10 Tips for Calorie Free Holiday Shopping!

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 We're all madly rushing around the Mall making sure we buy the perfect gift for everyone on our list!  While this might be the only exercise you manage to squeeze into your day at this time of year, Holiday shopping can bring with it sneaky calories!

10 Tips for Calorie Free Holiday Shopping:

• Eat a healthy meal or snack before heading off to the shops

• Plan your meal for when you get home to avoid last minute fast food

• Pack a bottle of water and a healthy snack, such as a cereal bar or fruit to carry with you

•  Be prepared to say 'no thank you' when offered a food sample in the store!

• Choose carefully at the food court (try a turkey wrap instead of a burger) or seek out a cafe which offers healthier options

• Avoid drinking your calories via soda or hot drinks with whipped cream on top!

• Don't be tempted by the smells from the food carts

• Sip on that water you packed as thirst can be mistaken for hunger

• Chew sugar free gum to keep your mouth busy

•  Use the stairs not the escalator or elevator

At the end of the day remember to take a moment to relax, take a deep breath and de-stress so you don't turn to food to help you unwind.

Happy Healthy Holidays!

I Pledge to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain!

Today is St Andrew's Day, the Patron Saint of Scotland.  Growing up in Scotland but now living in America, I find it really amazing that my children are doing things we used to consider 'very American,' such as riding a yellow school bus, going on 'vacations' & learning to spell color & favorite without a letter u after the letter o!

Another very American thing my children do is say the Pledge of Allegiance at school each morning. They also say a school pledge which mentions trying their best in all they do, making good choices & respecting others. I like to hear them recite these when I volunteer in class, it seems to me a good way to start the day by promising to work hard & treat others with respect & reminding ourselves to make good choices.

As the Holiday Season is just starting it's a good time to make a pledge to ourselves about our health.  Food has always been involved in feasts & celebrations & there's no reason it can't be enjoyed at this time of year without being laden with guilt about thoughts of weight gain or high fat intake.
You have the power to influence how you'll feel when January arrives - you can choose to start the New Year with great memories of the Holidays and no regret about your weight or health having not over-indulged in all the food you'll be offered this month.  What a great feeling that will be!

Take time today to look at your schedule for the coming month & highlight events which will involve celebrating with food - family gatherings, office parties, Mom's nights out and so on.  Pledge to yourself that at those events you'll enjoy the food  and also pledge that on the other days this month you'll choose your food carefully to balance out those times where you're going to indulge.

Tips:
~ Walk the length of the buffet table first & decide what you'll choose before starting to put food on your plate
~ Have a glass of water before eating
~ Make half your plate fruit & veggies
~ If you're drinking alcohol don't underestimate the calories from drinks & set a limit or alternate with water
~ Have a 2 course meal instead of 3 - have starter & entree at one event then entree & dessert at another event
~ Maintain or increase you exercise regimen throughout the month
~ Decide to eat the office treats only on Fridays rather than nibbling every time you go to the break room
~ Suggest an inexpensive gift exchange instead of a cookie exchange for your Mom's group

This is my Pledge to myself this Holiday Season:

I Pledge to myself on this day

To eat & drink the Healthy way

I'll plan ahead & enjoy my food

And always make my choices good

I respect myself, I want no regret

This will be my healthiest year yet!

~ Lyn Turton

Feel free to use my Pledge or write a personal one then put it somewhere you can see it every day.  If you need motivation to make healthy choices while celebrating this Holiday Season recite the Pledge in your head & think how great you'll feel when the New Year arrives! Take the pledge Facebook !

March of Dimes World Prematurity Day

November is Prematurity Awareness Month & November 17th 2011 is World Prematurity Day   1 in 8 babies are born prematurely in the United States & worldwide 13 million babies are born pre-term each year.

To raise awareness March of Dimes is asking people to share their experiences of premature babies.  

I remember well the mixture of excitement and anxiety you feel every day of your pregnancy.   Although my own children were born full term I have worked as a dietitian in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and shared the highs and lows of my friends experiences with premature babies.

As dietitians we work very closely with the NICU Doctors to nourish these precious babies and we celebrate every ounce of weight gain along with the parents.  Due to it's many benefits we promote the use of breast milk whenever possible & provide encouragement & support for Mom's trying to build up their supply ready for when their baby is able to tolerate breast milk. We never underestimate the physical & emotional effects on families, especially new Moms.

As a Mom I have seen how my friends have coped and been so strong for their premature babies.  One couple suffered several miscarriages before their baby was born 10 weeks early.  They sent regular photos to allow us to follow her progress and despite the many tubes she was beautiful from day 1!

 Another friend has had 3 premature babies and her energy & strength never fail to amaze me despite the many days spent at a hospital 50 miles away and the late night hospital admissions when a cold took hold of her little ones chest. 

As a friend you can help by providing meals for the family who spend many hours at the hospital plus additional time traveling to the specialist units, which may not be local to them.  Offer to babysit for siblings or do school pick-up & drop-off.  Or just be there for parents if they want to talk & let them know you're available to help with whatever they need.
 
For more information or ways to help please visit  March of Dimes

One size does not fit all!

