Ha! Really? Just another day in the life of a chick who talks food all day long.

Generally, I don’t run through my daily food journal with clients … that would be quite odd. But, today, just for fun (and the fact that this came up twice the other day with clients), I felt that I would share a day of food in the life of yours truly. I will make a disclaimer that no two days are exactly alike for me because my schedule is not standard–I work out whenever I can fit it in and schedule folks differently every day–but, there are a few things that are consistent. I eat breakfast within an hour of waking up, eat about every 3-4 hours, food combine (protein + fiber, really), and make/bring 90+ % of my own food on a daily basis. Anywho … here we go! I warn you … there will be anecdotes as we go … or else, that’d be really boring!

A Day of My Food

• 7:00 AM: Alarm goes off. Time to rise n’ shine and turn off that horrid alarm … I really need to get a new alarm sound…
• 7:00-7:30 AM: Start weeding through the emails and press releases…
• 8:00 AM Breakfast!: A Perfect 10 bagel (love these! Protein packed, high in fiber, and low carb), toasted, with hummus. Funny story: my client is OBSESSED with these and was dying for me to try them. She was ordering and asked how many I wanted. I thought I said two bags. She thought I said two dozen bags! Ha-ha. My client, “ I thought that was strange. That’s a lot of bagels! I was thinking, my goodness … what is she going to do with all these bagels … ???!!!” Note to folks : eat breakfast within an hour of waking up! Key to get your metabolism going!
• 11:00 AM Snack: A hard boiled egg + a banana
• 12:00 -1:15ish PM Workout: 7 mile run + some plyometrics. Time to get serious about marathon training…
• 1:45 PM Post workout snack:  Kashi TLC bar Showered after the run and quickly ate—only had 15 minutes until the next client. And made sure to grab something, carb-based, with a touch of protein within 30 minutes after the run to replenish glycogen stores.
• 2:30 PM Lunch: 6 ounces of baked, air-chilled chicken with paprika, cumin, and chili powder + roasted carrots and asparagus. Now … I ADORE air-chilled chicken! I’ve made it for friends, swearing it tastes so much better than regular chicken with much more flavor and pizzazz. They may not always be able to tell the difference, but I hold my stance that it is by far superior to water-chilled chicken!
• 3:00-6:30 PM: Clients, emails, calls, etc. …ah Mondays….
• 5:30 PM Snack: 3/4 cups or so of green grapes + 15 walnuts. Combine people! Think protein + fiber + healthy fats to keep you feeling satiated, even out hunger hormones, and prevent blood sugar highs and lows.
• 8:00 PM Dinner: Egg-white mostly omelet (3 egg whites + 1 egg) with mushrooms and zucchini, sprinkled with parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup blueberries. Just because it’s dinner doesn’t mean you can’t have breakfast! Plus, this follows my rule, protein and produce every 3-4 hours.
• 8:30 PM My Hankering: 1 Dove Promise milk chocolate. A girl’s always got to have a little sweet in her life! I love these. They’re pre-packaged, and one is only 44 calories. But, the most noteworthy mention is that they come with cute little sayings. Yup, I’m a sucker! But, I love sentimental stuff like that. Mine today? “Trust with your heart, not your head.” Oh, good call, Dove. Good call!

Did you eat anything noteworthy today?

Below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.

What do I eat the week before the marathon?

You should be doing nothing different than following the below sports nutrition guidelines for before, during and after your long runs (any run that’s 90 minutes or more). The biggest thing to remember is that you should be eating a nutrient-rich carbohydrate food at all meals and snacks, such as fruit, brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain bread, potatoes, high-fiber cereal, and so forth. Now, is not the time to order a salad with only chicken and broccoli! Add a carb, like an apple, quinoa, or whole-grain bread to the salad.

When training is intense (greater than 90 minutes or more on a daily basis), you need to get in your carbs!!! You don’t need to be gorging on tons of pasta, bagels, and muffins, but you need to make sure you’re eating healthy choices at your meals and snacks to keep your glycogen levels up, allowing you to power through training. For, one to two hours of daily training, 2.5-3.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound are needed each day. If training longer, 2-3 hours per day, 3.5-6.6 grams of carbohydrate per pound are required daily.

