Yes, I command you to move it!!! That is, get some exercise, please...pretty please?
If you really need yet another reason to exercise, check out the latest research as discussed on USA TODAY:
Intense Exercise Burns Calories Long after a Workout, Study Says
Men who got 45 minutes of intense exercise on a stationary bike burned an extra 190 calories over the 14 hours after their workout, Appalachian State University researchers reported in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. They said the findings should hold true for women, and also may apply to other activities, such as running or high-intensity basketball or soccer.
Click the link below for the full article:
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/exercise/story/2011-09-01/Bonus-for-exercisers-Calories-burn-long-after-workout/50224116/1
True, 190 calories may not sound like a lot, but if you think about it.....
1) You aren't even exercising during that time to burn those calories.
2) You just burned off that Tall 2% Latte that you enjoyed this morning from Starbucks.
3) That's 190 calories you wouldn't have burned had you not exercised.
4) If weight loss isn't your goal, than burning those 190 calories makes it easier for you to enjoy that little chocolate treat at the end of the day.
5) In about 18 days you will have lost about 1 pound just from those extra calories! (Fun fact - it takes about 3500 calories to gain/lose 1 pound...keep that one in your back pocket for the next time you are on Jeopardy!)
Go on now...exercise!
Showing posts with label Nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nutrition. Show all posts
Friday, September 2, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Drinkin' Your Calories
So, I am sitting on the "L" (or elevated train for those of you not familiar with Chicago's train system) on my way into work after an early morning trip to the doctor. I had my sunglasses on, was daydreaming and trying to mind my own business. (I've learned this is the best method for remaining inconspicuous on the train).
Ok, so I was trying to mind my own business, but I couldn't help but notice something. A seat away was a young woman, probably 35 years old. She was about 30-40 pounds overweight and in her hand was a Wendy's Wild Berry Lemonade, large size, already half consumed (it was only 7:45 in the morning). Just an FYI: this large beverage contains 480 calories, 124 grams carbohydrate and 115 grams of sugar! Oh my.
To give you a frame of reference, The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends "limiting the amount of added sugars you consume to no more than half of your daily discretionary calories allowance. For most American women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons."
This lady had more than met her discretionary calorie allowance for the day and the day had just begun!
The sad thing about this scenario is that it is far more common than not these days. We are drinking these sugary, non-nutritious beverages in mass quantities. Is this the reason for the increased number of people with diabetes, obesity and heart disease? Maybe not solely, but I guarantee that it isn't helping our situation.
Not to get all on my nutrition soap box, but seriously people, do you really need 32 fluid ounces of sugar water? Nope, absolutely not. Try plain, beautiful, fresh, clean water. It's an amazingly refreshing and delicious way to stay hydrated. Add a spritz of citrus and you'll be on your way to healthier, less sugary version of you.
Ok, so I was trying to mind my own business, but I couldn't help but notice something. A seat away was a young woman, probably 35 years old. She was about 30-40 pounds overweight and in her hand was a Wendy's Wild Berry Lemonade, large size, already half consumed (it was only 7:45 in the morning). Just an FYI: this large beverage contains 480 calories, 124 grams carbohydrate and 115 grams of sugar! Oh my.
To give you a frame of reference, The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends "limiting the amount of added sugars you consume to no more than half of your daily discretionary calories allowance. For most American women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons."
This lady had more than met her discretionary calorie allowance for the day and the day had just begun!
The sad thing about this scenario is that it is far more common than not these days. We are drinking these sugary, non-nutritious beverages in mass quantities. Is this the reason for the increased number of people with diabetes, obesity and heart disease? Maybe not solely, but I guarantee that it isn't helping our situation.
Not to get all on my nutrition soap box, but seriously people, do you really need 32 fluid ounces of sugar water? Nope, absolutely not. Try plain, beautiful, fresh, clean water. It's an amazingly refreshing and delicious way to stay hydrated. Add a spritz of citrus and you'll be on your way to healthier, less sugary version of you.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The article below was posted on the Chicago Tribune website.
Should Chicago schools, like those in Los Angeles, reconsider chocolate milk?
By Monica Eng1:04 PM CDT, June 15, 2011
The Los Angeles Unified School District is considering a proposal supported by Superintendent John Deasy to eliminate flavored milks from L.A. school cafeterias.
