Posts tagged nutrition
Fitness: How to Bounce Back from a Vacation Lull
Aug 24th
They say a body in motion stays in motion. But what happens when you stop for a breather? A vacation or change of schedule in summer can really derail your healthy habits. Vacations equal eating out, enjoying treats normally off the menu and letting dust gather on your running shoes. We wanted to offer some tips for getting back on track. As always, it’s about both the calories you’re ingesting as well as the calories you’re burning.
The Input
I. Eat frequently
Starving yourself to atone for past sins is actually counter-productive. Your body will try to keep calories rather than using them when it thinks there are limited resources. Instead, focus on controlling your appetite with frequent small meals. Eating a light, nutrient-rich meal (300-400 calories) every few hours regulates your metabolism and blood sugar, keeping you from binging because you’re starving.
II. Watch what you’re drinking
Alcohol, coffee drinks and soft drinks add hundreds of daily calories to your diet. Cutting out beer, large blended coffees and soda is a small sacrifice that makes a big difference in your health goals. Replace them with more water, which helps your overall health in countless ways.
III. No more elephant ears
Cut out processed sugar and anything fried. The pervasiveness of sugar in Americans’ diets is a major contributor to weight problems. Women especially will notice a difference in their mid-section when they make the conscious decision to reduce sugar intake. Try fruit yogurt if a sweets craving rears its head. We all know fried foods aren’t good for us. Steer clear of greasy appetizers, and choose the grilled chicken or fish rather than breaded. You will reach your goals more quickly.
The Output
I. Make plans to work out
Schedule your time in advance, put workouts on your calendar and make dates to break a sweat with friends. Everyone has a busy life, and it is always easy to bump a workout to the bottom of your to-do list if you don’t think about it in advance. A good schedule for getting back into a routine is to plan for 30-45 minutes of exercise each day, with the understanding that one or two days a week you may not be able to do it.
II. Get moving
A great way to get back into a regular workout routine is the run-walk. If you are starting from scratch, try running 30 seconds, then walking at a quick pace for two minutes. Alternate for 25 minutes with a warm up and cool down, and increase running time gradually as you start to feel the improvement. If you can start with a more intense workout, alternate running for 5 minutes and walking for 5 minutes, with a warm up and cool down over 60 minutes.
III. Mix it up
Cardio is great for burning calories, but adding some form of strength training will build calorie-eating muscles. Work in a weight training or yoga session two times a week and your cardio sessions will be more effective. Plus, alternating your workouts makes it easier to stay motivated over time.
Follow this helpful fitness tips to get yourself back on track and back in shape after a much-needed vacation. And if you have any other helpful tips you’d like to share, please do in the comment section below.
Four Recipes for a Healthy Summer Meal
Aug 20th
The last few weeks of summer are upon us. Already the days are getting shorter and cooler. There’s only so much time left to enjoy the sunny days, warm night and those delicious and healthy foods that complement this weather so well. Soon our meals will be full of comforting oatmeals, filling tubers and hardy stews. To celebrate these final weeks of summers, we wanted to provide you with recipes for a healthy, light and refreshing summer meal that won’t require the use of your sweltering oven.
Appetizer
Tomato and Avocado Salad
Simply, light and delicious–this salad is a fantastic start to your healthy summer meal. It’s tasty enough to stand alone as individually-served salads, or can be served in a large bowl with tortilla chips for a tasty and crunchy appetizer.
Ingredients
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, or mixture of both
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 white onion, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
High quality sea salt
Preparation
In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, parsley, oil, lemon juice, and onions. Add avocados and salt and toss gently. Now dig in! Or place in the refrigerator if not serving immediately. Serves 3.
Nutrition
Per serving (212g-wt.):
Calories: 190 (73.68% from fat)
Total Fat: 16g
Saturated: 2.5g
Protein: 3g
Carbohydrates: 13g
Fiber: 7g
Sugar: 4g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 210mg
From Whole Foods Market.
Entree
Grilled Salmon with Roasted Corn Relish 
We’re big fans of fish, if you didn’t know! In supplement form and the real stuff. And this grilled salmon with roasted corn relish is fantastic. Lime juice and cilantro give it a fresh summer taste, and the grilled preparation infusions a smoky and quintessentially summer flavor into the entire dish.
Ingredients
- 4 Anaheim chiles
- Cooking spray
- 2 shucked ears corn
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
Preparation
Prepare grill. Place chiles on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until blackened. Place chiles in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel chiles; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes. Cut chiles into 1/4-inch strips.
Place corn on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Cool slightly. Cut kernels from cobs.
Combine chiles, corn, tomato, cilantro, and juice; toss gently. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cumin, stirring well. Rub spice mixture evenly over both sides of salmon. Place salmon on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with relish.
Nutrition
Calories: 304 (33% from fat)
Fat: 11.3g
Saturated: 2.6g
Protein: 33.9g
Carbohydrate: 18.1g
Fiber: 2.7g
Cholesterol: 80mg
Iron: 1.7mg
Sodium: 671mg
Calcium: 39mg
From Cooking Light.