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We are all different - we have many similarities but in the end of the day we are all individuals.

I have a sister who is a nurse.  While I have spent my life helping others through my work and volunteering I could not do the kind of work she does.  I'm eternally grateful that many people are passionate about nursing but my 3 weeks nursing experience during my dietetic training was enough for me. 

We're all different - some people are squeamish, some are not.  Some people are brave enough to run in and fight a fire while everyone else is running out.  Some people love to sing or dance while others can think of nothing worse than performing in front of an audience.

When it comes to our diet there are similarities and differences too.  Some people love pickles - others hate them.  Marmite even based their entire advertising campaign around whether you love or hate their product!

We are similar in that everyone's body needs to be fed in order to function.  We all need protein, vitamins & minerals & so on and the basis of healthy eating is the same for everyone - we all need a certain amount of these nutrients each day.

But we are different in that a man's nutritional requirements are different to a woman's; an adult's requirements are different to a child's; requirements vary depending on age and level of activity.  So when it comes to choosing food for health or for managing our weight it doesn't make sense to promote one way of eating for everyone.

Many factors influence food choice:

~ knowledge
~ availablity
~ habit
~ cooking skills
~ likes & dislikes
~ environment
~ time constraints
~ emotions

These are some of the areas  that need to be considered when making changes to our diet to improve health or lose weight and they will be different for everybody.  That's part of the challenge I enjoy when working with clients - finding out about them and who they are, what their lifestyle is and what's going to work for them.

We are all unique and we are all amazing - take time for yourself, nourish your body and cherish  what you have to offer.

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

The mornings are getting decidedly chilly and Fall is definitely here!  That means Winter is around the corner which to me means SOUP!

I spent time yesterday making a few different soups and freezing them in portions ready for those cold winter days ahead!

I grew up on soup - literally! As a child I had a really small appetite and the doctor told my Mom that as long as I was eating her homemade soup she shouldn't worry.  The doctor was right - my Mom's homemade soup contained meat and vegetables and was a full meal in itself, providing a variety of nutrients from protein to vitamins & minerals.

My own children also enjoy soup and love watching me transform water and vegetables into a delicious meal! 

Soup is so easy to make and you can add just about anything!  All you need is water, meat or vegetable stock, salt & pepper and vegetables.  Then you can add anything you have in your fridge or pantry - try different herbs, cubes of meat or chicken, beans, pasta - the sky's the limit and there's no right or wrong!

Soups: leek & potato, vegetable & butternut squash

A new soup recipe I tried yesterday was for butternut squash as a friend had given me a squash.  (I chose a recipe from a Cookbook containing recipes submitted from my husband's work colleagues so thanks to Jennifer R for this one!)


Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbs butter
6 cups peeled & cubed butternut squash
3 cups water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
8oz light cream cheese (or less if you like it less creamy)

Cooking Instructions:
1)  In a large saucepan, saute onions in butter until tender
2)  Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper & cayenne pepper
3)  Bring to a boil; reduce heat & cook about 30 minutes or until squash is tender
4)  Puree squash mixture with the cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth.  return to saucepan and heat through but don't boil
5)  Season with salt & pepper if needed

This recipe lets me give good examples of how ingredients can be adapted for different reasons: 

~ Don't have one of the ingredients?  That's ok! I didn't have marjoram so I substituted oregano.

~ Don't want too many calories or fat in your soup?  I reduced the butter I used to cook the onions (the recipe stated 3 tablespoons, I used only 1.5 - 2 tablespoons) 

~ Using light cream cheese is definitely better than the full fat option and as the recipe states you don't have to use the full 8oz.  However, if you're being really careful of your fat intake you can omit the cream cheese altogether & it can be substituted for a splash of low fat milk.  Sure it might taste less creamy but it'll still taste delicious! 

So go ahead and experiment with different soups! Adapt the recipe to suit your needs and enjoy the warmth and nutrition each bowl provides!

Think positive!

So often nutrition & health articles focus on:

• changes we need to make
• things we know we should be doing but aren't 
• foods we know we shouldn't be eating but we still are!

So I thought I'd encourage you to focus on the positives you may already be doing for your health.  Take a moment to reflect on your day...

• did you eat fruit today?
• have you drunk some water?
• did you stop what you were doing and sit down to eat lunch?
• have you packed an afternoon snack to take to work?
• did you take the stairs instead of the elevator? (an 'oldie but a goodie'!)
• did you make time for breakfast? (your body's most important meal of the day!)

Take a few moments in the evening to set things up for the following morning:

• fill a reusable bottle with water & put it in the fridge ready to grab the next morning
• put a healthy snack in your work bag/diaper bag/backpack
• set out a plate on the table to remind you to eat breakfast
• place the fruit bowl somewhere obvious so you'll pick some up on your way out the door

Starting your day by achieving something straight away will encourage you to make more good choices throughout the day!  I'd love to hear what you're already doing for your good health!

National Watermelon Day

America is having a heatwave right now! Here in Colorado we've had 18 days of  >90F heat, a couple days in the 80's & now back to the 90s for the forseeable future! 