Activist chef Jamie Oliver applauded the decision and expressed his delight with the move during The Stew's terrific interview with the chef.
With some of the highest childhood obesity levels in the nation, should Chicago Public Schools also consider eliminating from its cafeterias milk sweetened with high fructose corn syrup?
Chocolate milk supporters and the dairy industry say kids won't drink milk if it's not sweet. But I am reminded of what a third-grader said while I was visiting CPS cafeterias earlier this year. When asked why he and all his friends were drinking chocolate rather than white milk, he told me, "We only drink white milk at home."
With some of the highest childhood obesity levels in the nation, should Chicago Public Schools also consider eliminating from its cafeterias milk sweetened with high fructose corn syrup?
Chocolate milk supporters and the dairy industry say kids won't drink milk if it's not sweet. But I am reminded of what a third-grader said while I was visiting CPS cafeterias earlier this year. When asked why he and all his friends were drinking chocolate rather than white milk, he told me, "We only drink white milk at home."
Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune
My Thoughts:
Really? I mean, really? Will eliminating flavored milk in our schools make any kind of impact on childhood obesity? My guess is...not so much.
I can say this because out of all of the things that schools serve, flavored milk is one of the healthiest things on the menu. Plus, we're talking about 1 cup here, not 1 gallon. When was the last time you visited a school cafeteria? Remember that "all-purpose" patty that was served at least twice a week? What about all of those tater tots and french fries? How are any of those things good for children?
So, here's my vote. Keep the flavored milk (at least for now) and instead, let's work on fixing the real problem....the rest of the foods on the school lunch menu.
Hats off to programs like the Healthy Schools Campaign Chicago who is doing just that!!! Check them out at http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/
Friday, May 27, 2011
Genetically Modified Foods - An interesting article
My husband so kindly passed an article along regarding a story recently published in the Chicago Tribune. It's about genetically modified foods (or GMO's) and their presence in our food system here in the US.
What exactly are GMO foods? The article states that "genetically modified crops differ in that the plants grow from seeds in which DNA splicing has been used to place genes from another source into a plant. In this way, the crop can be made to withstand a weed-killing pesticide, for example, or incorporate a bacterial toxin that can repel pests." Does this sound crazy and weird to anyone else???
Some interesting facts from the article:
"Used in an estimated 70 percent of all American processed food, genetically modified crops make up 93 percent of all soy, 86 percent of all corn and 93 percent of all canola seeds planted in the U.S., which makes stocking only non-GMO products difficult."
GMO foods are prohibited from being grown in Japan, Europe and Britain.
Labeling of GMO foods is not required by the FDA and they believe that GMO foods do not "differ from other foods in any meaningful or uniform way."
Want to avoid GMO foods? (from the article)
•Look for the Non-GMO Project Verified seal, which is the only third-party-tested verification program in the U.S.
•Choose certified organic foods, which cannot contain genetically modified ingredients or feed (for animals) as part of their certification.
•The most common genetically modified crops are field corn (used for grain, processed food ingredients and animal feed), soy, canola, cotton, alfalfa, sugar beets, wheat, rice and flax, although the last three are not yet commercially grown.
•These crops often are added to processed foods as oils, sweeteners and soy proteins but also can be part of amino acids, aspartame, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, vitamin C, citric acid, sodium citrate, ethanol, flavorings (natural and artificial), hydrolyzed vegetable protein, lactic acid, maltodextrins, microbial growth media, molasses, monosodium glutamate, sucrose, textured vegetable protein, xantham gum, vitamins and yeast products, according to the Non-GMO Project.
•Unless sugar is labeled as pure cane or organic, it likely contains sugar from genetically modified sugar beets.
•Most fresh produce is GMO-free except Hawaiian papaya, crookneck squash, zucchini and a small percentage of sweet corn.
Whole Foods and Trader Joe's say all their store brand items are sourced from non-GMO foods.
Please read the article for more information: http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-gmo-food-labeling--20110524,0,5841902.story?page=1
My personal opinion
What exactly are GMO foods? The article states that "genetically modified crops differ in that the plants grow from seeds in which DNA splicing has been used to place genes from another source into a plant. In this way, the crop can be made to withstand a weed-killing pesticide, for example, or incorporate a bacterial toxin that can repel pests." Does this sound crazy and weird to anyone else???
