Author: Sarah Kesseli

What Is ‘Normal’ Eating?

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

At this time of the year when so many people are making goals around food and eating, it might be helpful for you to know what “normal eating” actually is. That’s a confusing topic, right?  Everyone has their own ideas. But it becomes a lot more clear when you factor in food behaviors rather than only focusing on the food choices themselves.

For example, what if you decided to cut out sugar but you find yourself bingeing on sweet treats every weekend? Essentially, having a bunch of food rules may only lead to extreme behaviors which aren’t healthy or “normal eating”.

This quote, from dietitian and author Ellyn Satter, will help explain what I mean:

“Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it -not just stop eating because you think you should.

Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food. Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good.

Normal eating is mostly three meals a day, or four or five, or it can be choosing to munch along the way. It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful. Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.

Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.  In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and your feelings.”

What this definition does is normalize a wide variety of eating behaviors. Eating should be flexible, variable, satisfying, nourishing and enjoyable.  It shouldn’t be obsessive, preoccupying, rigid, overwhelming or worrisome. That’s no way to live!

But if you find yourself swinging between restriction and chaos, this can feel very outreach.  So how do you get there?  Here are a few ideas:

  1. Don’t tell yourself that there are certain foods you can’t have. That will only make you anxious and lead you to behave in extreme ways around food.  When you know you can have a food anytime you really want it, you’ll feel less preoccupied with it. On the other hand, if you know this is the last time you’ll be able to have it(or at least the last time this week or this month, etc), you’re going to have all of it right now, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you. It’s much easier to respect your body’s signals when you aren’t micromanaged by food rules.
  2. You may run scared of satisfaction because you equate it with overeating, However, satisfaction is your solution!  I would encourage you to eat for the intent to feel satisfied.  Eating to feel satisfied naturally decreases overeating or under eating because neither of those are satisfying (rather, uncomfortable or painful).  Feeling full and satisfied from your meals and snacks is your solution.  Not feeling full and satisfied is what leads to extreme behaviors.
  3. Instead of tracking calories or portion sizes, I would encourage you to track hunger and fullness levels before and after eating, while paying attention to how the food makes you feel.  After a meal or snack are you left feeling satisfied?  Energized?  Lethargic? Still hungry?  Balanced?  Get curious about how you feel and function instead of being judgmental about what you look like or weigh.  This will help connect you to intuitive signals that will naturally guide your eating instead of needing to use outside trackers.
  4. Normal eating includes being mindful.  Can you practice eating without distractions or multitasking?  Take a step away from your desk and phone or TV.  You are more likely to know when you are full and satisfied if you are paying attention.  You could set a goal to do this with one meal or one snack each day.   
  5. Add variety to your meals and snacks.  You could try new recipes, use new products and get outside your comfort zone.  It’s so easy to stay safely in what is familiar and miss out on new experiences.  Taking kitchen shortcuts and using premade items is a smart way to increase convenience as you do so.  Good Food Made Simple products are a perfect way to start! 

Becoming a normal eater is possible for everyone.  In fact, you aren’t learning something new, you are remembering something you were innately born with.  Keep that in mind as you practice – you CAN be a normal eater!

Article courtesy of: Emily Fonnesbeck RD, CD 

Reliable Fuel for When You’re in a Hurry

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

While you don’t need to wait for the New Year to establish resolutions for yourself, January normally ushers in a wave of motivation and a “go get ‘em” attitude for many. Whether you’re planning to tackle a big project at work for a promotion, build a healthier habit of physical activity a few times per week, or resolving to be more active in your community, many of these activities cause life to become a bit busier. Yet, that shouldn’t mean that nutrition and healthy fueling go by the wayside!

So, to help you ensure that good nutrition is still a part of your efforts to create and conquer a new goal, we’re sharing some tips for reliable fuel to eat when life gets a little hurried.

Breakfast

It’s oftentimes cited as the meal most difficult to squeeze into a busy morning, but the benefits of breakfast are many! With a little pre-planning you can be out the door quickly, but with a properly nourished body.

  •  Overnight Oats: an excellent gab-and-go option that can be made the night before for a day of mobile fuel. Oats provide soluble fiber to fill you up and sustain your energy levels throughout those important early morning meetings. Get creative with the toppings- add some nuts for protein, fresh fruit for essential vitamins and minerals, and something fun, like shredded coconut!
  • Breakfast Burritos: a one-handed way to spice up your morning. Eggs are amazingly versatile and can be cooked in a microwave to save major time. While the eggs are being cooked, simply layer a tortilla with some pre-chopped pico de gallo and a slice of cheese, then spoon on the eggs, wrap, and go! Or if even more strapped for time, microwave a Sriracha Scramble while you’re packing your bags for the office.
  • Frozen to Hot Oatmeal: if bringing your breakfast from home isn’t an option, is there a way you can fit it in at work? If your office has a freezer, the Organic Unsweetened Steel Cut Oatmeal can be reheated at work in a mere 3 minutes. With a jar of nut butter at your desk to add a spoonful of plant-protein, this breakfast practically makes itself.

