To Snack or Not to Snack?

Here is the most recent foodpicker.org question I have received regarding diabetes...
I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. During the day at work I eat very little, but in the evenings and weekends, I can't seem to stay out of the kitchen. Do you have any suggestions to control my snacking in the evenings and weekends?

Often times we find ourselves consuming more on the weekends because we find "more time" to do things like go out to restaurants, cook or simply lay around the house (which could spike mindless munchies in front of the tv). It's okay to snack but only when it is in moderation.

Here's a couple guidelines that may help nosh the uncontrolled snacking:

-Sipping some water. Sometimes your stomach thinks your hungry when really your just thirsty. Swish down some H2O and then wait 20 minutes...stomach still rumbling? grab a small carbohydrate and protein snack (i.e. some string cheese, pb and a couple of crackers)

- Make sure your snacks are really snacks. You don't want to snack on anymore than 150-200 calories in between meals

- Make your meals more satisfying. Do your meals have a healthy balance of whole grain carbohydrate, lean protein and healthy fats?

- Use a plate. Avoid eating right from the bag/ box/ carton. If you plate your snacks and walk away this will in theory keep you from over eating.

It is important for diabetics to take into account your daily intake of carbohydrates. It is important to consult your RD or physician to ensure that snacking is right for you and your usual regimen prior to embarking on any new lifestyle modifications.

Don't think I forgot aboutcha'

Yes my fellow health fanatics I am talking about you!
My enthused New Years Resolution Maker's. I have applauded your enthusiasm once before and I am going to do it again!

You are still congesting my gym however, I have beaten you to the step spot and since I have lost some interest in the cardio equipment I don't mind the sweaty mess. Oh and thanks for not going as far as stealing my favorite spin bike!

So, have we met our goals or are we at least starting to see the results we set forth in the gym on January 1 to get?

As we move into the month of March I know it is hard to keep up with the workout regimen; still fighting the cold, crowds and the never-ending distractions of life; believe me, I too find myself wanting to skip my sweat session but I grin and bear it...what keeps me motivated?

- The progress I have made...I think "why stop now?"
- How good I feel once I have finished a workout
- I feel stronger, have better self-confidence and feel healthier/ happier
- I sleep better at night
- It keeps my healthy eating in check...when I workout it inspires me to eat healthier
- Relieves stress
- Has become a hobby of mine, something I look forward to
- and it wouldn't be a motivation list if I didn't put the thought of wearing a bikini ;)


Push through workout junkies! It's almost spring!

10-minute Lunch

Today was so busy I am sad to say I wolfed down my delish garden of eatin'. The patients were stacked back-to-back I only had time for the tasty greens, the grapes I had to pop in-between the afternoon appointments like candies and the poor pistachios didn't even get touched...sad right?

Check out that spread ;)

Needless to say, by 4pm I was hungry. Couldn't crack pistachios in the car so I made a quick pit-stop at Starbucks for an afternoon pick-me-up! What a treat :)

I got a tall Sugar-free Cinnamon Dolce Soy latte
( ~ 90 kcal of sweet, satisfying, milky, warm java love)

Noteworthy: 12-15 small grapes= 15 carbohydrates = 60 kcals
(1 carbohydrate exchange for diabetics)

Night!

Breakfast of Champions

In honor of the olympic games I thought it would only be right to make a "Breakfast of Champions" this morning.

So like I start most of my mornings (when time permits)- a cup of coffee from my little keurig. This thing is great. You can buy tons of flavors, tea and hot chocolates and make a single cup (or more if you'd like) without the waste of an entire pot :)
I'm diggin' it!

Then I reaaaaally got started on my "Breakfast of Champions!"

The necessary ingredients (to your right)...in the blend:
- 1 banana (that little guy prompted me to make this shake...he was on his last leg) (~100 kcal)
- 1 container of vanilla chobani greek yo (120 kcal)
- 1 Tbsp of flax ( 30 kcal)
- 1 Tbsp of Natural Pb (80 kcal)
- 1/2 cup of light chocolate soy milk (45 kcal)

- couple of ice cubes
- splash of vanilla extract

Blend it!!