Some interesting facts from the article:
"Used in an estimated 70 percent of all American processed food, genetically modified crops make up 93 percent of all soy, 86 percent of all corn and 93 percent of all canola seeds planted in the U.S., which makes stocking only non-GMO products difficult."
GMO foods are prohibited from being grown in Japan, Europe and Britain.
Labeling of GMO foods is not required by the FDA and they believe that GMO foods do not "differ from other foods in any meaningful or uniform way."
Want to avoid GMO foods? (from the article)
•Look for the Non-GMO Project Verified seal, which is the only third-party-tested verification program in the U.S.
•Choose certified organic foods, which cannot contain genetically modified ingredients or feed (for animals) as part of their certification.
•The most common genetically modified crops are field corn (used for grain, processed food ingredients and animal feed), soy, canola, cotton, alfalfa, sugar beets, wheat, rice and flax, although the last three are not yet commercially grown.
•These crops often are added to processed foods as oils, sweeteners and soy proteins but also can be part of amino acids, aspartame, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, vitamin C, citric acid, sodium citrate, ethanol, flavorings (natural and artificial), hydrolyzed vegetable protein, lactic acid, maltodextrins, microbial growth media, molasses, monosodium glutamate, sucrose, textured vegetable protein, xantham gum, vitamins and yeast products, according to the Non-GMO Project.
•Unless sugar is labeled as pure cane or organic, it likely contains sugar from genetically modified sugar beets.
•Most fresh produce is GMO-free except Hawaiian papaya, crookneck squash, zucchini and a small percentage of sweet corn.
Whole Foods and Trader Joe's say all their store brand items are sourced from non-GMO foods.
Please read the article for more information: http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-gmo-food-labeling--20110524,0,5841902.story?page=1
My personal opinion
To be honest, I am not a fan of GMO foods. Anytime human kind starts to play with the DNA of our food, I get a little scared. Sometimes I wonder if we are just too bored or too smart for our own good. No one knows the long-term cost of these foods on our environment or our health. For now, I will follow the recommendations listed above as best as I can.
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| The non-GMO seal from the Non-GMO project |
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Nutrition Tip O' The Day: Installment #3
Try a little chia.
No, I am not talking about the cute (or maybe not so cute? Your call on that one) chia pet. I am talking about chia seeds! Yes, these little seeds are the new nutrition "sweetheart." I gurantee that if you haven't heard the nutrition buzz about them yet, you will soon.
What's the big deal about these chia seeds you ask? Well, I was wondering the same thing until a few months ago. I had the fortunate opportunity to hear Dawn Jackson Blatner (amazing dietitian and friend) speak at a conference about these little seeds.
Turns out these tiny seeds are not only fun to eat, but are packed with nutrition. For every 2 tablespoons of chia seed, you are getting about 130 calories, 9 grams of fat (6.5g polyunsaturated=healthy fat) 4 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber. Amazing!
So, why do you care that chia seeds have this great nutritional profile? Ok, big picture here. By spreading these little guys on your oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, pasta sauce, or sprinkling in your water, juice (known as agua fresca in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean)....(you get my point), you are protecting your heart (thanks to those great and hard-to-get polyunsaturated fats), and your digestive tract (thank you fiber). Fiber is not only beneficial for heart health and your digestive tract, but it also helps you feel full. Feeling full prevents you from over-eating! Fantastic!
Now that I have piqued your interest, it's time to get your hands on some chia seeds. If you can't find them at your local market/natural foods store, try a respectable on-line source.
Images from: http://www.navitasnaturals.com/products/chia.html
No, I am not talking about the cute (or maybe not so cute? Your call on that one) chia pet. I am talking about chia seeds! Yes, these little seeds are the new nutrition "sweetheart." I gurantee that if you haven't heard the nutrition buzz about them yet, you will soon.
What's the big deal about these chia seeds you ask? Well, I was wondering the same thing until a few months ago. I had the fortunate opportunity to hear Dawn Jackson Blatner (amazing dietitian and friend) speak at a conference about these little seeds.
