Up your veggie quotient by making noodles from sweet potatoes. Tasty and nutritious!

Sweet potato noodles with sundried tomatoes, goat cheese and pecans

Serves 4 Ingredients: 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup pecans 1 cup baby spinach 1/2 cup crumbled goats cheese Method: Peel sweet potatoes and chop off the pointed ends. Using a spiralizer, create noodles from the sweet potatoes. If you do not have a spiralizer, you can use a julienne peeler to make the noodles. Place a large sauté pan over medium heat with olive oil. Add sweet potato noodles to pan and season with salt. Cook for approximately five minutes, stirring frequently so the noodles do not burn. Add in pecans and sundried tomatoes and stir for an additional minute or two. Place spinach on bottom of plate and top with sweet potato mixture. Sprinkle goat cheese on top and enjoy! [embed]bcid:4501675844001[/embed] Courtesy Dr. Joey Shulman www.drjoey.com @drjoeyshulman

Trying to get back on track with your health for fall? Follow Dr. Joey Shulman's quick tips for you and your family to stay healthy all year long! Tip #1: Eat healthy snacks Having healthy snacks on hand are great for keeping you and your family on a healthy track. Make sure you always have healthy options whether you're on-the-go or at home, such as nuts, fruit, or healthy bars. Also check out some nut-free snacks to pack for school lunches. Tip #2: Get organized Being organized is vital when you're planning to stay on track. Plan out lunches and dinners ahead of time with your children (or just for you!) to make grocery shopping a lot easier. Planning ahead can also help your kids get excited for meals. Tip #3: Stay hydrated Buying a water bottle that you like will make you more likely to drink more water throughout the day. Always keep an empty one in your bag, in the car, or at the office. Tip #4: Wash your hands As back-to-school time approaches, so does flu season. Make sure you and your kids are staying healthy by washing your hands before and after meals. Try to also have hand sanitizer at your disposal in case you don't have access to a sink. [embed]bcid:4432573697001[/embed] For Joey's 7 healthy fall recipes, click here.  

Welcome to the Cityline 21-day boot camp! For 21 days, I've provided you with meal plans that are filled with detoxifying and anti-inflammatory foods and ingredients that are delicious and nutrient dense. Each day, I've also come up with a health tip and a superfood suggestion. My goal was to keep this plan super simple, so you can follow along easily and enjoy. Trust me, having a plan and direction always makes your health goals easier to obtain! Why 21 days? After being in practice for over a decade, I can tell you 21 days is definitely enough time to make a permanent change in your health and create new behavioural patterns. Here are some of the benefits of my 21-day boot camp.

• Improved energy and decreased “brain fog”
• Improved mood
• Cessation of sugar, carbohydrate or salt cravings
• Optimized digestion and reduced feelings of bloating
• Improved sleep
• Weight loss

So, enjoy the suggestions over the next 21 days. If you do find a meal or snack you really enjoy, feel free to repeat it over and over again. (I myself am a creature of habit and find eating in routine and repetition ideal for health). For my daily meal plans and health posts, visit the Cityline 21-day boot camp page or see the list below. You can also follow me on Instagram or Twitter and watch for the hashtag #21daybootcamp. Share your journey and join the conversation on the Cityline Facebook page. Wishing you best health, Dr. Joey  

Daily meal plans

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15 Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 Day 19 Day 20 Day 21 All meal plans include one serving size unless noted. Optimal water intake per day is two litres. Alcohol intake is not reviewed on this plan. I typically recommend a maximum of two to four drinks per week. [embed]bcid:4268703418001[/embed]

