I set a goal for myself "by May I will work on strengthening my core (aka rock hard abs) and feel good about myself." I wrote out a plan in December and worked HARD at it 4 hours a week taking different classes, eating healthy and balanced and logging what I ate. The end result: a happy confident person by May. The problem? I had way too much unplanned fun, new office, major stresses of selling a house (a tree fell on our home two hours before settlement!) and relocating to a different area. The real problem? A weight and body fat percentage I haven't seen since post pregnancy (yikes!). What I found out about myself is that I am an emotional eater, boredom eater, and apparently a stress eater! I also didn't have good social support as my two best girlfriends moved away and my husband joined in the stress eating (he brought twizzlers home weekly).
So let summer wind down and the fall schedule hit me! I am excited to have my routine back, but that does not mean I'm delaying the new challenge. Back on logging what I eat, eating for health, and being active DAILY. I took a picture of myself (not a flattering pic!) as a reminder of what hectic non cardio non strength training emotional/stress eating accomplishes! Let this be my forever reminder! In the back of the picture I write how I feel: low self esteem, lazy, uncomfortable and unhappy. I will not allow my emotions and life events effect my health! We work way to hard in life and we do need to enjoy it, however I want to be strong and able to enjoy my life and others for many many years!
Cheers,
The Dieting Dietitian
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Winter Blues
Is it really going to be spring this week? Well it sure does not feel like spring in the Northeast! Sometimes this time of year is difficult when you are trying to eat healthy and make smart food choices. We can't help ourselves but reach for "comfort foods" such as cookies (those darn Girl Scout cookies!), chocolate and other starchy items. Eating these foods make our neurotransmitters fire happy signals which makes us feel good. But it doesn't last long does it? I've been off my routine for over a month now, with a recent move, sicknesses going around the home, and a family trip. The lack of exercise in my schedule has caused me to feel tired and eat more (sound familiar?). In addition, I've seen the scale start to go the wrong direction:(
Lets beat these winter blues, spring is right around the corner! Starting April 1st, our office is moving to 721 East Lancaster Avenue at the Impala Building in Downingtown. To celebrate this new change and recharge our health and fitness goals, I challenge everyone to the 30 DAY CHALLENGE! Starting April 1st I challenge you and your families to only eat nutrient filled foods such as:
If you can avoid foods that do not fit in these groups (such as candy, doughnuts, cookies, cakes, soda, alcohol, soft pretzels, fried foods, etc) you are well on your way to reaching your health goals! Research has been pointing to avoiding foods high in fat, salt and sugar may curb your cravings. Its worth a try to see if it curbs you cravings right? Let's get ready for SUMMER!
I wish you lots of luck and health as you do the 30 DAY CHALLENGE!
Cheers,
The Dieting Dietitian
Lets beat these winter blues, spring is right around the corner! Starting April 1st, our office is moving to 721 East Lancaster Avenue at the Impala Building in Downingtown. To celebrate this new change and recharge our health and fitness goals, I challenge everyone to the 30 DAY CHALLENGE! Starting April 1st I challenge you and your families to only eat nutrient filled foods such as:
- Whole grains-only foods with 3 grams of fiber or more per serving and whole grains as the first ingredient.
- Fruits-including unsweetened dried fruit, canned fruit in its own juice and fresh fruit (NOT JUICE)
- Vegetables
- Low fat dairy or high calcium and vitamin D foods such as low fat cheese sticks, almond milk, yogurt, etc.
- Lean proteins such as fish, beans and tofu (try Gimme Lean Tofu Sausage.....guarantee you won't notice the difference!)
- Healthy fats such as flax seed, nut butters, vegetable oils, and nuts.
If you can avoid foods that do not fit in these groups (such as candy, doughnuts, cookies, cakes, soda, alcohol, soft pretzels, fried foods, etc) you are well on your way to reaching your health goals! Research has been pointing to avoiding foods high in fat, salt and sugar may curb your cravings. Its worth a try to see if it curbs you cravings right? Let's get ready for SUMMER!
