Category Archives: Nutrition
Smart Prep for Halloween
It’s that time of year again. Time to burn a few extra calories in preparation for the sweetest day of the year – Halloween!
This is a tough holiday for me, because along with my red wine, I really do love chocolate. Luckily, there are some treats that aren’t quite as spooky as others when it comes to the calorie content.
Here are a few ideas that can help you feel a little less guilty if your hand finds its way into that plastic pumpkin basket to grab a treat of your own:
Going to extremes: Buy candy you DON’T like. Since I’m a chocolate fiend, buying fruity candies like Skittles or Starbursts is an easy way for me to avoid finding too many wrappers in my trash on November 1st. You can also hand out sugar-free gum. At about five calories per stick, if you chew on a few of those during the holiday, it’s obviously not going to blow your healthy eating habits to smithereens.
Middle-of-the-road options:Here are some candy options that will help keep the calorie overload to a reasonable level:
- York Peppermint Patties: who says you can’t enjoy a full-size candy bar without a side order of guilt? This cool treat drenched in dark chocolate is 140 calories with 2.5 grams of fat. (Compare that to a full-size Snickers bar that has 280 calories and 14 grams of fat, and you’ve got a good reason to be satisfied by all that minty goodness!)
- Mini Three Musketeer Bars: You can enjoy three minis for 24 calories and less than one gram of fat.
- Hershey Kisses: Three chocolate smooches come in at 67 calories and 4 grams of fat.
- Tootsie Roll: One piece has 26 calories and five grams of fat.
- Candy Corn: You can have a whole handful of 10 pieces for only 64 calories and 0 grams of fat.
- 100 Calorie Packs: A good alternative to candy bars, these individual packs can satisfy your sweet tooth and take the guess-work out of portion control.
Foodie Friday:Portion Control
We made it to Friday!
I thought I’d wrap up the work week tackling a food-related topic I get lots of questions about: portion control.
For better or worse, anyone who lives in the USA knows all too well that we live in a super-sized society. When an extra quarter gets you an extra-large side of fries or a cookie, it can be tough to make smart decisions. So learning how to keep track of portions at home can help when you’re not protected by the safety of your own kitchen.
As I remind everyone before I launch into my diet-related tips, I’m not a registered dietitian or nutritionist. Therefore, these tips are simply examples of the options that work for me and my lifestyle.
- Scale down, divide and conquer: Use a smaller plate (like a salad dish) for your meal. Make sure that meal includes raw or steamed veggies or salad and fill half your plate with that. Use the remaining space for your lean protein and starch – preferably some sort of whole grain. If you can’t stomach the idea of using a smaller plate, stick with the half-plate veggie and remaining quarters for protein and starch.
- Prep once or twice, eat all week! I am not a cook, let alone a chef. But for anyone who knows his or her way around the kitchen, go ahead and prepare things in bulk, then freeze portion sizes in reusable containers for lunches and dinners that last all week. Click here for a reminder on how non-cooks like me prep other items for a week’s worth of healthy snacks.
- Sizing Things Up: This is often the trickiest part of portion control. When you’re home, until you can eyeball what’s a portion size, I strongly encourage using measuring cups and even a food scale for accurate serving sizes. When you’re not home, here are some of the tricks I learned through Weight Watchers. (I have been a lifetime member since November 2010). All you need is your hand!
- Fist = 1 cup
- Thumb (tip to base) = 1 oz meat or cheese
- Palm (without your fingers) = 3 oz lean protein
- Fingertip = 1 tsp
- Thumb tip = 1 tbsp
- Cupped hand = 1 to 2 oz of crunchy snacks e.g. almonds / pretzels
I leave you with two final tips that have more to do with common sense than accurate measurements.
- Know when to stop eating! I’m lucky to have grown up in a household where I was encouraged to stop eating when I felt full. The trick is to put down that fork before you’re so uncomfortable you’re looking for your first opportunity to get into those sweats.