This shake provides ~
375 k cal, 10 grams of fat and 22.5 grams of protein

Talk about a meal in a cup! It goes to show that those liquid calories can seriously add up quick!
That's a fierce fuel-filled shake :)

Today's agenda: working with a dietitian who owns her own private practice in Raleigh! so cool!

By the way...it's snowing?!

STAY WARM!

Sweat then Supper

Don’t worry haven’t forgotten about you…today was just not a normal day! I have finished my rotation with the health dept and have moved on! I am now heading back to clinical (at the hospital) for staff relief- meaning I take on my own patients and start practicing as an entry-level dietitian! YAHOO! 

So the plus…I don’t start at the hospital until Monday so I have taken my extra time and put it to good use; gettin' my “feet wet” in other areas of dietetics. 

Today I went to a doctors’ off to help the dietitians with referrals, it was a nice break and I met some pretty cool chicks.  I also sat in on some counseling and enjoyed a free lunch with the office mates- the rep took care of it! Man, I could get used to that ;)

I got off work and immediately headed to the gym for two crucial hours of major sweating.
Bodypump followed by rpm…both les mills classes! some hardcore stuff, I think I'll be taking tomorrow off!!

Tonight for dinner I whipped up something quick and satisfying…
I decided to go with pasta.

In the dish:
-whole wheat pasta
-lean ground beef (Laura's 8% beef is what I used)
-Ragu sauce (3/4 of container to 1 lb beef)
-handfuls of spinach (it shriiiinks!!)

Boil pasta until al dente
Brown beef, drain, mix in sauce and spinach!

Have you ever seen an easier meal? and 1/2 cup of ragu will supply you with 1 serving of your daily veggies and by adding additional spinach you are getting another serving and bonus nutrients (Vitamins A, E and K...to name a few)!!

I didn't get a picture of the final product because no matter which way I turned the bowl it didn't look appetizing enough so I thought some of the ingredients would be okay :)
Just trust me it. was. GOOD.

Time for some R & R.

Like Clock Work

Does anyone elses stomach JUST KNOW when it's time for lunch? Man...mine sure does; my stomach likes to give me a little "heads up rumble" around 10:30am to let me know it's about that time and then noon comes and forget it...I have got to eat!

Today's lunch was at my desk and quick because I had to meet the dietitian in clinic for appointments...

Simply a garden of eatin'

In the "garden:"
-spinach
-tomato
-cuke
-black beans
-corn
-rice (leftover from dinner)
-Balsamic drizzled to dress (about 2-3 Tbsp.)

Pistachios on the side



The pistachios were some salty little buggers but I still chowed down!
Does anyone's fingers ever start to hurt after crackin' into a couple of those things? Talk about portion control...the shell does it for you...oow!


Too satisfy this crazy sweet tooth of mine (thanks to my Dad...I think!?)...

TJ's has some awesome dark chocolate that is portion controlled. I had about 1/4 of a stick which was leftover from the bar I had eaten yesterday!

Dark chocolate is chock-full of antioxidants for heart disease fighting power (but be mindful of your portion about 1.5 oz is enough/ day), afterall it is American Heart Disease Month.

Off to the gym...spin and a weights class tonight!
Enjoy the rest of your day!

Shop like Me

Hello friends! Today was a late start (yet again) but I still managed to throw my breakfast together to bring to work and eat at my desk. I munched on my greek yo parfait that I mentioned previously in Smart Snacker: A change in routine sans blueberry yo, plus pom yo. Yum!

So, I am in desperate need of a grocery store run...I am out of some of my staples, I am even contemplating take-out tonight because by the time I get to the gym and home again it will be time for a peak at the olympics and that's about it (look at me complaining...hate that!)!

I like to do my grocery shopping on Sunday so I can plan my meals and snacks for the week. Obviously, it doesn't always work out that way (because it didn't this week) but that's one of my goals!

