4 ingredient pumpkin pie smoothie

It's pumpkin time again!! Swap a piece of pie for this delicious smoothie and it will keep your autumn tummy satisfied! 

Ingredients:
-Banana
-Canned pumpkin
-Milk of choice-one of my favorites is Silk Unsweetened
-Pumpkin pie spice

Recipe:
Combine the above and enjoy! The amount of each will depend on what type of smoothie you prefer. For example, if you like sweeter smoothies add more banana or if you like thin smoothies add more milk.

Looking for a colder smoothie? Use frozen bananas or add ice.

For a more flavorful smoothie add some vanilla extract. 

little changes...BIG RESULTS

When wanting to lose weight many people think they need to completely change EVERYTHING. Though this works for a little while and can be a great "jump-start" it is not sustainable for your MIND or BODY. However, if small changes are made, they will be easier to stick with and therefore lead to greater results.

For example, if 100 extra calories are burned or 100 calories are taken out of your typical daily food intake this will result in a 10 lb. weight loss in a year (assuming 1 lb. equals 3500 calories). So if you decide to take 1000 calories out of your daily intake or burn an extra 1000 calories a day then you will lose that 10 lbs. 10 times faster right?

Not exactly, this can put your metabolism into semi-shock and it may become resistant to losing as much weight (BODY). Also, cutting that many calories out is significant enough to make you feel like you are missing out on some of your favorite foods (MIND). Well this is where the trouble comes in....it is NOT SUSTAINABLE. So what happens? Often times people give up and think they "failed." Too rigid of rules and too many changes will almost always end with this. And a year later...those 10 lbs. will not be gone.

What to do instead?
Focus on small changes such as walking 1 extra mile a day or replacing the fries at lunch with something more nutritious. Also focus on other positive changes not just weight- pants are fitting better, more energy to play with kids, less neck pain, etc... And remember to always be realistic in your weight-loss goals.

Turn healthy snacks into convenience foods

Today, many “convenience foods” are quick, easy and UNHEALTHY. However, convenience foods really do not need to be this way; they can be quick, easy AND healthy! Some of the easiest (and most cost efficient) foods are fruits and veggies. Many already come ready to eat and are in nature’s perfect package (like a banana)!

To create your own convenience foods, spend a couple of minutes after grocery shopping and separate some fruits (grapes, berries) and veggies (broccoli florets, baby carrots) into plastic baggies so that they are easy to take with you on-the-go.

Diet Plan Dilemma

The main reason for wanting to become a dietitian was to make diet plans for my future clients. I had it all figured out; I would learn everything there is to know about nutrition during school and then I would create perfect meal plans that all of my clients would follow exactly. They would then reach all of their  health goals and everyone would live happily ever after. Okay, well I had A LOT wrong. First of all, I did not learn everything about food; years after graduation I am learning new things about food everyday. More importantly, the main thing I have learned throughout this process is, diet plans (even balanced ones written by registered dietitians) are not very beneficial.

During internships, I would often ask my preceptors if they gave out specific meal plans to their clients and each one replied, "no." I never was given much of an explanation, but learned quickly the reasoning behind this. A diet plan is well...A DIET. It tells you exactly WHAT TO EAT and WHEN TO EAT IT. Sounds like a DIET huh? Well, we all know DIETS WILL NOT WORK and therefore giving specific weekly menus to clients will no work either. Okay yes, they work for the short term...then deprivation sets in...then you go out to eat and they do not serve 4 oz dry chicken with green beans and whole wheat bread, and well...you get the picture! Strict diet rules usually lead to rebellious behavior and eating the "forbidden foods." This ends up leading to a feeling of failure and having little trust in yourself with food.

So what is a dietitian to do?
Nutrition education is crucial!! It is important for you to feel empowered about your food decisions (the good and not so good ones). It is okay to choose not so healthy foods sometimes as long as YOU are in control and a better choice is made in the future...maybe at the next meal? Utilizing a dietitian to help with grocery shopping or menu developing can be very helpful as well. A meal plan can be beneficial in certain circumstances as long as it is presented as an OUTLINE rather than specific rules to follow. Also, it is only going to work if the person eating the food likes (and knows how to cook/buy) the food on the plan.

...and we have a logo!

Usually I post about health related topics, but today is sort of an exception since I am debuting the Workout for Wellness Logo. Yes, 2 years in the making we finally have one! I wanted something that would encompass both nutrition and exercise using the Workout for Wellness colors (blue and green). Special thanks to Danny Tuzzeo, graphic designer, for making my odd idea come to life! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

"Practice makes improvement, not perfection."

