body’s metabolism requires an adequate amount of nutrients available in the body. Some of those nutrients are essential for a healthy metabolism. If our bodies don’t have these important nutrients, it may cause a deficiency which can result in decreased metabolic rate. The result of an unhealthy metabolism is weight gain as well as a lack of energy making you extra tired throughout the day. 

The ingredients included in the Craving Defender helps supports a healthy metabolism. When you have a healthy metabolism, you will have more energy and thus more energy resources will be consumed from the body. These energy resources are in the form of carbohydrates and fats. When you increase your consumption of these energy resources, it will eventually lead to weight loss and increased energy levels. And as a bonus, since your sugar cravings are controlled due to Craving Defender, you will not be craving nor supplying your body with unhealthy sugars. 

Decreasing your intake of sugar will force your body to end up using the body’s carbohydrates and fats resources instead. This will lead to a very efficient weight loss journey. Your body will also stop retaining large quantities of water and this will further reduce the body’s weight with the help of Vitamin B6 included in Craving Defender.

Ready to speed up weight loss? Make healthier choices? Our Craving Defender blend is here to help you!

The post How You Can Have a Healthy Metabolism appeared first on Little Choices Everyday.

What better way to start your day than with a cookie. Especially one you don’t have to feel guilty about! 

This easy recipe is sure to be a favorite. Perfect for those busy mornings or when you need to eat breakfast on the run. Each satisfying ingredient will add health benefits while giving you a morning boost!

Bananas provides quick fuel to the liver and wakes up cells increasing their ability to do it’s job in the liver—our main fat-burning organ.  

Oatmeal is a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of important vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. They work hard to help your body shed some weight, lower blood sugar levels and a reduced risk of heart disease.

Ceylon Cinnamon contains 41 different antioxidants which are highly effective at fighting inflammation throughout the body. Ceylon Cinnamon helps you lose weight by helping increase your metabolism i.e. helping increase how you burn calories, and by extension fat.  It can also lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Medjool dates are full of nutrients, high in antioxidants and offer a significant amount of fiber. Dates are optional, but they and a natural sweetness to these cookies.

Cranberries are rich in various healthy vitamins as well as various antioxidants that may be beneficial for heart health. They are also known to help prevent and lesson urinary tract infections.

Raisins offer wonderful health benefits and possess strong antiviral properties. Raisins can help in the removal of radiation from the body as well as toxic heavy metals from the liver.

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies 

• 1 large ripe banana (about 1/2 cup mashed)
• 1 cup gluten-free oats
• 1 teaspoon Ceylon Cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped Medjool dates
• 1/4 cup cranberries and/or raisins 

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and blend well until evenly mixed. Take a large spoon full and place on a baking sheet. Flatten and form them slightly to make make a cookie shape.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool completely before eating.

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Wild blueberries might just be the most valuable food in God’s garden that can help heal our bodies. There is not a cancer that wild blueberries cannot prevent, nor a disease known to humankind that wild blueberries cannot protect you from. 

Wild blueberries have sky-high levels of antioxidants—the highest proportion of antioxidants of any food on the planet. They also are exceptionally effective for detoxing heavy metals from our system and restoring the liver—our main fat-burning organ. 

Learn more about wild blueberries and their super powers.

• 1 cup  gluten-free oats
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon Ceylon Cinnamon
• 1/2 cup wild blueberries 
• Stevia, if desired.

Place the oats and water in a small saucepan then stir to blend. Bring it to a boil and reduce to a simmer. cover, and cook until soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add more water if needed.

Remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon and stevia. Lightly blend in the wild blueberries.

Where to buy wild blueberries:

If you’re in the United States, seek out frozen or fresh wild blueberries from Maine. If you’re in Canada, seek out those from eastern Canada. If you live in another country, don’t underestimate the wild blueberries that may be growing in your region; they hold miraculous benefits that far exceed those of any cultivated blueberry.

