Eating Well

I want to encourage you, all of us, to live life fully, enjoy what we do and the people we have in our lives. Enjoy healthy foods and the life they promote, don't focus on the negative. Life's too short.

I keep lists saved in my phone to remind me to pick up certain food items when I go to certain stores like Mariano's, Costco and Trader Joe's. They are my "go-to" products, I suppose. They make my life, or at least meal prep, so much easier. It struck me that if I love these products, you might too! If you haven't already, you may want to check them out.

Are you still focusing on the health and nutrition goals you set for yourself for 2018? Let's take this opportunity to check in on our eating habits, as we should all do periodically.

Our moms were on to something when they made us eat our vegetables. In the work I do as a dietitian on a day to day basis, I see clients with varying health issues and concerns. The one nutrition recommendation that always holds true for the majority of health states is "eat more plants."

My littlest turkey was SO excited to make this adorable side dish to take to dinner at a friend's house this weekend.

Last week was a crazy week for me. My husband was traveling, I took on some work that kept me in the suburbs all day and then had other work commitments in the evenings. I had zero time for cooking. Luckily, I followed my own advice and did a little planning ahead the week before.

One week last month I found myself in a cooking binge. I had a friend (a parent from my kids' school) in the hospital for much of the month (with a wife at home with 3 young kids), a client friend who had hip surgery, a healthy potluck for the Eat Move Lose group weight loss class wrap-up party, and a family to feed. So one week, I made a list of easy, healthy, yummy recipes, stocked up on to go containers for the friends, and went to work in the kitchen.

Last Wednesday was National Senior Health and Fitness Day. I was fortunate enough to be invited to speak to a group of seniors regarding how nutrient needs change as we age. We covered a lot of good information, and I received many great questions during the event, as well as good feedback regarding the helpful information. In case you missed it, here is a brief summary of some of the important points we discussed, as well as some yummy recipes that can help meet your nutrient needs.

March is National Nutrition Month®, when the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and yours truly, reminds everyone to return to the basics of healthy eating. It comes at a good time too, I think. Many of us have gotten away from those New Year's Resolutions, and spring is in the air, so it's time to check in with your diet and set some health-focused goals.

Happy New Year! The year 2016 is now a thing of the past, which, according to my Facebook feed, is music to the ears of many. I get the sense that a good number of us are hoping for more positivity and kindness in this new year. I’ve been thinking, wouldn’t it be nice if we able to apply that same positivity and kindness to ourselves and our own goals?

Have you ever noticed that the Thanksgiving table can be pretty bland looking? Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, bread, stuffing, you get the picture. Here's an idea to make your table much more colorful.

Happy Summer! Backyard BBQs, block parties and beach days are in full swing. If you are in need of some easy, healthy summer salads to accompany the grilled chicken and brats, give these a try.

My kids had spring break just after Easter, so we took a quick trip to the Dells and spent a few days at an indoor waterpark. It's a great getaway, only a three hour drive and we felt like we were on vacation. It isn't cheap, especially during spring break! One way that I like to save some money is pack our snacks, drinks and several of our meals. The money saved is one benefit, but obviously, we are also able to eat so much more healthy as well.

March brings us St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and everybody's favorite, National Nutrition Month (NNM)! You did know that, right? Well, perhaps it is not cause for pomp and circumstance, but it is a good opportunity for us to pause to evaluate our eating habits. "Savor the Flavor of Eating Right" is the theme for this year's NNM, which encourages us to take time to enjoy and appreciate the traditions and pleasures that food adds to our lives.

February is already over! How are your new year's resolutions coming along? Hopefully your year has gotten off to a great start, and this is YOUR YEAR to drop a few pounds, become more financially stable, and learn to play the piano. I know a few people who have given up on annual resolutions altogether, because by February they are frustrated and have thrown in the towel.

Have you ever been to a salad party? Sounds crazy, right?! Stay with me, it's actually really fun and you'll be so happy with the end result.

I have a friend that I consider to be very well informed regarding our food system, farming practices, G.M.O.s and more.

Hooray, the kids are going back to school! I don't know about you, but we never did establish a summer routine, and my family is in dire need of some order and regularity. It's time to start thinking about easy weeknight dinners and packing lunch boxes, as we know we have to plan ahead to make healthy meals.

How often do you weigh yourself? I find most people either weigh themselves everyday (sometimes multiple times) or they don't at all. Because I'm a dietitian and interested in seeing what happens with weight from day to day, I weigh myself about five times a week, or every time I go to the gym.

The other day I was running some errands before my noon Power Yoga class. My littlest was with me, and we had planned to stop home after errands to eat lunch on the way to Galter. I have a tendency to overestimate how much time I have to get everything done, almost always falling short.