October 5, 2024

Build Fitness Confidence!

Build fitness confidence…

Join #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat EVERY Monday 5pmP/8pmE on Twitter and pick up workout motivation, exercise accountability and fitness tips! You’ll chat with others also on their fitness journey, share successes, problem solve challenges.

Here’s how to join:

Log into your Twitter account.

Enter #HealthyWayMag to see the chat feed.

Chat with others, offer your thoughts and input on questions, have fun!

 

Monday June 27, 2016 #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat is Sponsored by EatSmart Products:

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Healthy Meals: Week at a Glance

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Weekly Meal Prep

Save time and energy by completing weekly meal prep. Choose one day each week to shop, chop, wash, prepare and cook. Healthy meals for the whole family will be at your disposal every day of the week:

Chop all veggies. Place in baggies so they are ready to go.

Wash produce. Prepare and clean produce so everyone in the family can simply grab and go!

Wash herbs. Wrap in paper towel, place in baggies and store in the fridge.

Bulk cook meats for the week. Portion out meat and store in air tight containers. All that’s needed is to heat it up.

Bulk cook entree’s to create left-overs. Cook casseroles, chili, soups and stews with a plan for left-overs. Refreshing a meal with a creative side dish or combination is a great way to minimize cooking during the week.

 

Gluten-Free Dessert Ideas by Gretchen Scalpi, R.D.

Gluten-Free Dessert Ideas

Sticking to a gluten-free diet is a challenge under the best of circumstances but when it comes to creating desserts things get even more difficult.  So many delicious desserts like pies, cookies, cakes and pastries are made with flour containing gluten.

Creating delicious gluten-free desserts becomes easier when you keep the right ingredients on hand. Some common items to keep in your pantry include:

Almond meal flour
Arrowroot powder
Baking powder
Bittersweet chocolate
Canola oil
Cashew butter
Cocoa powder
Coconut flakes
Coconut milk
Cornstarch
Dried fruit
Espresso powder
Evaporated milk
Gluten-free flour mixes
Gluten-free spices
Granulated, powered and brown sugar
Lemon extract
Maple syrup
Nuts
Peanut butter
Rice
Seeds
Shortening
Sorghum flour
Tapico starch/flour
Vanilla extract

Be sure to check the ingredients on these products before you purchase them.  You will want to avoid wheat, barley, brown rice syrup, caramel coloring, rye, brewer’s yeast, wheat starch, hydrolyzed wheat protein, malt, malt extract, malt syrup, dextrins and malt flavoring.

Remember that baking gluten-free is different than regular baking.  If you don’t use a baking mix you will need to combine gluten-free flours to get the right results.  You can use psyllium husks, ground chia seeds or flaxseed rather than xanthan gum if it gives you stomach distress.  Baking at a lower temperature is recommended for some recipes to keep your dessert from getting too brown.  If you screw up a recipe consider turning it into crumbs for toppings or to be added to other recipes.

Many gluten-free flours don’t contain preservatives so you may find that desserts made with them dry out quickly or become rancid.  Store these items in a zip-top bag (with air removed), freezer wrap or in an air tight container in the refrigerator or freezer separated from other food.  Mark all containers used for gluten-free food to keep them separate from other containers.  Bring the stored food to room temperature before consuming.

Our favorite gluten-free dessert recipe courtesy of http://bakedbree.com.

Gluten Free Blueberry Crisp

Ingredients:

4 cups blueberries (any fruit will work)

Crisp:

1 cup gluten free old-fashioned, gluten free oats (we used Bob’s Red Mill GF oats)
1/2 cup chopped raw pecans
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Wash and pick over the blueberries. Add to an 8×8 pan. Add oats, pecans, almond meal, olive oil, maple syrup, and salt to a small bowl. Mix to combine.
2. Spread the mixture over the blueberries.
3. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, longer if the berries are frozen.

Gretchen Scalpi is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator and Certified Wellcoach®. She is the author of “The EVERYTHING Guide to Managing and Reversing Pre-Diabetes 2nd Ed.”, “The EVERYTHING Diabetes Cookbook 2nd Ed.”, “Pre-Diabetes: Your Second Chance At Health”, “The Quick Start Guide to Healthy Eating”, “The Quick Start Guide To Pre-Diabetes” and “Quick Start Recipes For Healthy Meals”.  To learn more about living and cooking gluten free watch her free webinar “Five Things You Should Know Before You Go Gluten Free!”

Marinated Grilled Asparagus by Helen Agresti, R.D.