No-one wants to be slaving over a hot stove in this weather but you can still enjoy delicious, nutritious food that's quick to make and requires little or no cooking. 

Yesterday was National Watermelon Day! To celebrate, I chose a recipe from Health magazine which was light, refreshing, delicious and very quick to make.

I had the ingredients on hand as I love feta cheese so it's a staple in my fridge and we grow mint in our garden.

Mint (growing well despite the dryness of the ground here!)

Herbs are easy to grow and can be done in a window box or tub on your balcony if you don't have a garden.

These flavors go great together!

Refreshing, summer flavors!

The only 'cooking' required

A quick 2-3 minutes each side is the only cooking required! Allow to cool, remove the skin and cut into chunks

Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper

 

 

Mix a tablespoon of olive oil with a table spoon of balsamic vinegar. Drizzle this over salad and add salt & pepper. Delicious!

Dining with the Dietitians!

Just returned from a lovely vacation back home in the UK... I took a complete break from work, Twitter,  blogging and so on to really relax and focus on my family and friends.

Actually I didn't take a complete break from work as I took the opportunity to catch up with some UK dietitians! 

One of whom I actually met through social media on Twitter! Emma Carder and I appear to be living parallel lives.  We are both from Scotland.  We both qualified as dietitians in the same year and as she initially wanted to attend Glasgow Caledonian University we were very nearly classmates!  Plus, we have both made the decision to leave hospital dietetics and set up our own private practices.

It is wonderful to have made contact with Emma as we have been supporting each other 'virtually' via Twitter but have now created a stronger bond and will continue to exchange ideas and information to grow our businesses and assist our clients.

Everyone can benefit from support in all aspects of life.  As dietitians we work to provide support for our clients whether they are trying to lose weight, achieve healthier eating or managing a medical condition such as diabetes or celiac disease through their diet.  It is also important that dietitians, especially those not working within a department, find help and support to continually improve their knowledge & skills and I'm grateful to Emma for this.

I also met up with my very good friend Helen Davidson who is currently enjoying her role as Chairman of the British Dietetic Association We have known each other for many years and although we've kept in touch we haven't seen each other for a few years - but it was as if we'd never been apart! 

Catching up with friends is a great way to relax and take time out from our busy, often stressful, lives and doing this over a delicious lunch was even better!

Helen chose an iconic restaurant for our lunch The Ubiquitous Chip in the West End of Glasgow.  The Chip (as it's affectionately known) is celebrating it's 40th year and is renowned for it's 'regional Scottish dishes'. 

 We were so busy talking and catching up (our lunch lasted 3 hours!!) I didn't take a photograph of the delicious Scottish Salmon entree but here are the wonderful appetizer & dessert:

Vegetarian Haggis, mashed potato with strips of roast turnip

Scottish Strawberries with meringue

Haggis is Scotland's national dish made with onion, oatmeal, spices and meat (vegetarian option contains beans, pulses, vegetables) and is traditionally served with turnip and mashed potato. 

Scottish strawberries are famous for their flavor and juiciness - helped on by the Scottish rain! The dessert was just the right portion  to let you enjoy without overindulging!

Apparently I've been in America too long as Helen laughed when I asked for 'the check' instead of 'the bill'!

I'm a great believer that food should be enjoyed!  Just keep in mind the amount you are eating, include fruit & vegetables with each meal and eat slowly giving yourself time to enjoy the flavors which in turn will help you feel satisfied with smaller portions!

Men's Health Week June 13-19th 2011

Photo by BellaRome

June 13th 2011 is the start of Men's Health Week & June 19th is Father's Day so I thought I'd write about something that I know is an issue for some of my male friends - how to continue a healthy lifestyle while on a business trip!

I asked on Facebook recently for business travelers to tell me the difficulties they face maintaining a healthy lifestyle while on business trips.  Issues mentioned included time differences & jet lag affecting their meal schedule & body clock; flight delays making airport food their only option; expectations of colleagues at business dinners; temptations from pastries at the complimentary breakfast & refreshments!

These issues affect business women & business men alike and many are relevant to all travelers.

At the Airport

Number 1 - be prepared

You know you're probably going to need to eat at the airport so take some food with you! There's always the chance of a delay so pack extra healthy snacks such as fruit, cereal bars, trail mix in your hand luggage.

Stay hydrated by drinking water

Avoid caffeine & alcohol which dehydrate and avoid soda which can cause abdominal discomfort during a flight (not to mention those calories from soda or alcohol!) The atmosphere inside the aircraft can also cause dehydration so continue to sip water throughout your flight.  Why? Because often we mistake thirst for hunger. If you are dehydrated when you land you may be tempted to buy a high calorie snack or overindulge at your next meal thinking you are hungry when really you are thirsty.

Airport food

If you are eating a meal at the airport - choose carefully!  Ask what dining options are available before just heading straight for the nearest fast food counter.  You may find there's a grill or restaurant with lighter options available.  Choose low fat milk or water instead of soda to accompany your meal.  As with any restaurant, ask if you can substitute the fries for an extra portion of veg.  And don't feel you have to finish the whole portion - stop eating  when you feel satisfied but before you feel full.  If fast food is really your only option, choose wisely, have the sandwich without the fries and don't panic - adjust the rest of the days meals to account for this one.

