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Recipes for Health by Susan Irby

November 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Fall is in the air and the holiday season is just around the corner. Often times the holidays also mean extra stress and weight gain. Work healthy ingredients into your dishes yet still maintain delicious flavor. A super non-grain-grain like quinoa brings rich, savory flavor and also adds key nutrients like protein, fiber and minerals.

Here are a few delicious recipes for fall and holiday season:  

 

Quinoa with Roasted Pine Nuts and Cilantro

Pine nuts have a nutty yet almost sweet flavor that’s delicious with tangy, fresh cilantro, quinoa, and other key flavors that give a metabolism boost in this dish: lemon, cayenne, and coriander.

Yield: 4 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Serving Size: 1 cup

Each serving has:
142.6 calories
3.4 g protein
11.1 g carbohydrates
10.2 g fat
1.4 g fiber

Ingredients:
1 cup pine nuts
1 TB. Olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
½ TB. Chopped garlic
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth
1 ½ tsp. fine lemon zest
½ tsp. cayenne
¼ tsp. coriander
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:
1. In medium sauté pan over medium heat, heat pine nuts, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Be careful not to burn pine nuts. Transfer toasted pine nuts to a bowl. And set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add yellow onion and garlic, and sauté for about 1 or 2 minutes.
3. Stir in quinoa and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed.
4. Remove quinoa from heat, and stir in lemon zest, cayenne, coriander, sea salt, and black pepper. Top each serving with about 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, and serve. (Copyright Susan Irby The Bikini Chef 2012)

Note:  Pine nuts are the edible seeds from the pine tree. Rich in flavor and nutrients, pine nuts are high in vitamin E and monounsaturated fats (the good fats), and they’re naturally gluten free.

 

Gluten Free Quinoa Pumpkin Bread

Quinoa flour, coconut oil, and spices of nutmeg and cinnamon give this pumpkin bread a fiber and flavor boost! Other great tips… add orange and lemon zest for a flavor “pop” and for nut lovers; mix in a quarter cup of chopped walnuts for the ultimate super food boost.

Makes 2 loaves
Nutrition:
Serving size: 1/10 of loaf
Calories: 226
Fat: 10.75g
Carbohydrates: 32.2g
Protein: 4.45g
Fiber: 2.05g
Sodium: 73.1mg

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups almond flour
1 1/2 cups quinoa flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal mixed with enough hot water to make ½ cup
½ cup coconut oil
2/3 cup water
2 cups cooked and mashed pumpkin (or canned)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans with a little extra coconut oil and dust with a little quinoa flour. Tap out excess flour.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, quinoa flour, baking soda, sea salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well.
3. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin, coconut oil, flaxseed, and water until blended. Using a wooden spoon, incorporate the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in egg whites. Do not over-mix.
4. Pour into prepared loaf pans and bake for about 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Copyright Susan Irby The Bikini Chef 2012)

 

Radicchio Cups with Quinoa and Citrus Salsa

Radicchio has a bitter flavor that provides balance to the nutty flavor of quinoa and a sweet citrus salsa of mango, lemon, lime, cilantro and pepper.

Yield: 8 radicchio cups with ½ cup quinoa each
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serving Size: 1 radicchio cup with ½ cup quinoa

Each serving has:
170.9 calories
4.0 g protein
23.9 g carbohydrates
7.2 g fat
3.6 g fiber

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth or water
½ TB. Fine lemon zest
1 TB. Fresh lemon juice
¼ TB. Fine lime zest
2 TB. White wine vinegar
2 TB. Olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 medium mango
1 medium red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, and diced
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
½ cup diced avocado
¼ cup plus 2 TB. Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
8 medium radicchio leaves