The goal of this year's Cityline Weight Loss Challenge was "let's bring healthy back" -- and based on how our weight loss winners did, we succeeded! Angelique, Sarah, Keshia, and Cityline's own Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault transformed their eating and exercise habits, and the results are incredible. The four of them lost more than 110 pounds, collectively, and they all feel more energetic than ever! We couldn't be prouder. Check out the incredible transformations below. Angelique Start of program: Weight: 176.6 lbs Waist: 42" Hips: 44" Chest: 44" Final results: Weight: 150.4 lbs Waist: 36.5" Hips: 40" Chest: 40.5" Keshia Start of program: Weight: 157.5 lbs Waist: 35" Hips: 40" Chest: 38" Final results: Weight: 132.5 lbs Waist: 28" Hips: 39" Chest: 34" Sarah Start of program: Weight: 219 lbs Waist: 42" Hips: 44 1/2" Chest: 46" Final results: Weight: 192 lbs Waist: 37" Hips: 42" Chest: 42" Leigh-Ann Leigh-Ann started on the fitness/healthy eating track in December, at which point she weighed 162 pounds. When she started working with Joey in January, she was down to 149 pounds. Overall, she's lost 33 pounds, 8.5 inches, and gained 10% muscle mass. Way to kick butt, L-A! It's never too late to start on Dr. Joey's plan -- head to www.cityline.ca/weightlosschallenge for everything you need to get started!

I cannot believe the Cityline 2015 Weight Loss Challenge is already over. This year, our theme was to bring healthy back and boy oh boy did we hit our goal! Our 4 participants collectively lost 111 pounds and are all feeling fit, lean and energetic. As our very own Cityline design and DIY expert Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault said – she now truly feels like the best version of herself. If you have hit your target weight and are ready for maintenance, the package outlined below is for you. However, if you still have weight to lose – please continue on the original plan until you hit your goal. Thanks so much for following along this year! You can always refer back to www.cityline.ca to get a start-up package, the program summary, meal plans, recipes and tips and tricks. As always, I love hearing from you! You can always send your questions to drjoey@drjoey.com. Dr. Joey’s maintenance plan You have likely heard the statistics that 95% of all dieters gain their weight back. While this statistic is not true, it is easy to understand why so many believe it to be. Often, once a diet is "over," the lack of guidance or structure often falls to the wayside, leaving you at risk of gaining your weight back. Even our own Cityline weight loss winners have told me they feel a titch anxious about keeping their weight off long term (when the cameras are gone!). When starting a maintenance program, it is important to acknowledge that maintaining your weight loss requires a different skill set vs. losing your initial weight. A few core maintenance principles are: 1. Keep your focus alive! Do not be fooled into thinking you can eat whatever you like at whatever time of day. Keep planning your meals and focus on the time of day you eat (3 meals and 1-2 snacks per day). A general rule to continue following is to top-load your day with a breakfast that includes lean proteins, fruit and healthy fat. 2. Stay accountable. If you are slipping and starting to gain weight, lean on a support group. Research shows those who use the support of a friend, nutritionist or co-worker tend to keep the weight off and do better long term. 3. Weigh yourself often and have a 5-pound barometer. You need to have a measurement of how you are maintaining. Weighing yourself once per week will offer you that feedback. 4. Favour fibre and snack smartly. Low calorie and high fibre snacks are essential to maintaining proper weight. When hungry, these snacks allow you to fill up and clear your mind to make a rational decision on what to eat for your next meal. Examples:

• Almonds and raisins
• 3 clementines and a small piece of cheese
• 1 small yogurt with berries
• Hummus and carrots
• 1 healthy bar
• 1/2 cup of edamame, goat’s cheese and tomatoes

5. Keep it interesting! Variety is the spice of life with food being no exception. There are always new and healthy recipes to try that will keep your taste buds satisfied. Invest in some great cookbooks or find a few favourite blogs and/or websites that have healthy and delicious recipes for free! 6. Expect setbacks. Weddings, vacations and times of stress are all common events that tend to trigger overeating and weight gain. If you do gain weight during once of these events, visit www.cityline.ca to jump start your initial weight loss program! Other general maintenance steps to follow: Do not deny yourself -- follow the 80-20 rule of eating. If you are at a party and you cannot stop eyeing the French fries, I have a suggestion: eat some French fries! The long-term goal is not to keep you in a state of deprivation for life — that is not the balance I want you to strike. The goal is to make peace with food so you can enjoy your indulgences, such as trying a bit of dessert, eating a few nachos or having an extra glass of wine. The key is to eat on-track 80% of the time and allow yourself to indulge 20% of the time, such as on weekends and special occasions like birthdays. Eat up to 2 grains per day — occasionally toss your grain into dinner. While whole grains are filled with goodness such as fibre, vitamins and phytonutrients, the older you get, the less grain you will be able to eat while maintaining your weight. In addition, many people feel less bloated and more energetic when they eliminate gluten or wheat. As a general maintenance rule, it is best to stick to 1-2 whole grains daily (sprouted grain bread or quinoa for example). If you find yourself gaining weight, simply cut back on your grain options and stick to the “no-grain rule” in the evening. Continue to eat large amounts of vegetables. Make an effort to consume vegetables a minimum of 3 to 5 times per day. With BBQ season and warmer weather coming, loading up on vegetables will become even easier! Going forward, all vegetables (with the exclusion of starchy vegetables) are considered free foods and can be consumed in unlimited quantities. As far as starchy vegetables go, when you're in the maintenance zone, you can consume starchy vegetables up to 2-3 times per week. To recap, one serving of starchy vegetables is equivalent to:

• Beets (1/2 cup/125 mL)
• Corn (1/2 cup/125 mL)
• Yams or sweet potatoes (1 small — the size of an average baseball)
• Squash (1/2 cup/125 mL)

Consume 2 to 3 fruits daily. Fruit is a wonderful part of your daily intake and can be included in smoothies, on top of yogurt or as a snack; however, it is best to keep to 2 to 3 options per day. As a recap, 1 fruit is equivalent to:

• 1 small piece of fruit (1 apple, 1 orange, 1 grapefruit)
• ½ cup of raw fruit (blueberries, strawberries)
• ½ of a banana
• 2 small kiwis, apricots or plums

Watch your nighttime eating patterns -- try to finish your day off as well as you start it! One of the most important rules of maintenance is to keep an eye on your evening eating patterns. If you find your sweet tooth is creeping back and you are opening cupboards at night to see what you can snack on, this is a red flag. What might seem as “just a couple of cookies” after dinner will quickly turn into a faulty nighttime eating pattern that will cause your cravings to rush back and your weight to slowly creep up. Of all the principles of the maintenance phase, this is the most important one. Most often, eating after dinner is often not an indication of true hunger; rather, it is a sign that something is going on emotionally (stress, boredom, fatigue, wanting a reward, etc.). Stick to free foods for nighttime eating which include vegetables, vegetable juice, vegetable soup, or sweet herbal teas. Engage in regular physical activity (cardio 5 times per week). When it comes to exercise, 1-2 times per week is simply not enough. To keep your energy and mood high, and your weight down, engage in physical exercise a minimum of 3 to 5 times per week. As we age, our metabolism slows, we start to lose muscle mass and our “bank of calcium” becomes smaller and smaller. To keep your bones strong, your weight down and to continue to keep your metabolism running at high speed, exercise is a must. Do not consume alcohol daily. Although some studies do show that drinking daily and in moderation (1 drink for women; 2 drinks for men) has no ill effect on overall health, I am not an advocate of daily drinking as part of a weight maintenance plan. Higher alcohol intake is associated with higher amounts of abdominal obesity and can contribute to cravings, bloating and lethargy. As a general rule, a maximum number of drinks per week is 4 for women and 6 for men, although fewer is better (less is better). If you over do it on the alcohol, you will need to reduce your grain intake. Practice one day of light eating. For years, I have advocated the practice of 1 day of light eating per week. Why? This very effective technique will help to keep your weight down and will give your digestive system a break — and time to cleanse and digest unwanted food materials. I have also found this to be a very helpful technique for clearing up bloating, constipation and lethargy. Eating lightly does not mean you have to fast or eat next to nothing. On the contrary, what I am suggesting is that for 1day per week, eliminate grain, red meat and dairy (except for plain yogurt) from your diet and stick to hydrating foods and beverages, lean proteins, high-fibre foods and fruits and vegetables. Keep your fluid intake high. Proper hydration is essential to keeping your weight off and your energy high. If this new habit starts to slip, start making a conscious effort to once again boost your intake of flat water and herbal teas. Continue to drink water with freshly squeezed lemon juice — it will act as a natural daily astringent to your digestive system (and is great for skin too). Courtesy of www.drjoey.com Twitter: @drjoeyshulman