Turns out these tiny seeds are not only fun to eat, but are packed with nutrition. For every 2 tablespoons of chia seed, you are getting about 130 calories, 9 grams of fat (6.5g polyunsaturated=healthy fat) 4 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber. Amazing!
So, why do you care that chia seeds have this great nutritional profile? Ok, big picture here. By spreading these little guys on your oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, pasta sauce, or sprinkling in your water, juice (known as agua fresca in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean)....(you get my point), you are protecting your heart (thanks to those great and hard-to-get polyunsaturated fats), and your digestive tract (thank you fiber). Fiber is not only beneficial for heart health and your digestive tract, but it also helps you feel full. Feeling full prevents you from over-eating! Fantastic!
Now that I have piqued your interest, it's time to get your hands on some chia seeds. If you can't find them at your local market/natural foods store, try a respectable on-line source.
You can thank me now, or later...totally up to you! :)
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Nutrition Tip O' The Day: Installment #2
May 5, 2011
Happy Cinco de Mayo!!! The perfect excuse for indulging in a meal of pork carnitas tacos, tortilla chips and guacamole and of course, margaritas. In fact, I am sure many people enjoyed a Mexican food fiesta, but not us. Nope. Instead we met up with some great people (you know who you are) for some great conversation over some relatively decent Thai food. I would feel bad about the Thai food thing, but we seriously eat more Mexican food in our casa than anyone I know.
Back to the matter at hand. My Nutrition Tip O' The Day. I know that you have anxiously been awaiting the second installment....or maybe I am just hopeful that have been? Regardless, my tip is to eat your meal with chopsticks. Am I being serious? Yes, in fact, I am.
Happy Cinco de Mayo!!! The perfect excuse for indulging in a meal of pork carnitas tacos, tortilla chips and guacamole and of course, margaritas. In fact, I am sure many people enjoyed a Mexican food fiesta, but not us. Nope. Instead we met up with some great people (you know who you are) for some great conversation over some relatively decent Thai food. I would feel bad about the Thai food thing, but we seriously eat more Mexican food in our casa than anyone I know.
Back to the matter at hand. My Nutrition Tip O' The Day. I know that you have anxiously been awaiting the second installment....or maybe I am just hopeful that have been? Regardless, my tip is to eat your meal with chopsticks. Am I being serious? Yes, in fact, I am.
Case in point, dinner tonight required some decision-making. Should I use the familiar, loyal and trustworthy fork or venture into unknown and foreign territory and try the chopsticks? Well, because I was hungry and I didn't feel like working so hard to eat my food, I chose old reliable...the fork. Somewhere around 4-5 bites in, I realized my dining companions were meeting the challenge of the chopsticks head on. Hmmmm, maybe they were on to something.
I realized that they were eating much more slowly than I was. Not only that, but their bites were smaller. Brilliant!!! Now, I know it's completely impossible to eat every meal with chopsticks. Your co-workers will think you are just plain wacky if you bust out chopsticks to eat your sandwich on your lunch break. It's not so much the chopsticks themselves, but the concept....eat more slowly and take smaller bites.
Consuming meals in this fashion allows you to enjoy your food, savoring each bite. It also helps with digestion and satiety. I think I read somewhere once that it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal that you're full. I have seen many people (including myself) consume an entire meal in less time than that. Ever eat so quickly that about 20 minutes later you feel soooooo full? Yup, by that time, it's too late. You've already consumed calories that you don't need or even want. Yuck.
So next time you are dining at a place with chopsticks, I encourage you to give them a try. You'll see that you are a much more mindful eater. Practice mindful eating at every meal, chopsticks or not, and you'll find eating can be a rewarding experience, not just a way to fill a void.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Mini-Size Me!
May 1, 2011
Have you ever seen the movie Super Size Me? If not, it's a compelling documentary about a man who eats and exists on McDonald's food for one month and who must always say "yes" when asked if he wants to Super Size anything. A kind of science experiment to determine the effects of this type of diet on his health. Let's just say the results are kind of what you would expect if your meals consisted entirely of foods off of the McDonald's menu. (FYI - this movie was made before the newest healthy items like oatmeal were added to their menu and when they still had the Super Size menu.)
I mention this because I had a relatively opposite experience to Super Size Me this weekend. My husband and I were on the road this weekend and like all good road trips, we needed to make a few pit stops. The first stop was to Target, not related to the story at all, but I just love Target and thought I should give them a little shout out. The second stop was to Arby's.