Some carb equivalents for you:

· 1 cup rice/pasta = 40 grams

· Large banana= about 25-30 grams

· Bagel = 70 grams

· 1/3 cup dried fruit = 37 grams

What do I eat the day before and the day of the marathon?

Again, no hardcore carbohydrate loading needed. Just follow the sports nutrition guidelines for before, during, and after the run (answered below) throughout all of your training! Hopefully, you’ve been doing this all along to help keep up glycogen stores and stamina and to repair muscles better.

What do I eat before the marathon or any run longer than 90 minutes?

In short, you need 0.5-2.2 grams of carb per pound of body weight 1 to 4 hours before a run or race, respectively. Thus, a 120-pound runner is looking to get in 60 grams of carb (120 ×0.5 = 60) before a one-hour run. This is equivalent to 1 large banana (30 grams carb) with 1 cup of orange juice (30 grams carb). If her run was 4 hours away, she’d want to eat 264 grams of carbohydrate (120 ×2.2 = 264 grams carb).

264 grams of carb is equivalent to:

· 1 large bagel with peanut butter (65 grams carb) and 3 tbsp honey (60 grams carb) + 1 cup fruit flavored yogurt with ½ cup dried fruit (110 grams carb) + 1 cup orange juice (30 grams carb)

· OR 2 cups granola with ¼ cup dried fruit ( 150 grams carb) + 1 ½ cups chocolate milk (45 grams carb) + 1 large banana (30 grams carb) + large glass juice (40 grams carb)

Keep in mind, don’t eat anything you’re not used to before a run and keep it low in fat and high in carbohydrate, like the options above.

What do I eat during an endurance run?

For any run 90 minutes or more, you need 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and it’s best to break it up into segments, rather than all at one time. For instance, if you need 60 grams of carb per hour, break it up into 15 grams of carb every 15 minutes, instead of 60 grams of carb all at one time. Your best options are carb-laden gels, bars, goos, or beverages that are easy to eat or drink on the go.

What do I eat after a run?

After a run, you want to get in 0.7 grams of carb per pound of body weight with some protein, about 20 grams. You want a ratio of 4:1 in carbs: protein. In other words, you want more carbs than protein. Also, shoot to get this in within 15 minutes after your race for optimal glycogen and muscle recovery and repair. It’s typically hard to eat so soon after a race, so I recommend recovery drinks, like chocolate milk with bananas or Hammer products. But, you’re not done yet! You then need another 0.7 grams per pound of body weight two hours later to replenish glycogen stores along with some protein.

What about hydration?

Here’s a quick guide!

• Before a run: 14-22 ounces (2-plus cups) two hours before exercise plus at least 7-10 ounces 10-20 minutes before exercise.
• During the run: 6-12 ounces every 15-20 minutes during a long run.
• After the run: 24 ounces (3 cups) for every pound lost during exercise (weigh yourself before and after the run).
• Sports drinks: Choose any sports drink that sits well with you. Just make sure that on the nutrition label it says 4-8% carbohydrates and sodium.

Happy running!!!!

We all know that veggies are your body’s best friend. They’re high in fiber; full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; and they have the miraculous ability to fill you up without a lot of calories. Basically, they help whittle your middle, so the more you can get in—the better! But, perhaps not always…

What do you think I’m going to say? … Calories still count! Pay attention to your oils, butters, spreads, sauces, and marinades because with a heavy hand the 50 calorie per cup broccoli or cup of 40 calorie green beans becomes a 250 plus calorie dish –oi vei! Therefore, when you add the “fatty veggies” with the 4 ounce chicken breast marinated in creamy goodness and 1 ½ cups of brown rice, you’ve got around a  700 calorie meal!!!

Thus, that “diet” meal has now entered large-meal territory! Isn’t that sneaky?!?! So my friends, your best bet is to roast, bake, steam, grill, or lightly sauté your veggies in a marinade you enjoy … and to measure your sauces, fats, and marinades. Because again, 2 tablespoons of an oil or fat is about 200 calories—little details to keep in mind. In fact, for oils, you may find it helpful to use a non-stick cooking spray or to buy a misto.