- Have that cupcake! No, that wasn’t a typo. Whatever your favorite treat is, I guarantee denying yourself the pleasure of indulging in a serving now and then will only make you crave it even more. Trying to satisfy the craving with a substitutes can be another recipe for disaster. Why? Think about it. Instead of having one slice of cookies-and-cream cheesecake, you opt for the low-fat cookies, end up eating the whole bag…and you STILL want the cheesecake! Treating yourself once in a while can help prevent a serious caloric meltdown later. Want a great way to indulge without all the guilt? Split dessert with a friend!
With a little know-how and patience, developing healthy eating habits to compliment your exercise routine is the best way to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
A Fresh Start
Iowa City, IA
- Orlando, FL
Today’s dose of Monday Motivation is all about facing reality. There will always be wrenches thrown into your normal schedule. Unfortunately, those wrenches can wreak havoc on the activities that keep you feeling energized and healthy overall. I’m in the midst of accepting this reality right now. What’s getting me through it is knowing at some point, my routine will get back on track and I’ll feel like myself again.
It’s been a hell of a week and it looks like it’s going to be one monster month in general. Thanks to back-to-back business trips featuring five airports and 10-hour shoot days followed by a nearly-impossible edit deadline, I’ve been pushing it pretty hard at the office. I also lost my weekend as my editor and I had no choice but to keep working through it to meet our deadline.
This is not a pity-party post. I realize there are people who constantly deal with these kinds of demands. Running your own businesses is a 24/7 job, and if you’re in the business of saving lives, times like this are common and even expected. However in my world of video production in the public relations world, this is not my norm. In fact, one of the reasons I left the TV-reporter life behind was that I was sick of running on the hamster wheel. So when things gets this crazy, everything from my workouts to my REM cycles suffer.
I haven’t felt this unhealthy in quite some time. I’ve definitely gained a couple of pounds. Despite packing my sensible snacks for my travels, there are only so many healthy choices you can make when room service and deli sandwiches during a 15-minute break are your only options. So, I’m forgiving myself for the extra alcohol and larger-than-normal bread portions I ingested while I was on the road. While I managed to squeeze in workouts in both Iowa City and Orlando, I have NOT been able to keep up with my normal exercise schedule at home. That changes now.
Today marks the start of a new work week and one that doesn’t include a plane, train or automobile. While I’ll still be putting in extra hours at the office, I’ll bring my gym bag and pre-workout snack to the office everyday to motivate me to hit the gym afterward. Fortunately, I was able to push through a CrossFit UWS Central Park workout before heading to the office Saturday morning. That set my mind straight for the days ahead. After the workout, I was also able to hit the grocery store and stock up on my my healthy favorites like berries, bananas and non-fat Greek yogurt and veggies. Getting back into my healthy routine will no doubt help me sleep better, too.
When the unexpected happens at work or at home, your best laid plans will go awry. Just remember to keep breathing, do the best you can with what you have to work with and forgive yourself for the “slip-ups” that help you get through the craziness. When you see that first glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, embrace it and realize it won’t be long before you take your first steps back toward normalcy and all you do to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Frantic Friday
Ending a Crazy Week on a Happy Note!
What a week!
I honestly haven’t felt this “off” in quite some time. There will be more about that in Monday’s post, but for now, I want to end the crazy-business-trip and edit-from-hell-themed work week on a positive note that’s also filled with gratitude.
It was during my ride to the airport Tuesday afternoon when I learned my blog was voted one of the “Top 25 Wellness Blogs” on SkinnyScoop. For those of you who don’t know, SkinnyScoop is a great website designed for a female audience looking to recommend and discover the best of everything from books and beauty essentials to parenting products.
Thanks to a couple of nominations and a few votes, I came in among the bloggers who write about fitness, healthy lifestyle and/or weight loss voted into the Top 25 during September 2012. I’m honored to be among this great list of bloggers! I’ll be sure to check out their writing and encourage you loyal readers to do the same!
Thanks to all of you for your support and for inspiring me to continue my writing, even during the rough weeks! It’s because of you that I look forward to continuing on this journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Workout Wednesday: Business Trip Edition
I had the whole hotel fitness center to myself on my recent business trip to Iowa City!