Lunch

Lunch is one of those meals that is either the biggest meal of a person’s day or it can get skipped all together; however, one that’s too large can leave you feeling sluggish, whereas not eating anything could turn you into a ravenous fridge-raider later that night. Try finding a balance with these easy lunch options that can fit in between the day’s tasks.

Snack Plate: toss some odds and ends into a lunch box and call it a midday meal. A few snack items from each food group can make up a nutritious lunch in no time at all. Try whole grain crackers, some slices of cheese, a piece of fruit, and an easy vegetable like baby carrots or pre-sliced bell pepper strips.

Dinner Again: stash some food from last night’s dinner in a container for your next day’s lunch. The mindset of “cook once, eat twice” is ideal for when on a time crunch. These leftovers could be anything from a soup that needs to be quickly reheated at work, to a salad of left over roasted veggies, quinoa, and chickpeas that can be eaten cold in between juggling kids and activities.

Heated Up Healthy: when you don’t have time to pack lunch, but would prefer to not turn to fast food, grab a healthy frozen option that only takes minutes in a microwave. A Chicken Black Bean Bowl could be your answer to good nutrition in a hurry!

Dinner

The end of the day undoubtedly brings more chaos- wrapping up work, picking up kids, and walking the dog- so dinner needs to be fast and painless. To make that happen, let others do the work for you!

Sheet Pan Meals: grab a large sheet pan and let your oven do the rest of the work. Toss your favorite vegetables in olive oil, lay them alongside some seasoned chicken breasts, and bake for 20-30 minutes. While it’s cooking, go help your kids with homework, and come back to a fully cooked, fuss-free dinner.

Slow Cooker: dinner could be ready and waiting for you with the help of a crock-pot. Dump in the ingredients for your favorite soup or chili in the morning, let it simmer all day, and walk into dinner already taken care of.

Halfway to Dinner: pick up something like a rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked salmon filets from the deli counter to get half of the dinner figured out. Using a pre-cooked protein saves time and let’s you focus on other, equally easy, dinner tasks such as putting together a green salad and cooking up brown rice.

Snacks

Let’s say all of your planning for quick and easy meals didn’t go, well, to plan. Snacks on the go can be an answer to reliable fuel if chosen wisely.

Energy Bites: making up a batch of portable energy bites over the weekend could save you on a particularly busy day. Typically made with dates, nuts, and extras like hemp seeds, coconut flakes, or chocolate chips, these bites can be calorie dense and packed with healthy fats and protein to satisfy a midday hunger pang.

Roasted Chickpeas: a portable option that’s plant based. Protein snacks are great to sustain hunger and energy levels, but so many are perishable (think cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese). Roasted chickpea snacks are now sold pre-packaged, are a great crunchy snack option, and come in a variety of exciting flavors.

Fruit and a Friend: toss an apple or banana into your bag or desk drawer, but don’t forget its protein friend! Some dry roasted almonds, pistachios, or a squeezable peanut butter packet are great additions to a crunchy fruit snack

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Article Courtesy of: Casey Seiden MS, RD,CDE 

Don’t Be Fooled: 10 Diet Myths Debunked

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

As we ring in the new year, we more often than not are also ringing in a new approach to healthy eating. After all those holiday cookies and cocktails, it’s easy to get a little bit off track and use the new year as a way to maintain or lose a little weight.

To do this, many people cling to a specific diet or get stuck on popular sayings they’ve heard about the best ways to lose weight. We’re here to debunk those myths, and explain the more beneficial ways you can make habit changes to stay healthy, lean, and feeling good, both in mind and body.

10 Things You’ve Heard About Dieting, and Why They’re Wrong

Carbs are bad

This one is big. The most important thing to remember is that not all carbs are created equal. Whole grains, such as quinoa, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread, have more concentrated sources of fiber and other important nutrients the body needs, like B vitamins, iron, folate, and magnesium. In general, whole grain carbohydrates are good for you, and should have a seat at the dinner table. Refined and enriched grains, like white bread, pasta, and white flour tortillas aren’t the best choice you can make, but they won’t — and I repeat — won’t be the cause of your weight gain. As long as you eat in moderation, and don’t have a huge bowl of pasta every night, a simple carb every now and then won’t do damage to your diet.

Low fat and fat-free are healthier options

Despite somewhat decent intentions, the idea of making food low-fat or fat-free has actually caused more harm than help. First of all: fat isn’t bad for you. And second of all, taking the fat out of foods usually means that things like sugar are added, which stimulates insulin release, facilitates the storage of fat, and encourages inflammation throughout the body. Plus, the reduction or removal of fat means your protein uptake will take a downward tumble, and the food you’re eating won’t feel satisfying. The result? You’ll probably end up feeling hungry a few minutes later and will need more calories to satiate your growling stomach.

Always look for sugar-free

While sugar isn’t great for you, sugar-free foods are often filled with chemicals. While there’s a lot of controversies around artificial sweeteners, the FDA has approved five of them: saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, and sucralose. However, some health experts say people who consume sugar-free foods may end up simply replacing those lost calories through other food items. Others say that artificial sweeteners just make our sugar craving more intense. All in all, you can’t go wrong putting whole and natural foods in your body, so a little natural sugar — like honey or maple syrup — is more healthful than a fake sugar chemical.

