Nutrition: Are You Eating Enough?

diet diet tips Apr 13, 2022

Here's a question people frequently don't think about -- "Are you eating enough?"

When you're dieting down, obviously you cut your calories. However you'll reach a point when you can no longer reduce your calories anymore, you hit a plateau, you're not losing your weight, and you're stuck with what you do at that point.

That's when you may need to either do a little reverse dieting or look at taking a diet break. Once you reach the bottom of your calorie intake (typically not lower than your BMR or basal metabolic rate) your body will most likely adapt to that set point and not lose any more weight. That's when you need to gradually add calories back in, taking a a diet break to let your body re-adapt. Many times, you'll start increasing calories, and you won't gain weight. Doing this helps you start your calorie deficit or next round of dieting from a higher calorie point. To summarize, you cut calories, hit a plateau, take a short break and increase calories, let your body adapt,...

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Metabolism: The Role of Nutrition

diet diet tips Mar 09, 2022

Many people think they have a broken metabolism, or their metabolism isn't working quite right. And a lot of that can be due to your nutrition and making sure that you're eating an adequate amount of food. You shouldn't constantly be dieting and cutting calories. So when you think about dieting, and wanting to lose weight, you want to ensure you are using nutrition periodization which is like having seasons of dieting. There will be times where you're cutting or reducing your calories. There will be times when you're eating at maintenance to give your body a break from dieting. And then there should be times where you're eating in a surplus, which is great if you want to try to build muscle, because you can't build muscle without extra calories.

 

So it's super important to also ensure that you're eating above your BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate. That's the amount of calories that takes just for your body to function on a daily basis, not including exercise or additional movement...

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The Importance of Meal Prep

diet tips Jul 27, 2021

As gyms open back up, more people are renewing their commitments to their fitness goals. However, our lives are busier than ever, and ensuring you get the right nutrition can be a challenge with a full schedule. The Conversation reveals making time to cook can be easily thwarted by unpredictable work schedules and time conflicts. Especially if you have a young family or a demanding job.

Whether you’re a busy parent or a young professional that likes to go to the gym, eating healthy can be quite the challenge. Fortunately, there are ways to save time and reduce your effort while still ensuring you receive the right nutrition. Meal preparation is an important aspect of fitness for various reasons, and doing it successfully can help you reach your fitness goals.


Better nutrition

Having an effective exercise regimen is only half the battle in fitness; your diet matters just as much as the work you put in the gym. Meal preparation allows you to choose the right balance of...

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4 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day That Don’t Involve Food

diet tips mindset Feb 13, 2019

Here are four ways to share the love with your Valentine without busting your waistline:

  1. Go for a walk or a hike. Spend some quality one-on-one time getting some fresh air and really connecting and talking.
  2. Send or buy flowers. Who doesn’t love beautiful flowers? And you’d be surprised by how many men would appreciate getting a bouquet of flowers.
  3. Make a cute Valentine’s card for that special someone. Include a coupon for a massage or breakfast in bed. Writing something thoughtful is much more valuable and precious than a box of chocolates.
  4. Get a gift certificate for an experience. Whether it’s a manicure, a massage or some much-needed babysitting time, many busy moms would appreciate some quiet time and self-care over candy or a fancy dinner.

What’s your favorite non-food Valentine’s Day gift?

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5 Ways to Use Protein Powder

diet tips recipes Feb 04, 2019

I have to confess that I hate protein shakes. I hate drinking my calories in general so I just won’t make a shake. I’d rather eat my protein powder. If you’re struggling to get your daily intake of protein, here are some easy ways to get’er done. 

Not sure which protein powder to use? I also included some of my go-to favorites to get you started…

My Favorite Protein Powders

  • Quest Banana Cream
  • Quest Cinnamon Crunch
  • Quest Strawberry
  • Beverly International Ultimate Muscle Protein (UMP) Graham Cracker
  • Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Chocolate
  • Modus Nutrition Chocolate

Mix It Up

You’d be surprised how versatile today’s protein powders are and many can easily be used for baking. Here are some very simple ways to add protein to common foods.

