How to be a Healthy Latina

November 18, 2019December 1, 2022 shared

At De Las Mías being a Healthy Latina is all about being body positive, food positive and culture positive. We don’t reject our food, our culture or our body to live a healthier life. We embrace the whole paquete and find the healthy path.

To become healthier and more powerful, más fregonas, we need to build a life of healthy habits. And that’s one of the areas we want to focus on:

Build daily healthy habits.

Ours is not a faster path to skinny jeans. We want to change poquito por poquito, and build up our healthy habits over time.

Ditch the Diet Culture and Stop Dieting

We are not a diet club because diets don’t work. But, we want to help you crack the healthy weight code. It’s no secret that we all want to feel attractive, guapas, and be healthy and strong. But here’s a novel idea: STOP DIETING.

The way to crack the healthy weight code is to STOP DIETING. I know you don’t believe me so read on…

“Would you take a medicine that was proven ineffective 95 percent of the time? That’s the failure rate of most traditional diets.” That’s what Rebecca Scritchfield, a registered dietician and author tells us in her book, Body Kindness.

Think about that, Mujer! We spend billions of dollars a year on diets that don’t work.

So here’s the magic formula that is going to crack the code: First, stop dieting. Then, mix one part self-love and self-acceptance, and one part make small healthy changes over time. This will build the life-long habits that will turn you into a Super Mujer. That’s it!

Habits are the building blocks of life.

How Habits Tie into Our Identity

I came across some interesting work by James Clear, author of the New York Times Bestseller, Atomic Habits. He has some insights on habits and he ties habits with identity.

The basic premise he explains is that in order to change habits, you need to “embody” the new behavior. In order for it to turn it into a habit, it needs to become a part of your identity. Make it part of who you are and how you express yourself.

This made perfect sense to me…I remembered many years ago, when my friend and creative writing mentor, Miriam Sagan, gave me some very good advice about being a writer.

I was just beginning my life as a short story writer and I told her I was worried that I would never become a writer because I would never get published. And this is what she said to me, “Honey, a writer is not someone who gets published. A writer is someone who writes.”

At first, I didn’t get it. “I’m not sure what you mean,” I said.

She said, “The way to become a writer is to do what a writer does. That’s it. If you want to become a writer, write.”

The second explanation made more sense to me and I have called myself a writer ever since. And yes, I have had lots of my work published, but publishing didn’t make me a writer. Writing made me a writer. I first had to own my identity as a writer and then do what a writer does.

My daughter is another good example of this. Sada is a dancer. Her identity is wrapped up in being a dancer. She dances. When she doesn’t dance, she doesn’t feel like herself. And that is because she is not doing what a dancer does. A dancer dances.

A cyclists cycles. A cook cooks. A mother mothers. Get the picture?

The Healthy Latina Identity

Now, let’s talk about our identity as Latinas. What do you do as a Latina that makes you a Latina? Think about it. I am sure you can come up with a few examples. ¿Cómo te latinas? How do you Latinize yourself?

Now let’s jump to a Healthy Latina identity. I call myself a Healthy Latina. That is part of who I am and what I do. Am I at the “ideal weight” according to the BMI charts? Nope. Do I eat donuts? Yup. De vez en cuando. Do I love me a good bizcochito once in a while? ¡Absolutamente! Con un cafectio por favor.

Donuts and bizcochitos notwithstanding, the way I embody my identity as a Healthy Latina is by what I do on a daily basis. Every day, I eat fruits and veggies. I bike. I walk. I get my sleep. I drink my water. Those habits are all part of what makes me a Healthy Latina. Do I do this all the time? No. But I can tell you that these are my healthy habits that help me own my identity as a Healthy Latina.

A word of caution about labels and identity: There is so much research out there that points to the health problems that we Latinas and Latinx face. These health problems are real, but it is not, nor should it be, part of our identity. For example, having diabetes doesn’t make you “A Diabetic.” You have diabetes, you are a person with diabetes but you, my dear, are not A Diabetic.

We can be Healthy Latinas. We can claim that identity for ourselves and do what Healthy Latinas do.

Choose how you want to identify yourself and own it. Embody your identity and don’t let anyone pin a label on you that you don’t want.

What makes you a Healthy Latina?

Tell me. Start practicing those healthy habits now. Start small. Build Up. Poquito por poquito.

References:

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Book by James Clear

October 2018

Penguin Random House

Body Kindness: Transform Your Health from the Inside Out–and Never Say Diet Again

Book by Rebecca Scritchfield

December 2016

Workman Publishing

¡Hola, Guapa!, Edición No. 4: Reflection, Healthy Body, Spanish

¿Debo bajar de peso?

November 7, 2019December 1, 2022 shared

¿Debo bajar de peso?

¿Cuántas veces te has hecho esta pregunta? En De Las Mías, nos gustaría que reformularas la pregunta y que te preguntaras: “¿Debería cuidarme mejor?” Si aún no lo has hecho, lee mi historia, Sobre todo delgada. Esta es una historia personal sobre lo que puede pasar cuando te dedicas a ser, “Sobre todo delgada”.

¿Cómo hemos llegado hasta aquí?

Tal vez tu médico te ha dicho que necesitas bajar de peso para salir de la zona de peligro. (Diabetes, enfermedades cardíacas, presión arterial alta, algunos tipos de cáncer) Tal vez ya tienes prediabetes. Tal vez tu mamá y tu abuela ya tienen diabetes y tú no la quieres. Tal vez tu novio hace comentarios sobre el cuerpazo de otra mujer y ella pesa 30 libras menos que tú. Tal vez tus jeans son demasiado ajustados y no te sientes bien en ellos. Tal vez quieres parecerte a la J. Lo Tal vez miraste tu IMC. (BMI en inglés.)

Logrando un peso más saludable y natural

Hay muchas razones, y algunas de ellas son buenas razones, por las que es importante llegar a un peso más saludable y natural, pero etiquetarte a tí misma, comparar tu cuerpo con el de las demás y seguir una dieta de privación loca no te va a llevar allí. Esa es una de las razones por las que estamos abandonando el uso del IMC como una medida de peso saludable.

De Las Mías dejamos de usar el IMC – BMI para evaluar tu peso

Tradicionalmente, el IMC – BMI en inglés – se desarrolló como una forma de evaluar si alguiennecesitaba bajar de peso. Por más de 100 años se ha utilizado como una forma de ayudar a evaluar si las personas están en la categoría de “peso saludable”. El índice de IMC es simplemente un número basado en tu peso y tu altura. Durante más de 100 años, la premisa general del IMC ha sido que cuanto más alto es tu IMC, más gordura tienes en tu cuerpo. Pero a medida que ha pasado el tiempo, los científicos se han dado cuenta de que el IMC en realidad no mide el porcentaje de grasa, músculo o hueso en el cuerpo. Un artículo reciente en el New York Times hace un gran trabajo al explicar cómo se ha utilizado el IMC en el pasado y cómo puede ser útil o perjudicial. Por ejemplo, afirma que las medidas de IMC a veces son útiles en la investigación de la salud del peso. Y, de hecho, nosotras hemos utlizados medidas de IMC en nuestra propiainvestigación patrocinada por el Instituto Nacional de Salud – NIH. Usamos esa medida para observar los datos relacionados con la salud del peso y la construcción de hábitos saludables.

