by Lucy | Jul 7, 2017 | Uncategorized, Well Balanced Wisdom
A recent visit back to my hometown in Indiana inspired me to answer this very question. My dad always has his refrigerator stocked with little bottles of Gatorade for him and the grandkids and I was reminded that many people believe Gatorade is the best way to hydrate. He was a little offended and surprised when I told him that it wasn’t the healthiest thing to offer the kids. “What? Why not? Don’t they need electrolytes after playing outside?” he said. I get where he is coming from, I do… Here is the gist of what I told him…
Sports drinks tout themselves as electrolyte replacers and marketers have made us believe that a sports drink is the best way to quench our thirst and replace our electrolytes on a hot summer day. But is it really?
What the sport drink companies don’t tell you is that sports drinks are designed for athletes or those who exercise intensely for more than 60 minutes, not your average person or kid. Most of us can easily get enough electrolytes from food. Plus no one really benefits from the added sugar, artificial flavors, and colorings that are found in many sports drinks.
Did you know: The amount of sodium and potassium in a sports drink is low compared to what you eat in typical meals.
But what if you ARE an athlete or you just sweat a lot in this heat?
For every CUP of sweat, you can expect to lose around 225mg of sodium, 50mg of potassium, 4mg of calcium and 3g of magnesium. Are you sweating that much? If so, you might benefit from a 12 ounce serving of Gatorade which contains 80 calories, 21g carbs, 160mg sodium and 45mg potassium. You could also just drink a cup of chocolate milk.
8 ounces of chocolate milk contains 120 calories, 20g carbs, 150mg sodium, 350mg potassium. It also has calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, protein, riboflavin, niacin and vitamins A, B12 and D.
Marathoners and other endurance athletes who don’t eat much before or during exercise would be wise to choose a sports drink. In contrast, hikers, bicyclists, and people who eat before and during lengthy workouts can do fine with just plain water. That’s because food helps retain fluid in your body. In comparison, plain water consumed on an empty stomach quickly goes in one end, out the other.
If you are planning to sweat for more than four hours in this NC heat, a sports drink is helpful but not your only option. You can eat salty foods beforehand. A salty meal can help your body retain fluid, keep you hydrated longer and will enhance endurance.
Bottom Line
If you are exercising for less than an hour/day and eating 3 balanced meals you are likely getting plenty of electrolytes through your diet. So for most of us, we don’t need to do anything special to replace electrolytes. We do, however, need to stay hydrated and the best way to do that is by simply drinking water.
Endurance athletes need extra electrolytes during longer bouts of exercise and may benefit from a sports drink. Food is usually a better source than sports drinks and athletes can choose salty foods before and after workouts to aid in performance and recovery.
Have questions about your personal electrolyte and nutrition needs? Contact us today to set up your own personal wellness adventure.
by Lucy | Jul 3, 2017 | Recipes and Meal Ideas
Are you in need of a healthy and refreshing treat this summer? Look no further! These 3-ingredient FroYo Fruit Bites make a great snack for kids, taste delicious by the pool, and can be the perfect after dinner treat that will hit the spot. They are super simple to whip up – even kids can make them! Wendy Sharer, a local dietetic student, shows us how.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
The only ingredients you need to make these refreshing FroYo bites is yogurt (I used Oikos Greek yogurt, plain) and 1 cup of berries or diced fruit. I used blackberries and raspberries because that’s what I had in the fridge at the time, but you could use almost any fruit such as strawberries, kiwi, peaches, pears or mango.
After chopping up your fruit, just mix together the fruit and yogurt in a medium bowl. Finally, spoon bite-sized scoops of yogurt-fruit mixture onto a flat surface such as a plate covered with aluminum foil and place in the freezer for a 2 to 3 hours. (You can also toss them in a blender for a smoother consistency and freeze them in an ice cube tray.)
Storing: Relocate FroYo Bites to a freezer ziplock bag or other container and enjoy within 1-2 weeks
FroYo Fruit Bites
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
Combine all ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Scoop bite-sized amounts of yogurt-fruit mixture onto a flat surface.
Freeze for 2 to 3 hours.
Relocate FroYo Bites to a freezer bag or freezer-friendly container.
Enjoy within 1-2 weeks.
by Lucy | Jul 1, 2017 | Motivational Mondays
Monday, June 26, 2017
Growing up, my mom always called me her “journey girl.” Then I got to college and had to get to class, keep up with the other hyperactive dietetic students, and juggle school work with an active social life (good ol’ University of Dayton memories). For a while, life became less about the journey and more about getting to my next destination. 
Thankfully, in 2014, I got a message from the universe – God – that it was time to get back to my roots. Over the past couple years, Kristen and I have brought you different methods of mindfulness, especially mindful eating techniques. Today I want to share an example of how learning to love the journey will help you be happier and healthier.