At the Hotel 

Food


Is it possible to pack dry cereal/oatmeal then buy milk at your destination for breakfast to avoid the temptations of the breakfast buffet or the cooked breakfast?  An omelet with veggies and wholegrain bread roll/toast and a side of fruit is a good option and will keep hunger at bay throughout your morning meeting.

Exercise 

Find out ahead of time if there's a gym or pool at your hotel - if there is be sure to use it!  Include time for exercise on your daily calendar as if it were another business meeting.  No gym? No problem! Go for an early morning run or walk and you'll discover your new surroundings from a different perspective.

At your business meeting 

Coffee breaks


Chances are there will be pastries, doughnuts & muffins available!  But the chances are there will also be fruit & yogurt available too! The decision is yours...  Do you allow yourself one indulgence on the first day of your business trip then make sure you choose the fruit the following days?  Do you ask the organizer if they could provide a healthier alternative to the pastries?  Do you take your own snack?

To help with your decision consider how you'll feel in a couple of hours when your meeting has over-run and the sugar high has become an energy slump?  Do those pastries still look like so appealing?!

Business Dinners 

If business dinners are a regular part of your working life you really do have to make good choices if you're to stay on track with your healthy eating or weight loss goals.  I appreciate this is not always easy - especially when you are in a foreign country or your host has arranged the meal.  In this case you may have to eat what is on offer and again choose carefully at the other meals.

If you do have control over what you can order remember the restaurant rules: ask for extra veg instead of fries; avoid the bread basket; ask for sauce/dressing on the side; choose grilled & baked items - not fried; dessert is not compulsory!

Do not feel pressured to eat the same as your colleagues at the table.  You are in charge of your own health so be confident about your own careful choices. You may even inspire those colleagues to make good choices themselves or get noticed by the boss for taking care of your health!

  For your next business trip:

~ be prepared - take your own snacks, drink plenty of water & schedule time for exercise each
    day
~ if food choice is out of your control at one meal, try and compensate at other meals during the day
~ start at the fruit end of the coffee break buffet - not the pastry end!

You'll find yourself much more alert and ready for any business challenge if you give your body the right fuel!

Looking for a Father's Day Gift?  Why not forward this information - what better gift for Dad than empowering him to achieve good health?

For more information on Men's Health visit Health Finder & American Dietetic Association Men's pages

Choose My Plate

Healthy eating.  It sounds so simple – we’ve all heard the phrase and people spend a lot of time either trying to maintain healthy eating or trying to achieve it.  However, for a variety of reasons, for many people eating healthy is not as easy as it sounds.

The majority of Americans will be familiar with the Food Pyramid which has been used by the government, dietitians & the food industry for many years.  It is without doubt an instantly recognizable symbol for healthy eating - although it may be hard for people to explain exactly what the Pyramid  is trying to teach us!

 

On June 2^nd 2011 a new healthy eating visual aid 'MyPlate' was launched!

USDA quote: "First Lady Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin today unveiled the federal government's new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. MyPlate is a new generation icon with the intent to prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at meal times and to seek more information to help them do that by going to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. The new MyPlate icon emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups."

I was excited to hear the new nutrition icon would be a plate as a plate model is what I used as a Dietitian in the UK and it was well received and readily understood by my clients and the general public.  

MyPlate's simplistic design was to make it easily understood by everyone - including children.   It emphasizes fruit & vegetable intake and the importance of dairy (or dairy alternatives if intolerant/allergic to dairy).  However, it has also been criticized for being too simplistic & for it's lack of food images and for not mentioning fats & sugary foods. 

The very fact that a new nutrition icon has been released will hopefully attract people's attention and highlight the 'healthy eating' message we often take for granted.  Additional information & resources can be found at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

The aim of this new icon is to simplify the healthy eating message and update it in line with the new guidelines which were launched earlier this year: 
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2010/DietaryGuidelines2010.pdf  

The main points  of these guidelines are:

Balance Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium (salt) in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

I encourage you to take some time to visit these websites, read the information & try out some of the interactive tools.

I personally see this as an opportunity to renew our efforts towards healthy eating & in the fight against obesity. I'd be interested in your comments on the MyPlate icon!

It's official - chocolate goes with everything! Yep - even bacon...!

Sun Rose Cafe Longmont Colorado

I had the pleasure of attending an evening of wine, beer & chocolate tasting at The Sun Rose Cafe

Now, dietitian or not, anyone who really knows me is aware of my lifelong love of chocolate!  Candy, cakes, cookies & desserts have never been my thing - but chocolate....has always been my thing!  So I was delighted to be invited by the owners Steve & Susan to this event.

They had arranged 4 wines and 4 beers specifically chosen for their chocolatey undertones and perfectly  paired with a variety of chocolate desserts (in the perfect bite size portions!)  The desserts were made personally by the owners or provided by local businesses such as Breadworks and New Moon

Barista Pinotage with chocolate covered berries

The first combination I tried was my favorite!  It was Barista Pinotage from South Africa and tasted divine with the chocolate covered blueberries, pomegranate & acia berries!