I thought I would share with you a glimpse of what the Smart Snacker is shopping for this week…


- Skim milk or light soy milk
- Tons of fruit for snacking, smoothie making and mixing in my oatmeal and cold cereals (My fruit staples: blueberries, blackberries, bananas and apples)
- Spring Mix
- Spinach
- Frozen steam fresh veggies (especially when the fresh look funky)
- Tomatoes
- Cukes
- Riceworks chips (my new fav...Smart Snacker: Munchies)
- Old-fashioned oats
- Chicken breast
- Brown rice
- Lean ground beef (I like Laura’s beef it comes in 4% and 8% fat, leaaaaan!)
- Pistachios or almonds
- Rice cakes
- Protein bars (right now I am stuck on Larabar’s and Think Thin Bars)


(Now this isn't everything but more of a compilation of my most frequent purchases)




Lunch time!

BPA- What is it and Why should we be concerned?

BPA (Bisphenol-A), according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Services (NIEHS) is a chemical compound produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics.
In smart snacker terms…commonly used consumer plastics, particularly polycarbonate plastics, like water and infant bottles, food packaging, sunglasses, and medical devices (NIEHS, 2010). The most common way to get BPA is through the diet and by use of these potentially containing BPA plastics.


Why the concern for BPA? Some extremely-high levels of BPA may cause health effects in humans and unborn fetuses that may have had BPA exposure. According to a recent study done by National Geographic News health effects may mean heart disease; "In a sampling of U.S. adults, those with the highest levels of BPA in their urine were more than twice as likely to suffer from coronary heart disease than those with the lowest concentrations of BPA."


Are you in harms way because you are using a plastic bottle everyday?

Well, based on personal research…there are several water bottles available in local sports stores (dicks, REI, etc) that have a BPA-Free seal (Make sure to look for this) for your protection. In my opinion, if you are refilling your plastic bottles that you have purchased from your local grocer make sure you are sticking to these bottles for one-time use only.

How can you avoid BPA?

- Limit microwaving in plastic containers

- Look for the BPA-seals on water and baby bottles
- Rinse your canned foods prior to consumption

Check it out for yourself...in the news...BPA in National Geographic News


Tough topic, what do you think?

Greek Yogurt- What's all the hype?

Good Morning! So...Greek yogurt! Everyone is eating it and if you aren't...I am sure you are thinking about it!  First a couple quick facts! 
The main difference between greek and regular yogurts is it's generous portion of protein, it's thicker consistency and grittier (is that even a word?) feel.
Now while that doesn't sound like it tastes very good...trust me their good!


So...I thought I would help you decipher which brands (in my opinion) taste and nutritionally score above the rest.
 
Now here's what I have in my fridge cause let's face it...I was still about clueless which I liked best...until now!

We've got (across the top):
Yoplait's new 2x protein greek yogurt (here we have blueberry flavored)
Trader Joe's Pomegrante flavored greek yogurt and on the bottom is Oikos Stonyfield plain greek yogurt.

Measuring up! On the label's the stats read:
Yoplait (6 oz container): 130 kcal, 0g fat, 18g Sugar,12g Protein, Calcium 30%, Vitamin D 20%

TJ's (5.3 oz container): 110 kcal, 0g fat, 11g Sugar, 14g Protein, Calcium 15%, Vitamin D not labeled

Okios (1 cup serving): 120 kcal, 0g fat, 9g Sugar, 23g Protein, Calcium 30%, Vitamin D not labeled

Your smart snacker weighs-in: While Yoplait soars above the rest with 20% of Vitamin D, Okios is your faithful protein source ringing in with 23g per serving while keeping your sugar lowest at 9g per servingand still manages to carry the highest (tied with yoplait) in calcium (30%). All have a reasonable and comparable amount of calories and no fat! Now this is just nutritionally...for taste...my tastebuds are most tickled with TJ's greek yogurts :) 

So obviously I couldn't just play with my food all morning...I had to eat some!

With my trusty little magic bullet I whipped up a smoothie!

 In the blend:

1 container of Yoplait Blueberry Greek Yogurt (as seen above)
1 cup of blueberries

1 small banana

1 Tbsp flax (eyeballed)

Splash of vanilla extract

Couple of ice cubes

That's it mixing! This is the point where I am thinking  I know my neighbors must hate me because the magic bullet is so loud...opps!

and voila...

 Probably the best shake I have made yet!









Have you tried greek yogurt? Which is your favorite?


