Tag Archives: Diet

Easy Turkey Potato Salad Recipe

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Over the 4th of July weekend Dustin and I went up to Shasta Trinity National Forrest  to go camping with some of our closest friends for the weekend. Over the trip a debate started with the group on whether or not our generation still eat’s potato salad. I mean yes, if potato salad is at a picnic we will eat it. However if there was going to be a pot luck or party would this be a dish we would think to bring? In a generation where we are being over saturated with new grains like quiona, farro, barley and trendy leafy greens like Kale, have we forgotten about a classic dish like potato salad? After discussing this topic the only solution I could come up with was I was craving potato salad and decided I needed to make a healthy version at home. This recipe was not from a cookbook or found online, I simply made it up. So feel free to tweak and add to suit your liking.

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Ingredients

  • 2-3 Large Carrots diced
  • 2-3 Large Celery Sticks diced
  • 1/2 Chopped Onion diced
  • 1 Large Bell Pepper diced
  • 1 1/2 Cups of grapes
  • 2 Medium potatoes cooked (also can use 5-6 small russet potatoes)
  • 1 Cup diced turkey (I used the Trader Joes pre-cut version)
  • 1 Cup Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (Fage is my favorite)
  • 2 Tablespoons of honey mustard
  • Splash of salt, pepper, and garlic salt
  • Option to add a tablespoon of curry

Makes about 6 servings. Mix everything together and enjoy!

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 7/06/14

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Calories: Should You Be Counting?– Recently I have become very interested in the topic of counting calories. Does everybody need to in order to have success with weight loss and maintenance? I for one know my weight loss would not have been successful without it, I wonder how important are total calories if you are eating the right kind of food? This article is really good at dissecting who should really count calories in order to reach their fitness goals and who should focus their efforts else where.

Should ‘junk food’ companies be sponsoring major sporting events?– This article talks about the correlation between increased consumption on junk food and unhealthy beverages during big athletic/sporting events like the current World Cup or the Olympics recently in England. Should these events let un-healthy food and beverage companies like Coca Cola and McDonald’s sponsor their events? “These events are huge opportunities to educate people about what healthy diets actually look like, instead of implying that world-class athletes get that way by eating fast food and drinking soda.”

Flame Retardants Are Everywhere– “Just over 10 years ago, Dr. Arnold Schecter, a public health researcher in Texas, started finding traces of chemical flame retardants in the breast milk of American women. It appeared that the compounds were carried into the milk from fat in the mothers’ bodies. The real question was how flame retardants were getting into women’s bodies in the first place. One unexpected source turned out to be food. Dr. Schecter surveyed Dallas supermarkets and discovered flame retardants in lipid-heavy items including butter and peanut butter, bacon, salmon, chili with beans, sliced lunch meat and more.”

How Heavy A Weight Should I Use– “Classically, weights that you can lift for 1-5 repetitions will make you stronger, weights that you can lift for 6-12 repetitions will make your muscles grow, and weights that you life for 13 or more reps will train your muscular endurance.”

How to Know When You Have Eaten Enough– This topic is near and dear to my heart as it is something I really struggled with during the beginning of my weight maintenance. Actually if I am being honest I have weeks where I still struggle with this, a great example is this week. Darya’s blog is one of the few blogs I follow pretty religiously and I feel like she has very good, honest, and doable advice and perspectives. I personally found this article helpful, so I wanted to share.

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Photo from Huff Post

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 6/29/14

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For Fitness, Push Yourself– “Everyone agrees, of course, that any exercise is more healthful than none. But beyond that baseline, is strenuous exercise somehow better, from a physiological standpoint, than a relative stroll?”

Cuomo Plan Seeks to End New York’s AIDS Epidemic– New York is a state that typically likes to lead the way in terms of change. We saw this with food calorie counts being required on menus in New York City’s restaurants and coffee chains since July 2008. New York is also looking to be one of the first states to require GMO labeling on foods. This article focuses on how New York has decided to take a stance on helping to make HIV no longer the huge  city epidemic it is currently by 2020.