Directions:
1. In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine quinoa and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed. Transfer quinoa to mixing bowl, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, lime zest, lime juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.
3. Dice mango by taking a sharp knife and slicing lengthwise through mango on each side of seed. Make 4 or 5 lengthwise slices on each mango half. Make 4 or 5 crosswise slices on each mango half. Carefully slice along skin of mango and underneath mango “cubes” to release diced mango. Place diced mango on a cutting board and chop into small chunks, as you would for a fresh salsa.
4. Toss diced mango into mixing bowl with lemon zest mixture. Add red bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, avocado, cilantro leaves, and quinoa, and toss well to coat.
5. To serve, place 1 radicchio leaf on each of 8 medium serving plates or bowls. Spoon ½ cup quinoa mixture into each radicchio cup, and serve.  (Copyright Susan Irby The Bikini Chef 2012)
TV, Radio host and multi-published author, Susan Irby The Bikini Chef, hosts Bikini Lifestyles on national public television and AM 790 KABC radio.  Specializing in healthy, flavorful recipes as found in her books  The Complete Idiot’s Guide Quinoa Cookbook (July 2012 Penguin Publishing), Substitute Yourself Skinny, Boost Your Metabolism (Adams Media 2010).  Among media appearances, The Bikini Chef has been featured on FOX11 Good Day LA, KCAL9, CBS2, ABC7.  NOW AVAILABLE!  The Complete Idiot’s Guide Quinoa Cookbook  http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Quinoa-Cookbook/dp/1615641939/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336586754&sr=8-1. Follow Susan on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/thebikinichef and become a fan of  the Bikini Chef on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/2famueb

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Budget-Friendly Healthy Eating by Keri Gans

November 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Question: I’m on a set financial budget every month. How can I eat healthy without breaking the bank?
-Robert, FL.

Answer:

Here are 5 budget-friendly tips for healthy eating:

1. Load up on canned beans! Inexpensive AND packed with nutrients. Add beans to pasta, green salads, and soups for added fiber and protein.

2. Buy frozen veggies. They are frozen at peak ripeness so can be just as nutritious as fresh. Buying frozen is also a great money-saving tip as you don’t have to worry about spoilage.

3. Buy in bulk and freeze in individual portions. For example, purchase chicken breast in family size packs, even if you are shopping for one. You’ll find the price is always lower when buying in high quantity. Individually wrap each piece and freeze and defrost as needed.

4. Look for in-season fruits. Buy on sale! For example, apples in the fall are going to be a lot less expensive than berries are.

5. Switch to store-brands. In many supermarkets their own label is as nutritious as name brands. Read the nutrition fact label and ingredient list and compare.

Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, Nutritionist in Private Practice in NYC, Media Spokesperson and Author of The Small Change Diet (Gallery, March 2011) For more information, www.kerigansnutrition.com. Follow Keri on Twitter @kerigans and join her Facebook community via www.facebook.com/TheSmallChangeDiet

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Time-Saving Workout Tips by Tera Busker

November 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

What workout can I do at home to save time on busy days?

Here are 4 examples of effective workouts that will get you the results you want in a short amount of time.

Circuit Training
Circuit training is a series of strength or cardio exercises (or both) that are repeated two or three times with little or no rest between sets. Circuit training requires you to move quickly from exercise to exercise, which elevates your heart rate. If you add strength training exercises into your circuit, you can burn fat and tone your muscles in one workout. Circuit training is also a great boredom buster. Who can get bored when you are darting quickly from exercise to exercise? Choose 5-6 exercises, like lunges, mountain climbers, bench dips, burpees or jumping jacks, do each back to back for 30 seconds each. After you have completed all of the exercises, rest for 1-2 minutes. Repeat the same circuit 1-2 more times.

Tabata Training
Tabata training is a type of workout that only lasts four minutes but creates an “after burn effect.” This means that your body continues to burn calories well after the workout is over. A tabata workout consists of eight rounds working at high intensity for 20 seconds, and then 10 seconds of rest. Tabata training hardly takes any time at all, can easily be incorporated into your day, and offers huge benefits. Try it with jump squats, push-ups, or even sprints! An example workout would be do jumping jacks for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, do pushups for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat this sequence for a total of 4 minutes. 2 examples of workouts that work great with equipment that you may have at home (cardio machines/weights)

HIIT
Your cardio workout doesn’t have to be long to be effective. Rather than doing steady-state cardio for 60 minutes, opt for 20 minutes HIIT. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a form of exercise that alternates between short bursts of high intensity exercise with longer periods of lower intensity. These high intensity bursts that melt the fat away – up to 50% more effectively than low-intensity exercise. It also speeds up your metabolism, which enables you to burn more calories throughout the day. Try this beginner HIIT workout. After you have warmed up at a low intensity for 5 minutes, start your first HIIT cycle. Work at an intense level for 30 seconds and follow with 90 seconds of moderate effort. Repeat the HIIT cycle for a total of 10 minutes, then cool down for 5 minutes.