Un cambio importante

A través de nuestro jornada en ayudar a las latinas a vivir una vida más saludable, hemos llegado a reconocer que tan inútil pueden ser las etiquetas de IMC para ayudar a las mujeres a ser más saludables. Así que de hecho, hemos decidido no usar el IMC como una herramienta para evaluar si las mujeres tienen un peso saludable. En De Las Mías creemos que si fomentamos el amor propio y practicamos el autocuidado llegaremos a una vida más sana y equilibrada. Creemos que con el tiempo estos cambios conducirán un peso más saludable y natural para nuestros cuerpos únicos y hermosos. Te animamos a que te cuides mejor y desarrolles hábitos saludables. Con el tiempo esta es la forma más segura de llegar a un lugar más saludable. Cada vez más investigaciones han demostrado la efectividad de este enfoque. Felizmente no estamos solas con esta filosofía. Nos encanta el trabajo de la Dra. Linda Bacon, autora de Health at Any Size. Su trabajo innovador en el campo de la salud del peso está muy bien alineado con el nuestro. Bacon y sus colegas han llevado a cabo varios proyectos de investigación bien diseñados que llegan a esta misma conclusión: si deseas alcanzar un peso saludable y natural, tu mejor opción es centrarte en aceptarte a ti misma y en dedicarte a cuidarte mejor. El trabajo de la Dra. Bacon, al igual que el trabajo de De Las Mías, es sacarte de la “mentalidad de pérdida de peso” y llevarte a la “mentalidad de buscar la salud y la felicidad”. (1)

Con esa filosofía en mente desarrollamos las Herramientas De Las Mías para una Vida Saludable

Te invitamos a explorar la App de De Las Mías para obtener excelentes herramientas para aprender a cuidarte mejor y llevar una vida saludable. Una de las herramientas recomendadas para una alimentación saludable es nuestro Plan de comer saludable.

¿Qué es un Plan de comer saludable?

Cuando quieres que algo suceda, y quieres que dure, necesitas un plan. Comer saludablemente no es excepción. ¡Tenemos unos cuantos consejos fabulosos de la madrina Malena, nuestra nutrióloga! Ella nos dice que un Plan de comer saludable es lo que nos dará los nutrientes que necesitamos para llevar una vida sana y saludable. Haz clic aquí para ver el Plan Saludable de la madrina Malena. Como latinas, sabemos que la no sólo alimenta nuestro cuerpo, sino que también nuestro espíritu. Tenemos una gran colección de platillos mexicanos saludables de la cocina de la madrina Lori. Lori y Malena son nuestro dúo dinámico- las llamaremos ¡Las Madrinas en La Cocina! Vas a adorar preparar y disfrutar estos alimentos deliciosos, nutritivos y de afirmantes de nuestra cultura.

¿Actividad física?

¡Si! El Instituto Nacional de Salud – NIH – en los EEUUS recomienda hacer actividad moderada a vigorosa por lo menos 30 minutos al día, cinco días por semana. Moderado quiere decir: Caminar, andar en bicicleta a menos de 10 millas por hora, trabajar en el jardín, bailar, hacer aeróbicos en el agua, o jugar en el parque con tus hijos o nietos. Vigoroso quiere decir: Correr o trotar, caminar rápido, andar en bicicleta rápido, hacer trabajo pesado en el jardín, nadar con más fuerza en la alberca o hacer deportes como basquetbol o fútbol. En De Las Mías, ¡queremos que AMES A TU CUERPO! ¡Muévelo! ¡Báilalo! Camínalo, paséalo en bicicleta. ¡Corre! Haz un jardín! Y por favor, siéntete orgullosa de él. ¡Deja de comparar tu cuerpos con el de las demás. Muévete tanto como puedas, por lo menos cinco días a la semana por 30 minutos al día y concédete un gran ¡Eso! Así, ¿cuál es la mejor forma de llegar a un peso sano y natural? Poco a Poco. Sigue un plan saludable de alimentación que sea disfrutable y delicioso. Mueve tu cuerpo en una forma que afirme el amor que tienes por ti y tu deseo de ser saludable y fuerte. El camino a una vida sana y saludable de De Las Mías es una forma divertida, saludable y afirmante. Tenemos todo lo que necesitas para tu jornada. ¡Acompáñanos! ¡Únete a De Las Mías hoy mismo! ¡Unidas por una vida saludable!

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

¡Cuídate, Mujer! Self-Care and the Modern Latina

October 18, 2019 manton

How many times do you say “¡Cuídate, Mujer!” to your amigas and comadres?

How many times do you hear them say it to you? I hear it a lot. My comadre, Liz, almost always ends our phone calls with, “¡Cuídate, Mujer!”

The Age of Self-Care

Everyone is talking about Self-Care right now. And that’s a good thing, Comadres.

How are you doing when it comes to self-care? Latinas are famosas for putting everyone else first. We put ourselves last. Siempre estamos cuidando a somebody else.

At De Las Mías, we are all about inspiring you to take good care of you.

In the days of our mothers and grandmothers, when you heard some Chismosa say “ La Fulana se cuida muy bien,” it meant she had her hair and nails done. “Se cuida bien,” meant she took care of her looks and wore a girdle. Maybe she went out and bought herself new shoes or an outfit.

For us, self-care means much more than a mani-pedi. It means genuinely taking care of your mind, body, and soul.

Physical Activity & Taking Care of Your Body

What I’m talking about today, though, is for you to think about self-care in the context of taking care of your body.

Right now, take a moment and ask yourself, “How do I take care of my body?”

Make a list.

Does moving your body get on that list?

If you are like most Latinas, even if you know that moving that cuerpazo of yours is key to self-care, you probably don’t do it. No tienes tiempo, ni ganas. But because we want you healthy and poderosa, we want you to stop and think about taking care of your body as a vitally important part of being a healthy Super Mujer!

Here are some research-based facts to consider:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults ages 18 to 64 get 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. That’s about 30 minutes a day for 5 days.
Only 23% of all American adults meet these guidelines.
By some estimates, only 9% of Latinas meet these guidelines.
Almost half of Latinas in the U.S. report never engaging in any leisure time physical activity.

Here’s the good news: Research shows that Latinas who know others who exercise are much more likely to exercise themselves. ¡Así que dale gas, Mujer! And start hanging out with those ladies who go for walks, or Zumba, or to the gym, or dance in front of the mirror when no one is watching!

Move for 30 Minutes a Day

If you are using our Healthy Lifestyle Checklist, you will see that “Move for 30 minutes” is right there on the list for you to check off every day.