The worry effect
I have a friend, we will call Wendy, who lives life little bit like Rabbit from the cartoon Winnie the Pooh. Wendy is constantly talking about all of the many stressful parts of her life such as being a nanny to her 2 young nieces, keeping up with the projects she has promised to her friends, and worrying about what is going on at the White House. I get it! There is plenty in this world to worry about. However, Wendy wants to be healthier, happier, and lighter. She noticed while traveling and taking a 6-week respite from the nannying job that she did not restrict her eating (and enjoyed some “high test beer”) yet she lost 2 pounds on her vacation. Wendy found when she incorporated joyful movement, such as walking to enjoy the sites and scenery it no longer felt like dreaded exercise. And when she mindfully enjoyed small tastes of the local foods and beverages she did not overindulge. On vacation, Wendy was present, peaceful, and making mindful decisions, which helped her mind and body relax. When we are under stress our bodies secrete cortisol and adrenaline, which we term a fight-or-flight response. At the same time, decreasing the output of human growth hormone, which is responsible for stimulating growth and cell reproduction. If you live in a constant state of worry or stress it is likely your body is perpetually in a fight-or-flight response hormonally. In fight-or-flight, the body responds by increasing blood pressure and glucose (sugar in the blood), while decreasing the immune system.
Food for thought
If you can relate to Wendy’s story, and you are ready to start enjoying your journey, the first step is to take a moment to reflect and identify your own fears, worries, negative thoughts, and stressors.
Next step, as my wise Uncle Ron recommends we need to ask, what’s in my control to change and what do I need to let go? Aside from talking to your local representatives, there is not much you can do about the situation in Washington DC. If you find your habit is to listen to the news or read the headlines first thing in the morning, only to spend the day worrying about all that bad news, perhaps you can let that go or choose to read those updates less frequently.
Lastly, let’s make it a priority to include activities in our lives that will make us feel happy and better cope with the circumstances we cannot change. As we know from all the safety training on the airplanes, it is vital that you put on your own oxygen mask first. What’s one thing you can add to your morning routine or day that will feel good and inspire you to make other choices that feel good? Tell us in the comments below to share a bit of inspiration and happy habit ideas!
by Lucy | Jun 20, 2017 | Transformation Tuesday
#TransformationTuesday
Like many moms out there I have struggled with my weight and healthy eating habits. I tend to put myself last as I have 4 awesome kids that take precedence of my attention, time, energy, and money for that matter. At the end of every day I would say to myself as soon as I get the kids to bed I will workout, and well it would occasionally happen, but it never lasted. Sometimes weight would come off, but I was tired of feeling sluggish, I wanted a real health change not only for myself but for my kids.
How I started my well-balanced journey
I wanted to figure out what I could do differently and that is why I started working with Well-Balanced Nutrition, and let me tell you, my life has changed so much in less than a year. I did not want a quick fix, a fad diet, or to shame my body because I have children that are learning from everything they see me do. I wanted to provide my children with lifelong tools that will help not only me but the kids be healthy and well-balanced.
Timing is everything
I knew that I did not want to focus entirely on the scale, but more so about how I felt, how my clothes fit, and the fuel I was putting into my body. I began to meet with Lucy, who I was introduced to through my employer, and she was sent to me at the perfect time in my life. Lucy helped me have a better relationship with food and quickly I started to eat more of the rainbow, as she referred to it. This was my first tool. Make my plate colorful, the more color the better, and I am not talking about food coloring, folks. Natural colors and boy what an adventure it has been to explore so many different fruits and veggies as well as different grains. I can tell you, my 4-year-old son, he’s the youngest, loves salad, any kind, and will eat any green leafy lettuce you put in front of him with a meal and often 3 servings. It is truly his favorite food.
Tips for busy moms
As moms know we are busy, but that does not mean we do not have time for a well-balanced meal with our family. Eggs are budget friendly and can be mixed with so many veggies for a filling and healthy dinner when in a rush. It is a go-to meal for me. This has been my power tool. Healthy food does not have to be fancy or expensive. During the week I get our meals on the table in 30 minutes or less and I use the time I have saved to be more active with the kids and they love it.
I recently set up our trampoline in the backyard for the kids again. Now, after dinner, instead of dessert their treat is mommy going out and bouncing with them for 30 minutes! The old saying, a body in motion stays in motion, is very true and we really have fun. Last year, I told the kids, “No, I am too old, I cannot jump on the trampoline,” but ever since I have been practicing a well-balanced lifestyle, and with Well-Balanced Nutrition’s help of keeping me motivated and their tools I have so much more energy to be active, stay active and eat healthy every day.
Every day is a new start, I get up, weigh myself each day to make sure I am staying on track, and with Lucy’s help, I have been able to lose and keep off 15 pounds and counting. But it is not the weight that I am interested in as much as how I feel each and every day, and how I am able to show my children that a happy and active life is better than the life of a couch potato.
Author: Bridget Vazquez Bennett
by Lucy | Jun 13, 2017 | Uncategorized
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
I started with Well Balanced Nutrition because I had gained weight and I wanted a boost to continue my weight loss journey and to get healthy.