Have a great Sunday!!


 

February is American Heart Month

I have been planning to blog about American Heart Month since about the 1st of February (when it started!)...so here it is...February is HEART MONTH…go red!

Heart Disease is our nations #1 killer...often dubbed the silent killer for it’s “sneak-attack” ways; but it doesn't have to dominate like it does...we can avoid this disease by living a healthy lifestyle. Healthy lifestyles start with behavior modifications. Particularly the modification of diet...a heart-healthy diet. Following simple nutritional guidelines to live a healthier and longer life can start here:

- Aim to consume no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day (if you eat eggs the American Heart Association recommends only 3 yolk per week to stay within low cholesterol levels)

- Incorporate healthy fats- omega-3’s, mono-and polyunsaturated fats found in fish (salmon, sardines and other fattier fish…try eating fish at least twice a week), nuts (walnuts)/ seeds, flaxseed/ flaxseed oil, olive and canola oils and avocado

- Stick with lean meats, trim your meats of excess fats (chicken, turkey)

- Low-fat or fat-free dairy products will help reduce saturated fat intake

- Eat oodles of fresh fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen and canned, canned can be rinsed prior to consumption to knock the sodium count down)

- Load up on the fibrous whole grains (brown rice and pasta, whole wheat breads, cereals, oats, dried peas and beans, potatoes, and english muffins)

- Try cooking at home more, this way you will know how much oil/ butter and other additives are being put into your meals



*Following a heart-healthy diet will also help keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check! Triple the pleasure:)
Along with heart-healthy eats, partake in daily physical activity and practice smoking cessation… these better lifestyle habits will kick your risk of heart attacks and disease.



It’s never too late to start…just stick with it! 

Munchies

So if I had a “Smart Snacker” award this would win it…nutrition facts aside these little chips are tasty as ever!

Rice Works Parm and Sundried Tomato flavored chips...to...die...for!

 
Available in a ton of flavors and are gluten-free/ celiac friendly! wahoo!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

If you squint hard enough you can see but I'll just hit the noteworthy points...

Serving: 10 chips
140 calories
6 g fat

Lacking terribly in the fiber and protein departments...but hey like I said these taste delicious and that's more important sometimes :)
 
 
 
 
 
Just realized I have got to run...spin is in a half hour! yikes!
TGIF bloggies:)
 

Nutrient Bite's

Don't forget to check out my random yet informative nutrient bite's. I post a new one weekly!

Stay tuned...we'll chat this afternoon!

Diabetes "Brain Buster"

Good afternoon my fanatical followers,

As you know I have started as a nutrition editor for a diabetes resource website, http://www.foodpicker.org/
We get weekly questions from anonymous readers every week to pick our brains of diabetes goodness. Here's the latest...

What is the best sugar substitute to use for baking and daily use for diabetics?



Answer:

There are several types of artificial sweeteners in today’s market; Sweet and Low, Equal, Splenda, Stevia and Truvia to name a few. These sweeteners have been approved by the FDA and are available in local markets and grocery stores. These sweeteners are low in calories but still may contain some carbohydrate. In recent research I have found that saccharine (better known as Sweet and Low) is an artificial sweetener that is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. It can be used in baked goods. The conversion for baking would be using only half of the sweetener in place of the sugar in the recipe; for instance, 6 packets for each ¼ cup of sugar.

Most artificial sweeteners are sufficient for use by diabetics because they don’t raise the blood sugar like regular sugars do however; there is insufficient amounts of research to signify which is ultimately best for diabetics in day-to-day use. I would recommend using any kind of artificial sweetener in moderation and with caution; I would think of it as something like salt- use to taste!

**This was the perfect post for today, as I have just finished team-teaching a diabetes self-management training program with the Health Dept's Dietitian for the past 6 hours :)

Your thoughts on this topic?