Move for 30 minutes a day. It is one of the healthiest habits you can practice. And it doesn’t have to be hard. Here are some simple ideas:

Break it up in 10-minute chunks. My comadre Mary with diabetes goes for 10 minutes after each meal. This helps lower her blood sugar and makes her feel great.
Go for two 15-minute walks, like I do with my dog. One in the morning, one in the afternoon. Remember, it doesn’t have to be all at once.
Call your comadre and go for a walk n’ talk! Come on, you know you want to. Walking and talking with your comadre is good for the body and the soul!
Find a physical activity that gives you joy and do it for 30 minutes every day!
Anímate and go to Zumba! Dancing to Latin tunes is so much fun! I haven’t made it the full hour yet, but so what? I feel great when I go and the music is great!
Get a bike! Go for a bike ride. It’s the closest thing to flying!
Take a yoga class. It doesn’t have to be from a fancy studio. Check out the local YMCA or rec center. There are lots of on-line resources for yoga too. Try one!
Dance to the music in your own living room. Dance with your kids!
Clean the house! Do it for 15 minutes at a time. Mopping is good exercise and so is vacuuming.
If you sit in front of a compu all day, get up every hour and walk for 5 minutes.
Take the steps instead of the elevator. Park your car further away from the store so you can add a few steps.

The Benefits of Physical Activity

Research proves that the benefits of physical activity are great:

Prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke (the three leading health-related causes of death)
Help manage your weight
Make your muscles stronger
Improves your mood
Promote strong bones, muscles, and joints
Condition heart and lungs
Build overall strength and endurance
Improve sleep
Lower your chances of depression
Get more energy
Build your self-esteem
Relieve your stress
Increase your chances of living longer

Sources: Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

¡Hola, Guapa!, Edición No. 8: Healthy Habits, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Spanish

¡Cuídate, Mujer! Self-Care and the Modern Latina

October 18, 2019December 6, 2022 shared

How many times do you say “¡Cuídate, Mujer!” to your amigas and comadres?

How many times do you hear them say it to you? I hear it a lot. My comadre, Liz, almost always ends our phone calls with, “¡Cuídate, Mujer!”

The Age of Self-Care

Everyone is talking about Self-Care right now. And that’s a good thing, Comadres.

How are you doing when it comes to self-care? Latinas are famosas for putting everyone else first. We put ourselves last. Siempre estamos cuidando a somebody else.

At De Las Mías, we are all about inspiring you to take good care of you.

For us, self-care means much more than a mani-pedi. It means genuinely taking care of your mind, body, and soul.

Physical Activity & Taking Care of Your Body

What I’m talking about today, though, is for you to think about self-care in the context of taking care of your body.

Right now, take a moment and ask yourself, “How do I take care of my body?”

Make a list.

Does moving your body get on that list?

Here are some research-based facts to consider:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults ages 18 to 64 get 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. That’s about 30 minutes a day for 5 days.
Only 23% of all American adults meet these guidelines.
By some estimates, only 9% of Latinas meet these guidelines.
Almost half of Latinas in the U.S. report never engaging in any leisure time physical activity.

Move for 30 Minutes a Day

If you are using our Healthy Lifestyle Checklist, you will see that “Move for 30 minutes” is right there on the list for you to check off every day.

Move for 30 minutes a day. It is one of the healthiest habits you can practice. And it doesn’t have to be hard. Here are some simple ideas:

Break it up in 10-minute chunks. My comadre Mary with diabetes goes for 10 minutes after each meal. This helps lower her blood sugar and makes her feel great.
Go for two 15-minute walks, like I do with my dog. One in the morning, one in the afternoon. Remember, it doesn’t have to be all at once.
Call your comadre and go for a walk n’ talk! Come on, you know you want to. Walking and talking with your comadre is good for the body and the soul!
Find a physical activity that gives you joy and do it for 30 minutes every day!
Anímate and go to Zumba! Dancing to Latin tunes is so much fun! I haven’t made it the full hour yet, but so what? I feel great when I go and the music is great!
Get a bike! Go for a bike ride. It’s the closest thing to flying!
Take a yoga class. It doesn’t have to be from a fancy studio. Check out the local YMCA or rec center. There are lots of on-line resources for yoga too. Try one!
Dance to the music in your own living room. Dance with your kids!
Clean the house! Do it for 15 minutes at a time. Mopping is good exercise and so is vacuuming.
If you sit in front of a compu all day, get up every hour and walk for 5 minutes.
Take the steps instead of the elevator. Park your car further away from the store so you can add a few steps.

The Benefits of Physical Activity

Research proves that the benefits of physical activity are great:

Prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke (the three leading health-related causes of death)
Help manage your weight
Make your muscles stronger
Improves your mood
Promote strong bones, muscles, and joints
Condition heart and lungs
Build overall strength and endurance
Improve sleep
Lower your chances of depression
Get more energy
Build your self-esteem
Relieve your stress
Increase your chances of living longer

Sources: Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Healthy Body, Healthy Family, Healthy Mexican Food

Healthy Habits & Self-Monitoring: A Powerful Tool for Change

October 10, 2019 manton

Whether you’re trying to get to a healthier weight or just eat healthier, one of the most powerful tools you can use is self-monitoring. Self-monitoring is simply paying attention to what you’re doing and keeping track of it. You can use self-monitoring to improve your eating habits, track your physical activity, become more aware of your moods – you can even track how you’re spending your money. Self-monitoring gives you power.

At De Las Mías we like to say, ¡Saber es poder! Knowledge is power.

If you are trying to make healthy changes, self-monitoring puts you in the driver’s seat.

The De Las Mías app offers you two great self-monitoring tools:

The Healthy Habits Checklist
Activity Tracker

The Healthy Habits Checklist

Find this quick and easy-to-use tool on the De Las Mías app! It’s there to remind you of the healthy habits you need to lead a healthier life. Use it daily to keep up with your healthy lifestyle goals. The checklist will help you stay on track: Eat more veggies! Drink more water! Call your comadre! Cut down on sugar! When you use the checklist you build healthy habits.

Do it for 3 days straight. See what happens. Then do it for 5. Then do it again until it sticks.

The Healthy Habits Checklist is a great self-monitoring tool. The healthy habits on the checklist are proven to improve your health. Get into the habit of using the checklist every day. And then one day, ¡Boinas! You are in the habit of being healthy.

Start doing it today. ¡Te va encantar! ¡You’re gonna love it!

The checklist includes all the important healthy habit goals you need to lead a healthier life, but there are 3 we would like you to start with:

Eat more vegetables
Eat more fruit
Get more exercise

First, let’s talk about healthy habits and how to eat more fruits and veggies. Next, we’ll talk about how to build a healthy habit of moving your body every day.

Let’s Get Started with the Veggie Habit!