Often times people are striving for the PERFECT diet, exercise routine, etc... and always seem to end up disappointed. Well this is because in most things (especially health related) there is no such thing as PERFECT. So just strive for better because better is well better! We are all a work in progress so give yourself a break and work on improving your health rather than perfecting it.

Commercial Break Exercise

We all watch television and know sitting on the couch is not the best way to get active. However, commercial breaks can be a great way to sneak in some physical activity. When a commercial starts, perform exercises throughout the break. A fun way to do this is have a jar of different exercises written on pieces of paper and pick a new one each time. Some examples:

• Jumping jacks
• Jog in place
• March in place
• Side steps
• Sit and stand on and off the couch
• Pushups on knees
• Sit ups

Have fun, get active and still watch your favorite show!

Kids will be picky so let them pick!

At times kids can be picky eaters (some a lot more than others), so let THEM pick what they eat! No, not everything that will be served for dinner, but let them have some input in foods to try. A great way to do this is by engaging them at the grocery store. They can help by choosing which piece(s) of fresh produce you purchase look the best (example- find the reddest apple).  They can even pick out a new piece of produce to try each visit. They may get adventurous and want to try something you’ve never even tried (good thing for the internet; just type in the food and many ways to eat it will come up). You will get more help and less resistance at the dinner table since they will take ownership in what THEY picked out…a win win for everyone!

Get your daily dose!

I do not eat perfect and never will (to be honest there is no such thing as perfect eating). That being said I always make sure to eat plenty of servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Not because they are inexpensive, taste delicious and are good for me…because it is EASY! I often hear how difficult it is to eat the recommended amount of fruits and veggies per day (5-9 servings), but I don’t agree! Here are a few example ways to easily get your daily dose:

Day 1:

Breakfast- A large sliced banana on toast with peanut butter (2)

Snack- A handful of cherries and a small palmful of almonds (1)

Lunch- Strir –fry with peppers, onions and sausage-my favorite is tofurky (2)

Snack- A sweet potato (2)

Dinner- Pasta with mashed broccoli (2)

TOTAL servings: 9

Day 2:

Breakfast- Omelet with spinach and chopped tomato (1)

Snack- Broccoli florets and baby carrots dipped in hummus (2)

Lunch- Large salad with a tomato, lettuce, peppers and chopped onion topped with chickpeas (3)

Snack- A bowl of fruit salad with pineapple and mango topped with tofu or yogurt (2)

Dinner- A tuna sandwich mixed with chopped onion and celery (1)

TOTAL servings: 9

Day 3:

Breakfast- Oatmeal with raspberries (1)

Snack- A smoothie with soymilk, a banana, strawberries and some spinach (3)

Lunch- A veggie sandwich with mayo, lettuce, tomato and cucumber and vegetable soup (2)

Snack- An apple (1)

Dinner- Pizza topped with tomato sauce, eggplant and sweet basil (2)

TOTAL servings: 9

These sample menus leave room for additional food with NINE servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Not there yet? Shoot for a smaller goal like 4 or 5 and work your way up.

Re-think your sports drink

Next time you go to grab a sports drink after your workout, think twice! The most important thing after a workout is hydration, which is best from WATER. If weight-loss is a goal from your workouts, you will have to run more than a mile each workout to burn the extra calories if you plan to drink a sports drink afterwards. If you are doing a very challenging workout carbohydrates and electrolytes such as potassium and sodium may also be needed to be replaced. However this can be done through a snack or a meal if you are eating after working out.

(almost 9 teaspoons of sugar in a 20 oz. bottle of Gatorade)

10 ways to add vegetables to foods you already make

It is best to get your kids (and spouses ;) used to the taste and texture of vegetables. However, it will also help lower the caloric content and raise the nutrition content of meals when they are “snuck” into other dishes. Here are some easy ways to add veggies to foods you may already make:

1. Minced broccoli or cauliflower to scrambled eggs.
2. Grated zucchini and carrots to muffins.
3.  Canned pumpkin or butternut squash to pancakes or waffles.
4. Handful of fresh spinach or green blends in any fruit smoothie.
5. Any extra veggies to boring pasta and casserole dishes.
6. Spinach and tomato to grilled cheese sandwiches.
7. Carrot or pepper puree to ground beef before cooking it in hamburgers or meatloaf.
8. Top pizza with a variety of veggies or a layer spinach before adding the sauce and cheese if preferred.
9. Vegetable puree to any soup. (It will give it a great texture of a thicker soup).
10. Carrot or pumpkin puree to chocolate chip cookies.