Greetings from Orlando!
As you read this first Workout Wednesday installment for October 2012, I’m either prepping for or in the midst of producing another shoot. Since this marks the second consecutive week I’ve traveled for work and have another trip in another city soon following this one, I thought it was the perfect time to share the basic survival tip that keeps my health and fitness routine in check while I’m on the road. It’s all about what you toss in your suitcase.
Along with being sure I have my production tools and TSA-size-approved plastic bag of toiletries, I always take a few extra minutes to throw in the following essentials to keep hunger and unhealthy snacking in check. The key is having one for each day of the trip:
- Almonds: Lucky for me Trader Joe’s takes the guesswork out of counting out almonds for a proper serving size by selling the “Just a Handful” snack-pack. Having the correct serving size also prevents me from buying the jumbo bag at the airport and loading up on too many calories in one snack session.
- Fiber One bars: I’m a big fan of the Chocolate & Oats variety.
- Gym clothes: A pair of Under Armour gym shorts, t-shirt, sports bra and a couple of extra pairs of socks take up virtually no room in a suitcase, even if it’s a carry-on. I usually travel wearing my cross trainers to travel and pack my “cute” shoes. (It’s the best way to stay comfortable during flight delays, too!)
The few snacks provide me with no excuse to reach for something unhealthy if too much time goes by between meals thanks to a long production schedule. Also, getting up early enough to make sure I eat a healthy breakfast before the work begins is also crucial to making sure I have energy and remain focused on my work.
Remember, whether you’re packing for a quick business trip or overnight weekend escape, packing a few healthy essentials can help you have fun, be fit and feel fabulous – no matter where the road takes you!
Another Reason to Get Active: Exercise Can Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer
Mom & Me in Montauk
It seems I’ve gotten into the habit of kicking each new work week with a shot of “Monday Motivation” in the hopes of inspiring more people get moving. On this particular Monday, we also happen to be kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As the daughter of a breast cancer survivor, it’s the perfect time for me to tell you about yet another reason to make exercise a part of your life.
According to the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, there is strong evidence that physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer. Add that to the already long list of benefits from exercise, and you have just one more reason why there’s no better time than now to make fit some fitness into your daily routine!
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. The day she and my dad sat me down to tell me was probably the scariest in my life to date. Fortunately, because my mom has always been adamant about keeping up with her health screenings, the doctors detected the cancer early and she beat it. Today, I am lucky and blessed to be able to say my mom is among the 2.6 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States.
Her diagnosis put me on alert regarding my own health and made me want to do research, speak with my own physicians and learn everything I could about reducing my risk and how to be even more proactive about my health. I had my first mammogram a few months ago. Despite a slight scare when I had to go back for follow-up imaging, everything came back fine in the end. My doctors now have a baseline to compare additional screenings in the future and having that kind of knowledge can only help me stay on top of my health in the long run.
I’ll never be able to thank my mom for all she has given me throughout my life (my dad, too). Along with unconditional love and unwavering support, she has taught me so many important lessons without even knowing it. One of the most important things I have learned is it is important to take care of yourself so you can give of yourself- your time, energy, compassion and love – to others.
To that end, exercise has been a key component for my own well-being while giving me the energy to be concerned about the well being of others. I encourage anyone reading this post to take charge of your health:
- Talk to your physician(s) about your family history and other risk factors for cancer and other diseases
- Don’t put off important health screenings
- Exercise
- When it comes to your eating habits, I believe moderation is crucial to maintaining a “diet” you can live with
If you’ve been looking for a time to turn your take-care-of-you goals into reality, here’s your chance. Make this Breast Cancer Awareness Month your time to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Friday Fast Fact: Don’t Drink Your Calories
Stick with good ol’ H20 to keep your health & fitness goals on track!
As I often wrap up the work week with a food-related post, I thought I’d address one of the biggest mistakes I see people make all the time. The good news is it also happens to be a mistake with an easy fix.