Easy Dinner

Last night I finally had sometime to unwind in the kitchen and have some fun cooking! I had no idea what I wanted to cook but I knew I wanted to make something healthy and low cal! A quick trip to the grocery store helped me determine quickly what I was going to make because none of their proteins looked good so it was easy enough to choose shrimp...it looked the best! I knew I had some things on hand (staple ingredients to work with) so my list was short and concise; Protein, Starch and Tons of Veggies:)

INGREDIENTS: I ended up with a 1/2 pound of shrimp (peeled and deveined), brown rice, 2 zucchini, 1 red bell pepper, 1 cuke, 2 large tomatoes
...on hand I had garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, S+P


I came up with something I am going to call...
My Last Minute Shrimp and Veggie Masterpiece (Serves 2, simple salad serves MORE)...original right?! HA!

Veg Side: 2 zucchini chopped into coin size pieces and placed on a baking sheet (put some olive oil on the baking sheet to keep from sticking) dust the zucchini coins with parmesan, salt, pepper and a little drizzle of olive oil.
Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes then broil on high until the cheese browns and bubbles.

Shrimp: While the coins are cookin'...take the 1/2 pound shrimp and sauté it in 2 tbsp of olive oil, the juice of 1/2 a lemon and one clove of garlic minced.


Your Simple Salad: 1 red pepper chopped, 2 large tomatoes chopped, 1 large cucumber de-seeded and chopped mixed with balsamic, olive oil and S+P


Starch: Your brown rice is pretty plain jane. I just did a packaged brown rice..."Uncle Ben's"


I served the shrimp and juices over the brown rice with a simple salad on top, zucchini coins on the side (then they migrated into the mix!)


And voila...

I have this thing where I like to mix all my food together and have an EXPLOSION of flavor! This picture might not give it justice but MAN it was delish!

This meal is low-fat (shrimp is a low-fat seafood choice), high fiber (brown, whole grain rice) has some healthy and flavorful fat (olive oil) and is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals (thanks to the tons of vegetables)! Approximately ~350 kcal +/- 20 kcals

A change in routine

This morning I was asked to come in a little later as we don't have any appointments until 10:15am. I liked the brief change in my schedule, this almost NEVER happeneds. I would usually look at this as an opportunity to catch up on my Zzzs but with the later morning it's more than likely that I won't leave until about 6pm. Instead, I looked at this as an opportunity to get my workout in this AM knowning that I probably wouldn't make it to the gym this PM (since all my favorite gym classes usually start at 5:30pm)getting out of work so late.

So I did a quick interval workout on the elliptical and a couple reps of crunches.

I refueled with a great breakfast-
-Blueberry greek yogurt
-Fresh blueberries
-Flax
-Granola (TJ's mix of: dried cranberries, more flax, almonds, pecans, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds)

What's your refueling breakfast after an AM workout?

OH and my newest bar I found to try for snacking...

220 calories, 20 grams protein and 0 grams of sugar! AWESOME! TOTALLY AWESOME!

Have a great day! I am off to WIC outreach and afternoon appointments!!

On the run...

A quick meal to grab for lunch or dinner (or now even breakfast) is a frozen meal. Often times I am faced with the question of if frozen meals are a “healthy” meal choice or not. Frozen meals have gotten a bad rap because they are frequently found to be laden with hidden sodium and saturated fats however, if you follow a couple of my simple guidelines (that I tend to look for on the label) you might be able to decipher some good in the ugly!

Decoding the Food Label of Frozen Meals:
Sodium: keeping it under 600 mg per package (it is already challenging enough to keep our sodium under the recommended level of 1,500mg according to the American Heart Association)
Saturated Fat: stay away from them (less than 7% of your daily calories should come from saturated fats)
Trans Fat: stay away from these too (these can be hiding in your food label as “partially hydrogenated oils." Yuck, that just sounds like it would clog your arteries!)
Cholesterol: strive to keep it low! Aim to eat less than 300mg each day (cholesterol is found primarily in animal fats including cheese)
Fiber: fill up on it (look for meals that have at least 3 grams of fiber per package)

What do you eat when your in a hurry?

Quick Word

Hey bloggies...

Just a quick note tonight...I have spent the day traveling to MD (hometown) fighting off the road-rage of panicked drivers and 5 feet of snow, yikes!!

As we hit the road I made sure to pack tons of snacks. This way I wouldn't be tempted to pull-off and hit a drive-thru (only Derek would).