What’s the message here?!?

Pay attention to the small things because they matter, especially when trying to take off those last few pounds or if stuck at a plateau. Therefore, take a moment to look at what’s really going on and modify. The best way to do this is by tracking…I know…but, it’s true. Take the time to utilize an online program, such as the FABULOUS comprehensive program that I proudly work for, Eating Free.

I enforce the online tracking because that will allow you to see percentages of where your calories are coming from. A calorie is a calorie, but to make your body super efficient and to keep your metabolism up, we need to get our percentages of macronutrients in line, eat every 4 hours and get the majority of our nutrients from real whole foods.

When tracking (for healthy adults), we’re shooting for about 45-50% carbs (coming mostly from whole grains, fruits, and veggies); 25% fat (coming from healthy sources, such as olive and canola oils, nuts, avocado, and fatty fish); and 20-30% lean protein (coming from turkey, chicken, fish, flank steak, pork tenderloin, basically, round and “loin” cuts of meat, nonfat dairy, lentils/beans, and tofu). These percentages help keep your metabolism boosted. But, you still must remember the basics—eating every 4 hours—not only to boost your metabolic rate, but more importantly, to keep from eating too much later—and to get your needed amount of protein in to keep on lean muscle mass, keep you satisfied, and fuel you for success).

Extra Success Tips!

And for more success, work with a registered dietitian! They will keep you accountable, provide you with a personalized plan, and get you where you need to be faster! Um … and who doesn’t like that!?!

Lastly, be cautious with the exercise calories. For example, just because the counter said you burned 500 calories, stick with the calorie level your dietitian decided for you. Burning 500 calories doesn’t mean you can eat 500 more calories. If we start thinking like that, it’ll be VERY difficult to lose, or rather impossible. Exercise definitely helps keep you on track, boosts your metabolism, and provides tons of other health benefits, but if your nutrition isn’t underway, you won’t get the results you want. Weight loss is at a minimum 80% nutrition.

Wanted—Focus

Please realize that nothing happens over night! Weight loss takes time. So, along the way, focus on all the healthy changes you’ve made! Remember, it’s not just about the scale, but how you FEEL, how much more REAL foods you eat, the number of meals you eat at home, the mindful eating that has occurred and the inches shed—there are SO many more reasons why you’re doing this than the scale. Remember your motivation and keep at it—you’re changing your life, which is a pretty powerful thing. Give yourself credit. I insist!

How do you stay MINDFUL when it comes to the little extras?

Enjoy!

1. Turkey and veggies please!: Load your plate with veggies first (think string beans, salad, carrots, etc.) and then delve into the turkey. Here, stick with lean white meat and keep the portion reasonable (men–for your turkey serving, aim for approximately the size of two decks of cards and women–keep it to around one deck of cards, or three ounces). Filling your plate with lean protein and veggies first sets you up for success, as studies have shown that the first two things on our plate comprise over 60% of what goes into our mouths.

2. Stick to your routine: The number one thing that causes the scale to yo-yo is when people eat less during the day, so they can save their calories for the evening. This is not the way to go, and in fact, this strategy backfires because by the time you get to dinner, you eat dinner and then some because you’re famished! So please, eat a healthy breakfast and lunch. Think of this as any other dinner, except with exceptional company and fantastic food. And hey–the food will be there tomorrow. You can always take some to go. Don’t give up your good work by blowing your healthy ways for one meal! It’s just not worth it.

3. Plate it all up: One trick for large meals and buffets is placing everything you will eat on the plate and not going back for more. This way you’ll see all that you’ll be eating, your brain will recognize that this is enough food, and you’ll be less tempted to go back for more. Trouble comes in when you constantly go back for more, mindlessly, and calories keep adding up. Oi!

4. Plan your treat: It’s inevitable that a treat may come into play here–whether pumpkin pie, ice cream, or wine (yes, wine is a treat, ranking about 120 calories per five ounces), so decide how you will play this out. If you have appetizers, bread, the big Turkey Day meal, drinks, and dessert–then things may not work so well in your favor. I’d suggest sticking to your main meal and having one treat—a glass of wine or slice of pie.