You can't really go wrong with chocolate and fruit together! Making your own trail mix with dried fruit, nuts/seeds and chocolate chips makes a perfect snack & just a small handful  is guaranteed to banish that 3pm energy slump!

As I made my way down the line I was treated to wine from Chile paired with chili chocolate popcorn!  Which was sweet, sweet, sweet then suddenly spicy!  I love the combination of chocolate and chili and  - strange as it may sound - you've really got to try it!

Next I tried the tawny port paired with a homemade chocolate & Earl Grey Tea Mousse (which was incredibly light and not too sweet or sickly as mousse can often be) then a dessert wine which although it was too sweet for my liking was served with delicious homemade macaroons.

Then, although I'm not a big fan of beer, I was determined to try those offered as one of them was paired with....chocolate dipped...bacon!!

So this was a first for me and I admit I was apprehensive....but it was incredible!  The sweet and salty combination was superb and it really enhanced the flavor of the Sri Lankan beer it was served with!

So it's official - chocolate really does go with everything.... even bacon!

Yes - this really is bacon dipped in chocolate!

The Sun Rose Cafe is everything I love about a restaurant.  The owners are always right there with the customers, serving & chatting and making you feel at home.  They choose local & organic produce as much as possible and cater for gluten free & vegetarian diets.  As a result, they say their menu 'evolves with the seasons' and if you live in Colorado I highly recommend a visit!  Their aim is to bring terrific food to their customers and provide a relaxed, friendly atmosphere for people to meet for business or pleasure.

Even when striving to eat a healthy diet, there's room for treats - the secret is getting the balance of these right.  Food should be shared and enjoyed and a  little indulgence now and then does you good!

Do You Feel Guilty if You Take Time for Yourself?

When did life get so busy?  We have internet to give us instant access to information, bread makers to bake bread while we sleep, crock pots to cook dinner while we're at work, vacuums we can program to clean the carpet all by itself,  a multitude of kitchen gadgets to help food preparation, car pools to give us a week off from taking the kids to school - so how come we're always running around with not a moment to ourselves?



It seems despite all the modern day conveniences we're all busy doing something almost every minute of the day.  This leads to stress, our sleep suffers, we grab food on the go and as a result our health suffers and we don't take time to enjoy the life we're so busy creating.


I'd like you to stop for a moment, take a deep breathe and tell yourself not only is it ok to take time to look after yourself but it's essential to take time to look after yourself.  You really will be better able to look after your family and/or cope with the demands of work if you are spending time on your own wellbeing.


While I was a stay-at-home Mom I became a consultant for Pink Papaya Spa Parties and would go to ladies houses who had invited a group of friends over. They'd try the products and have a fun evening.



It was always interesting for me to observe the ladies during the evening - they would arrive in a stressed out rush apologizing for being late and explaining how they had to work late or help with their son's school project which was due tomorrow or collect their daughter from volleyball and drive 4 friends home before they could get here.


Then I'd watch as they sat down and started trying the lotions and scrubs I offered.  I'd watch the tension leave their face & their shoulders relax.  By the end of the evening they would leave with a smile, looking very calm and ready to deal with whatever chaos had happened at home while they were out for the evening.


My point is, just taking a short time away from your regular routine can rejuvenate you.


This is National Women's Health Week and the theme for 2011 is "It's Your Time".  National Women's Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority.  I encourage women every where to give up the guilt we often feel about making time ourselves.  Look at your life and find time each day that's just for you.  It can be reading a book, listening to music, going for a walk, deciding that yes - you will go to that exercise class you've been wanting to try or learning more about  healthy eating.  But most of all it's deciding you won't feel guilty about doing it!


If you are eating well, sleeping well & exercising your body you will feel more relaxed, balanced and better able to cope with the ups and downs of daily life.   What a great role model you will be for your children when they see you looking after your mental, physical & emotional health.  From this they will be learning terrific life skills.


So make that Doctor appointment you've been putting off; make the effort to plan your meals to improve your nutrition and reduce the mealtime madness; write 'exercise' on your calendar; decide to finally ask for help to stop smoking and make this Women's Health Week the start of  you taking control of your health!


Let me know what National Women's Health Week has inspired you to do!

Dad's Cooking! Happy Mother's Day!

Photo by agifttotreasure.com

Before I go any further I have to mention how good my husband is in the kitchen (in case he reads this!)  He really enjoys cooking and will follow a recipe with a huge number of ingredients!

I know several of my friends whose husbands are also handy in the kitchen but I also know others whose husbands never set foot in there!

With Mother's Day coming up this weekend I thought I'd look at ways Dad's can contribute to raising healthy eaters.

From the very moment you become a Dad you have a vital role to play in feeding.  Supporting Mom when she's feeding a new baby, providing her with drinks and meals when she's too busy or exhausted to prepare anything for herself.

As your little one gets older and more aware, the most important way to raise a healthy eater is to lead by example.  In other words let the kids see you eating healthy foods - grab an apple as a snack, take fruit to work with you, eat your veggies at dinner time!  This has a HUGE impact on children who notice everything that's going on around them.  They will then view eating fruit and veg as 'normal' and not something only they are being made to do.

