Hello from beautiful Banff, Alberta, Canada! The town of Banff is located within Banff National Park and is nestled amongst the Rocky Mountains. My husband and I are vacationing here, taking in the amazing views, hiking trails and hot springs. We even saw a mamma bear and her two cubs on our tour today! Continue reading “Travel-Friendly Keto Snacks”
Tag: nutrition
Wellness Wednesday: Go Further with Food!
March is National Nutrition Month, and this year the theme promoted is “Go Further with Food”. This week’s Wellness Wednesday tip focuses on how you can feel better and do more by considering the foods you fuel your body with.
- Food Timing- When you eat can affect how you feel both physically and mentally. Some people cringe at the thought of food in the morning, while others feel shaky if they don’t start the day with something to eat. Some can go to bed and sleep soundly after a large dinner, while others will toss and turn all night if they eat too closely to bed time. Think about your own tendencies and how meal timing affects you. If you’re a breakfast person, plan and make a habit of eating a balanced breakfast each morning before you leave for the day. Don’t risk feeling sluggish or rely on the vending machine choices to power a sharp mind and strong body.
- Consider Your Health Goals- Wanting to lower your blood sugars? Then selecting foods with protein and fiber will help regulate your blood sugars and help you ultimately feel better. Interested in gaining more muscle? Then make sure you include a source of protein and carbs before and after your workouts. Whatever your goals are, do some research or seek the guidance of a nutritionist to help you find the foods that will best help you achieve your goals.
- Think Food Before Vitamins/Supplements- Nutrition supplements are intended to serve as back-up for food, not a replacement. The truth is that most people don’t even need these expensive products if they are conscientious about what they eat. As an example, if you’re looking for more protein in your diet, consider eggs or skinless chicken; both are a great source of protein and contain many more nutrients than you’ll find a tub of protein powder.
Coconuts & Cardiovascular Disease?
This week the American Heart Association (AHA) released Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease, an advisory article detailing the harmful effects of saturated fats in the development of cardiovascular disease. Almost immediately, people all over the world gave their jars of coconut, once touted as the cure-all for anything, a second look.
My Supplement Stack
Ask the RD: Overnight Oats
Q: I’m looking for an easy, healthy breakfast option and came across ‘overnight oats’. Are they healthy?
My Favorite Fats- Butter
Butter is another one of my go-to fat sources and second in My Favorite Fats series.
Butter is making a comeback! Long shamed for its high saturated fat content and the touted ill effects on cardiovascular health, many people (myself included!) are returning to butter for uses in baking, sautéing, and spreading.
Ask the RD: Weight Loss Confusion
Ask the RD: High Cholesterol
Q: My doctor told me I have high cholesterol. How can I change my diet to lower my levels?
#WhatIAteWednesday
#WhatIAteWednesday
Imagine you’re in your car, driving along on a bright and sunny day. Things are going well, until all of a sudden when you hear a loud “bang”, soon followed by “thump, thump, thump”.
You’re able to pull over and get out of the car to take a look. Just as you expected, you’re dealing with a flat tire.
So what do you do? Your car is temporarily out of commission. Your day has taken a hit. Perhaps you’re a bit shaken up too. That appointment you were right on time for, is now out of the question.
You’re feeling frustrated, hopeless, and disappointed. Your plans for the day are “ruined”. You let your emotions get the best of you and quickly decide to take out your pocket knife and slash the remaining 3 tires.
Huh? Does that make sense? One tire is down, why would you destroy the rest?
So often I use this analogy with clients when talking about diet. It usually has to do with the same type of scenario….”I’ve already messed up, so **ck it, I’m going to blow the rest of the day/week/month…off”. A classic example of “all-or-nothing” thinking. “I overate at breakfast, I’ve blown it, I might as well just eat what I want and start back fresh tomorrow”.
This kind of thinking is all too common and I’m quite familiar with it myself. I used to approach my diet with such ‘black and white’ mentlity and every so often I still find myself contemplating the urge to finish off the box of oatmeal cookies just because I’ve enjoyed one too many. Yet today I’m much less inclined to slash the tires or say “**ck it”. When I’m in a situation where my diet is less than optimal or I’ve strayed off plan, my motto is “Do the next best thing”. What’s been the difference? Learning more about nutrition and metabolism, cutting myself some slack, a greater sense of self-acceptance, and ultimately realizing that it is consistency over time, not one day/week/month of off-plan meals that has the biggest impact on my progress. Changing my perception of the “perfect diet” has allowed me to adjust my mindset, and ultimately my success.
This week I asked myself to “do the next best thing” on multiple occasions. Today is an example for #WhatIAteWednesdsay.
Meal 1: Power Coffee (Coffee, whey protein, coconut oil, almond milk)
Meal 2: Egg & egg white omelette, sautéed bell peppers
Meal 3: Out of chicken, so another omelette with roasted asparagus while at work
Meal 3.5: One of mom’s homemade butter tarts & coffee. (Not planned, but really craving)
Meal 4: Greek yogurt & almonds
Meal 5: 5-grain oat cereal, whey protein & SF syrup
Meal 5.5: Brussel sprouts & almond butter (strange, mindless snacking, again off plan)
Meal 6: 2 Carb Master yogurts with 1/2 oz walnuts (not shown)
I had a couple extra ‘treats’ today that I had not planned into my macros. I could have used either situation as a reason to go off the deep end, but rather I did the next best thing, which in both cases was to get right back on track. I didn’t restrict for the remainder of the day either, I chose to continue fueling my body right. I took good care of the remaining three tires and decided I’d better learn how to fix a flat!
-Heather
A Whole New Fit 