Wyman’s Frozen Wild Blueberries at Whole Foods or Target

Wyman’s Blueberry Powder (Amazon)

The post Detox & Restore with Wild Blueberry Oatmeal appeared first on Little Choices Everyday.

There’s nothing more satisfying than a nice cup of hot cocoa when it is cold outside. This healthy hot cocoa recipe is a warm sweet treat that satisfies your sweet cravings. Sip a hot cup of hot cocoa in the evenings without the side effects of the sugar.

The benefits from the ingredients are many! Here are just a few:

Almonds are known for their high content of antioxidants and contains vitamin E which helps filter our the free radicals from our bodies.

Raw cacao gives you added antioxidants, magnesium, iron, zinc, and potassium. 

Ceylon Cinnamon contains 41 different antioxidants which are highly effective at fighting inflammation throughout the body. Cinnamon can also help you lose weight by helping increase your metabolism.

Pumpkin Pie Spice helps lower inflammation, detox the body, boosts the immune system and protects the body from free radicals.

We use the Chocolate Stevia but you can use any stevia.

Making hot chocolate mix from scratch is very easy! 

P2 – Use water instead of almond milk

Healthy Hot Cocoa

• 1 cup water or almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1/2 tbsp. unsweetened Cacao powder
• 1/8 tsp. Ceylon Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Few drops of liquid stevia, to taste.

Add all of the ingredients to a small pot. Place the pot over medium-low heat and whisk until the powder is dissolved. Cook until the milk is thoroughly warmed through (about 2-3 minutes). Pour into a mug, sprinkle with more Cacao, cinnamon and/or pumpkin spice if desired and serve immediately.

The post P2/P3 Healthy Hot Cocoa with a Yummy Twist appeared first on Little Choices Everyday.

It’s important to slowly introduce new foods when entering Phase 3. Here are some guidelines.

New Proteins:

You can start adding in new proteins week one and day one of P3 after your 72 hours post from LDW.
Eggs – Cage-free organic preferred
Bacon – sugar-free
Sausage – sugar-free
Chicken – on the bone
Meat protein – watch the ingredients
Protein Drink – May sure your protein does not have hidden sugars, Jay Robb, Show Me the Whey or Whey to Go are good choices.

New Vegetables:

Start with low starch veggies on week one and mix them!

The following is a list of common non-starchy vegetables:

• Amaranth greens or Chinese spinach
• Artichoke
• Artichoke hearts
• Asparagus
• Baby corn
• Bamboo shoots
• Bean sprouts
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage (green, bok choy, Chinese)
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chayote
• Coleslaw (packaged, no dressing)
• Cucumber
• Daikon
• Eggplant
• Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
• Hearts of palm
• Jicama
• Kohlrabi
• Leeks
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Onions
• Peppers
• Radishes
• Rutabaga
• Salad greens (chicory, endive, escarole, lettuce, romaine, spinach, arugula, radicchio, watercress)
• Sprouts
• Swiss chard
• Tomato
• Turnips
• Water chestnuts
• Yard-long beans

Always on the essentials list is:

Olive oil
Butter
Coconut Oil
MCT Oil
Palm Oil
Greek Yogurt
Stevia
Braggs Amino Acids
ACV
Detox tea
Braggs has a few dressings that are safe for Phase 3 in moderation
Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Products
Almond Butter
Fage Greek Yogurt

Here is a sample menu for a typical Phase 3 Day: You want to get around 100-150 grams of protein per day depending on your calorie maintenance amount and as close to 45-50% during the stabilization period.
We really concentrate on protein during phase 3 and healthy fats and veggies.