Compound Exercises
Compound exercises are movements that combine an upper body and lower body exercise together. Movements that utilize both the upper and lower body at the same time create a better workout than exercises like, bicep curls, which only focus on one part of the body. How do you “build” a compound exercise? Take a lower body exercise like lunges, squats, bridges or planks and fuse it with an upper body exercise like bicep curls, shoulder presses, rows or tricep extensions. Some great examples are the squat and press, the rowing plank and the hip bridge with a tricep extension. Create a workout out of only compound exercise or add compound exercises into your Tabata or Circuit Training for a fast and effective workout.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

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Don’t Miss these Nutritional Benefits

November 5, 2012 By 1 Comment

Don’t Miss these Nutritional Benefits
Have you overlooked one of the most nutritious winter vegetables? This time of year is ideal to stock up! You’ll be saving money and saving your health. According to Dr. John La Puma, the carotenes found in pumpkin are converted to Vitamin A, which is essential for a strong and healthy immune system. One cup of pumpkin a day will get you to the recommended daily dose.

Dr. La Puma is twice a New York Times best-selling author, a board-certified specialist in internal medicine and professionally trained chef. He leads a national movement to help you get stronger, leaner and healthier with what you eat.

Dr. La Puma’s Pumpkin Soup
This pumpkin soup recipe from Dr. La Puma (http://drjohnlapuma.com/about) is so easy to make and delicious, you’ll want to freeze it to always have on hand.

Ingredients
3 lb pumpkin (such as Sugar Baby)
3 cups chicken stock
1 onion, halved and roasted
3 garlic cloves, roasted
Salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Cut the pumpkin in half and roast it for 45 minutes, face down.
Scoop out the seeds and set them aside.
Scoop out and place half the pumpkin flesh into a blender jar along with the roasted garlic, half the onion and half the chicken stock, with more if needed to blend. Blend to your desired consistency.  Pour into a heavy bottomed stock pot over medium heat. Repeat. Bring to a simmer, and season to taste. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, if desired. ©  Chef Clinic, Inc.

The leading practicing physician voice for healthy food in health care, Dr La Puma is also an award-winning TV co-host for Lifetime TV’s “Health Corner” with Joan Lunden, host of “What’s Cooking With ChefMD?” and the PBS Special “Eat and Cook Healthy with Dr John La Puma!” Read his blog at http://drjohnlapuma.com and get his free monthly newsletter, or join his Facebook page at http://facebook.com/drjohnlapuma. He has appeared on Dr Oz, Today, Good Morning America and NPR and has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA. Repeatedly named “One of America’s Top Physicians” by Consumers’ Research Council and called a “Secret Weapon” by The Wall Street Journal. He is based in Santa Barbara, California.

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Fire-Up Your Fat Burn with Water! By Lori Shemek, PhD

November 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Did you know that water is a critical fat-burning tool? And that most people are walking around mildly dehydrated…and they do not even know it?  Most people are suffering from headaches, joint pain, fatigue, foggy thinking, weight gain and much more…all related to mild dehydration.

 

Every single process in the human body requires water.  Our bodies are over 70% water!  The intake of water is vital for optimal health and it is key for boosting your metabolism as well. By drinking even room temperature water, the body warms the water up to body temperature (98.6 Fahrenheit) and this thermogenic action can increase a person’s metabolic rates by 30 percent after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water. This metabolic increase is sustained for over an hour!

 

Mild dehydration is your first class ticket to weight gain, ill health and faster aging. Dehydrated cells do not function optimally and thus slow down. When your cells slow down, bodily function slows down…including  your metabolism and weight gain ensues. If you are dehydrated, you may be burning up to 2 percent fewer calories. This is why hydrating is an important key to weight loss and optimal health.