Hangovers, Why– If we could find a cure for hangovers, what an amazing concept. This article is a good one for those of us who enjoy a few drinks from time to time. I had no idea this was an area of focus for scientists, but worthwhile in my opinion. “But the interesting thing is that one of the most effective hangover cures are ones that administer glucose. One of the other mechanisms of the hangover is to do with glucose metabolism and not having enough blood sugar.”

“Is a Calorie Really Just a Calorie?”– I like this article because it asks the question I have thought about many times, are all calories equal? It is like any diet or weight loss plan. Everyone has had success with something at some point. I think it comes down to finding what works for you and is sustainable. However I like the 3 points he lays out at the end. In summary try to eat more whole and real foods.

Watching too much TV may increase risk of early death: Three hours a day linked to premature death from any cause– “Adults who watch TV three hours or more a day may double their risk of premature death from any cause. Researchers suggest adults should consider getting regular exercise, avoiding long sedentary periods and reducing TV viewing to one to two hours a day.”

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Photo from Huff Post

Snacking or Meals- What do you prefer?

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Snacking……what can I say about it. I am obsessed. I hate sitting down to eat a full meal. I would much rather graze and eat all day. I love eating, who doesn’t right.  So the idea of taking long extended breaks from it throughout the day just does not seem to work for me. I wake up in the morning and before the hunger hits I feel normal. I go to the gym, get ready, grab my coffee, down a bottle of water, and I am able to start my day worry free. Then mid morning the hunger starts to set in and then that is when it all begins.

I typically eat the same thing for breakfast everyday. Some might find this boring or even monotonous. Not me. Every morning I still get excited for what meal is in store for me. Now this is not to say I never switch it up. I try to vary things on the weekend or when I travel, but for the most part I am usually good with eating the same thing most days. Right now my breakfast of choice is overnight oats. If you have never made them then you are missing out! They are sweet, creamy, filling, and amazing. A couple of hours later if I can hold out that long is when the snacking starts.

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Sometimes I make a full on meal for lunch. Usually it is when I know I have a packed afternoon and I will have to eat quickly. However if I know I will have time to enjoy lunch then I snack. I vary it up everyday, but some of my favorites are roasted or cut up veggies, dips like hummus or eggplant pesto, crackers, fruit in season, homemade breads, baked tofu, side salads, etc. I like little things that I can just continue to eat throughout the afternoon. One thing I hate is that really full feeling, especially at work. So snacking seems to keep me energized all day.

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I would like to say that is the end of my snacking, but oh no. It continues. Next I come home and usually grab some nuts, crackers, and cheese first thing upon entering the door. There are days when my purse does not even make it off of my shoulder before a snack is in hand. Dinner is when I eat my most filling meal of the day. I like feeling full and relaxed at the end of the day. This is also where I like to splurge if I am going to eat something more un-healthy. However I try to save that for going out to eat with friends and just use dinner at home as a time to eat healthy. But let’s be honest, it does not always work.

Now here is the whole point of my blog. I have found an eating routine that works for me. I can’t recommend it for everyone, but through a lot of trial and error I have finally learned how to keep myself happy, healthy, not starving or deprived, and overall just satisfied. I highly recommend everyone spend sometime thinking about their eating routine and really focusing in on what makes you happy. Eating is not just a meal to me, it is so much more then just making my hunger go away. It is the experience of it. Now the only thing I need to work on is learning how not to snack after dinner…….I guess none of us are perfect right 🙂

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 6/22/14

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Exercise and the ‘Good’ Bugs in Our Gut-  “A multitude of studies have shown that people with large and diverse germ populations in their digestive tracts tend to be less prone to obesity, immune problems and other health disorders than people with low microbial diversity, and that certain germs, in particular, may contribute to improved metabolic and immune health.”