5. Exercise the day of: Whatever you can fit in, fit it in! This will keep you in the right mind frame and will set you up for success later on in the day! Whether hitting the gym, going for a hike, or delving into your favorite home workout DVD, do what you need to do to make it happen! You’ll feel better and be ready to carry out your day mindfully and healthfully! Plus, it will help torch some extra calories! Always a good deal!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Got any Turkey Tips?

And, what dish are you most looking forward to???!!!

Awaken Your Metabolism

Sometimes we let ourselves get into a rut. We think, “The scale hasn’t budged! That’s it … I’m going on a diet! No more breakfast and a light lunch for me. I am determined.”

As much as I’d like to tell you that this is a sure-fire way to lose some extra pounds, it’s just not. There’s no way around it. In fact, most who take on this approach end up gaining weight in the long run because they’ve slowed down their metabolism.

When you start skipping meals, your body goes into “survival mode” and begins holding on to calories instead of burning them up. In other words, meal skipping has slowed your engine, and is causing your body to hold on to all it’s got. This is most noticeable when you starve yourself for more than 12 hours and your metabolic rate decreases by about 40 percent—not good when you’re trying to lean up!

Now that I’ve told you what NOT to do … you’re probably wondering what you should do.

Let’s take a look at the top three ways to get your metabolism metabolizing!

1.Eat Breakfast: This simple act awakens your metabolism and starts things churning and burning. Simply put, those who eat breakfast are generally thinner than those who don’t and are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. So grab some high-fiber eats with a source of protein, like Greek yogurt and berries with a high-fiber cereal, or eggs on whole wheat toast with an orange. And if you’re an AM exerciser who doesn’t fair well with pre-exercise meals, at least try to get in a banana, whole-grain toast, or a small handful of almonds. Studies show that those who do have pre-exercise fuel work out harder and longer.

2. Nosh Every Four Hours:Envision your body as an engine that needs adequate fuel every few hours to perform at its peak performance. If you eat every few hours, your body will hum along efficiently, and you’ll never let yourself get too hungry, which essentially sets you up for “binge-like behavior” once food comes into sight. Just remember to eat “clean,” whole foods that you recognize and have some lean protein with some high-fiber carbs, like whole grains, fruits, or veggies, at each meal and snack. For example, if you’re just noshing on an apple for a snack, add a slice of low-fat cheese or a small handful of walnuts for an added protein boost (with a touch of fat) to help keep you satisfied and your blood sugar even-keeled.

3. Exercise: Get in a daily sweat session at least four times per week for 30 minutes. And for some real calorie-burning action, don’t forget your weights at least twice a week! The more muscle you have, the more calories you torch while going about your day.

Now, Entering the Giveaway!!!

There are a few ways you can nab the $40 gift certificate to CSN Stores. Please note that you must enter before the end of the day on Wednesday, August 18th. The winner will be notified on Thursday, August 19th.

Let’s count the ways!

1. Become a  Fan of Nutrition with Corinne on Facebook. All who become Nutrition with Corinne Fans as of this post’s date, will automatically be entered!
2. Leave a comment on this post about how you keep a positive self image in today’s skinnified world! If you’d like your comment mentioned in my next post with your name say, “Spread the word.” Then, it will be included with your blog and/or Twitter name (please list in your comment) in the next GGB post!
3. For an extra entry, get on Twitter and tweet, “ Giveaway from @RDCorinne! Enter to win a $40 gift certificate by 8/18 at http://bit.ly/aOwTFv ”
4. Note: if you do all three, you’ll be entered three times!

But, until June 6th, you’ll have to suffice with my posts Below is this weeks post for the Symposium … written by yours truly. You can read more of the Symposium’s blog posts here. Enjoy!

We’re constantly reminded of what we need to do to be better, fix the problem, or undue any “wrongs.” But, what if you could go back in time—even for a little—and do something just a tad differently to change that one oh-how-I-wish-I-could-have-done-this-differently life moment because things would have been just that much better. Perhaps, you wish you would have taken that job, made that move, or spoke up to that special someone. Whatever it is—each of us has a wish-I-would-have moment.

