Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

Meal Prep for Success

GettyImages-1162988487Are you hoping to start meal prepping to allow for more time during the weeknights? Meal-prepping is a great way to ensure you are eating a well-balanced diet, even when you are on a time crunch throughout the week. It can be a daunting and time-consuming task at first, so here are a few tips to get you started.

Organize your meal plans ahead of time and go grocery shopping ONCE.

First things first, decide what you want to prepare. Search through cookbooks or Pinterest for healthy meals that will reheat well. Write all of the required ingredients on your grocery list so that you only need to go shopping once. Once prepared, store your food in glass storage containers, if possible. Your food will reheat more evenly, and your hormones will thank you later!

Start small.

Instead of trying to prep EVERY meal for your entire week, start with just a few meals! If there are a few days of the week that you know will be busier than the rest, prioritize having meals ready-to-go for those specific days. As you get comfortable doing a few meals a week, you can decide whether you want to prep a little more at a time. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing!

Prioritize protein and vegetables.

Protein is key both for weight loss AND for gains. Choose proteins such as chicken breast or thighs, ground turkey, salmon, tuna, cod, beef, or even plant-based options such as quinoa, chickpeas, and beans. Incorporate plenty of colorful vegetables and healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and cooking oils such as grass-fed butter, avocado oil (for high-heat) and olive oil (for dressings and low-heat). Sprinkle in complex carbohydrates full of fiber such as brown rice, quinoa, white or sweet potatoes with the peel, or orzo.

Keep lots of spices on-hand!

When you prep meals ahead of time, it may not take very long to get tired of eating the same foods. If you have a variety of spices in your kitchen ready to go, it can be a fun way to keep your meals new and exciting. This is a great time to experiment with seasonings such as curry, sazón, chimichurri, and more!

Prep your pantry with healthy snacks, too.

While pre-packaged foods are easy-to-grab, they often don’t provide many nutrients. Cut up some fruits and vegetables at the start of the week for grab-and-go snack options. Do the same with nuts and seeds – and put them all in easy, one-portion storage containers.

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Topics: healthy food choices portion control meal planning food choices

Weight Loss: Take It Off, Keep It Off!

I love what I do—seeing people succeed with their weight-loss goals is one of the most rewarding feelings as a dietitian. However, it can also be very challenging when I see clients revert back to old habits and struggle to keep the weight off that they worked so hard to remove.

ThinkstockPhotos-527497433.jpgBest Weight-Loss Techniques

After checking out some research of highly successful dieters, I have found the best things that can be done to keep the weight off for good!

  • Keep a food journal. Individuals who keep food logs tend to eat 40% less because they are writing it down. Also, a recent study found women who kept a food journal lost 6 pounds more than those who didn’t. Some excellent online food tracker sites include MyPlate and ChooseMyPlate. Highly rated free apps for your smartphone include My Fitness Pal and Lose It.
  • Practice portion control. As a society, we are terrible at eyeballing portions. The secret to success is consistently measuring food items to make sure you are eating the same amount you are journaling. The simplest way to do this is to use measuring utensils to dish out your meals and associate common items with certain portions. For example, a serving of meat should be the size of a deck of cards, a baked potato should be the size of a computer mouse, a half cup of pasta is the size of a tennis ball, and a teaspoon of oil is the size of one die (from a pair of dice).
  • Don’t skip meals. Lots of people think if they skip a meal they will be decreasing the total calories they are taking in for the day. In reality, the opposite usually happens. When someone skips a meal, they typically end up overeating at a different time of day to compensate for missing out on the food that their body needed. Also, whenever you skip a meal it makes your metabolism work at a slower rate; and therefore, makes it harder to lose weight. Eating balanced meals and snacks throughout the day is the best way to stay on track.

Set Up a Personalized Nutrition Appointment

The more you follow these rules, the higher your chance of success in keeping off the weight. For more information or to set up an individualized nutrition coaching appointment, contact me at amitchell@nifs.org or click below for more information.

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Topics: nutrition weight loss NIFS portion control nutrition coaching food journals

Portion Distortion: Healthy Eating Means Eating Less

ThinkstockPhotos-164458496.jpgWe see it, we eat it. Usually that’s how it goes, right? Of course we eat too much, but is it really our faults? Well, unfortunately for Americans, the portion distortion mania has gotten out of hand—and so has obesity. Over time, we’ve gotten so used to the larger portions being served at restaurants, we’ve come to think this is normal. Then of course that thinking spills over into a food addiction at home, too. More food, more food, more food. The craziness needs to stop now! (Here are some tips for portion control at home.)