I wish you lots of luck and health as you do the 30 DAY CHALLENGE!
Cheers,
The Dieting Dietitian
Friday, September 14, 2012
Fall Schedules and Meal Planning
Well it's official. I am a football widow again. Goodbye to the nights that my husband was home for dinner and weekends as a family. In addition to my husband's schedule I have taken on a new cardiovascular project at the hospital, teaching 3 classes at the University, and of course, my favorite activity, running Downingtown Nutrition. Many of our nights have only an hour to spend with family, so I do not want to spend my time cooking/prepping or cleaning! A few of my clients asked how to eat healthy when I am so busy, so here it goes:
Sundays: It's the one family day that I take time to cook. Perhaps that's from my own Italian background, but Sundays were all about food and family (sorry not football-which my husband can't believe!). I roast 1-2 pans of vegetables using spray olive oil and a little sea salt and black pepper (all the parts of the vegetables that I can't use I store in the freezer for broth, which enables me to save all the nutrition of the produce). I cook what ever vegetables that are in season, my favorite right now is cauliflower, garlic, onions, broccoli and sweet potatoes. Once this cools I wrap tightly in the fridge, it stays good until Wednesday. Last week, I took the cauliflower and garlic put it in a food processor and made soup. It made 4 cups of soup (all under 60 calories) which I froze and had for lunch with my salads and sandwiches.
I made turkey meatballs and tofu sausage in the crock pot, which were ready later in the day. I also have 2 servings frozen for later in the month which I will add to whole grain pasta and vegetables when I need a quick meal.
Last, I prepped all my veggies and lightly breaded the halibut for fish tacos the next day.
Mondays: I have barely an hour in the evening with my family on these days, which stinks, so I want to spend as much time as I can with them. I make the tacos which takes 6 minutes on top of the stove. Berries and sugar free pudding are for dessert.
Tuesdays: This is actually my "test kitchen" day which I experiment with. It's actually not cooking for the family, since you never know what product I will end up with! This week it was flax seed walnut pumpkin muffins made with whole wheat flour and pureed spinach. Actually pretty fantastic, since they were delicious, high in fiber and low in fat. We had them for breakfast with our milk the next day!Even the little ones begged for more!
Wednesdays: I'm working in the AM with young kids at a daycare, then in the community running a federal project and later at the University. I'm done when I get home. I hit a grocery store, get a rotisserie chicken and heat up my veggie mix. Dinner is done! I always end up steaming green beans with this too. As long as you do not eat the skin, its a really healthy meal. I save the leftover chicken, if any, and all the parts of the chicken go in the freezer to make broth when I have time.
Thursdays: Thursdays are actually like my Saturdays, I'm always off from having to be somewhere. I make broth from the rotisserie chicken and veggie parts, skim the fat off, add celery, carrots, escarole and whole grain pasta (abc's right now from Wegmans mostly due to the 2 and 4 year olds). Once in a while I add the Goya small white beans in it with the chicken. My kids don't seem to notice the beans when they are small, so its a way I get the beans in! If you use canned beans, please make sure you rinse them off so you do not eat the sodium.
While this is happening I'm taking chickpeas or soybeans and roasting in a oven at 425 for about 35-45 minutes until crisp. I save these for the week, throwing them on salads or just to eat as a post workout snack. Soup gets served this day with whole grain crackers.
Fridays: Easy! Whole wheat nan bread, low fat cheese, sauce and veggie pizza. Sometimes I saute onions, garlic, artichokes, kalmata olives and red peppers and add this with shrimp on my pizza (under 400 calories for the whole thing and its a big piece).
Saturdays: Take out! We are human! My favorite places are Amani's BYOB in Downingtown and Harvest in Glen Mills.But if we are saving our dollars or the kids are not acceptable in public we will grill a flank steak or tuna and have a salad (with wine of course!).
So that's the fall version of my meal plan. I change it up as much as I can, keeping different recipe books and magazines in rotation. Additionally, I always let the kids pick a new fruit or veggie to try for the week. It keeps them engaged at the store and brings them in the kitchen to help!