 

Do not rely upon thirst as an indicator to drink water. By the time you are thirsty, you are already 1-2% dehydrated. Fat deposits increase when water intake decreases. This is because the liver is forced to help the kidneys work which they cannot do properly when water intake is lacking. Your #1 fat burning organ? The Liver. The liver normally metabolizes fat and cannot do so properly when it is forced to focus on helping the kidneys. The result? More fat is being stored and thereby, weight increase. I recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces.  If you weigh 120 pounds, drink 60 ounces daily to increase your metabolic rate.

 

So drink up and remember :  Water is not only helping you to lose weight, you are creating optimal health as well.

This article is written by Lori L Shemek, PhD, CNC. America’s #1 Fat Loss Expert and Best-Selling Author of ‘Fire-Up Your Fat Burn!’  Find Lori’s book here:  http://www.amazon.com/FIRE-UP-YOUR-FAT-BURN-ebook/dp/B0083BW37G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337040876&sr=8-1

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Race Recovery Essentials! Written by Kristie Cranford

October 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This article is sponsored by ELANVEDA. Are you an athlete or fitness enthusiast? Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy relief from sore muscles, at a one-time-only discount! http://elanveda.com/essential-oils/muscle-and-joint.php  ELANVEDA Muscle & Joint Relief, a blend of essential oils created to relieve joint discomfort & muscle soreness, is a must for every recreational and professional athlete. Also perfect for anyone who has muscle pain due to an injury, fatigue or exercise. Use coupon code HYWOL20 to redeem your 20% discount through 11/30/12. ELANVEDA provides best-of-breed alternative medicine for everyday ailments, formulated using organic, wide-crafted and ALL NATURAL herbs and essential oils. ELANVEDA is partnered with Dr. Marc Halpern and the California College of Ayurveda to offer high quality products assuring the best formulas are used. Discover all their products, www.elanveda.com. Email via info@elanveda.com or call them directly, 310.570.9535. There is help for sore and achy muscles, ELANVEDA is your all-natural solution!

Race Recovery Essentials! Written by Kristie Cranford

A lot of focus and energy is put into preparing to get to the finish line of a race strong and ready. What happens when you cross the finish line? In all the planning one crucial part is often overlooked, recovery.
Recovery is both physical and mental. It is important to prepare for both.

Here are some quick post-race recovery tips:

•    Replenish. Eat or drink something containing complex carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes of the finish. Typical rule of thumb is 3 part carbohydrate to 1 part protein. Your body needs to refuel and will need protein to help muscles to rebuild/recover.

•    Hydrate. Drink plenty of water, and not just after the race. Continue throughout the day and days ahead. It will help to move the lactic acid out of your body.

•    Don’t stop. At the finish, don’t stop and sit down. Keep moving. Walk, a lot. Stretch. You want to keep your muscles from locking up and tightening.

•    Foam Roll. A foam roller is an athlete’s best friend. Roll out your whole body, not just the legs, paying close attention to “hot spots” (sore spots.)

•    Take an Ice Bath. Sit in a tub with ice and water, put your feet in a bucket of ice, or sit in a cold body of water. Ice baths reduce inflammation and tissue breakdown, therefore speeding recovery.

•    Compress. Put on compression sleeves or socks. Blood pools at the bottom of the leg when racing, compression will aid in improving blood flow, speeding recovery.

•    Rest. Allow your body to recover, repair, and become stronger. Muscle repairs and strengthens at rest. Do not immediately jump into a hard training program. Light yoga, swimming and biking for example, are good choices. Less intensity for a few days, even a week or longer to allow for proper rest and repair.

•    Expect the blues. Every athlete experiences post-race blues. When the euphoria and endorphins wear off, there is a crash. Just knowing it happens and being able to recognize it makes a difference. But plan for it. Have a next goal in mind so there is a new focus ahead, not “what am I going to do now?”

Planning and preparing for a race should not be just about how to get to the finish, but what to do after you get there. Remember to have a recovery plan in place.  

This article is written by Kristie Cranford, CPT. A wife, mother, cancer survivor and competitive athlete, Kristie is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer as well as a Running/Triathlon Coach for PRSFit Nation. Living in Las Vegas, she is the Chair of Long Distance Running for USATF-Nevada Association, Coolibar sponsored athlete, and Raw Elements Sunscreen Ambassador. Contact information: http://coachkristie.com, via email at CoachKristieLV@yahoo.com, www.prsfit.com

 

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Focus on FUN, Not Fitness! By Robert Hopper, PhD

October 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A New Way to Build Your Exercise Program—Focus on Fun, Not Fitness!