Wait, what? A dietitian stopping at Arby's? Oh yes, and believe it or not, this was just the beginning. My husband and I decided to go inside (really his idea, not mine). A great idea in hindsight because ironically, this is the first fast food restaurant that we had been to in a long time. We were afraid that we wouldn't be able to make a timely decision at the drive-through window and we were right. We got in that Arby's and we felt like outsiders. So many different options and combos and sizes and sauces and oh my, gosh, how does anyone decide?
After much consideration, we agreed to ordering a few items from their Value Menu. Did you know they have this menu? Oh boy, it is perfect for people like us. It is full of smaller versions of their collosal original items. We went for the Jr Roast Beef Sandwich (I had 1.5 sandwiches...I was hungry, ok? My husband had 1.5 plus their value turkey sandwich) and value curly fries (shared one container.) Check out the stats of our items and the comparison the regular versions:
Nutrition Info:
Jr Roast Beef Sandwich: 210 calories, 8g fat, 3g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 25mg chol, 520mg sodium, 12g protein
Value Curly Fries: 270 calories, 14g fat, 2g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 700mg sodium and 3g protien
Versus:
Small Curly Fries: 450 calories, 24 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 20 mg chol 1160mg sodium and 4 g protien
Regular Roast Beef Sandwich: 360 calories, 14g fat, 6g sat fat, 1g trans fat, 50mg chol, 950mg sodium and 22g protein
Look at the savings! If I would've chosen to consume the regular versions of these foods, I would've consumed over 810 calories, 38g fat, 9g saturated fat and a whopping 2110mg of sodium!!! Instead, I ate about 450 calories, 19g fat, 5.5g saturated fat and 1130mg of sodium.
Yes, I realize that I consumed a significant amount of fat and sodium at this meal, but as an "on the road" option, I fared pretty well. What's scary is that most the people don't order the foods off the value (smaller size) menu. In fact, the man in front of us ordered a combo meal with extra cheese sauce on the side. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of calories, fat and sodium he ended up consuming.
A hilarious side note is that we had brought what we call a "lunch supplement" that included organic carrots and organic strawberries! My husband fittingly questioned, "I wonder how many people are eating organic carrots and strawberries with their value size items from Arby's?" Our guess....zero!
Oh, but the Arby's experience was only our first fast food excursion of the day. I know, it's seems horribly wrong to tell you this, but I have a purpose. The second place we went to was Dairy Queen. I can't even tell you when the last time was that I went to good old DQ. I think I was in high school...yes, that was awhile ago. Anyway, they have this new item, a mini Blizzard. Awesome! We got up to the counter and the lady asked us what we wanted and I promptly said "We will have one Butterfinger Mini Blizzard." I think we got a strange look, but she proceeded to make our order.
Here are the stats for a 7oz Butterfinger Mini Blizzard (per DQ's website)
340 calories, 12g fat, 7g saturated fat, 0.5g trans fat, 30mg chol, 52g carbohydrate and 8g protein
Versus
Enjoy that mini Blizzard...but share it with a friend!
Have you ever seen the movie Super Size Me? If not, it's a compelling documentary about a man who eats and exists on McDonald's food for one month and who must always say "yes" when asked if he wants to Super Size anything. A kind of science experiment to determine the effects of this type of diet on his health. Let's just say the results are kind of what you would expect if your meals consisted entirely of foods off of the McDonald's menu. (FYI - this movie was made before the newest healthy items like oatmeal were added to their menu and when they still had the Super Size menu.)
I mention this because I had a relatively opposite experience to Super Size Me this weekend. My husband and I were on the road this weekend and like all good road trips, we needed to make a few pit stops. The first stop was to Target, not related to the story at all, but I just love Target and thought I should give them a little shout out. The second stop was to Arby's.
Wait, what? A dietitian stopping at Arby's? Oh yes, and believe it or not, this was just the beginning. My husband and I decided to go inside (really his idea, not mine). A great idea in hindsight because ironically, this is the first fast food restaurant that we had been to in a long time. We were afraid that we wouldn't be able to make a timely decision at the drive-through window and we were right. We got in that Arby's and we felt like outsiders. So many different options and combos and sizes and sauces and oh my, gosh, how does anyone decide?