Make your own peanut butter

There is A LOT of peanut butter out there, but it is difficult to find one without added salt and sugar. Try making your own by purchasing some unsalted peanuts (I wait until they are "buy one-get one"). Grind them in a food processor and add them to an old jar of peanut butter. YUM!

-Just be mindful since calories from peanut butter can add up fast.
TIP: Do this with any other nut you choose....almonds, cashews, etc...

I read a great quote on the internet the other day that I just had to share!

"People are fed by the food industry which pays no attention to health, and treated by the health industry which pays no attention to food" -Wendell Berry

This short quote clearly shows the major issue with many our nation's health problems!

3 to 1 Ratio

Lately I have been suggesting a "3:1 ratio" to my clients to encourage them to eat more veggies! All this means is for every pound of pasta, mix it with 3 pounds of vegetables. 

Whole grain pasta is very healthy and provides fiber, protein and many vitamins/ minerals. That being said, the calories in pasta can add up fast, usually around 210 per cup. Also, since pasta is usually somewhat dry and limited in flavor alone, butter, cheese and sauce are added which can double the amount of calories.  

Adding veggies to your meal will not only help you reach your daily amount and decrease the amount of calories per serving, but it provides more flavor! Add your favorite spices and BAM, you have dinner for the week!

Pasta, broccoli steamed down, natural peanut butter, curry powder, garlic powder and crushed red pepper.

• Mix and match different veggies and spices.
• Experiment with different consistencies (keep veggies whole or steam them down with extra water to create a "sauce").
• Separate in containers and put in freezer for tasty and healthy microwave meals.

Quick Snack Ideas

Small meals throughout the day are a great way to “boost your metabolism.” However sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between a small meal and a regular sized meal and this can lead to overeating. If regular meals mixed with snacks throughout the day makes more sense to you, below are some examples. Remember snack does not equal junk food! If you wouldn’t eat it for breakfast or feed it to your kids for dinner, then don’t eat it for a snack!

Many of these snacks can be prepared beforehand and stored in your fridge, freezer or pantry for easy snacking!

Savory-

• Vegetable crudites
• Baked potato with salsa, marina sauce, sautéed onions, broth or fat free sour cream
• 2 Salt free/ low sodium rice cake topped with avocado and salsa
• 100% whole grain pita dipped in hummus
• Toasted “Food for Life Bread “(in freezer section) with some natural peanut butter
• 7 “Hint of Salt Triscuits” topped with tomato slices and heated in microwave
• Quesadillas with low-fat cheese and salsa on an “Ezekiel Tortilla”
• 100% whole grain English muffins with pizza sauce and sautéed onions
• Small palmful of no-added-salt nuts
• Plain popcorn topped with nutritional yeast or some “Mrs. Dash”
• Fresh vegetable slices dipped in low fat/ fat free cottage cheese, plain yogurt or hummus
• Celery with fat free/ low fat cream cheese
•  Baby carrots dipped in 2 tbsp pb
•  Low-fat string cheese with an apple or pear
• Omelet with 1 tsp oil, 2 eggs and diced vegetables
• 2 boiled eggs
• Salad (forget the dressing and croutons and top with salsa, vinegar and/or moist veggies)
• Veggie/ turkey  burger topped with tomato sliced and mustard
•  Last night’s leftovers!!!

·      

Sweet-

• A piece or pieces of fruit
• Granola/ energy bars (Look for one with few ingredients)
• A “Larabar”
• Trail mix with 1 box of raisins and small palmful of no-added-salt nuts
• Boiled apples with cinnamon and vanilla
• 2 rice cakes topped with mango and strawberry slices
•  Plain yogurt topped with berries
• Smoothie- frozen fruit blended with skim or soy milk
• Soycream- tofu blended with frozen fruit
• Oatmeal supreme- plain oatmeal topped with cinnamon, fruit and 4-5 chopped pecans
• Pb cup oatmeal-  plain oatmeal with 1 tbsp pb, 1 tsp coco powder and ½ cup soymilk
• Autumn oatmeal- plain oatmeal mixed with canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice
• 1 banana with 1 tbsp pb
• PBJ Rollup- natural peanut butter and grapes sliced in half on half of an “Ezekiel Tortilla”
• Baked sweet potato with cinnamon

PEPPERS, ONIONS and sausage

Make it a non-effort to eat plenty of veggies. Next time you are making sausage, first saute 4 onions and 8 peppers with 1 tsp of olive oil (yes that is all you need). Add in 4 of your favorite sausage links and enjoy. This spread into 6 HEAPING portions will provided 2-3 servings of vegetables each. My favorite "sausage" to use is Tofurky Sweet Italian with Tomato and Basil, if you prefer meat try Applewood's Organic Chicken and Turkey Italian Sausage. Make sure not to drain the excess liquid released from the vegetables; this is where many nutrients are. Bonus- use this moist dish instead of dressing to top over salad for even more veggies!

