HEALTHY HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

The holiday season is officially underway!  Dinners, parties, family gatherings, and special treats at work are just a few of the ways in which we indulge.  Let’s face it, celebration with food is a huge part of our culture and during the holidays it’s no different.   And we don’t celebrate with fruit salads and lightly steamed veggies.  Hey, we go big with our rich gravies and cheesy foods, creamy casseroles, dressings, decadent desserts, and chocolate candies. 

There is some disagreement among food researchers as to how many calories the average Thanksgiving meal provides.  Is it 6,500, 2,500 or 4,000 calories?  Well, what we do know is that if we are not mindful, we can indeed pick up a few extra-unwanted pounds.  As a nutritionist, I have listened to many an individual, “Oh, I’ll get on back on track in the New Year with my detox.” or “I fell off my wellness program and gained 8 - pounds since Halloween.”  Does this sound familiar?     

Consider this mindset, “Don’t cheat yourself, give yourself a treat.” It’s all about a balance between mindful indulgence and mindless overindulgence.  We need to also consider that need to be reasonable about our wellness expectations.  Now is not the time to embark on a new program, especially one that focuses on weight loss.  If you are someone who has a tendency to struggle this time of year, here are some healthy holiday suggestions to help you maintain a sense of balance with your wellness program. 

·       Keep it moving:  Try to be as active as much as possible and limit your time being a couch potato.  Remember movement is a sure way to burn calories and rev up your metabolism.  Take time to go for a brisk walk around your community with family and admire the beautifully decorated homes.  This could become a family tradition after a holiday feast.  After dinner, put on some tunes and have the younger ones share some of the latest dances.  Have a fun 20-minute dance off.  Or maybe you can buddy-up with a friend and try something fun like ice-skating at your local ice rink.  These are great ways to create special memorable moments as well.

·       Choose your beverages wisely:  Whether it is a cocktail, hot chocolate with heavy cream and marshmallows, or eggnog, the calories can certainly add up.  If you should decide to indulge, choose to have one or two “heavy” drinks and buffer with “lighter” beverage choices.  Try alternating with spa water.  This way, you save on unnecessary calories and stay hydrated.

·       Maintain your meal schedule:  Sometimes, we have the mindset that skipping meals all day to save up for the party is a great way to limit calories in.  Well, it’s like going shopping on an empty stomach without a grocery list. The likelihood is that you will overindulge because you have starved all day.  Be sure to eat something light before attending the event.  You can partake in the festivities and enjoy while avoiding feeling stuffed.

·       Modify your recipes:  If you or your family members have special dietary concerns such as high blood pressure or diabetes, look for recipes that modify traditional ingredients.  You can greatly reduce sugar, sodium, and saturated fat by just making a few changes and maintaining flavor. Your loved ones will be happy that you considered their health.

·       Be selective and balance your plate like a scale:  For every rich and calorically dense food you choose, find one that is lighter in comparison.  Try pairing a salad topped with a clear dressing.  Look for other less rich and simpler side dishes.   If you find that your plate has one too many rich foods, simply choose to eat lighter at your next few meals.

·       Enjoy dessert time:  Mindfully savor each morsel of your favorite dessert.  Remember that grandma’s pecan pie could be loaded with an easy 500 calories a slice, so maybe consider sharing it with a family member.

Let’s remember the reason for the season.  Allow fellowship with your family and friends to represent the entrée, and the food the side dish.  Before digging in to your celebratory meal, allow time for everyone present to share thankfulness for one another.  Be healthy, safe, and thankful this holiday season! 

Dhana

Dhana Blissett has over 20 years experience in the medical and wellness industry.  She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist and Certified Holistic Health coach.

Bfit Athletic Club, we're not just a gym, we're a lifestyle. Come join our team and begin your health and fitness transformation today.  Call now for our new member special 770-845-0527. Check us out at www.bfitathleticclub.com. 

QUINOA – A Staple For Your Pantry

Due to our busy lifestyles we are constantly in search of food prep time saving techniques that don’t sacrifice our health or the taste of our meals.   The bottom line is that we want to incorporate foods into our meal plans that are versatile and save us time in the kitchen. 

One such food that comes to mind is quinoa.  Quinoa has become quite popular over the past few years.  This seed, which is commonly recognized as a grain, is highly nutritious.  Not only is it an excellent source of wholesome carbohydrates and protein, but it is also gluten-free.  Often used in place of rice as part of a tasty veggie stir-fry, quinoa can be prepared as a salad, as part of veggie burgers, or with red bean chili.

One of my favorite ways to prepare quinoa is as a hot cereal.   I like to top my red quinoa with fresh fruit such as blueberries and strawberries and add a nuts such as almonds or walnuts.   This is a great way to use leftover quinoa.   Check out this great recipe  - Quinoa Cereal with Fresh Fruit that I found at  http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=359833 .