Eating late at night will make you gain weight

The thing to note here is that people often think late-night eating leads to weight gain because what people consume late at night is often high in calories, sugar, and fat. (Midnight pint of ice-cream, anyone?)Yet if you have a light snack, like a bowl of popcorn or a piece of fruit, your healthy diet isn’t thrown out the window. If you’re hungry late at night, don’t deprive yourself. Just focus on making healthier choices.

If you’re overweight, you’re unhealthy

This is a tricky topic that could warrant an article (or two) on its own. But the short answer is that science has found that overweight people aren’t necessarily at greater risk for certain health conditions. One study found that people who are overweight have a fifty-fifty chance of having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or elevated blood sugar levels, compared to normal-weight folks who had a 25% chance. In the simplest terms, there is a myriad of factors that lead to someone being overweight, and that doesn’t automatically peg someone as being unhealthy. Remember: health is holistic, and it’s not just what you look like or what number you see on a scale.

Fast to lose weight quickly

While intermittent fasting has become a science-backed way to lose some weight, it can easily be taken too far, or become an unreliable way to lose pounds and keep them off. Skipping meals is not the answer; you’ll just end up more hungry and will make up those calories later in the day. While the number on the scale might dip a bit if you fast, you’ll quickly gain the weight back one you start eating normally. In general, fasting can become an unhealthy habit, and the definition of good health should never include restricting yourself from calories, nutrients, and vitamins that give you energy and help you thrive.

Eat small meals to boost metabolism

This one is heard quite often in the diet world. Yet research shows that meal frequency doesn’t actually have an effect on metabolic rate. There have been numerous studies that compare eating more smaller versus fewer bigger meals, and all the results found no impact on fat loss or metabolism. In other words, focus on how many calories you’re consuming in total, versus when you’re actually consuming them.

You can eat whatever as long as you exercise

You can’t outrun an unhealthy diet. While exercise is a key component to good health, think about it like this: If you burn 400 calories on a run, you can easily make that up by indulging in a post-workout croissant. So if you’re an avid exerciser, don’t let that be an excuse to eat anything you want at any time of the day or night. Those calories will quickly add up.

Vegetarians can’t get enough protein

While eating a vegetarian or vegan diet isn’t necessarily healthier, some people are interested in it for ethical and environmental reasons. However, many fear they can’t get enough protein if they don’t eat meat. Fear not: You can get substantial amounts of protein through other sources, like beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs, soymilk, whole grains, and even spinach. The meat-free protein list goes on and on — we promise.

Drinking water will lead to weight loss

Yes, staying hydrated is an important part of a healthy diet. No, stuffing yourself full of H20 will not lead to rapid fat loss. The critical differentiator here is that drinking water won’t specifically trigger weight loss. It can aid in the process, however, since often times we think we’re hungry when we’re actually just thirsty. Keeping a water bottle handle helps to ensure you can drink water regularly and not get phantom hunger pains when you don’t necessarily need to eat between meals.

Now that we’ve debunked these diet myths, you might be wondering how does one lose weight the healthy way? The short answer is that losing weight is a holistic process and includes changing habits around food, exercise, sleep, and stress. By focusing on eating whole, fresh foods (ditch packaged food!), watching your meal portions and snacking-sessions between meals, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and regulating stress levels, you will be at a way healthier weight than if you live by any of those diet myths you might have heard.

Pre and Post Workout Nutrition For Optimal Health

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

As the New Year rolls in there is one thing that is sure to happen: the gym gets SO much busier! As a year-round gym-goer myself, rather than seeing the extra foot traffic and machine usage as a nuisance I see it in a positive light. I love that so many people are thinking about their physical health and making time for a sweat session! 

Whether you’re adding a new fitness routine in as part of your New Year’s resolution or if you’re continuing your usual routine it’s important to make sure your nutrition is being considered, too.  Making sure you are adequately fueling your body will help you to achieve your fitness goals in a healthy and safe way. Here are three key nutrition tips to fuel your active lifestyle!

  1. Pre-Workout Fuel: Before working out it is important to give your body the energy to actually do the workout. This is best done by focusing on giving your body carbohydrates, while also adding in little protein. The carbohydrates are most important for giving you energy and the protein will allow your muscles to begin repairing. You might try toast and peanut butter, cereal and milk, oatmeal, or a yogurt cup.
  2. Post–Workout Fuel: Just as it’s important to give your body proper nutrition before you workout, it’s just as important to give it the energy it needs to recover. Your muscles need protein to help them repair, and when they’re given adequate nutrition after exercise they will repair even stronger than they were! Our muscles also deplete their energy stores during exercise, which will need to be replaced. After a workout make sure to focus on consuming protein to really help those muscles repair while adding in some carbohydrates to restore your energy. Some great options are chocolate milk, greek yogurt and granola, a burrito, or a turkey sandwich.
  3. Hydration: Giving yourself enough water is something that is often forgotten. However, it’s so important when you’re physically active! Water is needed for our bodies to produce sweat, which helps to keep us cool and prevent overheating during workouts. Not consuming enough water can also lead to muscle fatigue and cramping, not ideal during a workout! It’s a good idea to keep a water bottle on you to sip on before, during and after exercise.