You already know the most basic way to lose weight is to slash calories. Studies show the average person can drop a pound a week by trimming 500 calories a day. If you’re looking for an easy way to cut back, here it is: just say no to those sugary drinks!
Here are a few things I urge you to nix right now:
- Soda: You might be saying, “Oh come on, Laura, I only have one large Coke from the deli everyday for a caffeine fix.What’s the big deal?” I’ll tell you. That’s usually a 16-oz serving, which weighs in at roughly 187 calories. Cutting it out means you’re already 1/3 of your way to eliminating those daily 500 calories for weight loss. If you look at the bigger picture, you’re saving 1,2888 calories each week; 5,610 each month and a whopping 68,255 each year!
- Frosty coffee drinks: If your idea of a “light lunch” is “I’ll just have a (insert name of favorite frothy coffee drink here),” it’s time to re-train the brain a bit. Starbuck’ Mocha “Frappuccino” packs 400 calories while a vanilla bean “Coolatta” at Dunkin’ Donuts registers at 440 calories. Considering both have zero nutritional value and will most likely leave you hungry for real sustenance after, it’s easy to see how using these drinks in place of real meals is healthy-eating sabotage.
- Sugary cocktails: I’ve written several posts on how many frosty drinks are more like indulgent desserts thanks to ingredients like syrup, sour mix, sugary fruit juice and cream. Sipping drinks mixed with club soda, diet tonic water and a splash of citrus as opposed to full-on juice can help shave off hundreds of calories.
- Sports drinks: The truth is unless you’re a power or endurance athlete who plays a sport for more than an hour, there’s no need to re-hydrate with a high-calorie option like Gatorade or Vitamin Water. On days when I can can only squeeze in 30-minutes on the elliptical followed by a plank Tabata, I’ll burn approximately 350 calories. If I guzzle a sports drink, I’ll consume roughly 125 calories. So I walk away from my abbreviated workout with only 215 calories burned. That is not the post-cardio high I was looking for!
When in doubt, put down the syrupy beverage and load up on the water. The bottom line is good ol’ h2o will always be one of your best friends when it comes to keeping you on track with your plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Friday’s Food for Thought: Back-to-School Edition
We all survived the post-Labor Day back-to-school, back-to-the-grind work week!
I wrap up this fitting-fitness-into-your-fall-schedule-themed week with some simple reminders about how to get your healthy eating habits back on track. Remember, diet and exercise go hand in hand. If you want your body to perform at its best, you need to give it the right fuel.
As a happy follower of the everything-in-moderation lifestyle, none of my “diet tricks” involve extremes:
- A Little Prep Goes A Long Way: Every weekend, I stock up on easy-to-chop or no-chop-needed produce like baby carrots, celery, peppers and cherry tomatoes. At some point on Sunday, I pack up five ready-to-grab containers and so I have no excuse for not having veggies with my lunch every day at work. Same goes for fruits. I chop strawberries and bring a large container to work on Monday and divvy out portions each morning with non-fat plain Greek yogurt and high fiber cereal. Add a pre-workout banana, and this all adds up to a no-brainer approach to getting multiple servings of fruits and veggies during the day!
- Take the guesswork out of staying hydrated: Save your dollars and the planet by stocking up on a few reusable water bottles. Keep one in your backpack, briefcase, purse, gym bag and/or at the office. Reports differ on how much water each individual needs, but the general rule is eight, eight-ounce glasses each day. I keep a 16-ounce water bottle in my office and I fill it at least three times while I’m at work. So, between my post-work workout and at least one glass of water with dinner, I hit my daily intake without even thinking about it.
- Don’t wait until you’re famished to eat: I have to eat every 3-4 hours or I get sluggish. I also make sure to eat a snack about an hour before my workout so you don’t burn out too quickly. My new favorite pre-workout snack is a chopped medley of one banana and three or four pineapple strips. I enjoy the mix with a side of string cheese and big glass of water.