If you’ve had difficulty sticking with an exercise program, consider a new approach. Instead of attempting traditional fitness activities like treadmill and elliptical machine workouts, look to enjoyable recreation such tennis, golf, dancing, swimming, hiking, volleyball, softball, bowling, even gardening. The health benefits of these physical activities will come almost effortlessly—as a natural byproduct of having fun!

Focus on fun. To start your new program, all you need to do is make one simple shift in how you think of exercise. Rather than “no pain, no gain,” think “pleasure is the measure.” The key to long-term exercise success is choosing physical activities—I call them “lifetime sports”— that are fun to do. Why? It’s easier to stick with something if you truly enjoy it. You can choose from more than 100 leisure and recreational activities. Let your imagine run free. Have you always wanted to dance the tango, play tennis, or take up bowling? Now’s the time! The next steps—also among what I call “the best practices for exercise success”—are just as easy.

Get a Coach. The quickest, easiest, and surest way to master new skills in your chosen sport is to take lessons from a coach, instructor, teacher, or class leader—a professional dedicated to helping people like you succeed. Start with a series of beginning lessons—group or private—and see how you like the activity. If you’re having fun at the end of the series and want to continue, enroll in intermediate classes.

Join a Team. Your team is a group of people who share an interest and enthusiasm in your lifetime sports and participate in it together. This could be a class, a club, an organization, or a formal team—that is, a fun group of like-minded individuals as keen to ski, hike, tap dance, golf, kayak, or play badminton as you are! Join a group and you’ll have a several potential partners for participating in your chosen sport. Your team leader—your coach—can make that participation easier by reserving facilities, choosing exercise times that are convenient, and perhaps providing any necessary equipment.

Once you reach the intermediate skill level, you’ll likely have a newfound passion for your lifetime sport. Why? Because you’ll have a coach and a team in place to support your efforts, you’ll be participating in your lifetime sport with confidence, and you’ll still be having fun!

Practice these first basic steps on a regular basis and you’ll be on your way to pleasurable and virtually fail-safe exercise program to stick with for a lifetime.

Healthcare expert Robert Hopper, PhD, a former NCAA swimming champion and swimming coach, is the author of Stick with Exercise for a Lifetime: How to Enjoy Every Minute of It! An easy-to-follow guide, the book explains in insightful detail a set of best practices for exercise success—how to enjoy physical activity as a lifelong habit based on having fun. For more information, go to www.stickwithexercise.com. Also connect via Facebook: Facebook.com/stickwithexercise or Twitter: @RobertHopperPhD

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Health Benefits or Hype? By Kathy Smart

October 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

High Protein Dark Chocolate Cupcakes….Healthy?

Yes!…BUT these are high protein cupcakes. These cupcakes use heart healthy and high protein ground almonds, pure maple syrup and applesauce! And go ahead, enjoy these as a breakfast treat! Protein first thing in the morning helps stabilize blood sugar and increase metabolism. So, why not do it with chocolate!

 

See my friends? Healthy eating CAN be decadent!

 

3 Reason to Love Dark Chocolate:

Dark Chocolate is Good for Your Heart. Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate two or three times each week can help lower your blood pressure. Dark chocolate improves blood flow and may help prevent the formation of blood clots. Eating dark chocolate may also prevent arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries.)

Dark Chocolate is Good for Your Brain. Dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain as well as to the heart, so it can help improve cognitive function. Dark chocolate also helps reduce your risk of stroke. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), the same chemical your brain creates when you feel like you’re falling in love. PEA encourages your brain to release endorphins, so eating dark chocolate will make you feel happier.

Dark Chocolate Helps Control Blood Sugar. Dark chocolate helps keep your blood vessels healthy and your circulation unimpaired to protect against type 2 diabetes. The flavonoids in dark chocolate also help reduce insulin resistance by helping your cells to function normally and regain the ability to use your body’s insulin efficiently. Dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index, meaning it won’t cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels.