Creamy Green Smoothie

Want a new texture and taste to your everyday smoothie? Try this one...

Blend a mango, 2 kiwis and a hass avocado together to make a smoothie for 2!

Want a smoothie for one? Use a honey mango, 1 kiwi and half of a hass avocado. YUM!!

Each serving is about 250 calories of healthy nutrients.

My favorite bread!

In my opinion, Food for Life makes one of the best breads around; this is the brand that makes the popular Ezekiel Bread. It is not the "sprouted grains" the company boasts that I am most interested in. Instead it is the limited amount of ingredients and low amount of sodium (about half than most breads) in their great tasting products. These breads do have a "grainier" taste and texture than most breads with additives and dough conditioners. If you are new to this bread, I suggest start by toasting it first. The bread is located in the freezer section of your grocery store and usually only about $3.50 per loaf. Since the bread is more hardy than most commerical breads with a lot of air, you eat less of it!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, let me know!

It's never too late to start!

Today I am very proud of one of my clients for completing his FIRST 5K run/walk (3.1 miles).
We have been training for the Springtime Tallahassee Race for several weeks and it is a very hilly race. Though he has never completed a race before, what better time than now to do so (a few months before his 70th birthday).

Set your goals high and shoot for the stars!

Power Superbowl Dip

Skip the cheese, sour cream and beans with lard.
Instead: 
-Blend 1-2 cans vegetarian pinto beans with 1 tsp cumin and spread on bottom of a dish.
-Add a layer of smashed or scliced avocado.
-Add chopped lettuce or green peppers.
-Pour a jar of salsa.
-Top with corn, chopped onions and/or black beans.

Grocery Shopping Tips

Here are a couple tips for grocery shopping, feel free to print this out and take it with you next time you head to the store.

Beforehand:

Do: Plan meals/ snacks and make a list of items you need to prepare these.

Don’t: Go on an empty stomach, this will cause you to buy more and make it more challenging to make smart choices.

Produce-

Do: Begin your shopping trip here and experiment with new colors and flavors.

Don’t: Limit your selection to only fruits and vegetables you are use to.

Healthfood Section-

Do: Get some good alternates which are more natural and many times limited in added sodium.

Don’t: Buy additional “junk” food here because it is “healthy” junk food.

Meat, Dairy, Eggs-

Do: Choose lower fat options and if possible buy organic.

Don’t: Pay extra for gimmicks such as “hormone-free eggs” or “natural milk.”

Juice, Crackers, Cookies

Do: Choose 100% juice and 100% whole grain crackers such as Triscuits.

Don’t: Buy crackers/ cookies with more than 1/3 of the fat saturated fat and avoid trans fat.

Canned and Starches-

Do: Choose canned fruit “in its own juice” and vegetables with “no salt added.” Choose brown rice and 100% whole grain pasta.

Don’t: Purchase canned meats/ meals high in sodium.

Dried Fruits and Baking-

Do: Pick dried fruit with no added sugar and whole grain flour.

Don’t: Buy artificial sweeteners.

Breakfast Items-

Do: Choose oats, whole grains and natural peanut butter.

Don’t: Purchase too many caffeinated beverages.

Drinks -

Do: Choose bottled water if you prefer this for convenience and seltzer water if you prefer some extra pizzazz!

Don’t: Buy soda.

Snacks-

Do: Choose baked chips, lower sodium popcorn/ nuts.

Don’t: Buy a large bag if it will be too tempting to eat too much at a sitting.

Frozen-

Do: Choose fruits and vegetables to add to dishes or eat plain.

Don’t: Buy high fat/ high sodium highly processed meals.

Deli-

Do: Choose salsa and hummus.

Don’t: Purchase high sodium meats and fried choices

Things to consider-

DO: Be patient with yourself and others, learning to grocery shop a healthier way can take some time.

Don’t: Expect perfection.

New Years Resolution 2012

Making a goal for the new year? Write it down along with answers to the following 2 questions.

-What are 5 reasons you want to make this change?

-What are 5 reasons you will be able to accomplish this goal?

Happy New Year 2012 from Workout for Wellness!