Photo by The Pottery Stop

We all know how much Dads like to BBQ!  Be sure to toss some corn-on-the-cob, veggie kebabs or baked potatoes on the grill.  Add tomatoes to your burgers and always include a vegetable or salad dish on the side.  Be adventurous!  Try grilling stuffed mushrooms or stuffed peppers, aubergine (eggplant) slices or add chunks of apple to pork kebabs!

Are junk food & soda the staples of your diet?  Everyone is busy these days and it's all too easy to grab fast food.  Limiting your intake of these foods not only sets a good example to your family but will benefit your health which in turn will improve your ability to enjoy and interact with your children.

Are you in charge of taking the kids to their sports at the weekend?  Be prepared with bottles of water and healthy snacks such as fruit, cheese sticks or cereal bars to hand out when they complain they're "starving!" 

Try as often as possible to eat together as a family.  This doesn't mean with trays on your lap all watching the TV over dinner but really sitting together, eating, talking and making mealtimes a relaxed, fun family affair.  Research has shown that family meals help improve healthy eating, reduce the risk of obesity and reduce the chance of teens getting involved in substance abuse.  Just making the effort to sit and eat together whenever  possible brings families closer and makes parents more involved in their children's lives - healthy eating aside - it's worth it for this...

We value your input regarding meals and need you to back us up when we're encouraging our kids to eat healthily.  It's so important for their health, your health and your family's health - and you may even discover some new veggies you love!

So when you and the kids are preparing a meal for Mom on Mother's Day, please know that we really are very grateful (however the meal turns out!)

Here comes the (Healthy) Bride!

Weddings are on the minds of many people at the moment - either planning their own or waiting to experience the British Royal Wedding of Prince William & Kate Middleton later this week.

Every bride wants to look stunning on her wedding day and losing weight is often high on her wedding planning to-do list.  The real secret to looking radiant on your big day is to nourish your body with all the goodness it needs.  This will help control your weight, make your skin glow, your hair shine and your eyes sparkle!

To DO List

~ Allow at least 6 months if you are trying to lose weight before your wedding - crash diets don't work! 

~ Reduce portion sizes - check out Spark People  portion size guide

~ Plan healthy snacks & take them with you when you're running errands - this stops you grabbing the nearest fast food or candy bar because your dress fitting took too long and you're starving!

~ Drink water throughout the day - this will help cleanse your body and hydrate your skin

~ Eat more fruits & vegetables - increase those vitamins & minerals your body needs to GLOW!

~ Get enough sleep - take deep breathes to help your mind switch off from all the wedding ideas running through your head!

~ Exercise - cardio will help burn fat and weight training will help define your muscles.  It's also a great stress buster during these hectic months!

DON'T List 

~ Don't skip meals or snacks - this will sabotage your weight loss efforts

~ Be wary of diet pills, diet drinks and fad diets - they can have negative effects on your body and are no match for a healthy diet

~ Reduce or avoid alcohol - these drinks add extra calories and affect your mood and concentration at a time when you need your mind to be sharp so you don't forget any of those wedding details!

~ Don't obsess about your body - there's a gown available to flatter everybody.  Focus on eating healthily instead and have fun trying on all those different dresses!


Good nutrition will carry you through these months of crazy, exciting planning and leave you with the energy to enjoy your wedding day and the healthy body to look & feel amazing in that gown!

Earth Day 2011

centenarycollege.edu

Earth Day is a time to celebrate all the wonderful resources our planet provides and to raise awareness of things we can do to preserve them!

We teach our children not to leave the water running while they brush their teeth and to switch off lights when they leave a room to conserve water and energy.  My kids are also super at recycling!

In addition, we can help the planet through our food choices.

Simple steps such as taking re-usable bags to the grocery store help to reduce the plastic bag issue in land fill sites. (As a bonus several  stores will reward you with 5c for every re-usable bag you take!)

Avoid buying food with a lot of packaging.  Many processed foods are packaged in the type of cardboard that cannot be recycled plus plastic cartons plus plastic film.  Once you peel back all these layers the food inside is generally high in sodium and additives. So not good for the environment or our bodies!

Farmer's markets are environmentally friendly.  Because the produce is local, transport costs of bringing you the food are low, there's little or no packaging, they encourage you to take your own bags.  The produce is unprocessed or minimally processed - again reducing the environmental impact by avoiding manufacturing processes while preserving the nutritional content.  Check your local paper or search the internet to see if there's a market near you!

Or you could take the plunge and start your own vegetable and herb garden!  Not as difficult as you may think and you don't need to have a big yard!  You can hang those upside down tomatoes growers from a condo balcony and plant herbs in pots.

Plan your meals in advance to avoid last minute trips to the grocery store for ingredients - this will reduce emissions from your car.  Walk or bike to the store if that's possible!

Avoid buying bottled water.  Invest in a re-usable bottle - there are SO many to choose from!  Buy one that reflects your personality or supports your favorite charity.  Buy a really brightly colored one to brighten your day or one that says 'water' on it to remind you to drink it!  