 

High Protein Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
From Live The Smart Way by Kathy Smart

Makes 12-14 cupcakes

Ingredients:

¾ cup dark chocolate chips
½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
4 whole eggs – separated
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp sea salt
1 ½ cups ground almonds
5 Tbsp gluten-free flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup (1 stick) butter or coconut oil

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Melt chocolate, butter and applesauce in a saucepan over low heat.
3. Beat egg yolks with ¼ cup of the maple syrup and set aside.
4. Mix the melted chocolate mixture and egg yolk mixture together. Stir in ground almonds, vanilla extract, baking powder, sea salt and flour.
5. Beat 4 egg whites with ¼ cup remaining of the maple syrup until stiff. Fold into the above mixture.
6. Grease a muffin tin and fill muffin tin with mixture till about ¾ full.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

 

Icing:

2 squares unsweetened baker’s chocolate (melted)
1/3 cup raw agave nectar
2 Tbsp brown rice syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cool slightly before glazing cupcakes.

 

Kathy Smart ~ North America’s gluten free expert. TV Show Host, Nutritionist, Chef and Author
Live The Smart Way. www.LiveTheSmartWay.com

 

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Are you setting a healthy example? Insight from Tanya Memme.

October 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Tanya Memme, Producer/Co-Host of the Emmy nominated, A&E’s Sell This House and Sell This House Extreme, offers her advice how to manage the challenges of raising healthy children.

 

 

How do you set a healthy example for your child?

The only way to have a healthy, happy child is for YOU to set an example for them. At about 11 months or sooner, babies start to imitate everything they see! They want to taste the foods we eat, play with the clothing and jewelry we wear, go outside when we do etc. Without them knowing it, our lifestyle becomes theirs, because its all they see and know.  They only see the world through the experiences you set for them. With my daughter Ava, I take her on at least one outdoor excursion a day. We walk, hike, play at parks, she has music and jungle gym classes, soon to take swimming lessons etc. She loves being outside if even to play on the swings. She loves being active because I love to be active with her. When it comes to food, I try to make sure she gets fruits, veggies and a protein everyday at every meal. I NEVER eat fast food, so she doesn’t either. I love my steamer! Everyday I have either brown rice, quinoa, millet or beans cooking with little to no effort. I haven’t exposed her to juices and sugary foods or treats so when she is given them by other people, she tends to shy away from them. She doesn’t like sugary foods because her body craves the good stuff. We eat the same foods and we eat together when I’m not shooting. Its imperative to teach your kids what a vegetable, protein and a healthy fat is and what it does to the body. Education is the first and most important step to being healthy for Mom, Dad and the kids.
Instead of sugar snacks or juices, here are some healthy alternatives:
1) Banana Popsicles with protein. I love Isagenix protein and so does Ava! Take one scoop of Vanilla protein and a banana, add water and blend! Then pour into Popsicle molds.
2) Take any fruit blend it up with water, pour into ice trays and put the fruit ice cubes into a mesh soother. You can buy them at Babies R Us! I love doing this with watermelon!
3) Try vegetable juice, you might be surprised! Every morning on our walk to Whole Foods I get a green vegetable drink with a pineapple or apple juice base and pour it into Ava’s sippy cup! She loves it!
You can also use green juices as Popsicles.
4) Instead of water all the time I take herbal tea, strawberry, cherry etc…..and make iced tea! It tastes great, there’s no sugar in it and Ava loves it!

How do you broach “touchy” subjects of body image/weight loss with your child?

I believe that again, setting a good example for your child is key. Mom shouldn’t talk about herself being fat or thin, but rather talk about bring healthy and happy as an individual. Also don’t judge other women/men in front of your kids. Instead, point out the nice qualities in other people and have them focus on appreciating others as a person. This pulls focus away from body image and directs it to appreciating others in what ever shape or size they come. Kids, especially girls, get ENOUGH pressure to look a certain way, and I think its up to us as parents to make them feel good about themselves. Have plenty of outdoor activities to focus on and expose them to good healthy food. Focus on total health instead of just physical image! Let a doctor or healthcare practitioner mention a noticeable weight issue to your kids, it shouldn’t come from Mommy and Daddy especially if Mommy and Daddy also have a questionable weight issue. Personally, I’ve never been seen as “skinny” and in the past I won Miss World Canada and now have a wonderful career on TV! I tell teenage girls that all the time.