The very first 2 healthy habits we want you to build is to eat your fruits and veggies. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), only one in 10 adults in the U.S. get the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Eating your daily fruits and veggies can help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

To jump start your healthy habit of eating more fruits and veggies, our certified nutritionist, la mera Malena Perdomo, came up with daily menus you can try from our recipes. If you choose your meals from the many delicious De Las Mías recipes, you’ll be well on your way to building healthy habits and becoming a Healthy Habit Super Mujer!

At De Las Mías, we are taking a page from the latest research that shows that you don’t have to count every calorie to get to a healthier weight. You can get to a healthier weight by building healthy habits over time. This is a more balanced way of living and one that you can keep up over your whole life. We’re not losing 30 pounds by Christmas here, Comadre. We’re working on a healthy lifestyle you can keep up ¡Por Vida! (And no, you don’t have to give up tamales.)

So Malena, our nutritionist, works with hundreds of women all over the country in her own practice as well as helping De Las Mías. She tells us, “Many of the women I work with want a simple approach to eating healthier. I help them by giving them a menu to follow for the week.”

Tres Días of De Las Mías: Three-Day Meal Plan

So her is a 3-day De Las Mías plan that she prepared for you. All of these recipes can be found on the De Las Mías app or website. We call it, Tres Días of De Las Mías!

Here’s how it works:

Review the recipes , check your pantry for ingredients you may already have, and go shopping for the rest.
Try the plan for 3 days and start checking off those healthy habits.
Let us know how it goes.

Remember this: De Las Mías is evidence-based! That means that all our Mexican, Southwestern and New Mexican recipes align with the highest standards set by the USDA as heart healthy and good for you! Our recipes are developed by our Test Kitchen Chef, Lori, in Saguarita, Arizona and then Malena analyzes them in her kitchen in Denver, Colorado. Our recetas are tried, tested and approved by Latinas just like you!

¡Buen Provecho!

Day 1 – Tres Días of De Las Mías

Breakfast: Spinach Scramble with Queso fresco (140cals) – Check off 1 serving of veggies!

Lunch: Watermelon and Almond Salad (130cals) and Enfrijoladas de Pollo* (400cals) – Check off 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of veggies!

Dinner: Tuna Tacos (330 cals) and Nopalitos Salsa (1cup 40cals) – Check off 1 serving of veggies!

Snack: Add one fruit, like an apple, orange or banana – Check off 1 more serving of fruit!

¡Eso! You just checked your 3 veggies and 2 fruits for the day! (All this for under 1200 calories – not that you’re counting!)

Day 2 – Tres Días of De Las Mías

Breakfast: Brunch Quesadilla (250cals)

Lunch: Turkey Taco Salad* (320 cals) – Check off 2 servings of veggies!

Dinner: Spicy Cauliflower (60cals), Roasted chicken* (190 cals), and Lori’s Quinoa Jalapeño Salad* (220cals) – Check off 2 serving of veggies!

Snack: Add a cup of chopped fruit like melon, pineapple, and strawberries . Have an orange, apple or banana. – Check off 2 servings of fruit! (Note: Fruit is better with – ¡limón y chilito!)

¡Eso! You just checked 4 servings of veggies and 2 fruits for the day! (Total calories for the day: 1,040. Pero lo más importante is you are building your healthy habits!)

Day 3 – Tres Días of De Las Mías

Breakfast: Old Fashioned Mexican Oatmeal* (90cals) and Mango Banana Smoothie* (180 cals) – Check off 1 serving of fruit!

Lunch: Shrimp and Veggie Taquitos (230cals) with Pico de Gallo Salsa (1/2 recipe: 55cals) – Check off 2 servings of veggies!

Dinner: Poblano Chicken Soup (140 cals) Arroz Verde* (150 cals) – Check off 2 servings of veggies!

Snack: Add your two fruits and check them off!

¡Eso! You just checked 4 servings of veggies and 3 fruits for the day! (Total calories for the day: 845.

*Recipes only available on the De Las Mías app. Download it today! Available on Google Play and App Store.

Note: For these three days, we are just counting veggies and fruits, but notice you are eating whole grains and lean protein too! ¡Eso! You are well on your way to becoming a Healthy Habits Super Mujer!

And we kept the calorie count low on purpose to encourage you to add some healthy snacks, such as your 2 frutas al día, a handful of almonds with a crispy apple, some hummus and veggies, a quick licuado or gazpacho in the afternoon slump.

Healthy Habits Recap

So just to recap: Here you have 3 full days of healthy eating that honors your culture and your buena salud! Get into the habit of eating your 3 veggies and 2 fruits a day and get into the habit of using the Healthy Habit Checklist. And soon you will be a Healthy Habit Super Star!

This is the way you create a habit:

Find something you like, for example, our delicious ways to eat more fruits and veggies.
Do it. Do it again. And repeat until it sticks.
Use the Healthy Habit Checklist to see how you’re doing and to nudge you to keep doing it! (Self-monitor!)
Enjoy those ¡Esos! And share them!
When you get through to the other side of Tres Días of De Las Mías, get yourself a reward! Flowers! A romp through Instagram or Pinterest! A new nail polish. You get the picture.
Encourage your amigas, comadres, hermanas and even your vatos to join you in your healthy habit quest!

See our 9 Steps Healthy Eating Plan for more ideas on how to embark on a healthier life.

¡Unidas for a Healthy Life!

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 8: Healthy Habits, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Mexican Food

Healthy Habits & Self-Monitoring: A Powerful Tool for Change

October 10, 2019September 14, 2022 shared

At De Las Mías we like to say, ¡Saber es poder! Knowledge is power.

If you are trying to make healthy changes, self-monitoring puts you in the driver’s seat.

The De Las Mías app offers you two great self-monitoring tools:

The Healthy Habits Checklist
Activity Tracker

The Healthy Habits Checklist

Do it for 3 days straight. See what happens. Then do it for 5. Then do it again until it sticks.

Start doing it today. ¡Te va encantar! ¡You’re gonna love it!

The checklist includes all the important healthy habit goals you need to lead a healthier life, but there are 3 we would like you to start with:

Eat more vegetables
Eat more fruit
Get more exercise

First, let’s talk about healthy habits and how to eat more fruits and veggies. Next, we’ll talk about how to build a healthy habit of moving your body every day.

Let’s Get Started with the Veggie Habit!

Tres Días of De Las Mías: Three-Day Meal Plan

So her is a 3-day De Las Mías plan that she prepared for you. All of these recipes can be found on the De Las Mías app or website. We call it, Tres Días of De Las Mías!

Here’s how it works:

Review the recipes , check your pantry for ingredients you may already have, and go shopping for the rest.
Try the plan for 3 days and start checking off those healthy habits.
Let us know how it goes.

¡Buen Provecho!

Day 1 – Tres Días of De Las Mías

Breakfast: Spinach Scramble with Queso fresco (140cals) – Check off 1 serving of veggies!

Lunch: Watermelon and Almond Salad (130cals) and Enfrijoladas de Pollo* (400cals) – Check off 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of veggies!