- Keep healthy snacks handy: There are few places I’ll go without a Fiber One bar or some raw almonds. If you find yourself sans snack, chew on a piece of gum or have a glass of water to take the edge off before scarfing down something less healthy.
- Be realistic: When a craving gnaws at you, it’s not always a bad thing to give into it. Ignoring a guilty pleasure for too long can end up being worse. It’s amazing how the desire for one cupcake on Monday can turn into inhaling a colossal sized one meant for four people to share by Friday.
I leave you with this final thought: there will be “off” days. Even as a lifelong fitness enthusiast, there are times I simply don’t want to workout and all I want to do is drink red wine and eat chocolate. It happens. Don’t let one bad day throw you off course. Just wipe off the crumbs, prep your gym bag and remember tomorrow is your next chance to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The Last Hoorah!
Here’s to a sun-and-fun-filled Labor Day weekend!
TGIF!
For lots of people, including me, it’s getaway day for the last long holiday weekend of the summer of 2012.
Like many other summer weekends, we can look forward to kicking back at the beach or pool, maybe packing a picnic for the park or heading to a backyard barbecue. Whatever’s on your agenda this weekend, be sure to make make the most of every minute and enjoy the downtime!
Wherever you’re headed, I thought I’d offer some timely reminders on how to fit some fitness into the holiday weekend and make some smart food choices.
Click on these links for:
- Some beach workout ideas
- Other exercises you can get done outdoors
- A barbecue game plan
- Alternatives to high-calorie cocktails
Here’s to a Happy Labor Day weekend filled with plenty of reasons to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous! See you in September!
Vacation & Food Choices
Saving calories for those frozen drinks?
Who says you can’t go on vacation and make smart food choices?
If you’re soaking up what’s left of summer with a getaway that lasts a weekend or longer, you can have fun and not throw all the hard work you do at home out the window home!
Here are a few easy tips to help that help me make the most of my getaways:
- Breakfast: First of all – don’t skip it! It’s pretty common to be able to order egg whites almost anywhere these days. Instead of loading up on pastries or other sweet starts, try a veggie egg-white omelette and fresh fruit. However, if you simply cannot resist the chocolate croissant calling to you from the buffet or bakery shelf, go ahead and have one. (Better than scarfing down three tomorrow morning when they’re calling to you again, right?) Speaking of buffets, fill your plate with fruit first so there’s not as much room for the bacon, home fries or other high-cal, high-fat items in the spread.
- Lunch: You also shouldn’t skip lunch in anticipation of a big dinner. One of the biggest and most common mistakes people make is fasting all day before a “special” dinner later. This is a surefire way to sabotage any effort you’ve made to not overdo it. Why? Because by the time you sit down for what would have been a “big” meal, your hunger can make it colossal. If the only options at your vacation spot are burgers, hot dogs and fried foods, share something with someone. If you can “stock up” on any fruits from breakfast to snack on during the day (e.g. bananas, apples) that can help make lunch a little healthier, too.
- Dinner: Go for the fresh, seasonal specials like seafood with veggies. Not only will the catch taste great, but you can spend the extra calories on the wine or cocktail(s) you’ve been looking forward to all day!
- Dessert: Well, why not? You’re on vacation! I won’t lie, I eat dessert pretty much every day while I’m on vacation. If I’m lucky, someone might split it with me. If not, it’s just the extra motivation I need to make sure I keep my workouts going while I’m away.
- Snacking: If you can, pack a few “safe” non-perishable go-tos like raw almonds or high fiber cereal bars. (I always have a few Fiber One bars in my bag.) If you’re going somewhere with a fridge, make a stop at a local farmer’s market or grocery store for some fresh fruits and veggies including carrot and celery sticks, berries, bananas and tangerines.
Don’t forget to stay hydrated – preferably with water – and keep moving! Whether you’re spending some time by a beach, pool, lake, campground or someone else’s backyard, these are all perfect spots for a game of tag, volleyball or paddle ball.
Whatever you still have in store for the summer, make the most of it and remember: it is possible to go on vacation, enjoy some good food and still have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
lauralovesfitness 