Yet, when it comes to your health, there are certain things you can start doing RIGHT NOW so you never have to look back and regret. We have seen the future and know what will help keep your bod in top-notch shape—and it all starts with proper nutrition.

Nutrition is powerful, and when you seek the best of the best for your bod, you have the power to help prevent some chronic diseases, such as stroke, heart disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis, and some cancers. So, the real question is whether you’ve got the will to make these changes NOW to prevent problems later.

Some Answers:

• Glorify fruits and veggies: Make produce the main focus of your daily eats. This mantra is mentioned all the time, but there’s a reason for it—fruits and veggies are easy on the waistline, and are chock-full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other health-friendly micronutrients that help keep you free of disease.
• “Hug” those heart-healthy fats: Amp up your intake of mono- and poly-unsaturated fats to keep your heart health in-check. Healthy monos are found in olive and canola oil, sesame oil, avocado, and many other nuts and seeds. Polys include the essential heart-friendly fatty acid, omega-3, and are found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout. Other sources include walnuts and sunflower seeds and flaxseeds.
• Fill up on fiber: Foods like brown rice, whole-grain bread, oatmeal, popcorn, broccoli, sweet potatoes, beans, blackberries, strawberries—basically, foods from plants are a fabulous source of fiber that can help you achieve your goal of 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day (with men towards the higher end of the spectrum). Getting in your daily dose of fiber has shown to help reduce the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, diverticulitis (inflammation of the intestine), and constipation. Plus, as my mentor, Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, LDN would say, “Fiber helps fill you up, before it fills you out,” always a positive!
• Watch the added sugars and sodium: Limit processed packaged foods, the biggest sugar and sodium hitters, and opt for foods that you can actually recognize. When you choose foods in their whole form compared to processed form, you’re automatically—and drastically—reducing the sodium and sugar content of the foods you put in your bod. This allows your heart to work more efficiently and you to take in more essential nutrients. For example, choose low-fat cheese and strawberries instead of Cheetos® and a strawberry Fruit Roll-Up®.
• Go light on protein and dairy: Choose lean turkey, ham, seafood, and skinless chicken and trim any excess fat. Also, make sure to stick with lean cuts of beef—round steaks and roasts. If you can, opt for grass-fed meat too. It’s lower in total and saturated fat, slightly higher in omega-3s, and higher than grain-fed and finished meat in vitamin A and E—antioxidants that help prevent disease. And don’t forget about beans and lentils. They’re fabulous sources of fiber and protein that will help you stay fuller longer. When you can, replace meat with beans to increase fiber, decrease fat, and still get in satisfying, muscle-promoting protein. When it comes to dairy, pick low or non-fat goods. This way you’ll keep your heart and waistline in shape and give those bones the calcium and vitamin D they need to stay strong.

What’s something you do to “amp up” your health?

Well, long intro cut short, this past week I spotted some mangoes (finally, they’re available!) and quickly plopped a few in my basket! And of course, I had to make sure they were ripe. So, how do you tell if a mango is ripe? Personally, I just smell it and give it a squeeze and if the mango smells sweet and the squeeze doesn’t yield too much resistance (aka it’s not ultra-firm to the touch) I bring it home, wait 2-3 days and go at it! However, there is a more methodical procedure to this…see below

According to the National Mango Board…

How to Choose a Perfect Mango:

• A ripe mango will have a slight “give” and will be soft to the touch.
• If you’re looking for a mango that you can eat today, choose one that is slightly soft.
• A firmer mango would be a good choice if you plan to eat it several days from now.
• To ripen mangos, keep them at room temperature. They will continue to ripen, becoming sweeter and softer over time.
• Once ripe, you can move mangos to the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them. Whole, ripe mangos may be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator. Never refrigerate mangos before they are ripe.

