LiveWell Vermont

2016 will be a new year and potentially a new you. New Year’s resolutions are a good thing. If this statement is hard to believe, it's probably because of your history with setting them and getting the same unnerving result. This year, however, it can be different. You owe it to yourself to become the new person you want to be. Not in order to impress other people. You’re going to do it to remind yourself that yes, you can do whatever you put your mind to and become the person you want to be. Are you ready to create a successful history? Check out the following tips to making it a happy and healthy 2016 and hello to the new you! Share Your Plans You may not have had success in prior years and hesitate to talk about your 2016 goals, but this may be the most important tip of all. If you choose to keep them a secret, you're 95% more likely to repeat last year's outcome. Sharing your future plans with family and friends is a great way to enlist support for your journey...

If you’re on a mission to live a healthier lifestyle then it’s really important to focus on the right things. Losing pounds feels good, but if those pounds are precious muscle, then you’re actually hurting your overall ability for fat loss and damaging your metabolism. In order to ensure that the weight you’re losing is FAT and not MUSCLE implement the following tips: Healthy Lifestyle Tip #1: Keep Track Your willingness to track your food intake is directly proportional to your desire to lose weight. Being serious about losing weight means taking note of every morsel you consume. But keep in mind, however, that the type of food you eat matters - not just the calories.  Make sure the calories you are consuming contain enough protein, fiber and healthy fat, and limit the sugar, artificially flavored foods and processed foods. Healthy Lifestyle Tip #2: Eat Breakfast Possibly the most fundamental eating tip of all time, a healthy breakfast with a good protein source will hel...

Surprisingly, this casserole tastes just like comfort food, but is also nutritious. Kale is a nutritional powerhouse, filled with calcium, and numerous vitamins and minerals. Servings: 6  Ingredients 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups kale, chopped dash of salt and pepper Pinch of each, dried: thyme, rosemary, tarragon, and parsley 4 links nitrate-free, chicken sausage, sliced into half moons (try the following brands: Aidells, Bilinski's, or El Fresco) 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded and divided Preparation Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a casserole dish with olive oil. Place a large pot of water to boil with a pinch of salt. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, dried herbs and chicken sausage. Mix well, and then add kale. ...

For so many of us, the holidays are a wonderful time with friends and family, but dread the extra weight that we know we’re bound to gain. But are these holiday pounds inevitable? Well, the good news is that the pounds don't have to be the result of Holiday cheer! Below are the "secrets" to preventing the unwanted pounds this Holiday. Once you've read this, don't keep them a secret any longer. Go give someone else an early Christmas gift! Secret #1: Practice Mindfulness What does this mean? It means slowing down and listening to your body. It may not speak quickly enough all the time, but you know your body is constantly telling you things. Sometimes it tells you to stop a certain activity before you get hurt. During the holiday season, it tells you to put the brakes on your eating before you go beyond the point of no return. When your body tells you it’s full, listen up! A single bite after you’re full will lead to extra calories and eventually, extra pound...

Try this healthy casserole for a side to an evening meal or the perfect dish for a Holiday party! Serves 4 Ingredients 1 large sweet potato 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 1 jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, minced ½ small white onion, minced 8 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped salt, to taste 2 medium pears, peeled and thinly sliced Preparation Heat the oven to 400º F. Prick the sweet potato a few times with a fork. Roast for 1-1¼ hours, until the skin feels loose and the potato feels soft. Remove and reduce the oven heat to 350º F. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil. Add the jalapeño and onion. Cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the spinach and a couple pinches of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Grease an 8×8-inch casserole dish. Arrange the pears in a layer in the bottom of the dish. When the sweet potato is cool enough to handl...

The Holidays are filled with get-togethers, good food and time to sit back and reflect on all there is to be thankful for. But for many, the Holiday season brings with it stress, anxiety, sadness and despair, leading to a full-blown case of the Holiday blues. A lot of people around the Holidays want to have everything perfect. When it's not, it causes them stress and anxiety. In fact, the "season to be jolly" is anything but for millions of Americans. "People get burned out and wish the Holidays were over," according to Dr. Jeffrey Brantley of Duke University's Center for Integrative Medicine. The Holiday blues can be brought on by a variety of factors, according to the National Mental Health Association, including: Stress Fatigue Unrealistic expectations Over-commercialization Financial constraints Inability to be with one's family and friends The demands of shopping, parties, family reunions and house guests Holiday blues can encompass...

New Year's Eve is not far away. Check out this fun race in Montpelier. Many of us participated last year! Feel free to share other fun events to start 2016 with a bang!  http://www.cvrunners.org/newyearseve/index.html

If you overindulged this Thanksgiving or are just looking for ways to be less sedentary at work, then check out this TIME article “10 Deskercises You Can Do at  Work”:  http://ti.me/1FrMRrc .  TIME reports that sitting can increase your risk for cancer by more than 60 percent!