Dinner: Tuna Tacos (330 cals) and Nopalitos Salsa (1cup 40cals) – Check off 1 serving of veggies!

Snack: Add one fruit, like an apple, orange or banana – Check off 1 more serving of fruit!

¡Eso! You just checked your 3 veggies and 2 fruits for the day! (All this for under 1200 calories – not that you’re counting!)

Day 2 – Tres Días of De Las Mías

Breakfast: Brunch Quesadilla (250cals)

Lunch: Turkey Taco Salad* (320 cals) – Check off 2 servings of veggies!

Dinner: Spicy Cauliflower (60cals), Roasted chicken* (190 cals), and Lori’s Quinoa Jalapeño Salad* (220cals) – Check off 2 serving of veggies!

Snack: Add a cup of chopped fruit like melon, pineapple, and strawberries . Have an orange, apple or banana. – Check off 2 servings of fruit! (Note: Fruit is better with – ¡limón y chilito!)

¡Eso! You just checked 4 servings of veggies and 2 fruits for the day! (Total calories for the day: 1,040. Pero lo más importante is you are building your healthy habits!)

Day 3 – Tres Días of De Las Mías

Breakfast: Old Fashioned Mexican Oatmeal* (90cals) and Mango Banana Smoothie* (180 cals) – Check off 1 serving of fruit!

Lunch: Shrimp and Veggie Taquitos (230cals) with Pico de Gallo Salsa (1/2 recipe: 55cals) – Check off 2 servings of veggies!

Dinner: Poblano Chicken Soup (140 cals) Arroz Verde* (150 cals) – Check off 2 servings of veggies!

Snack: Add your two fruits and check them off!

¡Eso! You just checked 4 servings of veggies and 3 fruits for the day! (Total calories for the day: 845.

*Recipes only available on the De Las Mías app. Download it today! Available on Google Play and App Store.

Healthy Habits Recap

This is the way you create a habit:

Find something you like, for example, our delicious ways to eat more fruits and veggies.
Do it. Do it again. And repeat until it sticks.
Use the Healthy Habit Checklist to see how you’re doing and to nudge you to keep doing it! (Self-monitor!)
Enjoy those ¡Esos! And share them!
When you get through to the other side of Tres Días of De Las Mías, get yourself a reward! Flowers! A romp through Instagram or Pinterest! A new nail polish. You get the picture.
Encourage your amigas, comadres, hermanas and even your vatos to join you in your healthy habit quest!

See our 9 Steps Healthy Eating Plan for more ideas on how to embark on a healthier life.

¡Unidas for a Healthy Life!

¡Hola, Guapa!, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

Practice Mindfulness – A Simple Plan on How to Incorporate it into Your Life

September 23, 2019December 1, 2022 shared

What is Mindfulness?

You hear a lot about mindfulness these days. The simplest definition is that mindfulness is paying attention. Easy to define. Difficult to practice. You can use mindfulness in all areas of your life. Being mindful is the daily practice of becoming aware of yourself. Maybe that’s why it’s difficult: because we pay attention to ourselves last. Mindfulness includes paying attention to what your needs, what you eat, how much water you drink, how you listen, how you don’t listen, and how present you are in your life.

Mindfulness is one of the first steps in learning take better care of yourself.

A Simple Way to Start

If you have been thinking about mindfulness, here is one mindfulness practice you can start today. Just take a few minutes from your day and just be with yourself. Just check in with yourself and notice how you feel and how your body feels, without judgement. Practice this kind of presence of mind and body without self-criticism or put downs. Just be. With time, you will start to feel a stronger connection to yourself.

Here is a simple way to start a daily mindful meditation. Try it for 5 minutes for the next 5 days. After a week, go for 7 minutes. Build up to 10 minutes a day or whatever feels good and relaxing to you.

Find a comfortable place. It can be a comfortable chair, your bed, the floor, a bench outside or on your porch. Just find a place where you will have quiet and be undisturbed for 5 minutes. Sitting on a chair with your back in a relaxed but upright position is recommended, but for your first few times, you can be on your bed if that makes you feel more relaxed.
Take a 2-3 deep breaths and notice your body. Notice how it feels against the chair or how your back feels against the bed. Notice other parts of your body. Relax your hands. Think of your feet, and take a breath and relax them. Let go of the tension in your legs and your arms.
Notice your surroundings. What do you hear? Pay attention to what you hear for a few seconds and keep breathing in a relaxed way.
Now pay attention to your breath. Just breathe in and out naturally and notice how it feels. Does your chest move or does your abdomen move up and down when you breathe? Just notice and keep breathing.
Just be in your body, noticing your breath and being aware of what sensations you feel. You may notice that thoughts come in, like you have to wash your clothes today or you need an onion from the grocery store. When thoughts come in just say to yourself, “Thinking, thinking, thinking.” Don’t fight the thoughts but just let them go through you as you breathe out.
Do this for 5 minutes, just being aware and mindful of your breath and your body. When you are ready, open your eyes and thank yourself for taking this important step towards practicing mindfulness.
Do this practice daily and let it be a healthy habit. You will see that you feel more relaxed and present in your life and ready to tackle anything that comes your way.

Mindfulness can be a pathway to better health and at De Las Mías we are all about THAT!

Do you already have a mindfulness practice? Share it here with your friends and comadres…

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Healthy Family, Latina Community

How to Manage Stress to Prevent Emotional Distress

March 14, 2019 manton

How is stress affecting your life? Chances are, if you’re reading this blog, you’re concerned about how stress is affecting your life. Long term stress is not good for us, nor for our families and loved ones.

We recently posted a blog on Cortisol and Toxic Stress and how this hormone, now called the stress hormone, can affect your weight and even your relationship with food. (Cravings, anyone?)

So although we started our conversation about stress, I want to go back to it, to continue to shine some light on it. In this article, we take take a deeper dive into how stress can turn into distress, and how we might challenge ourselves to “cambiar el chip,” and take better care of ourselves.

What is Stress? A simple definition of stress is that it is our body’s reaction to change. All of us have stress; it is a universal human condition. But what about when stress turns into distress? And what about when being in distress is your new normal? Do you feel irritable and tense a lot of the time? Do you have trouble sleeping at night or do you feel like you sleep too much? Do you feel like you are in a constant state of “nervous?” Does this sound like you? You might be experiencing what psychologists call “emotional distress.”

In their excellent book on change, Changing for Good, A Revolutionary Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward, Prochaska and his colleagues, Drs. Norcross and DiClemente, talk about emotional distress as the “fever of mental health,” and when I read it being described in that manner, it made perfect sense to me.

I remember my tías talking about their friends or relatives who were going through hard times…“Pobre, Gloria, she has suffered so much.” They would worry that Tía Gloria could get sick from suffering so much. Often, you would hear them say things like, “Le puede hacer daño al corazón.” (Fear that her suffering could harm her heart.) And those of us in the younger generation would roll our eyes, at what we perceived to be an Old Mexican Wives’ Tales. But now research is telling us exactly what our elders told us, and that is that long-term stress, AKA suffering, can make us physically and/or mentally sick.