Why Mangoes Deserve Some Loving Nutritional Madness

• Fabulous source of Vitamin C. One cup provides 80% of your daily needs! Helping keep your immune function up, grow and repair tissues, and form collagen, a key protein used to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels.
• Amped with Vitamin A. Keeping your vision in keen shape, especially in dim light, and helping your cells grow healthfully.
• Fiber Providing. One cup of mango fills your belly with 3 grams of fiber, helping you feel satisfied and keeping your GI track in shape. It’s recommended that we consume 20-35 grams of fiber each day (with men towards the higher end of the spectrum). The average person consumes about half that.
• Light on the Waistline. One cup of mango only has 110 calories. One mango provides about 1 cup of fruit when sliced.

How to Cut a Mango

When I get a mango I never really know how to slice it up. Obviously, look at that picture of me! However, I have come to learn that there are in fact 3 ways to cut a mango that will yield beautiful, fun-to-eat, perfect mango slices, cubes, or chunks! Check out the below video and learn some pretty cool mango-cutting techniques that’ll have your guests at your next pool party, housewarming, or BBQ amazed! Enjoy!

What’s your favorite way to eat a mango?

P.S. Visit Mango. org to get some awesome mango-filled recipes!

Note: The National Mango Board provided me NO incentive to write this. I simply really like mangoes!

On June 6th and 7th, I’ll be attending the Food for Your Whole Life Symposium in New York City as a media blogger with my FaVe four fabulous nutrition bloggers–Janel, Jessica, Lindsey, and Elizabeth. This rocking event will dish the latest research on age-based nutrition for optimal health. And features health guru Dr. Oz, along with other renowned health experts, including Mollie Katzen, Michael Roizen, David Katz, Roger Clemens (not the pitcher), Karen Collins RD, Keri Gans RD, James Joseph, Petra Kolber, Joan Sabate, Brian Wansink, and Elisa Zied RD.

From now until June, each of us nutrition ladies will be posting on topics to make a healthier you—inside and out! Take a peek at what’s already been written here. My first post is on steps to making your time on Mother Earth longer and better. Here we go … ENJOY!!!

Little Steps for a Long Life

By Corinne Dobbas, BS, of Green Grapes Blog

We all want to live a long life. But, let’s be real, we want more than just that. We want our time on Mother Earth to be invigorating, energizing, and rejuvenating.

Now, there’s no one trick—or pill for that matter—to achieving this ideal state of being. However, there are little things along the way that can help you get there. And, if you haven’t guessed yet, those “little things” all revolve around living a healthy lifestyle. Because honestly, there’s no way you’re going to feel invigorated, energized, or rejuvenated if you’ve been staring at a screen all day, noshing nightly at the local Mickey D’s, going days without your fruit and veggie friends, sleeping four hours a night, or going waterless for hours at a time.

You see where I’m going with this? It’s our day-to-day actions that add up, and eventually form a lifestyle. And it’s when that lifestyle is full of healthifying behaviors that you’re heading in the direction of longevity. WooT! WooT! I don’t know about you, but that’s a direction I’d like to head in!!!

SO…Let’s take a peek at some healthifying behaviors, shall we? Great! Here we go! Eating more fruits and veggies, switching to 100% whole grain products, dedicating seven hours of your day to sleep, eating more home-cooked meals, breaking a daily sweat, and downing more H20! These ALL top the healthy lifestyle 101 list. However, just because they’re the renowned chart toppers doesn’t mean that everyone’s doing them. So—let’s move in that proactive direction!

Grab a pen and paper…

Taking the First Little Step

• Write down one thing you plan on doing to become healthier, and make sure it is a S.M.A.R.T. goal
  • S—Specific. Define your goal well. For example, “After work, I will walk 45 minutes three times per week around my neighborhood from this date forward.”
  • M—Measurable. Set a goal that is measureable in some way. You want to be able to assess your progress. Not “I will eat more veggies,” but “I will eat at least 3 servings of veggies from today on.”
  • A—Achievable. Make sure your goal is humanly possible! And reasonable for you! If you’ve never run a day in your life, your goal should not be “to run a marathon next week.” Instead try, “By the end of this year, I want to complete my first half marathon.”
  • R—Relevant. Create a goal that’s important to you and that you’re confident you can achieve. This will allow you to get the job done and will set you up for success. Ask yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest level) where your goals falls. If your goal isn’t at least a seven in importance AND a seven in confidence that you can achieve it, modify or change your goal so it hits a seven in both categories, allowing for success!
  • T—Timely. Give yourself a time frame to accomplish the goal. If your goal is to “replace sandwich bread with 100% whole-wheat bread each day starting today,” your time frame would be daily, from this day forth. If your goal is “to lose 10 pounds,” shoot for a realistic achievable time frame, such as 2 ½ months (about a pound per week).