That was just dinners, lunches are either left overs, salads with the roasted nuts, yogurt and fruit, soups, and veggie based sandwiches with hummus.
Hope this gives you at least one idea towards eating healthy this fall!
Cheers,
The Dieting Dietitian
Sundays: It's the one family day that I take time to cook. Perhaps that's from my own Italian background, but Sundays were all about food and family (sorry not football-which my husband can't believe!). I roast 1-2 pans of vegetables using spray olive oil and a little sea salt and black pepper (all the parts of the vegetables that I can't use I store in the freezer for broth, which enables me to save all the nutrition of the produce). I cook what ever vegetables that are in season, my favorite right now is cauliflower, garlic, onions, broccoli and sweet potatoes. Once this cools I wrap tightly in the fridge, it stays good until Wednesday. Last week, I took the cauliflower and garlic put it in a food processor and made soup. It made 4 cups of soup (all under 60 calories) which I froze and had for lunch with my salads and sandwiches.
I made turkey meatballs and tofu sausage in the crock pot, which were ready later in the day. I also have 2 servings frozen for later in the month which I will add to whole grain pasta and vegetables when I need a quick meal.
Last, I prepped all my veggies and lightly breaded the halibut for fish tacos the next day.
Mondays: I have barely an hour in the evening with my family on these days, which stinks, so I want to spend as much time as I can with them. I make the tacos which takes 6 minutes on top of the stove. Berries and sugar free pudding are for dessert.
Tuesdays: This is actually my "test kitchen" day which I experiment with. It's actually not cooking for the family, since you never know what product I will end up with! This week it was flax seed walnut pumpkin muffins made with whole wheat flour and pureed spinach. Actually pretty fantastic, since they were delicious, high in fiber and low in fat. We had them for breakfast with our milk the next day!Even the little ones begged for more!
Wednesdays: I'm working in the AM with young kids at a daycare, then in the community running a federal project and later at the University. I'm done when I get home. I hit a grocery store, get a rotisserie chicken and heat up my veggie mix. Dinner is done! I always end up steaming green beans with this too. As long as you do not eat the skin, its a really healthy meal. I save the leftover chicken, if any, and all the parts of the chicken go in the freezer to make broth when I have time.
Thursdays: Thursdays are actually like my Saturdays, I'm always off from having to be somewhere. I make broth from the rotisserie chicken and veggie parts, skim the fat off, add celery, carrots, escarole and whole grain pasta (abc's right now from Wegmans mostly due to the 2 and 4 year olds). Once in a while I add the Goya small white beans in it with the chicken. My kids don't seem to notice the beans when they are small, so its a way I get the beans in! If you use canned beans, please make sure you rinse them off so you do not eat the sodium.
While this is happening I'm taking chickpeas or soybeans and roasting in a oven at 425 for about 35-45 minutes until crisp. I save these for the week, throwing them on salads or just to eat as a post workout snack. Soup gets served this day with whole grain crackers.
Fridays: Easy! Whole wheat nan bread, low fat cheese, sauce and veggie pizza. Sometimes I saute onions, garlic, artichokes, kalmata olives and red peppers and add this with shrimp on my pizza (under 400 calories for the whole thing and its a big piece).
Saturdays: Take out! We are human! My favorite places are Amani's BYOB in Downingtown and Harvest in Glen Mills.But if we are saving our dollars or the kids are not acceptable in public we will grill a flank steak or tuna and have a salad (with wine of course!).
So that's the fall version of my meal plan. I change it up as much as I can, keeping different recipe books and magazines in rotation. Additionally, I always let the kids pick a new fruit or veggie to try for the week. It keeps them engaged at the store and brings them in the kitchen to help!
That was just dinners, lunches are either left overs, salads with the roasted nuts, yogurt and fruit, soups, and veggie based sandwiches with hummus.
Hope this gives you at least one idea towards eating healthy this fall!
Cheers,
The Dieting Dietitian
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
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