Sunbathing ‘may be addictive’ warning-When we think about addiction we automatically think about alcohol, drugs, food, sex, but who thinks about sun? This article dives into whether or not UV and sunlight can be addictive. The article features to very different perspectives. Either way it looks like more research will need to be done on the subject.

Insurance Coverage Expands, but Gaps Remain– This study compares 2013 to 2009 to see if the gaps in healthcare for families since the Affordable Care Act went into place. It looks like “sharp coverage gaps remained depending on factors like age, race or ethnicity and where people live.”

 Why Extreme Diets are Fundamentally Flawed– This article is a review based off of a new book called Diet Cults where the author Matt Fitzgerald “Exposes the irrationality, half-truths, and downright impossibility of a “single right way” to eat, and reveals how to develop rational, healthy eating habits.”  Overall I think there is some good merit to what is said and I am interested to pick up the book and give it a read.

Single-tasking is the new Multitasking– This video is very funny and true. I don’t know if anyone else out there is like me, but I can’t seem to focus on just one thing. I am constantly doing multiple things at the same time and always question if my multitasking actually helps me get more done?

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Photo from Huff Post

Navigating the Un-Healthy

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Every now and again we find ourselves in situations where eating healthy is not easy and sometimes just plain difficult!  Thinking back to before my weight loss there was never a moment where I thought about what I was eating. I would eat any and everything I wanted to without a moment of pause for what I was actually putting into my body. If it tasted good and I wanted it I would just eat it.

When I went into weight loss mode and in my early days of maintenance I would obsess about food. My biggest concerns always came down to calories and making sure I was within my set range.  I did eat healthy with a main focus on fruits, veggies, and various proteins. However I would also eat a lot more processed foods because it was easy for me to identity their calories and that way I was making sure everything I was eating was fitting into my calorie budget for the day.  If I found myself in a situation where there was not a healthy food option or I was not able to see the calories on something I would panic. How was I going to be able to eat if I did not know how many calories something had?!?!

This may sound silly to some, but when food and how you are nourishing your body is all you think about for a while it is hard to not be able to control the situation. Well at least for me. After being in weight maintenance for long enough now I have learned how to work through these situations and the things to look out for in order to make sure I am doing the best I can for my body.

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This past week I found myself in a few situations where eating healthy was not as easy as I would have wanted. I was in Arkansas for work and typically I never have a problem eating healthy here as I have a rental car and can go to my favorite Arkansas spots like Panera or grab some things at the grocery store. This week however I was out for our big shareholders meeting and therefore most of the meals there were provided for us.

I am not going to lie and say I have come so far that being in a room with a bunch of un-healthy food does not still make me panic because it totally still does!  However now I take a step back, breathe, and have learned to just do the best I can and know I will be back to my normal routine in a couple of days.  I thought it might be good to share a couple of my tips for navigating through these type of food situations and what works for me.

Breakfast is by far the easiest one to normally figure out. Most hotels offer oatmeal, fresh fruit, yogurt, or eggs as a healthy option. If you stick to eating these foods you will probably end up feeling full, satisfied, and will not have consumed too many calories. The high calorie foods are going to be the bagels, muffins, fruit juices, sausages, bacon, and waffles.  For myself I started each morning off with a big bowl of fruit and either yogurt or an egg white omelet with veggies to get some protein in.

It was lunch and dinner where healthier options were really more limited. Most of the events had a lot of processed or fried foods and main dishes based with bread or pasta. Now of course I did have to end up eating some of these things, but I tried to limit how much I consumed of them and tried to help off set calories where I could. My first go to is always to fill up as much as I can on veggies, lean protein, and fruit. This way you are getting fuller first on the healthier foods and will then hopefully eat less of the higher calories items later. Dairy and condiments can have a lot of hidden calories in them so if I could I choose to get my sandwich or burger without the cheese, avoided mayo and creamy salad dressings, and passed on anything fried.  In order to help me escape the dessert table I would just eat a mint or a piece of dark chocolate after dinner. That way I was ending my meal with a little something, but was not indulging every night. Of course I did end up having a cookie one night because sometimes you just need to have a cookie. I know some of these things seem minimal, but over time it is these little things that really do add up. Small changes will eventually lead to big changes if you keep at them for long enough.