I packed:

-blueberries

-rice cakes

-pears

-a banana

-carrots

What do you pack for a road trip?

Food for thought: Gluten is a special type of protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. If you have a wheat allergy it is usually because you cannot digest this protein correctly...either it moves too quickly or too slowly through your digestive system! Gluten is commonly found in cereals, pastas, pizza and breads. Don't fret... the gluten-free diet is becoming more prevalent. Be sure to ask your local grocer about their gluten-free selection! Trader Joe's has a great selection!

Educating the Community

Hey guys!
Yesterday I did a lesson for a "Biggest Loser" church group in Nash County. I spoke about portion control with a plug about helpful eating out tips!

*The group participation was great!

I love this topic…for me understanding proper portion sizes are the foundation to learning how to live a healthy lifestyle. You could be eating an enormous portion of something “healthy” and you still wouldn’t be doing your body justice. Going back to “food for fuel,” understanding when your body is full and not pushing the limit…or busting your belt for that matter!

Measuring up!
A handy way to portion some of your favorite foods:

3 oz portion of meat= deck of cards
Piece of medium fresh fruit= tennis ball
1 cup of raw vegetables= light bulb
bagel or piece of bread= the size of a CD

I started the program off by asking someone to pour their "usual" bowl of cereal out...we then portioned out the correct serving size (1 cup)...she has been munching on 4 times that! I heard a ton of "oow's and aww's" and GASPS!! Gets 'em every time!!

Smart-Snackin' at it's best!

Today's snacks!

Nutrition Makes the Headlines…Again!

Nutrition is in the headlines just about everyday; “How to lose weight,” “Super foods,” “New food fights cancer?” well now it’s about my beloved food labels! I have been working on research that primarily focuses on food labeling/ food labeling laws and incorporating nutrition labeling into non-chain restaurants. In addition, in the past year I have also spent time working as a nutritionist, analyzing nutrition information for a research facility up North; throughout this experience (and personal experience for that matter) I have found that having the nutrition information at point-of-sale makes an impact on the dietary choices consumers make at meal times. Having the nutrition information available helps the consumer make an informed decision based on their individual dietary needs.

Today in The New York Times the Nutrition Facts Panel gets a beating…check it out!
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/108791/one-bowl-two-servings-fda-may-fix-that

How do you feel about nutrition facts labeling?

Superbowl Sunday-Funday!

Hey bloggies! I spent superbowl with great friends and a spread of delicious snacks. What did you do? I couldn’t go to a party without getting to work in the kitchen. I always love an opportunity to work a new recipe!


As you know, my smart-snackin’ self had to have something that was healthy because superbowl is a day of mindless eating and yelling at the television (still not proven to burn more calories than walking on the treadmill...sorry)!

Here’s what I brought:


Tzatziki dip!

I served it with pita chips and carrot stix. Obviously my favorite part about the whole presentation...using the bell peppers as dip holders!...creative, right!?

In the mix:
1 grated peeled cuke
2 cups greek yogurt (I got 0%...no fat but all the protein)
1 small minced garlic clove
1 tbsp each of chopped mint, dill and white wine vinegar

I figured if I bring something that has veggies and I was snacking on those all evening...it was better than the potato chips and sausage balls ;)

Find other dips like this one at: foodnetwork.com

Workout

Just like you get bored of eating the same thing everyday, your body gets bored of the same workouts. In order to keep your body in tip-top shape and build more lean muscle mass you have to keep you body guessing...

I felt like I was hitting a plateau in my workouts. I was working reaaal hard and dripping sweat but wasn't reaping the benefits. I switched the days I was spinning, added in treadmill intervals, step class and even picked up a bodycombat class (that really shocked my body). I think I will start seeing results again. Don't under estimate the power and calorie burn of those cardio machines...my treadmill sweat session last night was a reaaal killer!

What do you do to keep your body guessing?

