Struggling to Achieve Healthier Lifestyle Habits....Y?

I've heard the saying, "bad habits are hard to break," but people express frustration and difficulty in developing habits that can improve their health. Clients have told me, "It's hard to exercise, eat more fruits, reduce pop consumption or drink more H2O. It's easier to maintain the bad habit, because it's what I'm use to..." What is the one habit that you are struggling to develop or maintain consistency in order to improve your overall health and wellness? How can you begin to reprogram your actions to become successful in achieving your goal to live a healthier life?

Deciphering the Menu: Italian Cuisines

To most people, Italian food means pasta. Pasta is low in fat, and whole-grain pasta is a good choice when available. It’s the full-fat cheeses and cream sauces that add all the saturated fat and calories. So ask for fettucine with marinara sauce. That’s amore! ~American Heart Association

Deciphering the Menu: Tips for Eating at Steakhouses

You're hungry and craving for tasty food and a friend suggests eating at a steakhouse.  You panic and wonder if you will be able to stay within your target caloric range and fat intake. Don't panic! You can still make healthy choices without going overboard on the calories, fat and sodium. Make sensible choices and remember, "Don't forget to eat your steamed vegetables."

Deciphering the Menu: Mexican Foods

A lot of Mexican food is fried with lard and topped with cheese, so it’s loaded with saturated fat. It can be high in sodium, too. But when you know what to choose, Mexican food can be fresh, tasty and more healthful.

Deciphering the Menu: Chinese Foods

Healthy Chinese Food

Does healthy chinese food exist or is it all bad? Of course there are healthier options. Read more to find out which Chinese meals receives a thumbs up while others get a thumbs down.

Dining Out (Part III): Deciphering the Menu (General Tips)

Where you eat and what you order can set the table for an increased risk of heart disease. But it doesn’t have to be that way! You can eat out and eat healthy, too. Many restaurants offer delicious meals that are low in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol, or they’ll prepare your food to order. Ensure that the meals you eat away from home are part of a healthy diet. ~ The American Heart Association

Deciphering the Menu

Ten Reasons to Consult a Registered Dietitian

Do you want to lose or gain weight? Are you pregnant, looking to become pregnant or just had a child? Are you looking for ways to maintain your health in your older years? Are you an athlete looking to boost performance? These are just a few of the reasons people seek the expert, science-based advice of a registered dietitian.

Here are 10 common reasons to you should consult with a registered dietitian:

Dining Out (Part II): Talking With Your Server

Where you eat and what you order can set the table for an increased risk of heart disease. But it doesn’t have to be that way! You can eat out and eat healthy, too. Many restaurants offer delicious meals that are low in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol, or they’ll prepare your food to order. Ensure that the meals you eat away from home are part of a healthy diet. ~ The American Heart Association

Talking With Your Server

Dining Out (Part I): Choosing a Restaurant

Where you eat and what you order can set the table for an increased risk of heart disease. But it doesn’t have to be that way! You can eat out and eat healthy, too. Many restaurants offer delicious meals that are low in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol, or they’ll prepare your food to order. Ensure that the meals you eat away from home are part of a healthy diet. ~ The American Heart Association

Choosing a Restaurant

Finding Added Sugars in Foods

Unfortunately, you can’t tell easily by looking at the nutrition facts panel of a food if it contains added sugars. The line for “sugars” includes both added and natural sugars. Naturally occurring sugars are found in milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose). Any product that contains milk (such as yogurt, milk or cream) or fruit (fresh, dried) contains some natural sugars.

Reading the ingredient list on a processed food’s label can tell you

Tips For Getting Less Added Sugar

Most Americans consume more than double the daily recommended amount of added sugars. A report from the 2001-04 NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) database showed that Americans get about 22.2 teaspoons of sugar a day or about 355 calories. This is well over the recommended amount of no more than 100 calories per day for women and no more than 150 calories per day for men.

 

 

Use these simple tips to reduce sugar in your diet:

Recipe makeovers: 5 ways to create healthy recipes

Many recipes can tolerate a healthy renovation without affecting the taste or texture of the food. So whether you're trying to stick to a healthy-eating plan or you're following a special diet, use these techniques to make your recipes

Be Adventurous and Try Something Different

I know many people want to eat more nutritiously, but are unsure where to begin. Start with trying one or more of the tips

Make Daily Walking A Habit

The U.S. Surgeon General reports that a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, on most days of the week can produce long-term health benefits.  A daily routine of 30 minutes or more of brisk walking can help you control your weight, lower cholesterol, strengthen your heart, and reduce the likelihood of serious health problems down the road.

There are ways you can increase your physical activity to maintain a basic level of fitness

Late Night Snack Addiction

We've all (at some point in our life) had a late night snack addiction. In graduate school, I remember staying up all night to work on an assignment that was due the next morning.  In addition to breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks that I consumed for that day, I was still hungry at 2a.m.  I thought to myself, why am I STILL HUNGRY! So what did I do? I ate 6 Pepperidge Farms Cinnamon Raisin bread with margarine on each slice every 2 hours. I almost ate the entire loaf. OMG! I didn't know much about nutrition at this time, but felt eating 6 slices of bread probably wasn't a good idea; especially late at night.

Looking back, I realized why I was so terribly hungry. I spent an additional 10 hrs (past my bedtime) working on an assignment that I procrastinated to complete within an earlier timeframe.  My brain was actively being utilized to develop thoughts and ideas while converting them into written words 10 pages long.  My body needed additional energy to keep it operating beyond its limit. This led to my craving of carbs! The body naturally craves carb! It's a nutrient that is easily broken down by the body to provide quick energy. I was too fatigued to actually make a meal or choose a nutritious snack. I wanted something with a familiar taste in which I would perform the "food dance" upon eating it. Have you ever eaten something so DELICIOUS that you began to move around, smile or just paused for a moment to savor the flavor. HMMM.. memories!

Nonetheless, consistent late night snack addictions may lead to

Pancake Mix from Scratch: A Healthier Choice

Since most premade pancake mixes are higher in sodium (>140 mg per serving), made with enriched bleach flour and lower in fiber, why not make your own. It's not as tedious as you think. All you need are healthy ingredients, measuring cups/spoons, large bowl and cooking equipment.

Orange Spice Whole Grain French Toast

I found a delicious french toast recipe that is nutritious, simple and easy to make. Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone to begin preparing nutrient-dense hearty meals. Don't be afraid. I learned how to prepare my own meals at the age of 23. Who taught me? Several cook books :)! So if you're not a cook and are afraid to mess up food, don't worry! If you follow the directions, you can't go wrong! You just have to learn how to season food according to your taste. So if you've prepared a dish and are not to fond of the taste, don't worry, you're not a horrible cook! It just needs the right seasonings :)! At least this is what I tell myself in order to build up courage and prepare a dish for a 2nd time. In general recipes provide you with basic ingredients that can be substituted or changed. Just have fun and experiment!

Improving your Health in 1 Step

There are many steps you can take to improve your health and well-being! However, it is a gradual approach. People tend to make unrealistic goals when trying to form new habits that impact their health, such as never drink pop again, exercise 5 days/week for an hour (considering the person hasn't exercised over 10 minutes in the past 5 months) or suddenly decide to become vegetarian. These unrealistic goals may lead to several unsuccessful attempts in leading a healthier life.

In deciding which new habits to form,