Latinas are used to aguantar, putting up with unpleasant life events just to keep on keeping on. We are experts at putting a positive spin on things. Often, we are the rock of the family and rocks are strong and sometimes indestructible. But as resilient as we are, it is important to open our eyes and take a good look at what is really going on so we can manage our stress and prevent it from becoming distress. Call it long term stress, toxic stress, distress or sufrimeiento. Whatever you call it, this kind of emotional turmoil can lead to more serious problems such as anxiety and depression.

We come from a culture that denies a lot of things when things go wrong. We pretend that everything is okay when it’s not. Nos hacemos de la vista gorda. (Vista gorda doesn’t mean your vision is fat. It’s a colorful expression that means to “to turn a blind eye.”)

We go into denial. And sometimes, Comadres, we need a little garden variety denial to get us through the day. But today, I just want to nudge you a little bit to get you to pay attention to your stress levels.

When stress turns into distress, it’s bound to wear you out and wear you down. When this happens, we cope in the best ways we can, but it’s not always pretty, nor healthy.

I don’t know about you, but when I get stressed to my limit, I want cake. (Preferably chocolate cake. There is a great bakery in Santa Fe – The Chocolate Maven – and when I get stressed, my car knows the way. When I’m in Portland, I ride my bike to the bakery and that always feels more righteous.) And look, who can deny that once-in-a-while, cuando ya no aguantas, indulging in a piece of cake, ain’t going to kill you.

But the important point here is that cake is a mean mother. She can turn on you if you don’t watch it. One minute she’s telling you, “There, there,” and the next, she’s telling you “You’re a bad girl and deserve to be punished.”

Eating cake to manage distress is not “sustainable.” Over time, eating cake, or taking a few extra shots of tequila, mezcal or even a few more of those femmy margaritas, to cope with stress, is going to make you feel worse.

I tell you this because I know.

So, in keeping with the topic of self-acceptance, I want to gently remind you that the first step in managing your stress in a healthy way is to accept what it is. Shine a little light on it and accept it without judgement. Accept that sometimes when you are in distress, you may do things that are just plain unhealthy. Take your next step from a place of self-acceptance, without judgement and move on.

“Paso por paso,” is one of our favorite dichos at De Las Mías, and it works very well with managing your stress.

So, in the spirit of shining a gentle light on distress, see if you can’t come to terms with what is really going on. We want you awake and aware so you can take better care.

Moving forward, recognize the tell-tale signs of stress from the National Institute of Mental Health:

Trouble sleeping
Drinking more alcohol
Overeating
Feeling moody or cranky
Having low energy
Feeling down in the dumps

Use these tell-tale signs of stress to take extra care of yourself. Here are 9 things that mental health experts recommend for taking better care of yourself in times of stress:

Get regular exercise. A simple 30-minute walk will do wonders. It can lift your spirits and often change your mood.
Eat well. When you are in a state of emotional distress, the last thing you need is a crazy diet. Nurture your body with good healthy food and cut back on sugars and junk food. (Start using our Healthy Lifestyle Checklist available on our App!)
Have fun. This seems obvious, but you would be surprised how many of us just stop having fun when we’re stressed out. Make a list of all the things you do for fun and do as much as you can to cheer yourself up.
Practice deep relaxation and/or meditation. Be mindful of the tension you hold in your body and letigo.
Protect yourself from people who criticize you or put you down. It’s okay to avoid mean people. You know who they are.
Don’t believe everything you think. When we’re beyond stressed, distress can impair your thinking. Distress es muy mentiroso…it can make you think things that are just not true. Be especially aware of self-put downs or mean things you tell yourself. Don’t believe it.
Drink water. As you drink it, become aware that you are doing a loving thing for yourself.
Ask for support. Reach out to your friends, comadres and sisters and share your feelings.
Reward yourself when you do any of these 9 things. And then reward yourself for rewarding yourself. ¡Eso!

Sometimes, long-term stress turns into emotional distress.

Signs of Emotional Distress

When long-term stress turns into emotional distress, we need to watch for signs of depression.

Recognize the signs of depression: If you have 2-3 of these signs over a period of 2 weeks or more, it’s time to get some help. Talk to your doctor, clergy or mental health counselor if you experience 2-3 of these signs for more than two weeks.

Feeling sad
Trouble sleeping
Sleeping too much
Feeling like nothing is fun or enjoyable
Feeling low energy
Not feeling hungry
Overeating
Trouble concentrating
Feeling hopeless
Feeling like life is not worth living

Emotional stress can sometimes turn into anxiety.

Recognize the signs of anxiety. Here are some signs of anxiety that you can watch for. Talk to your doctor, clergy or mental health counselor if you experience 2-3 of these signs for more than two weeks.

Constant or on-going worrying
Feeling like you can’t relax
Feeling irritable, moody, jumpy, or nerviosa
Trouble sleeping
Fears: like fear of the dark, fear of being alone, fear of crowds
Heart symptoms like fast heartbeat, chest pains, tightness of chest

If you ever feel like you want to hurt yourself or have suicidal thoughts, please call this number: Call 1-800-273-8255. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Available 24 hours every day.

Spanish: 1-888-628-9454

Sources:

Prochaska, Norcross, and DiClemente. Changing for Good, A Revolutionary Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward. Quill – HarperCollins. 2002.

The National Institute of Mental Health: http://www.nimh.nih.gov. 5 Things You Should Know About Stress. Retrieved 2/10/2019.

Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R., & Williams, J. (2001). The PHQ-9 validity of a brief depression severity measure. J GEN INTERN MED, 16, 606-613.

Maier, et. al. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale: reliability, validity and sensitivity to change in anxiety and depressive disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders. Volume 14, Issue 1, January–February 1988, Pages 61-68

Healthy Body, Healthy Family

Jugo Verde: Mexican Green Juice

March 14, 2019 manton

My sister and I recently went to the City of Oaxaca, and it is always affirming for me to go to Mexico, but Oaxaca is just pure magic. Everything is so beautiful there — the textiles, the architecture, the pride of place, the colors, and of course, the food. We ate magnificently well there, from the 4 star Casa Oaxaca to the unpretentious La Florecita at El Mercado de la Merced. (Have you had squash blossom quesadillas? Amazing!)

We took a fabulous cooking class from La Maestra Reyna Mendoza in Teotitlan Del Valle. We learned how to make Mole Rojo in a beautiful outdoor kitchen. We grinded the chiles and spices on a metate! And then we got to eat everything!

Everything we did was fantastic — one of the best vacations I have ever taken. Being with my sister is such a joyful experience! I feel so blessed to be able play and work with her. It’s so much fun to eat with her because she can tell you what’s in the food while you’re eating it, just by taste. Let us not forget that she is La Madrina en La Cocina! She has developed and tested each and every one of our recipes! With the help of the fabulous Malena Perdomo, a certified nutritionist and diabetes educator, we bring you the healthiest food that our test kitchens have to offer.