What have you found works best to encourage healthy eating in your child?

The absolute best way to encourage healthy eating to your child is to make the healthy food taste good! There are many recipe books or online publications that give GREAT ideas to spruce up whole foods and make them burst in flavor! Its best for you to eat the same foods and eat with your child. Again, nothing encourages healthy eating more than the example you set for them.

Do you ever feel guilty about taking time away for your own workout? How do you overcome this?

Yes, and its something all moms go through for a while. I also travel a lot, so when I’m home I spend as much time as possible with my daughter Ava, and the thought of leaving for “ME” time is sometimes heartbreaking!  Im a better mom because I’m a happy mom. Taking time to work out or do something for me is medicine for the soul and is necessary for all mom and dads.
You’ll be happier and so will your kids!

What have you found is the best way to improve self esteem in your child/young people in your life?

Kids get enough negativity outside of the house so the last thing they need is to hear it from their Mom and Dad. I often give motivational speeches to kids and teens and I tell mom and dads to support anything your child finds important to them, even if its the last thing you want to do! Accept them for who they are. I learned this from personal experience. At 11years old I told my dad I wanted to be an actress in Hollywood. As I’m sure this was the last thing he wanted to hear, he and my mom supported me 100%. They helped me set small goals and reach them to get to the big ones. I felt very confident in myself and believed I could do anything. My mom and dad taught me how to work hard, set goals, and believe in myself. They came to every dance recital, every school play and fashion show, every pageant. They encouraged me to strive for my dreams with confidence knowing that along the way they would always be there to catch me if I fell.

Tanya Memme is the Producer/Co-Host of the Emmy nominated, A&E’s Sell This House and Sell This House Extreme.  She is a new mom, pet lover, travel enthusiastic & lifestyle expert. www.TanyaMemme.com

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Balanced Breakfast by Heather Mangieri, RD

October 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

5 Balanced Breakfast Picks by Heather Mangieri, RD

Though you probably didn’t hear it here first, it’s worth repeating; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And although so many of you know this, you’re still coming up with cop-outs that stop you from eating this morning meal.

Studies show that breakfast eaters have better concentration, attention span and memory which means better overall work performance. Plus, it’s been shown that those people that skip their am fuel are 75% more likely to be overweight than regular breakfast eaters.

The best bang for your breakfast buck is a balance of protein, healthy fats and slow digesting carbohydrates that contain fiber. That’s easier said than done for breakfast-skippers. If you’re ready to commit, start small. A wedge of cheese and a piece of fruit is a good start, and you can build from there over time. Once your internal hunger clock has been reset and you crave food in the morning, you can build a better breakfast.

Here are a few ideas:

1.) Veggie omelet- Sauté a variety of vegetables in a pan with a little olive oil.  Once they are soft, transfer the veggie mixture to the inside of your omelet along with the 2 Tbsp feta cheese.  Balance it out with a side of berries and a slice of whole grain toast.

2.) Breakfast Wrap- Fill a whole wheat tortilla with black beans, 1/3 c whole grain rice and 2 Tbsp avocado and 2 Tbsp Salsa. Balance it out with a side of fruit.

3.) Greek yogurt- Mix some slivered almond and berries (or dried fruit) into 4 ounces of Greek yogurt. Balance it out with some low-fat granola or a whole wheat mini-bagel.

4.) Breakfast Sandwich- Layer 1 fried egg, 1 slice ham, 2 tomato slices, and 1 Tbsp hummus between a whole wheat English muffin. Serve with ½ banana.

5.) Hot Cereal- Make a meal of out your basic bowl of oatmeal by swirling in a mix of walnuts, dried prunes and cinnamon. Balance it out with ¼ cup cottage cheese for some added protein.

Heather Mangieri is a national media spokesperson, registered dietitian and owner of Nutrition CheckUp in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information visit nutritioncheckup.com. You can follow Heather on Twitter @nutritioncheck and join her facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/NutritionCheckUp

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