Little Steps do Equal Success

Remember, nothing happens overnight. Just start small. The first step is choosing one S.M.A.R.T. goal and then choosing another. And before you know it, you’ll be walking along that healthy lifestyle path with some extra pep in your step, inching your way to a more zestful day … and longer life!

Happy Healthifying!

P.S. Want a FaB prawn recipe? Check out my Prawn Veggie Orange Delight on Skinny in the City HERE

My Beets N’ Brussels Sprouts’ Journey

The other day I meandered into Marshall’s Fenway Farm Stand—near Boston’s  beloved Fenway Park … if ya couldn’t already tell by the name. Here, the food is locally grown, locally produced, FRESH and SOOO GOOD! Folks—in this gem of a farm stand behold the best gosh darn grapes to grace your palate and inspire your taste buds. The red are wonderful, but I—of course—prefer the quenching, succulent crunch of the green grape, which leaves your mouth full of sweet natural goodness and the perfect hint of cheerful sourness on the tongue.

BUT … Marshall’s Farm Stand doesn’t only sell grapes my friend—they have everything from organic apples to local meats to BEETS and BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Hence, I whipped out my wallet and delightedly forked over some beets n’ Brussels sprouts’ dollars so they could journey on home with me.

If you’re in the Boston area, pay Marshall’s Fenway Farm Stand a visit! Your body, taste buds, and local farmers will be sayin’ THANK YOU!

The Healthifying Nature of these Two “Bs”

I’ll spare ya any long rants here. Just know that these two foods are quite possibly some of the healthiest foods sprouting from Mother Earth.

Brussels sprouts are chock full of natural detoxifying enzymes, they strengthen the body’s natural defense system, and help protect against cancer. Mainly due to sulforaphaneone, a crazy powerful phytonutrient, which is also found in other cruciferous veggies—like cabbage, kale, and broccoli. GO cruciferous veggies!

NOW, beets‘  time to shine! Not only do these rooty suckers, stain your stovetop and counters crimson red—they keep your heart healthy n’ bright-pumpin’ red, protect against colon cancer, and overall keep your system running smooth and free of disease.

Moreover, both these two “Bs” will keep you a lean, green, mean, disease-fighting machine! Beets are only 78 calories per cup and have 3.3 grams of  filling fiber per cup! Woo-Hoo! And Brussels sprouts are 60 calories per cup and pop 4.8 grams of fiber per cup! LOVE it!!! ‘

As Joan Salge-Blake, my former professor and nutrition guru always states, “These will FILL YOU UP before they FILL YOU OUT,” plus they’ll keep you full n’ satisfied. But, more importantly, they taste AWESOME!

Finally—the Easy Peazy Recipe!!!

Royally Roasted Beets n’ Brussles Sprouts

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 35-45  minutes or until tender (smaller beet pieces will decrease cook time. The more beets and Brussels sprouts you have, the more your cook time will increase).

Ingredients:

• About 1.5 cups Brussels sprouts (or as many as your heart desires)
• 4 medium-large chopped beets (or as many as you please)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil or olive oil cooking spray
• Sea salt to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Layer chopped beets and Brussels Sprouts on cookie sheet or roasting pan (if desired, place on top of foil for easier clean up)
• Drizzle or spray olive oil atop beets n’ Brussels sprouts
• Adorn the soon-to-be mouth watering veggies with sea salt to taste
• Place in oven
• Wait about 35-45 minutes or until tender and remove. Beets n’ Brussels sprouts may appear slightly browned … this is A-okay!
• ENJOY!