Now, you may also be wondering what the best strategy is for nutrition in order to reach your fitness goals. There are so many out there like calorie counting, macro counting, sticking to a paleo diet, etc. So, what should you do? My advice, and personal experience is none of the above. I highly recommend adapting an intuitive eating approach to nutrition.

When you stick to strict food rules, such as “X” number of calories a day, only allowing yourself so much of each macro, or avoiding food groups you can set you up for developing a disordered eating pattern, and possibly lead to an eating disorder. As someone who has personally recovered from a  6 -year struggle with an eating disorder, it has become my passion to help others avoid this.

What is intuitive eating? To put it simply, intuitive eating is normal eating. It’s about learning to understand which foods make your body feel it’s best, in turn allowing it to function optimally and help you achieve your fitness goals. Intuitive eating is not a diet, it is a sustainable way of eating. This last part is key. Intuitive eating is NOT a diet.  Research has consistently shown that 95% of diets don’t work and that the end result is usually MORE weight gain! Additionally, diets cause stress, anxiety, and frustration. And I don’t know about you, but that is not something I need more of in my life! I’m guessing you don’t either.

So, with intuitive eating, you may be thinking you’ll simply eat cookies and cake all the time. Well, this isn’t exactly true. At first, you may consume higher amounts of these foods, which is necessary for your body to realize that these foods are not restricted, they are not bad, and they can have them whenever they want. Once your body realizes this there is less of a desire for these foods because they’re no longer seen as “off limits”, which only makes us want them even more. Additionally, you’ll begin to realize which foods fuel your body optimally, such as a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and, for many, dairy. By learning to eat intuitively you’ll also find your “set point weight”. This is the weight that your body wants to be and can maintain effortlessly, without thought.

After learning to become an intuitive eater I can personally say that I am in the best shape of my life. By learning to listen to my body I have been able to gain more muscle and strength that I ever was able to when I followed food rules and restrictions. No two bodies are the same and no one can possible know what your body needs besides YOU. That is why it is so important to become in-tune with your body and learn to listen to what it is telling you it needs. Our bodies are pretty smart about what they need, but we have to listen to them in order to get that information.

Another benefit from becoming an intuitive eater is the mental space you’ll gain. Counting calories or macros or constantly thinking about what foods you can and cannot eat takes SO much energy! When you become and intuitive eater you will spend less time thinking about food and spend more time and energy living! For instance, when you’re in your fitness class or lifting weights you can focus on the workout you are doing rather than being consumed with food thoughts. This will actually allow you to have a better workout since you’ll be able to focus on the here-and-now!

So, as we start the New Year, and likely new fitness routines, let’s focus on fueling our body optimally without food rules and restrictions! You’ll find yourself much more healthy and happy!

Article courtesy of: Colleen Christensen, R.D.

Starting the New Year With the ‘Right’ Mindset

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

With the holiday finally over and the new year upon us, I’d be shocked if you haven’t thought about New Year’s Resolutions yet. While resolutions are a fantastic way to jumpstart your diet and exercise routine…that doesn’t mean they’ll actually have an impact on your health.

In fact, I’d argue if you can’t stick to your resolutions long-term, you may find yourself in a bad cycle of fad dieting and binge eating! According to U.S. News, approximately 80% of resolutions fail by the second week of February. Let that sink in. That means 8 out of 10 of you reading this will not stick to your healthy resolution plans!

If you want your resolutions to survive this year and actually help you reach your goals, you’re in luck because I have a smart approach to help you make your dreams a reality. My secret? Your mindset!

Resolutions tend to fail because we think of a really big goal we want to accomplish, create an intense game plan to get there that involves unrealistic changes to our current schedule, and then find it’s hard to sustain this after our initial motivation subsides. Not to mention so many popular diets and online workouts have great intentions, however, neglect to understand what YOU need and fit that into your current lifestyle.

I’m here to tell you that a well-balanced exercise and nutrition program does not have to be hard to stick to, especially if you take into account your individual lifestyle. In fact, whenever I see new clients as a registered dietitian, I never drastically change a client’s diet or lifestyle after the first time meeting with them. Why? Because that’s so unrealistic and that would be setting most people up to fail!

Instead, approach your resolutions with small and healthy changes over a long period of time yield lasting results. 