Marinated Grilled Asparagus

Asparagus is a powerhouse vegetable that makes any dish look and taste elegantly delicious.  It is nutrient dense in fiber, folate, and iron.  Asparagus is also a natural diuretic and a wonderful detoxifier for the body.  Many people are surprised to learn that asparagus is a prebiotic that supports the healthy bacteria in our digestive tract.  This heart healthy vegetable is also a good source of vitamins A, C, E, and K.  Asparagus is easy to cook on the grill.  And it is incredibly flavorful after it is marinated.  Feeling bloated?  Chew on this!

Ingredients
•    10-12 asparagus spears, washed and bases trimmed
•    ½ c low sodium soy sauce
•    1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
•    2 teaspoons honey
•    ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
•     ¼ teaspoon sea salt
•    6 skewers

Directions
1. Marinate the asparagus in a ziploc bag for 1 hour or longer.
2. Soak skewers in cold water for 15 minutes.
3. Thread together 4 asparagus spears (top and bottom portions of the vegetable) using two skewers.
4. Spray grill generously with no-stick cooking spray.
5. Grill on medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes or until tender. Rotate using tongs to ensure they are evenly cooked.
6. Serve warm with your favorite entree

Recipe courtesy of Helen Agresti, RD. Helen Agresti is a Registered Dietitian with Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC, www.pronutritionconsulting.com. 

NEW! Check out Helen’s new app: The 24_7 Dietitian app will be launched mid-June, download is free, and it will be iOS and Android friendly.  It is a healthy extension of Pro Nutrition’s passion of helping people achieve their weight loss goals by living a more nutritious and healthy lifestyle.  The 24_7 Dietitian app will allow users to journal and track  their nutrition and fitness goals, post questions and pictures, and most importantly have the ability to have personal nutrition coaching anytime of the day (for a monthly fee of $20). Follow her on Twitter @24_7dietitian and on Instagram.

 

Wild Blueberry Smoothie by Helen Agresti, R.D.

Wild Blueberry Smoothie

The Wild Blueberries in this deliciously refreshing smoothie provides 2x the antioxidants, omega-3s, and anti-aging phytochemicals than most smoothies.  This superfruit smoothie is also packed with potassium, protein and fiber, which will keep you energized and satisfied until your next meal.

 

In a blender add…

•    1 c crushed ice
•    1 c frozen Wild Blueberries
•    1 medium frozen banana
•    3/4 c unsweetened almond milk
•    2 tsp honey
•    1 tsp chia seeds

Blend and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Helen Agresti, RD. Helen Agresti is a Registered Dietitian with Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and 5 children.  For more Nutrition advice and healthy recipes follow her on twitter @HelenAgresti. For more information and recipes, go to www.pronutritionconsulting.com

 

Baked Salmon Avocado Cup by Helen Agresti, R.D.

Baked Salmon Avocado Cup

Here’s a filling and nutrient dense meal that’s full of waist slimming healthy fats and immune boosting Omega-3 fatty acids.  And yes, it tastes delicious!

 

 

Ingredients
(serves 2)
2 salmon filets, skinned
orange ginger seasoning, to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ripe avocado
1 fresh lemon
2 pinches sea salt
1/4 c fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pan with foil and lightly coat with olive oil.
2. Lightly season salmon with orange ginger seasoning.  Bake for 25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
3. While salmon is baking, slice avocado in half and remove pit.
4. Squeeze fresh lemon over each halve and drain excess juice.  Lightly season with sea salt.
5. Allow salmon to cool. Then slice into small pieces.
6. Fill avocado cup with salmon and garnish with cilantro.

 

Recipe courtesy of Helen Agresti, RD. Helen Agresti is a Registered Dietitian with Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and 5 children.  For more Nutrition advice and healthy recipes follow her on twitter @HelenAgresti. For more information and recipes, go to www.pronutritionconsulting.com

Double Berry Crisp by Helen Agresti, R.D.

Double Berry Crisp

This recipe is so delicious and easy.  Feel free to use any type of berry that is in season.  Remember to always wash and dry the berries before you use them.  I’m always modifying my recipes.  You may want to add more butter or sugar depending on your taste buds.

 

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups blackberries
2 ½ cups raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1-teaspoon brown sugar

Crisp topping:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 pinch of sea salt
1-teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Pyrex pie plate.
2. Gently combine the berries with the sugar, flour and cinnamon; place in the prepared pie plate.
3. Prepare the topping: Combine the oats, flour, sugars, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to work in the butter until topping resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle evenly over the berries.
4. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet. Bake in the center of the oven until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, baking time may vary- at least 1 hr.  Remove the crisp to a rack to cool slightly.