Honestly, this dish is so delish!  I can’t get enough. For a complete meal, serve with a white fish, veggie crumbles, chicken, beans, or shrimp … let the imagination soar! YUM!

Let me know what ya think!

Happy Healthifying!

What’s your favorite roasted veggie?

And, if you live in Boston, have you ever been to Marshall’s Fenway Farm Stand?!?

During this heart-pumping cardio session I just so happened to be watching E! Yea, yea … I know—mindless television—but trust me, sometimes that is needed! Well, during my time out in “la-la land,” Richard Simmons, the motivating, cheery, eccentric man who is just as synonymous with fitness and nutrition as he is with itsy-bitsy, bright shorts, came on (during some count down show or whatnot) and said something to the point of, “I don’t believe in diets … do you realize that the first three letters in diet spell D-I-E … DIE! … now who wants to do that!?! Because that’s exactly what dieting can make you feel like…”

Despite my blurred vision from face lotion seeping into my eyeballs and barely functioning ear phones, Mr. Simmons’ quote stuck with me. Perhaps because the first three letters of my chosen profession—a dietitian—also spell die. Consequently, this got me thinking–do any of the negative connotations that at times surround dietitians subconsciously have to do with this fact …?  But then … I got back on track to my MAIN thought.

Diets Don’t Work

Right on Richard! Diets don’t work! Almost all who severely restrict items allowed in their shopping cart and consequently, in their mouth, regain their lost weight and perhaps more. As soon as those “forbidden” foods are let loose from their cell and the “all or none” mentality takes over, all healthifying efforts—exercising, more sleep, more produce, more whole grains, etc.—may be left sitting on the bench just waiting to get back on the playing field! In other words, the diet has gone out the window and “eating real, non-diet food” is allowed again … until the dreaded “diet” returns.

AND … it’s more about just the numbers on the scale! Diets make people feel deprived and alone in their “restricted world.” Basically, they zap that pep right out of your step! And who, may I ask, doesn’t want a peppy step?!?

Healthy LIFESTYLES are Key

This, my friends, is exactly why it’s about a healthy lifestyle! A lifestyle where you forego the numbers on the scale and focus on health, where you listen to when your body is hungry and full and respect those internal cues, where you appreciate your body, truly enjoy food and never feel deprived.

Now … Why are you doing these things? Because ultimately, it’s about your health—inside and out. When you live healthfully, in a balanced sense (you need to have some fun too; i.e. the daily sweet treat and a day or two off from training to mentally and physically recoup), your body will show your healthifying efforts and remain likely to say that way—as opposed to regaining all the weight lost from some fad or detox diet.

Proof to the pudding … According to the National Weight Control Registry, people who have lost  weight and kept it off for the long haul engage in the following healthy lifestyle behaviors:

• 78% eat breakfast every day.
• 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
• 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
• 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
• 98% modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.

Ahem … notice the LIFESTYLE piece and no dieting, regarding the above stats? YES, foods eaten may have been healthified in some way (i.e. smaller portions, more veggies, etc.), but no “diets,” so to speak, were in place. Instead, a healthy lifestyle was waiting to hatch out of the egg—which is necessary for long term successful health and wellness!

Small Changes Lead to BIG Results

Keep up your healthifying ways and simply add to them to continue on your healthy lifestyle path. If you eat a vegetable twice per day, add another serving or try a new vegetable! If  you’re exercising, think what you could do to add to your routine—more weights, adding an extra session each week, or simply, taking stairs instead of the elevator? Over time, when you add on “healthy” behaviors, you’ll adopt a healthy lifestyle or maybe even a healthier one.

For example, if you’re already on the up-and-up with the produce eating and exercise loving, but you don’t cook much at home–start! That’s healthy not only for your insides, but for your brain, as you’re learning something new and personal life, as you can have more cooking fun with others … see where I’m coming from? This “healthy lifestyle” will help keep your ticker tickin’ fabulously, a smile on your face, and an appreciation for food and yourself in more ways than one, which I think is most healthy.

Happy Healthifying!

What’s one of your healthy behaviors? We gotta share the health!