I'd love to hear your ideas for helping preserve our planet!

3 Behaviors We Can All Learn From Kindergartners

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Gone are the days when you could gain favor with the teacher by bringing them an apple!

My oldest child started Kindergarten this year and I am so happy to have the opportunity to volunteer in her class.  Not only does it make her feel more secure knowing I am sometimes in her classroom but it helps me understand her world during the hours she is away from me.

It also gives me the chance to listen in on the lessons and hear how the teacher and students interact.  Each week I hear the same phrases as the teacher guides the students with regard to their behavior: "Follow the rules", "Be on task", "Make a better choice".

Eating is a behavior and it struck me that the same guidelines the teacher uses for her student's classroom behavior apply to eating behavior too.

"Follow the Rules"

Trying to teach 24 children at the same time means there has to be classroom rules or it would be chaos and no-one would ever learn anything!

There are healthy eating 'rules' too, which help us learn which foods will nourish our bodies and how much of them we need to eat.  These come in the form of The Food Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 which explain that foods can be divided into different food groups and then guidelines given for how much of each food group to eat daily for health.

MyPyramid.gov

"Be On Task"

To the kindergartners this means concentrating on the work they have been assigned to do, finishing it on time and doing it to the best of their ability.

When it comes to eating, 'being on task' means concentrating solely on eating - not watching TV, working or multi-tasking at the same time!  This is often referred to as 'mindful eating'.  Eat meals & snacks on time to prevent hunger setting in and making you grab the nearest food. Finally, 'be on task' by choosing the healthiest food to the best of your ability, budget & availability.

If you 'd like more information about what foods to eat for health, refer to the Food Pyramid & Dietary Guidelines above, visit the American Dietetic Association    or Kids Eat Right
websites or speak with a Dietitian.

"Make a Better Choice"

It's human nature to sometimes bend the rules or make mistakes and kindergartners are no exception.  When this happens my daughter's teacher says "Next time try & make a better choice". 

So when you feel you've overindulged or eaten something you wish you hadn't - be like a kindergartner and learn from your experience.  Ask yourself why you made the choice you now regret and next time aim to 'make a better choice'.

With thanks to Mrs H for her 'words of wisdom'!

10 Reasons Why Walking Should Be Part Of Your Day!

American Heart Association National Start Walking Day

Today the American Heart Association launch National Start Walking Day to encourage us to move our bodies more than we currently do.
In this electronic age, more and more people spend hours sitting at computers but our bodies were designed to move, our muscles want to be exercised especially our heart muscle!

There are many great things about this campaign!

~ walking can be enjoyed by all members of the family from the youngest to the oldest

~ it can be done alone, with friends, colleagues or as a family

~ you can walk as briskly or as slowly as you need to & at any time of day

~ the American Heart Association recommend starting with as little as 10 minutes 3 times a week

~ you'll be amazed how quickly you find yourself able to walk longer or faster

~ you can walk regardless of the weather - too cold or wet outside?  Walk briskly around inside!

~ you can (and should!) get up from your desk at work and walk


~ walking can be incorporated into your daily life, for example, park at the far end of the car park and walk to the office or grocery store

~ you never know who you might meet or what you might enjoy seeing on a walk

~ fresh air can really lift your mood and improve sleep

Need I go on?  I hope I've convinced you to make walking part of your regular routine! (check with your Doctor if necessary)

Your body will thank you - from your joints and muscles to your heart & mind.  No time like the present - stop what you're doing right now....get up.... and take a walk!

I look forward to hearing where your walks take you.....

Making Fresh Food Fun!

by Victoria Holthaus

 Have you seen the Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli commercial where the grocery store clerk is signaled not to tell the child there are vegetables in the mix?  It is disappointing to know that if the child had been told there were a full serving of vegetables in the ravioli, he likely would not have eaten it. 

As a dietetics student, I am curious to know what exactly would decode the unappealing stigma that vegetables hold in the eyes of children.  So I went straight to the source and questioned my third-grade brother what it would take for him and his friends to eat fresh foods.  Sadly, he replied, “I’d eat them if they were dipped in chocolate.”

While it is disheartening that some kids feel this way, it’s good to know that members of the American Dietetic Association are hard at work to change this.  The ADA’s Kids Eat Right initiative and National Nutrition Month campaign support efforts for children to incorporate more healthy choices into their meals each day. 

According to MyPyramid.gov, it is recommended that kids (age 8) consume at least 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 1 ½ cups of fruit per day. 

Here are four fun ways you can encourage children to “eat right with color.”

Go shopping.  If you have an extra hour to spare, take your kids to the grocery store or farmers market and let them pick out what they’d like to eat.  Kids will feel proud when eating the food when they feel a part of the process of choosing what they eat.

Pick new foods. Do you see a plantain or starfruit?  Have you ever tried fava beans or kohlrabi?  Let your child select some foods not normally chosen and enjoy trying something new!

Play with your food.  Whoever said that you couldn’t play with your food was wrong!  Allow your child to have fun with food by using bite-sized fruits, vegetables, and toothpicks to create sculptures.  The young one will have fun making a unique creation—and may perhaps eat a few pieces along the way!