Serve in dessert bowls with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe courtesy of Helen Agresti, RD. Helen Agresti is a Registered Dietitian with Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and 5 children.  For more Nutrition advice and healthy recipes follow her on twitter @HelenAgresti. For more information and recipes, go to www.pronutritionconsulting.com

Healthy Eating 101 by Shirley Plant

Many of the foods we are eating today are laced with chemicals, pesticides, and added sugars. Foods like pasta sauce, crackers, cereal and canned nuts even have added sugar. No wonder the average North American consumes more than 150 pounds of sugar a year, its hidden in food we would never suspect. It is estimated that one in three North Americans will be diabetic by the year 2025. Our diet is contributing to this epidemic and yet this is 100% preventable by changing our diet.

Here are 3 top tips to eating clean and healthy:

Stick to the outer perimeter of the grocery store where the fresh food items are displayed.

If it doesn’t grow, don’t eat it.

If its in a box and has an ingredient list that you can’t pronounce its probably not the best thing to put in your body.

Find out more about 3 Foods that are playing a role in your health with this Free 3 -Part Video Series

Click here for more information
http://www.deliciousalternatives.com/21-day-challenge-video-series/

Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat
www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes

 

How-to fit in a healthy lunch by Lori Rosenthal, R.D.

How-to fit in a healthy lunch:

We’ve all done it.

We start the day with the best, healthiest intentions, but then life happens. Next thing we know it’s 5 o’clock, we are starving and popping the first thing we see into our mouths.

Here are some tips to help eat a healthy lunch even when the whole world is crashing in around you.

Have a Plan: Planning is the key to success in life and it is no different when it comes to eating healthy. Take a look at the upcoming week and see what you have planned – work, appointments, social commitments, etc. Next, choose a lunch for each day (and the rest of your meals while your at it). If you know a specific day will be hectic, pick something quick, easy and portable.

Shop Savvy: If you don’t own it you can’t eat it. This goes for both healthy and unhealthy foods. If we say we are going to have a turkey sandwich for lunch, but don’t own any bread or turkey. Guess what? We aren’t having a turkey sandwich for lunch. Write down every item needed to make the week happen, eat something and go grocery shopping. Don’t forget to read the nutrition labels while making your choices.

Be Prepared: It’s impossible to predict everything life has in store for us. Sick kids, flat tires, emergency meetings, etc. As I said before, life happens. After grocery shopping, take some time to meal prep or even cook dishes in advance. The more we have prepared, the easier it is to stick to our plan.

-Wash and chop fruits and vegetables.
-Make a large pot of sauce or soup
-Cook some brown rice, whole wheat pasta or quinoa for future use
-Grill a couple chicken cutlets
-Throw a few bottles of water in the freezer to use as ice packs

Don’t Forget to Eat: Ever bring lunch to work, but forget to eat it? Set a reminder for yourself. We set alerts and alarms for all sorts of things. Why not set one to remind you to eat. It may sound ridiculous, but it works.

Skipping meals only leads to a slower metabolism and poor choices later. On the other hand, eating a high calorie, high fat lunch will leave you feeling tired and less productive. Set yourself up for success by eating healthy throughout the day.

Lori Rosenthal, MS, RD, CDN
Bariatric Dietitian
Twitter: LoRoRD

Carry healthy snacks with you! By Lori Rosenthal, RD

Feeling hungry, but dinner is hours away? Have a snack.

Snacks keep our blood sugars even, which prevents energy crashes and moodiness. They also help us stay in control. When we get to the point of “starving,” healthy options tend to lose to whatever is most convenient. We also wind up eating way too much, way too fast when we do have our next meal.

I’m not saying to eat a candy bar if you feel hungry between meals (this isn’t a Snickers commercial). A healthy snack should ideally include protein and fiber. Keeping healthy snacks available is a great way to prevent falling victim to the office candy bowl or vending machine.

Healthy snack options include:

1 Tablespoon of peanut butter & a fruit or celery sticks
2 Tablespoons of hummus & vegetables or fiber crackers
1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese and berries
Low-fat string cheese
1 ounce of unsalted nuts or seeds (mix them with a little high fiber cereal for added fiber and volume)
1/2 cup of edamame
Hard boiled egg
Granola bar (look for those that are low in sugar and high in protein and fiber)
Light popcorn
1 serving of baked potato, kale or beet chips

Bottom line: Snacks are not just for fun. Snacks are meant to hold us over until our next meal, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be nutritious, delicious and satisfying.

Lori Rosenthal, MS, RD, CDN
Bariatric Dietitian
Twitter: LoRoRD