Today’s Meal Portions Are Too Big

Just because it is served to you, does not mean you need to eat it all. And once and for all, there is no “clean plate club” (anymore)! We certainly should be able to enjoy our meals without guilt, but my motto is “everything in moderation.” So while I indulge in the never-ending bowl of pasta and bottomless nachos from time to time, I focus on the food and enjoy it, that’s for sure (and here are some other tips for mindful eating). But one thing I’ve mastered over time, and invite you to practice as well, is listening to my body’s cues.

Stop Eating Before You’re Stuffed

When I first do that “sigh,” that’s my sign that it is time to stop. It usually comes when the food is about halfway gone, about 15 minutes into the meal. It’s that “ahh” moment. I sit back, put the fork down, stop, and think to myself, “I’m satisfied; I will stop now.” No, I will not continue until I’m stuffed; I’ll stop when satisfied—move away from the table and move on.

Over time, I’ve learned that our bodies are pretty amazing things. They give you these signs all the time if you take the time to listen and respect it. I love healthy foods, and I love unhealthy foods, too. I eat it all, but with balance. My portions end up smaller than those of the people sitting across from me, but that’s okay. It’s not a race, after all. And I certainly don’t feel like I’m missing out.

Listen to your body! The key to weight control and healthy eating is to eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full, and enjoy all things with balance—which will mean smaller portions every time!  Healthy eating means eating less!

Have you ever wondered how you could benefit from meeting with a nutrition coach?  Click below to check out our quick read to better understand how you can benefit from a one on one session.  

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Topics: weight control obesity portion control healthy eating mindful eating

NIFS Nutrition News: Get back on track!

healthy eating woman resized 600Have you fallen off track from your New Year’s resolutions and need a kick start back in the right direction? Since it's National Nutrition Month® it is the perfect time to regain focus on healthy eating behaviors! Getting back into a healthy routine does not mean seeking out the next fad diet, but learning to enjoy healthy and nutritious food. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ team of top nutrition and food professionals develop a once a year campaign to promote healthy eating behaviors with many different resources, games, and reading lists.  This year the Academy is focusing on ways to help you create healthy, enjoyable meals following the Dietary Guidelines!

First, start by replacing empty snacks with nutrient dense foods such as these, under 200-calorie, snacks:

  • Small baked potato topped with salsa and 1 ounce low-fat cheese.
  • Toaster waffle topped with ½ cup blueberries and 2 tablespoons low-fat yogurt.
  • Six whole-wheat crackers and one slice low-fat Colby cheese.
  • Fruit smoothie: Blend 1 cup fat-free milk, ½ cup frozen strawberries and ½ banana.
  • One 6-inch flour tortilla with ¼ cup black beans and 2 tablespoons fresh salsa.
  • Quick-to-fix salad: 2 cups mixed greens with ½ cup mandarin oranges, 1 tablespoon sliced almonds and 2 tablespoons reduced-fat dressing.

Next, make a few small lifestyle changes to your day from the following tips below:

  • Never skip breakfastA cup of coffee should not be the only thing you consume for breakfast! Instead, your breakfast should include some lean protein such as turkey or chicken as well as whole grains and fruit.  These small changes will help increase your morning energy level!
  • Control your portion sizesMeasure out a cup of your favorite food to see how much you are eating compared to the recommended serving size. This will help you understand how much you are eating in one sitting!
  • Be more active throughout the day - This does not mean you need to go to the gym, or set an hour of your time aside to work out in order to increase your physical activity. It is as simple as parking in the back of the parking lot, always taking the stairs, or taking a walk with your family after dinner. Increasing your steps per day can result in an increase in positive health benefits-aim for 10,000 steps a day!

Finally, consider making other small modifications to your eating behavior. In order to begin creating healthy meals following the Dietary Guidelines!  Click here for healthy recipes provided by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Interested in speaking with a NIFS Registered Dietitian, contact Angie Scheetz at NIFS.

Topics: nifs fitness management health and wellness diet and exercise portion control