Remember that you can add or subtract any of the ingredients to suit your taste buds.  Try adding dates, dried cranberries or cherries or others top with  Greek yogurt and chia or flax seeds.

Can you think of other pantry staples that you can easily reuse for other dishes?  Start thinking about ways to stock your kitchen so that you too can cook once and eat at least twice.

Dhana

www.bfitathleticclub.com 

If you are looking to get in shape, you don't have to go it alone.  We can help. We're not just a gym, we're a lifestyle.   Come Join the MOVEment and Commit to Bfit.  Call 770-845-0527, and get started today with our Special for new members. We offer fitness classes for all fitness levels. 

Dhana is a registered and licensed Dietitian, Holistic Health Coach, and Exercise Physiologist

QUICK AND SIMPLE BREAKFAST IDEAS TO START YOUR DAY THE RIGHT WAY

Does this sound familiar?  You overslept and with just a few minutes to take a shower, get dressed and get out the door, there is no time to even think about breakfast.  So you swing by one of the fast food restaurants along the way or just settle for the company coffee with a vending machine pastry thingy.  Now as you begin to doze off in the morning meeting, eyes heavy as bowling balls, you put your hands over your forehead so you appear to be concentrating on the handouts in front of you.  As the morning passes you are becoming more and more sluggish by the minute.  You're struggling to get your work done and on top of that hungry again so you savagely peruse the isles of cubicles on the hunt for a sugar fix from one of your co-workers.

Although this scenario is somewhat exaggerated, it is not uncommon. It paints a picture of what can happen when we don’t provide the proper fuel for our bodies.  This begins with the first and most important meal of the day; breakfast.  With just a little food pre-prep, you can improve your entire day.

As a nutritionist having done my share of dietary recalls I have found that that many individuals struggle with the breakfast meal.  Many choose less healthy breakfast foods such as donuts, pop tarts or some type of “granola” bar that is very high in sugar, sacrificing healthier alternatives due to perceived time issues. What’s lacking here is whole foods, a necessary component to one’s dietary regimen and especially breakfast.  Whole foods are foods that are not processed and are minimally refined, and do not contain additives or other artificial substances. 

Now let’s get back to breakfast basics.  Here are a few quick and wholesome meal examples to get your day started:

• Top your old fashioned or steel cut oatmeal or even quinoa with walnuts and naturally sweet raisins, add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cook up a large pot for the week and simply heat up and go when ready.
• Jazz up your basic Greek yogurt (Fage 2% is a good brand) by adding fresh blueberries/strawberries and sprinkle with almond slices.
• A breakfast burrito with a whole grain tortilla and wrap leftover protein (chicken, etc.) with sliced tomatoes and spinach.
• Create a breakfast sandwich with a 100% whole grain English muffin, natural almond butter and banana slices. 
• A fresh fruit smoothie with dried fruit and a side of trail mix of your favorite nuts.

These breakfast ideas are very simple, however they do take one or two extra steps of planning.  Planning is key… after all you and your health are worth it.  Check out my blog, http://dhanablissett.blogspot.com/2015/02/meal-planning-healthy-ideas-that-save.html about meal planning.

Be creative and think outside the box!  Breakfast does not have to be conventional, just healthy. 

Dhana

Dhana Blissett has over 20 years experience in the medical and wellness industry.  She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist and Certified Holistic Health coach.

Bfit Athletic Club, we're not just a gym, we're a lifestyle. Come join our team and begin your health and fitness transformation today.  Call now for our new member special 770-845-0527. Check us out at www.bfitathleticclub.com.

MEAL PLANNING - HEALTHY IDEAS THAT SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY

Question:  Dhana, today Americans are so busy.  We are constantly multitasking and as a result feel that we little time for much anything else, particularly our self-care.  When we don’t have time, our diets are usually affected.  What can we do to ensure that we are meeting our dietary needs?

Dhana:  This is definitely a common issue.  Many clients that I have worked with expressed having challenges balancing life stressors and healthy eating.  As a result they fell into a habit of choosing fast foods, processed microwaveable meals or simply skipped meals altogether.  Neither of these options are healthy choices…so what can we do? 

This is where meal planning can help.  Meal planning is essentially planning out meals for days at a time. It is very simple and doing so provides several benefits including saving time and money, insurance that meals are nutrient balanced, and reducing the temptation to eat impulsively.  The bottom line though is, in order to save time in the long run we have to make time initially to plan, grocery shop and food prep.  Then we can dine knowing that we are putting healthy foods into our body.  

Now let’s get started.

Step #1: Create a list of foods that you typically eat.

• You can categorize foods based on the food groups if that is easy for you.