This edición is about making small but important healthy changes. We’re with you on your journey to a healthier life. We all know that eating more veggies and fruit are the cornerstone of healthy eating. We are constantly adding more delicious ways to add more plant-based foods to our day.

At De Las Mías, we recommend 3 cups of veggies and 2 fruits every day but the new USDA Dietary Guidelines are recommending that we go above and beyond. There is no harm in eating more vegetables!

But how do we do that? One way to add more healthy fruits and veggies to your day is to add them to breakfast. Add a bell pepper and some spinach to your huevos, and some berries to your avena! OR….Have yourself a Jugo Verde!

On our last day in Oaxaca, as we were walking down Hidalgo Street, I was snagged by a beautiful display of bicicletas, in all colors, adorned with handmade wooden baskets at the lovely hotel, Casa de la Sierra Azul. We walked into the courtyard and heard the angels sing! We couldn’t resist the inviting patio restaurant and promptly sat down to peruse the menu and order breakfast.

The Jugo Verde caught my eye and I ordered it. It was the most refreshing and delicious juice I had ever tasted. Lori and I were trying to figure out what it had in it. It was psychedelic green! Not the green goop that you sometimes get from Odwalla in the States, but the most beautiful, vibrant green I’ve ever seen!

We knew it had spinach in it, and I could taste the pineapple but we couldn’t figure out the rest. We asked the waiter and he said it had fresh nopales and yerba santa.

We struck up a conversation with the waiter and we told him about De Las Mías. He went on to tell us all about the magical properties of Jugo Verde, a time-honored Mexican tradition that promises to bring you good health, happiness, and beautiful skin.

We vowed to get back to the states, do some additional research and start testing out some Jugos Verdes of our own.

We haven’t tried Jugo Verde with nopales, yet, and yerba santa is not that easy to find in Portland or Santa Fe, but here are 3 Jugos Verdes that I have been indulging in and I feel better already!

Starting off my day with a refreshing Jugo Verde just feels right! It sets the intention for your day, como dicen las del New Age. To feel more grounded I follow it with a strong cup of coffee and avocado toast. Add a handful of almonds for protein, ¡y párale de contar! You’re set!

Jugo Verde is a great way to include veggies and fruits with breakfast. These jugos are simple, don’t require any special equipment except a run-of-the-mill blender, and are packed with at least 2 servings of veggies and one serving of fruit! And that is just to get you going in the morning!

I also find that Jugo Verde is very energizing for the mid-afternoon slump when all I want to do is plop down to watch depressing news! So slam down some Jugo Verde, put on your tenis, and take your dog for a walk instead! SOOO much better for you than more screen time!

Try these Mexican green juices!

La Diosa Verde.

This one is my favorite. I feel righteous and strong after this one!

A handful of fresh spinach
4 2-inch chunks of fresh pineapple
½ a peeled cucumber
½ a peeled apple
1 cup of water
One or two squeezes of fresh lime
1 teaspoon jalapeño juice
Ice cubes if you like ice in your jugo

Blend it on high until it turns into juice. (Optional: Since I like sweet, I even add a ½ teaspoon of Stevia, but that’s just me.)

Amor al Kiwi.

If you like kiwi, you will love this Jugo Verde.

One peeled and ripe kiwi
A handful of spinach
1 teaspoon of fresh ginger
1 stalk of celery
1 cup of water
Ice cubes if you like ice in your jugo

Blend it until it turns into juice. (You can sprinkle Tajín on top for added punch!)

Sana Sana, Jugo de Manzana.

I choose a super sweet apple for this one. Have you tried Opal Apples? They are so sweet and delicious. Pink Lady is another sweetheart.

1 cored and peeled apple
2 stalks of celery
1 cup of water
A handful of spinach
Ice cubes if you like ice in your jugo.

¡Andale!

A few notes on making Jugos Verdes in the blender: Basically, you can blend anything you like in your blender, so go nuts. You’ll need veggies, fruits and water for jugos. More on licuados and smoothies here. I sometimes add a bit of unsweetened juice, although water is really best. I also add a dash of salt, pepper, lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeño juice, or Tajín. You could even blend up a serrano in there if you dare! Just do what tastes good to you and makes you feel like the Righteous Green Goddess that you are!

I have recommended this little book to you before and I will do it here again: The Blender Girl by Tess Masters. I like her non-pretentious approach to eating more vegan meals and we could all stand to eat less meat and more veggies, fruits and plants of all kinds. Your body and Mother Earth will thank you.

Try these and let me know what you think! Keep it simple and delicious! Do you have a favorite Jugo Verde? Share your favorite with us and we’ll choose a few to feature on our Instagram feed!

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

Self-Acceptance

March 14, 2019 manton

Can We Talk About Self Acceptance? Look, we know the majority of us Latinas are overweight. And we know that being overweight and/or obese puts us at higher risk of prediabetes and diabetes. What you may not know is that it also puts us at risk for heart disease and even some cancers. Not to mention self-judgement, self-loathing and yo-yo dieting.

But how much good has it done for us to hate ourselves and go on stupid diets that don’t work? NADA.

¡YA! Enough. At De Las Mías we want you to do something different. It’s time to cambiar el chip. We want you to strive for living a healthier and more joyful life. By making small, healthy changes over time, we are sure you will be happier, healthier and much better off. And rather than beating yourself up and taking extreme measures that don’t work, we encourage you to take this approach and look at your health as a journey.

And believe us, it is a journey. Paso a paso, we will get to our destination:

Una vida más saludable that affirms our authentic selves.

So if you’re just joining us or if you’re already well on your way to a healthier, happier life, we challenge you to incorporate a novel concept into your journey…this novel concept is called Self-Acceptance.

Self- Acceptance

Self-Acceptance means that you embrace yourself as you are now, without any judgements or criticism. Accept the good with the not so good; the good, the bad and the ugly como el Clint Eastwood.

Not so easy, for us criticonas, right? And if you are a perfectionist, may la virgencita have mercy on you, because self-acceptance is a very hard concept for those of us who criticize too much.

La neta, the truth is, that many of us are just not that kind to ourselves. How many times have you called yourself “tonta”? Be honest. How many times have you heard that little voice inside your head call you dumb, mensa, awkward, clumsy or fat? We are used to living in this good girl, bad girl world. Are you being good when you eat a salad and bad when you eat a donut? Can we just stop that please? Can we separate what we do from who we are?

Accept Yourself as You Are

We want to challenge you to accept yourself as you are, without judgement, insults or dirty looks in the mirror. No exceptions.