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Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 6/15/14

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World Cup Refs Run 6 Miles Per Game– With the World Cup just kicking off I thought it would only be fitting to include an article on the subject. However instead of having it geared to the players, lets take a look at the amount of work the Ref;s have to do per game. I for one would not have guessed the amount of exercise needed.

Overestimating How Hard We Exercise– We always hear how important it is to make sure we are getting enough physical activity in every week. For adults it is recommended 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise each week. However this article raises the question do adults know what moderate exercise is vs. vigorous?

Protein and Muscle: The Basics– I for one know I need to incorporate more protein in my diet. However if anyone else is like me I struggle on how much should I have and when. This article is short and sweet, but does a good job summarizing how protein helps muscles build.

If We Want People to Eat Real Food, We Must Make It Easier to Eat Real Food- This is more of an opinion article, but I think it has some good points.  “If we are going to invest in a broad campaign telling people to “eat real food,” we must also invest in a broad campaign to make eating real food an “easier” choice to make.”

10 Biggest Diet Mistakes– Having been successful with weight loss I have to say I really agree with all of the points made in this article. A lot of this I practice or did when I was starting my journey.

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Photo from Huff Post

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 6/8/14

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Prolonged fasting ‘re-boots’ immune system– “In mice, prolonged periods of fasting – repeated cycles of 2-4 days with no food – over the course of 6 months, killed older and damaged immune cells and generated new ones.”

Inside Apple & The Mayo Clinic’s New Partnership– I for one am all about finding ways to make healthy living easier for people. For myself a lot of my weight loss success was tied to being able to use the My Fitness App on my phone which allowed me to instantly look up calories and track what I was eating. I honestly don’t think I would have been as effective in my weight loss plan without it. It will be interesting to see how these two companies collaboration stands out from what consumers currently have available to them and how it will help in individuals not only tracking food and exercise, but incorporating all aspects of their health like tracking their glucose level and heart rate

Europe Installs Raw Milk Vending Machines While U.S. Rules Unpasteurized Dairy Illegal– One of my favorite things about going to Europe is eating their dairy products. European yogurt, milk, and butter in my opinion just tastes more decadent and just better than what we have in the States. Part of this is due to the difference in how our countries regulate the production and sale of dairy. I wonder if we will ever look at adjusting our standards based off of what research is finding with raw milk. “Hundreds of testimonials support the value of raw milk in helping childhood behavioral problems, digestive disorders, failure to thrive in infants, arthritis, osteoporosis, and cancer.”

20 foods you should always have in your kitchen– I have to say I agree with everything on this list. I try to keep all almost all of the these items in my home at all times and find you can always make a quick and healthy meal if you have these staples around.

Losing Weight May Require Some Serious Fun- This article talks about how perception can affect behavior. The research looks at how people view exercising and their food intake. Those who viewed their exercise as fun consumed less calories afterwards then those who viewed it as work.  “The same exertion, spun as “fun” instead of “exercise,” prompts less gorging on high-calorie foods.”