  1. Mix 1 scoop with 1 tbsp powdered peanut butter + some zero-calorie sweetener and some water until you get the consistency of cake batter. Eat it like pudding or freeze it like fro-yo.
  2. Mix it with...
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Top 5 Must-Have Meal-Prep Tools

diet tips Feb 04, 2019

When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Following a proper diet accounts for 90% of your results, but it can be easy to have your diet derailed. That’s why preparing meals ahead of time is so important! Here are the tools you need to get started:

  1. Food Scale -- portion control is easy when you can physically measure your food.
  2. Containers -- grab and go containers make storage easy, whether in the fridge or in your lunch bag
  3. Lunch bag -- not only will you save money, you’ll know exactly what you’re eating and how it was prepared.
  4. Measuring spoons -- helpful for measuring spices and other smaller quantities
  5. Storage bags -- multiple sizes for those items that don’t need a container, like nuts or dried fruit

Be sure to check out my meal-prep-made-easy recipes.

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Dealing with Diet Disruptors: Your Fixes for February

diet tips Feb 03, 2019

Dealing with Diet Disruptors: Your Fixes for February

You start the New Year off strong, full of resolve and armed with a healthy eating plan. But by the time February hits, you are faced with a new month of eating temptations and your willpower wanes. No matter what your weakness – sweet, salty, or savory – you are bound to experience some temptations. And the best way to keep those edible impulses in check is with a little preemptive planning. Here are four common scenarios that can mess with your quest for success this month and some strategies to help you stay the course on the road to fit.

The Big Game

Whether you are hosting or just a party goer, make sure you keep healthy options on hand. For mealtime, think tailgate-style Instapot teriyaki chicken and tangy roasted veggies. For snacking, opt for crudité with hummus or guacamole, and check out Hacked Snacks protein popcorn, available in a variety of fun flavors. Nacho-lovers are also in...

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Savory & Sweet Super Bowl Recipes + 3 Strategies to Stay on Track

diet tips recipes Jan 29, 2019

If you’re a sports fan, you no doubt have Super Bowl plans. Or perhaps you’re even hosting the big event at your house. Regardless, you need to have a plan in place to ensure that Super Bowl party doesn’t destroy all of your hard work when it comes to diet and workouts.

Here are three strategies you can use when it comes time for the big game. It’s important to have a plan of action going in.

1. Keep your hands and mouth occupied. 

I have an entire post about how to manage eating at parties, which includes tips on keeping yourself occupied. This makes eating more difficult.

2. Be mindful. 

Do not eat as you watch the game and do not eat as you are talking to people. When you eat, focus on eating. Whether you’re munching on appetizers or sitting down to a meal, the easiest way to go crazy and lose track is to not be aware of when and what you’re eating.

3. Bring a healthy option and eat before you go. 

Never go to a social event...

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4 Easy Ways to Reach Your 2019 Fitness Goals

diet tips goals mindset Jan 26, 2019

Remember that ‘new year, new me’ determination you felt on January first? If you are finding that your resolve isn’t quite as resilient mid-month, you aren’t alone. In fact, according to U.S. News & World Report, a whopping 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. Here are four strategies to help you resist the urge to quit and stick to your get-fit goals.

Plan Ahead

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Start each week ready with the right resources to set you up for success – this includes your food, exercise, and sleep intentions. Apps like MyFitnessPal are great for tracking your meals and movement. I talk about how My Fitness Pal can help you stick to your resolutions here. Schedule alerts/reminders for yourself to get your water or steps in and block the time on your calendar for exercise and bedtime, just as you would for a doctor’s appointment or work meeting. You will be more apt to stick to a regular...

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Eating Out? Top 5 Strategies for Healthy Restaurant Options

diet tips Jan 13, 2019

One of the quickest ways to derail your diet is to eat out. It’s difficult to know how much oil, butter or other ingredients are used when preparing meal. Does that mean you can never eat out again? Hells no! But you do need to take some precautions and properly planning to ensure you keep your eating on track. Here are 5 simple tips to help:

  1. Look at menu before you get to restaurant.
    How many times have you gone out to eat with friends and start chatting before being able to thoroughly vet the menu? Then you’re left scrambling to order when the waiter shows up. The best way to keep that from happening is to go online and see if the restaurant has their menu posted (most do). Quickly scan to ensure you have healthy options or begin to strategize how you can customize your order.

  2. Choose grilled, steamed, baked, or braised.
    When selecting lean protein (which should be a good portion of your meal), opt for grilled, steamed, baked, or braised. These options typically...
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