So before you set your resolution this year, focus on these 3 tips to create a positive mindset around your goals and resolutions that will actually survive the new year:

  • Set small goals. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely encourage you to dream big – long-term goals are important and help to keep you motivated! That being said, you must create small goals to accomplish weekly when making a lifestyle change to help you stay focused on the bigger picture, consistent, and to assess if you’re making progress.
  • Focus on your inner voice. How we talk to ourselves vastly impacts our ability to succeed. If you think you’re a failure for falling off the wagon one week, you’re more likely to fail next week too! Instead, change your inner voice towards success by catching those moments you talk negatively to yourself, and re-framing it in a motivational way. For example, say you set a goal around meal prepping your lunches every day before work. Instead of getting upset with yourself for not accomplishing it last week, change your mindset going into next week by saying “next week is a new week, and I can create a better plan to make sure I reach this goal!”
  • Consider your mindset instead of your weight. Around the New Year, we love to focus on weight loss as a goal. Honestly speaking, the end goal of weight loss isn’t always the healthiest. Not to mention, body composition (ie your fat mass versus muscle mass) is a far better indicator of success!

I always joke that anyone can lose weight by eating less than what they burn. That being said… that doesn’t always mean it’s a healthy goal. Instead, I like to think of weight loss as a side effect to a healthier mindset change. When we stop focusing on the scale and focus on healthy behaviors like drinking enough water throughout the day and eating nutritionally balanced meals plus whole foods, that’s when your health and weight will naturally change!

All things considered, the New Year is a great way motivation to finally create a plan for those goals you’ve been dreaming of. Although 80% of resolutions fail by the second week of February, 20% do succeed. With a good plan, a positive mindset, and following the above tips – any goal is possible for you this year.

Article courtesy of: Lauren Smith MS, RD, LDN – Dietitians of Palm Valley

Meal Timing and Weight. Does It Matter When You Eat

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

Most people know that what you eat will affect how you feel and look, which often translates to a certain number on the scale. However, it’s not just what we’re putting on our plates and into our mouths that counts. It turns out that when you consume food also plays a role in managing a healthy weight — which can either help or hinder your overall health.

More and more research is emerging that suggests timing your calorie consumption is something we should be paying way more attention to. Let’s learn more about what science is saying, and how you can optimize meal times in order to feel good, healthy, and confident in your body.

Science Says: Eat Early

We’re about to give you the best reason to eat cookies for breakfast. For starters, eating first-thing will kick-start your metabolism and ensure your body knows to turn your caloric intake into fuel. If you skip breakfast, your body will think it needs to conserve what you consume — versus burn it off — meaning you might be holding onto extra sugars and fats your body would normally metabolize. Science backs this up, too; while there’s a chance you’ll eat fewer calories if you skip breakfast, those people still typically have higher BMI’s (body mass index), a measure of body fat based on your weight in relation to your height.

When it comes to actually timing, aligning your meals with your natural circadian rhythm is also important. As inhabitants of the earth that rotates around the sun in 24-hour stints, we too experience 24-hour day-night cycle that brings certain changes to our daily lives, such as producing melatonin before falling asleep, boosting immunity during the day, and controlling our appetites at various times so we don’t wake up in the middle of the night starving.

Within our internal clocks, our bodies do a better job at metabolizing food when we eat in the morning versus the evenings, which may lead to a healthier body weight. A large study that came out this year backs this up. Scientists discovered that eating more in the morning is a beneficial strategy for weight control. In one experiment, they found that late lunch eaters lost significantly less weight than early lunch eaters over a 20‐week period; another experiment revealed that eating a bigger breakfast led to greater improvements in fasting glucose, insulin, and triglycerides, along with the ability to control hunger throughout the day.

Other studies have continuously found that eating bigger breakfasts led to consuming small dinners and losing more weight over time, too.

On the flip side, studies have shown that folks who eat at night consume more calories than if they were to eat a meal during the day, and there’s evidence that an increased risk of obesity and related health conditions has been associated with breakfast skipping and late night snacking. Additional research has found larger meals at night is connected to an increase in triglyceride levels, which is associated with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and an overall increase in weight.

Meal Timing — Your Action Plan

All of these studies might make you think: should I just eat breakfast? Will eating later in the day cause doom? The point is not to make you believe eating dinner will cause direct weight gain. Instead, it’s about ensuring you optimize breakfast as a way to eat healthfully in order to regulate your appetite throughout the rest of the day and resist cravings right before hitting the hay.

Some science says that eating late at night — two hours before going to bed — will increase your risk of gaining unwanted pounds. We recommendation to eat like a king at breakfast, chow down like a queen at lunch, and chew away like a pauper at dinner. A good way to look at it is to fit all your meals and snacks within 10-12 hours, such as between 7 am and 7 pm.

Here are some actions items you can take to help get the timing just right.

Stop eating after dinner. As hard as this one may be, it might be the most beneficial to maintaining or losing a little weight. Cut the cravings once the dinner table is cleared away. Enjoy a cup of tea as a way to satiate your pallet instead.

Make breakfast your biggest meal. If we didn’t make this clear enough, we have one more chance: take advantage of breakfast. Don’t be worried about a three-egg omelet or a big bowl of oats. It’s proven to satisfy your hunger, jumpstart your metabolism, and control your appetite throughout the rest of the day.