Here’s an old dicho from Pedro Infante, Mexican film icon and singer, that you may have heard. It was part of a song he sang to impress the ladies: “Soy quien soy y no me parezco a nadie.” It’s a bit like Popeye’s “I yam what I yam.” It means you are you and you aren’t like anyone else. And when you say that, “Soy quien soy,” you claim your uniqueness and your self-acceptance. ¡Eres, única! Embrace it and yourself as you are now, ¡Y ya!

Psychologists and human behavior experts, such as Dr. Pillay from Harvard University Medical School, are discovering the importance of self-acceptance as a foundation to general well-being and good mental health. New research is starting to prove that in order to make healthy changes, it is important that you start with the good foundation of self-acceptance.

Self-Acceptance Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Change

There is an important distinction that I want to make here. Practicing self-acceptance does not mean that you don’t want to change something or make improvements in how you live your life. But self-acceptance is a healthy foundation from which you can grow and change.

To embark on your odyssey to self-acceptance, I’m offering some tips from positive psychology that you can take on your journey. Try this:

Learn to separate what you do from what you are. Those of you who are moms know this best. When you’re hijita does something bad, it doesn’t mean she’s bad. Making a mistake doesn’t make her a mistake. You just need to help her do better next time. Channel your own best mom and give yourself a break.

Use Self-Acceptance to Get Yourself Out of Denial.

This is an important point for those of us who have a problem with overeating or eating to satisfy emotional hunger. In an earlier blog, I shared with you a trick that I learned to assess if I was emotionally hungry or physically hungry and I want to share it with you again. If I feel hungry and reach for a healthy snack like a handful of almonds, a yogurt or a pepino con chilito, and I feel satisfied, I know that I was physically hungry. If after my healthy snack, I still feel hungry, it’s a good bet that I am eating to feed an emotional hunger. When you make this discovery, just take it in without judgement. This is good information, a data point. Once you accept that you eat for emotional reasons, you can look for ways to change that habit. If you never accept this as something you do, you will keep repeating it. Self-acceptance is fueled by self-awareness. Awareness is always a good place to start.

Practice Mindfulness

You hear a lot about mindfulness these days. You can use mindfulness in all areas of your life. Basically, mindfulness is paying attention. It is becoming aware of yourself. It is paying attention to what you eat, how you listen, how you don’t listen, and how present you are in your own life.

One mindfulness practice is to take a few minutes and just be with yourself. Simply observe how you feel and how your body feels, without judgement. Practice this kind of presence of mind and body without self-criticism or put downs. With time, you will start to feel a stronger connection to yourself.

There is mounting evidence that self-acceptance can lead us to self-care, stronger self-esteem and better health. And at De Las Mías we are all about THAT!

Can you commit to self-care and showing yourself some Amor Propio?

It can start with you doing nice things for yourself, like getting a massage, eating healthy food, drinking more water, going for a walk, meditating, asserting yourself, speaking up, saying no when you mean no, and yes when you mean yes.

There are hundreds of ways to show ourselves acceptance and self-love and I want to challenge you to start practicing Amor Propio.

A Personal Story of Self-Love: Amor Propio

I want to share a personal part of my story with the hope that it may speak to you: I was born fat. I weighed 12 pounds 6 ounces when I was born in El Hospital Del Socorro in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. I grew up fat until I got amoebas. Then, I was skinny for about a month until my mom and tías figured it out. They put on some kind of tratamiento and I got fat again. In school, because I was fat and tall, my friends used to call me Giant. My cousins called me Gorda; the ones who liked me called me Gordis. My mom, who thought being thin was next to godliness, had me on a diet until I was 18. She was an early adopter of the Atkins Diet, and she had an eating disorder. Her favorite piece of advice was, “Ya no comas pan.” (Don’t eat bread, already.)

Whatever was going on there, let’s just say that bread was not my enemy. With the help of a well-intentioned mother, I grew up with a messed up body image and a list of forbidden foods. Even at 17 years old, weighing 140 pounds and a 5’7” frame, I still felt fat. I still thought that chocolate, tortillas, tamales, and bread were out to get me. At one point, I had a sign on the refrigerator that said, “Oreo cookies are the road to hell.”

It wasn’t until I hit my late 30s and found a therapist that I began to understand that what I needed more than Thin Within, Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, Low Carb, No Carb, Slimfast or even Overeaters Anonymous, was Self-Love. ¡Amor Propio! That is what I needed and that is what I got, but it only took me 40 years.

So I’m hoping that my combination of disordered eating, messed up body image and a first class education in health education will help you avoid all those trampas and come out of it less beat up than I did.

So, as you read this, I just want you to pretend that I am your maestra, your madrina, or your loving tía who loves you just the way you are. And this is your homework:

Make a list of things you can do for yourself that show you some Amor Propio.

¡Andale! Share your list with me at ana@delasmias.com and I will send you a surprise!

Just to get you started here’s my list. The things I do for love – self-love that is!

Me compro flores. Each week, I buy myself flowers. En el Safeway, they cost about 6 or 7 bucks. Carnations last the longest and they smell good and come in all colors.
In the summer, I grow my own dahlias, hydrangeas, roses and zinnias. Se siente bien suave, to put fresh flowers, that you grew yourself, into a pretty vase.
I ride my bici every chance I get. I love myself on my bike, girl! I ride, rain or shine. No rain shower keeps me from my bici. And when I ride, I give that little girl, the one that used to be called Gorda a run for her money. I sing to myself while I ride. I really do. It’s super fun. (This little light of mine…)
I tell my legs how much I love them! I got some pretty bitchin legs. I’ll tell you what! Riding 5 to 7 miles a day on a bike will do that to a Super Mujer.
I eat vegetables, Sisters! Show your body some serious love by eating fruits and veggies. Learn how to make yourself a Jugo Verde and love yourself before you start your day.
I drink a boat load of water. Yeah, such a simple act of self-love. Take a page from our Creative Director, Shannon, and by yourself a beautiful water bottle and fill it with Amor Propio infused H2O. Make it count = 6 glasses.
No como comida chatarra. I don’t put junk food in my body…unless I’m on a road trip (Fanta and Cheetos!) But that is so rare, Poquito Porque Es Bendito!
I look for people who laugh at my jokes. I call my seester every day and we make each other laugh. Miriam makes me laugh and Sati just cracks me up. Liz, being from Nogales, gets me like no one else does.
I make myself reach out! Sometimes I’m so busy pretending that I’m la mera mera fregona that I can take it in the chin like the machita that I am, and I go it alone. It don’t work. Call your comadre and tell her what’s going on in that heart of yours. Make sure she’s a kindred spirit so you don’t get hurt.
I treasure my sleep and don’t deprive my body of its magic.

So what do you do for self-love?

Make a list. Share it with me at ana@delasmias.com and I’ll send you a cariñito!

Sources:

Pillay, Srini, MD. Greater self-acceptance improves emotional well-being. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/greater-self-acceptance-improves-emotional-well-201605169546

University of Hertfordshire. “Self-acceptance could be the key to a happier life, yet it’s the happy habit many people practice the least.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 March 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140307111016.htm>.