Breakfast:

Country Breakfast Skillet

1/4 – 1/2 cup mixture of chopped onion, green peppers, and red peppers and any other favorite veggie
3 slices (no sugar added) bacon, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 small tomato, cubed
Small amount shredded white cheese of choice (I used Mozzarella and Pepper Jack) or skip if cheese is an issue for you.
3 eggs, lightly beaten (Read More)

Lunch:
Cinnamon Chicken
(Option 2)
1 Large Chicken Breast
1 serving Melba toast crumbs
½ cup of chicken broth or water
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of cardamom
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
Dash of garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Stevia to taste (Read More)

Coconut Zucchini

1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 tsp. coconut vinegar
Onion slices
Oregano, sea salt, and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, onion and sprinkle spices over top. Cook until cooked.
Or side with soup…

Turkey Vegetable Soup
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/3 c. chopped onion
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground turkey (or bison)
3 stalks celery, chopped with leaves
1 c. green peppers, chopped
3 medium zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can beef broth
1 can water
1-1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. parsley
Ginger, grated or zest
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer, stirring continually. Add meat and cook until meat is no longer pink. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Serve and top with cheese, if desired.

Afternoon snack:
Chocolate Shake
1/2 C. Greek Yogurt
1 scoop Jay Robb protein powder (I used chocolate)
1 Tbsp organic, no sugar added peanut butter
3/4 C. Almond Milk
A few drops of Stevia (I used English Toffee)
1-2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream (optional)
Mix together with a blender or Magic Bullet. Refrigerate for a short time and enjoy!
Add a bowl of grapes or melon

Dinner:
Turkey Spinach Meatloaf(Option 1)
It took me a while to perfect this recipe but it is now a family favorite.  ~Carol 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. oat bran
3 tsp. coconut oil
1 C. onion, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 C. red pepper, chopped
1/2 C. green bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. Jalapeno peppers, chopped fine (optional) (Read More)

Gourmet Sausage & Veggies

(Option 2)
1 Gourmet Sausage link (Sugar-Free)
Veggies of choice (I use peppers and red onion)
Slice sausage and fry in MCT or Coconut Oil. Cook until lightly browned.
Add veggies and cook until veggies are to desired tenderness. Serve and enjoy.

One of the benefits of being in Phase 3 is being able to add in some yummy treats like Carol’s Cheesecakes, after week one and in moderation.  Also, we can enjoy adding in Julian or Ezekiel Bread products to your diet during this phase. These are things many of us missed in phase 2 but the difference is these are healthy alternatives to the fattening breads and desserts we were used to eating before protocol.  Making essential changes to your ingredients and checking your labels for hidden sugars is key to success.

There are many Chocolate Delight recipes for Phase 2 like the Almond Joy or Peanut Butter Cups you can enjoy for dessert with your meals.  Click here for all the Chocolate Delight Recipes!

Remember to drink your lemon water.  I recommend starting the day with a cup of hot water with lemon and use a full lemon throughout the day.  This will help detox the liver.  Using detox tea and the other detox methods will be a lifetime tool you can use to keep your body stabilized.  Using products like Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar for life will also help you maintain and keep your body burning those calories.

There are many phase 3 menus items. Everyone has a tolerance for different foods. If you are sensitive to dairy wait a few weeks then start adding it in 1T at a time and you can increase to find your tolerance level. Also, dairy can be inflammatory and take longer to digest, so if you are sensitive try adding cheese with breakfast or lunch and let your menu get cleaner closer to dinner and it will help the scale as well. It is not always what you add but the timing of it during the day that makes a difference. If you are struggling and need help with menu balancing use the request form on the right side of the website and submit your menu for review.

The post Phase 3 – Our Essentials List of Items appeared first on Little Choices Everyday.

We recently held a contest on our Facebook Support Group and had everyone share their favorite kitchen gadgets that help them make life easier in the kitchen.  Enjoy these favorites for the perfect Christmas present.

1.  Ninja Blender – This was the number one favorite pick (Click Here)

2.  George Foreman Grill (Click Here)

3. Lemon Squeezer (Click Here) 

4. The BEST EVER Favorite nonstick cookware (Click Here)

5. Julienne Vegetable Peeler (Click Here)

6. Apple Slice (Click Here)

7. KitchenAid Mixer (Click Here)

8. Blendtec Blender (Click Here)

9. Garlic Chopper (Click Here)

10. NutriBullet (Click Here)

The post Favorite Gadgets appeared first on Little Choices Everyday.