Use a smaller plate for your evening meal. Other interesting research has shown that eating on a smaller plate actually leads to eating less. Give that a whirl. You can still prepare a good amount of food for dinner; simply package the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Think of snacks like mini-meals. In order to optimize snacking throughout the day, think of them as smaller-sized meals then a quick way to satisfy a hunger pang or sweet tooth. So, instead of grabbing a granola bar, eat a handful of raw nuts with mixed fruit. And instead of chomping away on potato chips, go for popcorn, which is made from whole grains and packs a good bout of fiber.

Stay hydrated! No matter what time of the day it is, staying hydrated throughout will help control your appetite and ensure you don’t get a wave of hunger when it’s close to shuteye. Drinking enough H20 comes with some great benefits, including preventing overeating and maintaining a normal bowel function. As far as how much to drink down, experts recommend 3,000 milliliters for men and 2,200 milliliters for women.. That comes out to 9 to 12 cups of water, a little more than the recommended eight glasses we often hear.

Try this little eating habit shift and see if you feel a difference! You might really find that changing up when you eat has way more of an effect than focusing so closely on what you’re eating. Avoid chowing down close to bedtime, make breakfast count, and stay mindful of snacks and hydrating throughout the day. Before you know it, you might be feeling better than you ever have before.

 

 

Egg White Patty Pizzas

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

Mini Egg White Patty Pizzas might just be the best thing you’ve ever tried! Our almost zero carb egg white patties are topped with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and fresh basil to satisfy any pizza craving! 

Keto Egg White Patty Pizzas

Pizza night is always a favorite around here. But, speaking truthfully, it can be both our best friend and worst enemy. We want to eat pizza because it tastes so delicious, but we also want to be a little bit more mindful of what we are consuming. The occasional pizza night is A-ok! But, when it turns into a weekly thing, well, that’s a whole other story.

However, despite not wanting to eat pizza every week, we still crave it because pizza is one of our favorite foods. We knew that a solution had to be put in place to satisfy this weekly craving. Our alternative are these egg white patty pizzas!

Not only are these much cheaper (and healthier!) to make, but they are guaranteed to satisfy your pizza craving, sans the carbs. Now, you might be thinking that these look kind of like an omelet. Truthfully, they are! They are mini open-faced omelets topped with pizza sauce, cheese mini pepperoni, and fresh basil. Do you know those leftover “pizza for breakfast” cravings? Yup, these would work here too.

Easy as 1,2,3.

These keto pizzas are so easy to toss together. Just pre-heat your oven, place your egg white patties on your sheet pan, top with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni and then bake. Finish off with fresh basil, if desired.

You could also make this a little more fun for the kids and let them put their toppings on. Kind of like a “build your own” pizza bar. Include veggies, diced chicken breast, other cheese options, etc. The possibilities are endless, and the kids will be happy when they can have “pizza night” weekly.

 

Egg White Patty Pizza Ingredients:

1 bag Egg White Patties 

1/3 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice

15 slices pepperoni

fresh basil, as desired

Keto Egg White Patty Pizzas
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Egg White Patty Pizzas

Mini Egg White Patty Pizzas might just be the best thing you've ever tried! Our almost zero carb egg white patties are topped with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and fresh basil to satisfy any pizza craving! 
Course Breakfast
Keyword Egg White Patties
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Servings 5

Ingredients

  • 1 bag egg white patties
  • 1/3 cup pizza sauce
  • 15 slices mini pepperoni
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  • fresh basil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
  • Lay egg white patties on a lined baking sheet.
  • Top each egg white patty with 1 tbs pizza sauce, pepperoni and 1.5 tbs shredded cheese.
  • Bake in the oven for about 5-7 minutes or until fully cooked and cheese is melted.
  • Top with fresh basil, if desired.

Brain-Boosting Foods for Back to School

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

Brain-Boosting Foods for Back to School

With the start of the semester among us, it’s important to focus not only on studies. What you eat can have a significant impact on your energy levels, mood, and yes — even your mind. This article is going to dive into eight brain-boosting foods that are essential for learning, memory, alertness, and more. Your report card will thank you.

Before we dive into all that, though, it’s important to strive for a balanced diet filled with fresh produce, lean meats or other sources of protein, and foods that limit preservatives and sweeteners. This may be tricky if you don’t have full control over your diet (say, you have a dining hall membership). Still, you can be choosy about what options you go for; head to the salad bar instead of the fry station, go to a natural grocery store and cook in a kitchen, or ask for the ingredient list of foods that are prepared on campus.

With a little bit of work, you can weed out the stuff that will do more harm than help. Now, let’s look at eight specific foods and ingredients that go the extra mile to help boost your brain and make you feel even sharper in the classroom.

 

Boost Your Brain With These Foods

 

Oatmeal. For breakfast, skip the instant oats and go for whole or steel cut oats, which will help keep you full way longer than the sugary stuff. Oatmeal fuels the brain, satisfies hunger, and is also quite tasty, keeping your body and mind in full-force throughout the day. Oats also contain something called choline, which the body needs in order to produce a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine helps with both learning and memory. Steel cut oats tend to be less processed than other oats, so if you see them as an option, go for it! For extra brain power, top them with blueberries, which we’ll dive into next.