After much consideration, we agreed to ordering a few items from their Value Menu. Did you know they have this menu? Oh boy, it is perfect for people like us. It is full of smaller versions of their collosal original items. We went for the Jr Roast Beef Sandwich (I had 1.5 sandwiches...I was hungry, ok? My husband had 1.5 plus their value turkey sandwich) and value curly fries (shared one container.) Check out the stats of our items and the comparison the regular versions:
Nutrition Info:
Jr Roast Beef Sandwich: 210 calories, 8g fat, 3g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 25mg chol, 520mg sodium, 12g protein
Value Curly Fries: 270 calories, 14g fat, 2g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 700mg sodium and 3g protien
Versus:
Small Curly Fries: 450 calories, 24 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 20 mg chol 1160mg sodium and 4 g protien
Regular Roast Beef Sandwich: 360 calories, 14g fat, 6g sat fat, 1g trans fat, 50mg chol, 950mg sodium and 22g protein
Look at the savings! If I would've chosen to consume the regular versions of these foods, I would've consumed over 810 calories, 38g fat, 9g saturated fat and a whopping 2110mg of sodium!!! Instead, I ate about 450 calories, 19g fat, 5.5g saturated fat and 1130mg of sodium.
Yes, I realize that I consumed a significant amount of fat and sodium at this meal, but as an "on the road" option, I fared pretty well. What's scary is that most the people don't order the foods off the value (smaller size) menu. In fact, the man in front of us ordered a combo meal with extra cheese sauce on the side. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of calories, fat and sodium he ended up consuming.
A hilarious side note is that we had brought what we call a "lunch supplement" that included organic carrots and organic strawberries! My husband fittingly questioned, "I wonder how many people are eating organic carrots and strawberries with their value size items from Arby's?" Our guess....zero!
Oh, but the Arby's experience was only our first fast food excursion of the day. I know, it's seems horribly wrong to tell you this, but I have a purpose. The second place we went to was Dairy Queen. I can't even tell you when the last time was that I went to good old DQ. I think I was in high school...yes, that was awhile ago. Anyway, they have this new item, a mini Blizzard. Awesome! We got up to the counter and the lady asked us what we wanted and I promptly said "We will have one Butterfinger Mini Blizzard." I think we got a strange look, but she proceeded to make our order.
Here are the stats for a 7oz Butterfinger Mini Blizzard (per DQ's website)
340 calories, 12g fat, 7g saturated fat, 0.5g trans fat, 30mg chol, 52g carbohydrate and 8g protein
Versus
a 9.5 oz small Butterfinger Blizzard (also per DQ's website)
470 calories, 16g fat, 10g saturated fat, 0.5g trans fat, 40mg chol, 71g carbohydrate and 11g protein
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| The mini is the little one on the left. Picture from grubgrade.com |
By sharing the mini blizzard we each consumed 170 calories, 6g fat, 26g carbs and 4g protein. Not too bad considering what it was.
Here's my point. No one is perfect when it comes to eating. Even dietitians and health-nuts like treats now and then. It's a matter of making smart choices to fit these foods into your diet. I don't feel guilty at all for this day of eating. Why? Because I don't eat this way often and when I do, I don't over-do it.
While I don't condone getting meals from fast food places on a regular basis, I do recognize it's going to happen. I encourage you to make smart choices and arm yourself with the information to do so. With smart phones and computers at our fingertips, we don't have an excuse not too.
Enjoy that mini Blizzard...but share it with a friend!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Trucks to bring produce to city's 'food deserts'
Check out this story on bringing fresh produce to food deserts in the Indianapolis area. A lovely and wonderful idea....kudos to you "Garden on the Go!"
http://www.indystar.com/article/20110428/NEWS19/104280394/Smith-Trucks-bring-produce-city-s-food-deserts-?odyssey=tab
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Sherry Valentine, Indianapolis, shops for fresh produce on the "Garden on the Go" produce truck parked in front of Lugar Tower Apartments. "This is great. It is a whole lot better than going to the grocery store," she said Wednesday. / Danese Kenon / The Star |
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Nutrition/Culinary Tip O' The Day
April 26, 2011
After much careful thought and consideration (does 5 minutes count?), I have decided to post nutrition tips of the day/week/month/whenever I feel inspired. Wow, that sounds incredibly boring, doesn't it? Yes, but I would be an irresponsible dietitian if I couldn't find ways to inspire you to eat a healthier diet, right???