Be a food critic.  Tell your child to pretend to be the food evaluator on television shows like Top Chef or The Next Food Network Star.  Set one small portion of four or five new foods on the plate and have your child judge the tastes, textures, and overall eating quality of the foods. 

With these four tips, your child might soon discover that eating fresh foods can be exciting.  And you will be able to rest assured knowing that your little one is not only receiving optimal nutrition, but is enjoying it too. 

To find out more information regarding healthy eating for kids, please visit http://www.kidseatright.org.

Victoria Holthaus is a junior at The Ohio State University studying Human Nutrition/Dietetics.   She is a member of Ohio State’s Sport and Wellness Scholars, the Food and Nutrition Forum, and serves as a Student Council Liaison to the American Dietetic Association.  You can follow her on Twitter @ToriHolthaus or read more at www.healthyglowandgo.wordpress.com

The End of National Nutrition Month is just the Beginning...

This week marks the end of National Nutrition Month 2011 and what an exciting month it's been!

The internet has been ablaze with color as dietitians highlighted the health benefits of eating foods from black & white to yellow & purple and people shared photographs of their plates piled high with fruit and vegetables in every shade of the rainbow!

This is one of MY colorful meals!

This years theme "Eat Right with Color" was particularly conducive to capturing the imagination of children and there have been countless articles, games and recipes aimed at getting kids cooking, teaching them about healthy eating & increasing fruit & vegetable intake amongst children. These sites provide amazing resources for kids, parents & teachers alike.
In addition, The American Dietetic Association Kids Eat Right website provides a host of information from nutrition information to shopping tips for all ages throughout the year.

With thanks to Dietitians-Online.com

Adding to the excitement this month and raising awareness of the work Dietitians do, the American Dietetic Association were invited to ring the NASDAQ closing bell and nutrition messages appeared on several occasions on the adverts in Times Square New York!

Personally, this has been an exciting month for me as I have met some wonderful Dietitians through National Nutrition Month social media campaigns & I have liaised with several students who will become the next generation of dietitians!  I also had fun with my efforts to further increase the color of my family's meals!
I hope you have embraced the message of National Nutrition Month 2011 and found exciting ways to add color to your diet. I encourage you to see this as the beginning of the next step in improving your health by maintaining your increased intake of these eye-catching & nutritious foods!

Nutrition for the U

by Carlene Helble

        Going to college is a time of freedom and growth. A student gets to decide whom they eat with, when they will eat, and what their dining choice is each day. For a while, it may be the siren song of daily pizza or double Twinkies, but don’t fret! The novelty of on demand pizza will wear off, and college kids will look for options that help fuel their study sessions the right way.

Here are a few tips to help you or your student eat right for semesters to come.

-Know your options:

        Choice is a beautiful thing, but it can be overwhelming if you’re not prepared! I remember feeling dumbfounded as a freshman with the sheer number of options presented. We had more than ten dining buildings and at least 5 options within each. Where do you even start?

        Instead of settling for what you can see, take a look at the school’s dining website and get an idea of the lay of the land. Building one may have pizza, burgers, and a taco bar, but find the diamond in the rough. Can you order a vegetable burger with a whole-wheat bun at the burger bar? Can you get a side salad with your pizza?

-Ask and ye shall receive:

        Just like in a restaurant, you can request alterations to the standard order. Be polite when you request small changes to dinner that will balance your nutrition intake for the day. ‘Would it be possible to have extra veggies instead of fries?’ or ‘Please hold the mayo.’ are not a burden when done with class and a smile.

-Buy impulse fruits:

        Marketing research shows that customers are likely to buy items presented to them in the check out line. In grocery stores, this is often candy and magazines, but in more universities, fruit is being offered in large baskets at the exit. Be tempted! Pick up that orange to balance out your meal; if you’re not hungry now, save it for later.

-Squash the snack attacks:

        There’s nothing worse than being stuck in class with no time to go to the dining hall. It may seem like your only option is high sugar and sodium vending, but plan ahead and squash that snack attack. Keep a Lara bar or dried fruit and nuts in your bag during the week. Or how about that orange you picked up at lunch? When your body is sending you the ‘starving’ signal, you’ll be glad you have the right fuel already with you.

-Don’t stress for perfection:

        The time will arise when mac and cheese with a cookie dessert is the only thing that will do that day. Be in touch with your body and let yourself enjoy what you crave. Don’t beat yourself up over an indulgent meal; just use the rest of the day to help balance. Mac and cheese for lunch is the perfect opportunity for a big salad with Mexican black beans and other veggies at dinner.

As I prepare to graduate in May the best advice is this: Enjoy each day and savor every meal. College will fly by before you know it!

Carlene Helble is a senior Dietetics major and Family Studies minor at James Madison University. She is the president of JMU's student dietetic association and Student Council Liaison to the ADA. Carlene has applied to the 2011 spring match for dietetic internships where she hopes to continue into private practice and working with nutrition and social media. You can follow Carlene on Twitter @CarleneFutureRD or read more on her blog www.CarlenesFigments.wordpress.com