 

Blueberries. These little berries pack and punch when it comes to nutrients and brain power. Blueberries are known for being chock-full of antioxidants which are key to improving memory, aiding in cognition, and helping combat aging. In fact, one study found that a group of elderly participants who had mild cognitive impairment drank blueberry juice every day. After three months, scientists saw improvements in their brain function. Top your morning oats with a healthy handful of blueberries or eat them straight out of the carton.

 

Turmeric. Spice up your brain power with this impressive super-spice that has a ton of health benefits. If you’re a big fan of curry, then you’ve definitely eaten turmeric before. It’s a yellow spice from India that is used in many Indian and East Asian dishes but is easily transferable to meals you can make right here at home or on campus. Turmeric’s super-star compound found within its root is called curcumin, which helps protect against aging, increases blood flow, and even helps with stress and anxiety. Turmeric has also shown to help prevent diabetes, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s. Grab the spice at any grocer, and add it to your scrambled eggs or stir-fried vegetables. Use it in a soup, or give the trending, wildly popular Golden Milk drink a whirl. Every now and then, you can also indulge in some Indian or Thai take-out.

 

Eggs. In my opinion, eggs are a completely satisfying meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. (Forget an apple a day, and try an egg a day?) It has that same nutrient as oatmeal, choline, which has helped eggs earn a name in the cognitive world as a “brain food” that may protect against cognitive decline. Eggs are also filled with protein and a healthy dose of good fats and are naturally sugar-free. There are countless ways to cook with and eat eggs. To get you started, try an egg–white patty on a whole-grain English muffin for breakfast, enjoy a veggie frittata or quiche for lunch, and top a poached egg on a brown rice bowl filled with meat or other protein, and lots of fresh vegetables.

 

Fatty fish. Don’t be scared of healthy fats! You need ‘em for learning and memory, due to the omega-3s found in healthy fats that are busy building new cells in your brain. Yummy and good-for-you fatty fishes include salmon and tuna. These fish have also been shown to improve mood, reduce stress, and sharpen our cognitive ability. They may even help reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, both of which are cognitive and memory disorders. Have some friends over for a dinner party and cook a filet of salmon or tuna right on the stovetop. For a quicker option, you can also purchase the canned options; just make sure to read the label to ensure there are no unnecessary additives.

 

Coffee. Okay, this is not a “food” perse, but we had to include this for the coffee lovers out there! The caffeine found in coffee — and yes, this the same caffeine found in green tea — comes to our rescue by increasing alertness, improving our mood, and sharpening our concentration. It’s easy to over-do it with caffeine, though, so try to stick to one cup a day, and drink it in the morning. Opt for black coffee or a shot of espresso over lattes filled with milk and sugar.

 

Dark chocolate! We had to include an indulgent treat on here. Luckily, dark chocolate is not only delicious, it’s also packed with important nutrients that have shown to be good for our brains. Dark chocolate can help with our focus and concentration, protect our brain against aging and oxidation, and helps with our overall brain help. How? The flavonoids found in cacao (which is found in dark chocolate) are super potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents which are known for being beneficial for the brain.

 

Walnuts. Go nuts for nuts — seriously. Out of all nuts, walnuts rein supreme as being the best for our brains. They have a high amount of an Omega-3 fatty acid called DHA, which is known for improving brain health and cognitive performance while helping to combat cognitive decline. That’s not all: Walnuts are also a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Don’t overdo it, though — you only need about seven walnuts a day to reap the benefits. Add them to that bowl of steel cut oats in the morning, and throw a handful in a ziplock to snack on when hunger strikes in class.

 

Give your brain a little boost by incorporating these foods, beverages, and ingredients into your daily meals! It’s easy to get creative with it, too, putting a little fun into your food. See if you can get all eight into your diet in a day, or have friends over for brain-boosting breakfast — yes, this means you can have chocolate for breakfast. All in all, simply be mindful of how you can get these foods into your diet more frequently that you might have in the past, and see how that impacts the new school year. Bon appetit!

10 Study Hacks Every College Student Needs

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

10 Study Hacks Every College Student Needs

Wishing you were still lying on the beach in the summer? Yeah, us too. But there comes a point where we have to get back to studying. Being a college student is challenging enough so why not make it easier with some simple hacks. We’ve got the study hacks you won’t learn in a lecture hall.

 

DRESS UP

No, not for Halloween or Prom, but for the day. The act of getting dressed up (as if you were going to leave the house) signals to your mind that you have something to accomplish that day. But we know comfort is just as important, so dress up in something cozy – it’s all about balance! Why not pair some simple black leggings with a fancier blouse to give the effect of a chic look.

PLAN

Credits to Benjamin Franklin for this one, but… “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” When you have an assignment coming up, break up the assignment into little tasks. Then, plan when those little tasks need to be completed. Pro tip: Set the due dates for the little tasks by working backwards from the due date of the actual assignment.

Be sure to also give yourself wiggle room! Plan on having your work done in advance just in case. You never know if a task is going to take longer to complete than anticipated (which is often what happens).