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Photo from Huff Post

Vegetable Cornmeal Crust Quiche Recipe

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Lately eggs have become a big staple in our home. Every morning when I come back from the gym I walk into a warm apartment filled with the fragrant smell of eggs sizzling and crackling as my boyfriend makes his daily breakfast. This new ritual has now become a very comforting way to start my day and something I look forward to. Since I do not have time during the work week to make eggs for myself for breakfast I decided to make a cornmeal quiche instead so I could also get my egg on during the week. Quiches are great because you can eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

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I had some extra cornmeal round the house so I decided I would make a cornmeal crust for my quiche and then I used the vegetables I had in the fridge so I did not have to go to the grocery store. I love it when you can cook from what you have! First I made the crust. I used my 9″ glass Pyrex pie dish and sprayed the inside with some cooking spray to get started. For the crust I used the below ingredients:

Cornmeal Crust Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
  • 2 Tbs Butter ( I used Harvest Award Canola Oil butter as 1 Tablespoon is about 80 calories vs 100 in regular butter. This also makes it vegan)
  • 1 Tsp Agave Nectar or Honey
  • 4 Tbs Ice Water

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For preparing the crust I first melted the butter and then combined it with the cornmeal in a mixing bowl. After they were fully mixed together I added in the agave and gradually poured in the ice water. Make sure not to actually add the ice in when you do this. Once everything was mixed together fully l I poured the cornmeal into the 9″ pie pan and pressed the dough together creating a crust form. I then put the crust in the oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes and then removed and set aside.

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Next I prepared the filling for the quiche. Using a whisk I mixed together the below ingredients a separate bowl and then poured into the baked crust. Next I took the whole quiche and put it into the oven at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes. Check on it at about 45 minutes to make sure it is not over cooking, you can always pull it out of the oven if the top is starting to brown too much.

Filling Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Eggs substitute ( I used 1 1/2 cups egg whites and 2 full eggs)
  • 1/2 1% Milk ( I used Almond Milk)
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper
  • 1 Half an Onion
  • Half a head of Broccoli
  • 1 Tsp of Salt
  • 1 Tsp of Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbs Dried Rosemary

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Overall the quiche was really yummy! I used Bob’s Red Mill medium grind cornmeal since that is what I had at home and it ended up being too course. So make sure you use s finer cornmeal grain. You can also you different vegetables then what I used. Next time I want to make this with butternut squash and goat cheese. You can also use this crust for a sweeter pie version and fill with apples, blueberries, or any other fruit in season right now. I would love to hear if anyone try’s this and makes a different, but delicious version!

 

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 6/1/14

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Can Diet Drinks Aid Weight Loss?– I personally find the diet soda controversy very interesting. For me personally I can honestly say diet soda was sometimes a savior during my weight loss and I do not know if I would have been able to accomplish my results as quickly without it.  Diet drinks allowed me to get a sweet fix in the afternoon without turning to sugar and were a huge help in social events when wanting to avoid alcohol.  I did end up giving up diet soda two and a half years ago when I went into weight maintenance and since then my sweet tooth has diminished substantially.

Fitness Crazed– This article asks the question are trendy workouts really better then classic exercise? “The human body is an adaptation machine. If you force it to do something a little harder than it has had to do recently, it will respond — afterward, while you rest — by changing enough to be able to do that new hard task more comfortably next time. This is known as the progressive overload principle. All athletic training involves manipulating that principle through small, steady increases in weight, speed, distance or whatever.”

30 Percent of World Is Now Fat, No Country Immune- “Researchers found more than 2 billion people worldwide are now overweight or obese. The highest rates were in the Middle East and North Africa, where nearly 60 percent of men and 65 percent of women are heavy. The U.S. has about 13 percent of the world’s fat population, a greater percentage than any other country. China and India combined have about 15 percent.”

Mental Illness Can Shorten Lives More Than Chain-Smoking– This is an interesting perspective I have never thought about. Something to keep in mind. “About 20 percent of people in the United States and the U.K. smoke, he adds — around the same percentage of people who suffer from mental illness.”

Mastering the Art of Self-Negotiation– This article is not as much research based as tips and tricks to help you stick to your plan. I thought the advice was good, so thought I would share. “For every positive choice that affects our health and well-being, there’s at least one counter-argument that – in the murky waters of our mental workings can dissuade us from our good intentions.”

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Photo from Huff Post