Beverage
Honey Limeade
Nothing’s better than an ice cold limeade on a hot summer day! The honey adds some smooth sweetness to the tart limes. And it doesn’t get much simpler than this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup lime juice
- 5 cups water
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Chill in refrigerator. Serve over ice. Easy as limeade! Serves 6.
Nutrition
Calories: 118
Fat: 0g
Saturated: 0
Protein: 0.2g
Carbohydrate: 31.4g
Fiber: 0.2g
Cholesterol: 80mg
Sodium: 7mg
From All Recipes.
Dessert
Grilled Fruit with Balsamic Vinegar Syrup
Grilled fruit is a fantastic way to satisfy that after dinner sweet tooth without going overboard. Heat from the grill caramelizes the natural sugars in fruit, making them delightfully sticky and extra sweet tasting. And the balsamic drizzle provides a nice balance by adding a semi-sweet, semi-tart flavor.
Ingredients
1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
2 large mangoes, cored and cut in half
2 large peaches, cored and cut in half
Nonstick, butter-flavored cooking spray
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Mint or basil leaves, for garnish
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, mangoes and peaches. Spray generously with cooking spray. Toss and spray again to ensure the fruit is well-coated. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Toss to coat evenly. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat the balsamic vinegar over low heat. Simmer until the liquid is reduced in half, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill or broiler. Away from the heat source, lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.
Place the fruit on the grill racks or broiler pan. Grill or broil over medium heat until the sugar caramelizes, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the fruit from the grill and arrange onto individual serving plates. Drizzle with balsamic syrup and garnish with mint or basil. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
(for one serving of each item)
Calories: 120
Fat: 0 g
Saturated: 0g
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 29g
Fiber: 3g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 5mg
From Mayo Clinic.
Enjoy! And let us know how your meal turns out.
New Year Resolutions – Make Them Last This Year
Dec 31st
“Now there are more overweight people in America than average-weight people. So overweight people are now average… which means, you have met your New Year’s resolution. “Jay Leno
Above quote was meant to be a joke, but brings many other thoughts to a professional as myself. Where are we going as a nation? With the market swarming with healthy low fat, sugar free food choices we still seem to struggle with losing weight and keep it off for good. Maybe information overload is what creates the notion that we are right on track to a healthier us? With the constant breakthroughs in medicine we are living longer, but that does not mean we are healthier at all.
Fact: 2 out of every 3 Americans are overweight or obese – defined as having a body mass index over 25. You can calculate your BMI on http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html. According to the Center for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC): “American society has become ‘obesogenic,’ characterized by environments that promote increased food intake, nonhealthful foods, and physical inactivity”. We all hear how dangerous obesity is and how it makes us prone to heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure to mention a few.
We are full of great excuses to put off our plan to eat better or exercise. I ask my clients what stops them from loosing weight. The answers: “My wife cooks too damn good”, or “Friday night with my friends I go to the bar and those stuffed mushrooms just go so well with my beer”, or “Such a rush in the morning, so I grab a coffee and donut on a way to work…I blew up my morning so I just continue to eat what I feel like. I will start my diet on Monday”. I cannot even count how many times my clients look so disappointed that as a dietitian I do not have some “ magic “ way to help them melt those pounds away. Well the truth is there is no quick fix. There comes to mind another fact:” In order to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume”. If you planning on having that rich cake or a bigger meal, plan for it and adjust the rest of your intake that day accordingly, take that walk or take those stairs. At the end of the day you need to burn more than you put in your body.
Searching the internet I came across a great website, that I might give hope to people overwhelmed by “ I need to give up all the foods I like…” http://www.smallstep.gov/index.htm In my opinion that is a great start to a new year – small changes might just be an answer. This government website is full of small steps for every day you can take and see a gradual weight loss. Two quote a couple:
1) Try fast food options such as smaller burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches or salads with low-calorie dressings, cups or bags of fresh fruit, low-fat milk, 100% fruit juice and bottled water
2) Be flexible. You don’t need to worry about just one meal or one day. Find your right balance between what you eat and the physical activity you do over several days.
There are 100 of small steps you can find there and some of other resources, like interactive diet planning or portion control information.
Go on and pick one a day and start those changes as you begin your New Year weight loss plan. About 80% of resolution-makers abandon their resolutions by mid-February. Forget all the diet wonders you heard, eg.“cabbage soup diet” a friend gave you because it helped her loose 10 pounds. Next time you see her ask if she was able to keep it off or did she gain it all back once she went back to her regular food intake. Get your mind set for a long term weight control, lifestyle that will become a part of how you are. Start small and succeed.
Monika Benitez, RD, CNSC
Registered Dietitian since 2007, currently working in Queens, NY in a hospital setting.
My professional motto: Practice what you preach.