After even more thought and consideration (does 1 minute count?), I have also decided to post culinary related tips. This one doesn't sound as boring, right? Heck, I might even decide to combine the two! I know, I am getting a little crazy, but I just can't help myself.
My first tip is eat more vegetables. Ok, just kidding (don't you love a little dietitian humor?)! No, my first tip is... Don't always follow the recipe. What? Haven't I already posted recipes on this blog? Yes, I have. However, I will be the first to tell you that recipes aren't always good or right. It's true. Many times I find recipes are missing key ingredients. Not only that, but I know better, even healthier ways to cook foods instead of basting them in fat and salt.
I find that so many people have a hard time cooking because they fall victim to the recipe. They don't seem to understand that the recipe and ingredients are just merely a suggestion. For instance, if a recipe calls for butter and you don't have any or you're watching your saturated fat intake, what else could you use? Nothing? Wrong! If it's a savory recipe (meaning one that isn't a baked good), you can usually swap olive oil for butter. Maybe you've got a quesadilla recipe, but it just tastes like melted cheese? Why not add some spice? Sure, the recipe didn't call for cumin, cayenne or Mexican oregano, but who cares!!! Throw caution to the wind and give it a shot.
Be creative and put some thought into your next meal. Research and find healthy swaps for high fat/high calorie ingredients. Ever tried mayo made with olive oil instead of the traditional mayo? It's delicious and you can't taste the difference. It's an easy swap and you'll save yourself some fat, calories and even get some heart-healthy omega 3 fats too. See how easy that was???
I hope you enjoyed my first intallment of Tip O' The Day. Remember, there is a little chef in all of us! Get in the kitchen and experiment!
After much careful thought and consideration (does 5 minutes count?), I have decided to post nutrition tips of the day/week/month/whenever I feel inspired. Wow, that sounds incredibly boring, doesn't it? Yes, but I would be an irresponsible dietitian if I couldn't find ways to inspire you to eat a healthier diet, right???
After even more thought and consideration (does 1 minute count?), I have also decided to post culinary related tips. This one doesn't sound as boring, right? Heck, I might even decide to combine the two! I know, I am getting a little crazy, but I just can't help myself.
My first tip is eat more vegetables. Ok, just kidding (don't you love a little dietitian humor?)! No, my first tip is... Don't always follow the recipe. What? Haven't I already posted recipes on this blog? Yes, I have. However, I will be the first to tell you that recipes aren't always good or right. It's true. Many times I find recipes are missing key ingredients. Not only that, but I know better, even healthier ways to cook foods instead of basting them in fat and salt.
I find that so many people have a hard time cooking because they fall victim to the recipe. They don't seem to understand that the recipe and ingredients are just merely a suggestion. For instance, if a recipe calls for butter and you don't have any or you're watching your saturated fat intake, what else could you use? Nothing? Wrong! If it's a savory recipe (meaning one that isn't a baked good), you can usually swap olive oil for butter. Maybe you've got a quesadilla recipe, but it just tastes like melted cheese? Why not add some spice? Sure, the recipe didn't call for cumin, cayenne or Mexican oregano, but who cares!!! Throw caution to the wind and give it a shot.
Be creative and put some thought into your next meal. Research and find healthy swaps for high fat/high calorie ingredients. Ever tried mayo made with olive oil instead of the traditional mayo? It's delicious and you can't taste the difference. It's an easy swap and you'll save yourself some fat, calories and even get some heart-healthy omega 3 fats too. See how easy that was???
I hope you enjoyed my first intallment of Tip O' The Day. Remember, there is a little chef in all of us! Get in the kitchen and experiment!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tax on Soda? Yes, please.
What a fabulous idea! Chicago, please save our children by imposing a similar tax.
Proposed soda tax would raise $1.7 billion statewide for schools and children's health programs
Read all about it using this link:http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17897046?nclick_check=1
Proposed soda tax would raise $1.7 billion statewide for schools and children's health programs
Read all about it using this link:
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