Here is a interval workout you could try:
Intensity Level Warm up: 5 minutes

Low	5 minutes: 3.0+ mph, 0% incline
Medium	2 minutes: 3.0 mph, incline: 6%
High	1 minutes: 3.2+ mph, incline: 6%
Medium	2 minutes: 3.0+ mph, incline: 1%
High	1 minute: 3.3+ mph, incline: 6%
Medium	2 minutes: 3.0+ mph, incline 1%
High	1 minute: 4.0+ mph, incline 3%
Medium	2 minutes: 3.0+mph, incline: 1%
High	1 minutes: 4.5+mph, incline: 2%
Medium	2 minutes: 3.0+mph, incline 1%
High	1 minute: 5.0+mph, incline 0%
Medium	2 minutes: 3.0 mph, incline 1%
High	1 minute: 3.2+mph, incline 8%
Medium	3 minutes: 3.0+mph, incline 0%
Low	5 minutes: 2.5 mph+, incline: 0% - cool down
Total Workout Time:	36 minutes

If you haven't been working out for very long please start at your own pace, this just serves as an example of what an interval workout would look like
**You can find workouts like this online shape and woman's health magazine have tons!

Another day in the life...

The journey has begun…food diary journey that is. I have started logging my meals, snacks, water intake and workouts…I am feeling better and am more conscious of what I am eating!

Is anyone else starting this journey?

The morning started off on the wrong foot…I woke up late (like 20 minutes…that makes it extra challenging to make it to work on time when the commute takes 30) thank goodness I am a smart-snackin’ planner and packed my lunch last night as I was making dinner (I had a salad: a dollop of roasted red pepper hummus, cukes, tomato, corn and black beans oh and of course, greens). As I plated the salad, I just made an extra salad in a Tupperware! Man was it delish!
Today has been a nasty day outside so it doesn’t make sitting in the office all that bad. Aside from the rough start and the nasty weather…the day has gotten a lot better, this morning I got to do some counseling…man I love it! When something makes you that happy…you just know it’s your “thing!” It’s a great feeling!

Noteworthy- grocery store reveal…I was in the local grocery store last night to pick up some extra things for my salad dinner and some fruit to snack on. I was so pleased to see that the apples weren't the size of my head...instead they were comparable to a tennis ball…THE ACTUAL SERVING SIZE of a piece of whole fruit!
I stocked up on some granny smith’s!



cute, right!?

Motivation…where are you?

Last night I could have really used a gym buddy! I was just unmotivated and thinking about anything else I could do besides be at the gym.

More often than not, I am thinking about other people and how I can help them stay motivated and meet weight loss goals…well, that is my profession and passion, of course, but sometimes even I need a little motivation!

Getting back on track: Today I am going to start back to keeping a couple of food logs a week and logging my workouts. This way I have something to track and hold myself accountable for. The work out logs will serve as reminders of gym dates and goals (remember the goal strategies I had mentioned before) I have met to keep me on track throughout the week!

I am a firm believer that writing weekly goals and keeping food logs will lead to attaining weight loss/ maintenance goals. Let’s start writing….

Calling all Readers!

Inspired to teach my knowledge and daily practice of living a healthy lifestyle (by incorporating healthy eats and daily physical activity), I have recently started as a Nutrition Editor for a nutrition database designed to help people live healthfully with their diabetes. Check out a new recipe, nutrition tip or a posted Q&A today...http://www.foodpicker.org/

Today’s Lunch

I really want to rant and rave about my lunch. Often times I get questions about healthy lunch options that offer nutritious components [like your vitamins and minerals or fiber] but still tastes good…something that doesn’t leave you speculating vending machine options a couple hours later.

Lunch for me is important; it has to be satisfying and serve as major fuel for the rest of my afternoon. I workout after work/ before dinner and often times my lunch has to get me through my workout!

A couple of months ago I got this great piece of Tupperware (thanks mom!). It is a salad holder with a dressing dispenser. Today I packed it with romaine and spinach, some fresh red pepper sticks (leftover from dinner the other night), cucumber, tomato and protein-packed grilled chicken; I have some light vinaigrette to dress the leaves! I also packed a serving of wheat thins (about 16 crackers= 140 calories) and a juicy orange.

I’ll let you know if it holds me over through my workout this evening. Wednesday’s are my long workout days (I do BodyPump and RPM…approx. 2 hours of work) so I brought a half of a zone bar for extra protein and power!

What do you pack for lunch?