 

TUNE IN (OR NOT)

Some people like to study with background music and others don’t. As always, we suggest doing what works for you! If you like to work in a silent space, work in a quiet environment or listen to white noise. If you prefer hearing something in the background, we recommend listening to alpha wave. Shy away from any music that has lyrics in it because the brain struggles to process lyrics and do work at the same time!

 

UNPLUG WITH AIRPLANE MODE

You know when you get a notification on your phone/computer and the buzz goes off, there is no resisting. You go to check your notification, get distracted by something else, and somehow end up spending an absurd amount of time procrastinating. Putting your phone on airplane mode will make you more productive and stay focused.

 

PRACTICE THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE

The Pomodoro Technique – a time management method that uses a timer to break work up into sections. We know it’s hard to give studying your full attention when you study long hours, so it’s important to block off your time! Spend 50 minutes studying and then give yourself a 10 minute break (or whatever time frames work best for you).

FEED YOUR BRAIN

We’ve all heard about it, but how does it actually work? No, eating salmon (thanks to the fatty acids!) will not give you photographic memory or equations to all those math problems. However,  eating nutritious foods will help your brain function more optimally. When you want to reach for that candy bar, think about if it will help or hurt your mental clarity.

A lot of studies have found that foods like blueberries, nuts & seeds, avocados, and even dark chocolate are great for the brain! But we know eating those foods as it is can get quite boring, so we’ve collected a series of foods that will keep you fueled and focused. Even better, these snacks won’t be turning heads when you eat them at the library!

 

TEACH TO LEARN

Learning by teaching. When teaching someone else, it will show you what concepts you know like the back of your hand, what concepts you kind of have a grip on, and what concepts you have no idea how to explain.

Also, when studying with other students, try to study with the “right” people, a.k.a. no one who is going to distract you and take you off track!

 

SLEEP

“Sleep is for the weak,” right? No! When you’re sleep-deprived, you can’t focus, which means you’re not going to be able to learn properly. Also, sleep helps strengthen memory, which is obviously necessary when you’re trying to retain information.

 

MOVE

Move in a way that makes your body feel good. Running, weights, yoga, walking, swimming, barre, cycling… the possibilities are endless! And, no. You don’t have to slave away at the treadmill for hours to get in a “good workout.” You don’t even have to be drenching in sweat once the workout is done to call it a “good” workout! Taking short walks between study breaks can be just as beneficial. It is all about finding what works for your body. The body was made to move, so honoring that by exercising will aid in new brain cell growth! Not to mention, other side effects of exercising include boost one’s mood and sleep!

CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT
Same old thing making you feel uninspired? If so, switch up your studying environment! Libraries, coffee shops, study rooms, or parks are a few places you could go to study. Don’t want to leave the library? No worries! Just find another area in the library and it’ll feel as if you’ve entered a new space (because technically you have).

 

Article courtesy of Kira Bernhard

5 Workout Tips for Busy Moms

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

5 Workout Tips for Busy Moms

As a mom, you need to have strength and energy to take care of your kids. Feeling tired and out of shape is not an option. But working out with a toddler is not an easy task. Between diaper changes, play time and making sure everyone is fed and happy, it can be hard to find time to take care of yourself. Don’t be discouraged! There’s a way to make it work!

Here are my tips for staying fit as a busy mom.

  1. Don’t waste time: Your time is so valuable as a mom. Driving to and from the gym can be very time-consuming. Instead, spend that time getting a good workout at home! Use your time wisely so you can spend more time with your family.
  2. Get creative: Stay open-minded about working out! Squeeze in 10 squats every time you change a diaper, do 10 push-ups while you’re waiting for the microwave, hold a plank on the living room floor while your baby crawls underneath you! Look for opportunities to exercise.
  3. Stay focused: Stay present and focused during your workouts. You will create a mind-body connection and get more bang for your buck when you stay mentally connected to the exercises. Pay attention to your form, strength, speed and reps! A 10 minute workout will be more effective than an hour of distracted exercise at the gym.
  4. Every bit counts: “I don’t have time to workout!” I hear this every day! But the truth is your workouts don’t have to be an hour long! 20 minute, 10 minute and even 5 minute workouts are effective! Staying consistent with your workouts will make the biggest difference in your health and fitness. The small workouts add up so stay committed and consistent.
  5. Find what works for you: You may prefer to workout during nap time… Or maybe you’re like me and workout before the sunrises. What’s important is that you find what works for YOU! What can you maintain? What would get you excited to workout? Finding out what works for you will help you find consistency, stay motivated and start seeing results!

Nobody’s perfect! Don’t stress about exercise. Take opportunities when you see them and stick to these 5 tips! You deserve to feel strong and healthy!

—

Article Courtesy of Kim Perry.

5 Workout Tips for Busy Moms

Kim is a dedicated and energetic Fit Mom and blogger. As a prenatal and postnatal expert, Kim shares time-saving workouts, quick healthy meals and ways to live a happier life! She is a mother and a teacher who shows busy women how to live the life they want through mindset shifts and energy building tools!