Grains	Proteins	Fruits	Vegetables	Dairy	Misc
Quinoa WG English muffins Brown rice pilaf Old fashioned oats	Eggs Turkey Chicken Almond butter Salmon	Berries Various fruit Raisins	Salad greens Kale Bokchoy Sweet potatoes	Almond milk Cheese String cheese	Dark chocolate

Step #2: Create the meal planner template.

• Most people like to plan for one week at a time.  In the example below, I created a meal plan for one day.

Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner	Snack
boiled egg oatmeal blueberries	almonds & raisins	grilled chicken salad tossed salad baked sweet potato	almond butter on apple	baked salmon quinoa kale salad	fruit salad

Step #3 Grocery Shopping

• Prepare your grocery list. Use the list that you created (step #1). It is already categorized and this will allow you to easily navigate the supermarket. 

Step #4 Food Prep

• Choose a day when you can prep/cook foods items such as meats, starches, or vegetables in large volume.
• Store prepped food items in pyrex dishes so they are readily available at meal time.
•  Appliances such as food processors, blenders, crock pots and steamers can be helpful.

Step #5 Dining

• Enjoy your meal without worry of time constraints.
• Meal prepping/cooking allows you to simply warm up your food and serve.

Try meal planning for one week and see how it works for you and

your family. 

Here are a few more tips to consider:

• Pack leftovers the night before to take to work.
• Share recipes with your friends.
• Try new foods so that meals don’t become stagnant.
• Include your family especially the children in this activity, it will teach them about the importance of healthy eating.

Bonappetit!

            Dhana

Dhana Blissett has over 20 years experience in the medical and wellness industry.  She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist and Certified Holistic Health Coach.

Join the MOVEment.  Commit to Bfit www.bfitathleticclub.com

If you are looking to get fit and improve your health and need accountability.  Come join our team.  Call us at 770-845-0527 and get started TODAY.  Ask about our new member special.  Bfit Athletic Club LLC  www.bfitathleticclub.com.

ARE YOU SIMPLE OR COMPLEX?

Dhana, on your last blog entry you wrote about carbohydrate requirements for different groups of people.  Can you give us more information about carbohydrates and the foods that provide them?

Thank you for your question!

   

What most people don’t realize is that carbohydrates are found in so many foods.  In fact many people I have worked with informed me that they followed a low carb diet. After reviewing their 24-hour diet recall and calculating their carbohydrate grams, they were surprised to learn that this was not the case.

Just as a car requires fuel for power, our body requires glucose for energy.  This energy comes primarily from carbohydrate-rich foods.   Carbohydrates are found in the following food groups: fruits, starchy vegetables and beans, milk and grains.  They are also found in condiments, beverages, and refined/processed foods.  

Another way to categorize this energy-yielding nutrient is based on how complex it is; simple sugar or complex carbohydrate.  Simple sugars are quickly and easily absorbed into the blood stream while complex carbohydrates require digestion to do so.  

SIMPLE:

• Fruit, milk and yogurt
• Refined products such as candy and other sweets,       condiments such as catsup and salad dressing 
• Sweeteners such as table sugar, honey and syrups
• Beverages such as soft drinks and juices

 COMPLEX:

• Whole grain bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta and cereal 
• Other grains that are not whole
• Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, beans and peas
• 
  
  

The goal in choosing carbohydrates is to get the most bang for your buck so to speak.  In this regard, complex carbohydrates are the best choice.  They are rich in fiber, which will keep you feeling fuller longer and they are naturally full of vitamins and other beneficial nutrients for the body.  Honey, corn syrup, corn sweetener, high fructose corn syrup are just a few of the common sources of added sugar in processed and refined food products.  Often referred to as ‘bad’, because these empty calorie foods offer little nutrients, spike then drop our blood sugar levels and contribute to food cravings.  Other foods that can have this effect include white foods such as rice, bread, pasta and cereals.

Now there are times when simple carbohydrates are warranted, i.e., running a marathon or any other time you need quick energy for a short period of time.  If you simply enjoy your sweets just remember moderation is key.

So which one are you? Complex or simple? If you are not sure, keep a food journal to find out where you are and make changes as needed.

Quick Tips:

•  Be sure to read nutrition labels to help you identify hidden sources of sugars.
• Choose more plant-based healthy carbohydrates as part of your dietary program.  
• Be mindful of the total amount of carbohydrates you consume during the day.

 For more information about choosing healthy carbohydrates visit:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/

Dhana

Dhana Blissett has over 20 years experience in the medical and wellness industry.  She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist and Certified Holistic Health Coach.

Make a commitment to live a healthier lifestyle.  At Bfit Athletic Club we offer classes for all fitness levels.  Contact us for more information.  www.bfitathleticclub.com

Join the MOVEment, Commit to Bfit