Where it all started
I had been exercising and trying to eat right, but the scale wasn’t moving. My husband contacted Lucy because he works for The City of Durham. Lucy met with both of us then I switched to one-on-one appointments. She is a very kind and considerate person who wants you to succeed. She explained about the Well-Balanced Plate and how it works. Lucy also suggested I write down everything I ate. This helped until I got stuck again and we figured I was eating too many carbohydrates so she recommended I cut down to eating one carb per meal. Once I started doing this the scale started to move again and I achieved my goal.
How I know I’m on track
I knew I was on-track when I saw the scale started to show my progress and boosted my confidence. I have a habit of weighing myself every morning, but this helps me because if I ate too much then I know how to get back on track.
I know I can make mistakes but I get myself turned back around and just keep going and stay positive. Sweet foods have always been my weakness and I know they cause me to overeat. When this happens, I get myself turned back on track when I see that the scale has gone up. I start eating more fruits, vegetables, and protein to get full verses something sweet. I stay positive with the help from family and friends.
Secrets to success
The best strategy I learned from WBN is writing in my food journal daily and knowing I can do this with help and support. Lucy has helped me get to where I am and I am someone special and will continue to strive to be the best I can be!
by Lucy | Jun 9, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
Monday, June 5, 2017
It’s Friday night, you made it through another busy week… Time to celebrate.
So often our celebrations include food and maybe an adult beverage or two. Nothing says “happy birthday” like cake, “thank you” like a bottle of wine, or “I love you” like chocolate candy. For many of us, food is our love language and as the saying goes, the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right?
We are emotional creatures and we have to eat. Sometimes those feelings – or “all the feels” as Kristen and I say – cause us to eat emotionally.
The birthday cake incident
After a particularly unique week, I found myself in celebration mode last Friday night. It was my nephew’s birthday and naturally, we had cake to celebrate. As my clients will tell you, I practice abstinence when it comes to baked goods with frosting, but my rebel brain decided “it’s an ice cream cake so what’s the harm?!” I had one spoonful from my generous boyfriend, and that’s when the sugar dragon started to roar. I followed that one bite of cake with a large spoonful of marshmallow fluff, potato chips, and hot fudge (a real bedtime snack of champions). Secretly, after everyone was done eating the cake, I went into the freezer and had several more spoonfuls. Looks like I’m human and face the same temptations as everyone else. Luckily, the next morning I was reminded I don’t need to make up because There’s nothing wrong with indulging sometimes and I got right back to practicing the well-balanced way.
In retrospect, I would have used my new handy mindful eating tool, HALT. This acronym – HALT – stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired and is sometimes used in addiction counseling. The research shows we are more vulnerable to make our worst decisions when we are responding emotionally. Some of us experience more than one at a time (hello, hangry).
What I didn’t mention before, we started the birthday celebrations at 10:45 PM. That is 15 minutes after my bedtime and not surprisingly I was pretty tired. In hindsight, I realized if I had been true to my self-care I would have graciously said goodnight at 10:30 and prevented the whole sugar binge episode. As I often remind my clients, when our brains are tired they tell us to eat sugar because it’s a quick source of energy.
The solution
First, identify vulnerable moments. Many people I speak with identify as emotional eaters. I would argue that we are all emotional eaters. Some of us turn to food when we are happy, others when we are sad, and some eat food for comfort if we’re lonely. It can turn into a problem when you find yourself doing it often and habitually. Are you making less healthy choices when you get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired?
Food for thought:
Next time you find yourself tempted to grab food outside of a regular meal or a well-balanced snack, consider this handy tool and ask yourself “am I really hungry or am I angry, lonely, or tired?”
Tell us in the comments below, how do you choose to give yourself loving-kindness in place of using food?
by Lucy | Jun 1, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
Thursday, June 1, 2017
The kids are out of school, summer weather is here, and today is the first day of June. Hellllloooo summer!
I was reminded recently that we can let our summer happen to us, or we can be proactive and design the summer we want. I don’t know about you, but one full of adventure, magic, and memories sounds nice.
A summer like that won’t happen all on its own, but with a little bit of thought, we can make it happen. All it takes is a little break from our everyday routines – an adventure or two.
In a recent podcast, Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, pointed out that when we disrupt our routine a little bit, and embrace the magic of summer, it can make time feel as if it’s slowing down. Having a break in our year, something fun and different to look forward to, can make our life more rich and memorable.
Doesn’t that sound lovely??
Even for busy, full-time professionals, summer can be a chance to break up our routine. Here are some really simple ideas I’ve come across that could make your summer special.
- Have a fun lunch date every week with friends, family, and coworkers – switch up your date or your location each time
- Try a new group activity each weekend like free yoga in the park, local hiking or swimming.
- Have a cook-off competition with your friends and family.
- Explore new foods! Try as many summer vegetables (ones that you don’t normally eat) as you can.
- Explore a different park in NC each week.
- Design your own bucket list of adventures to complete by the end of summer.
- Join us on our Well-Balanced community adventures!
Food for thought:
Will your summer just happen to you or will you make it magical?
Tell us in the comments how you will design your summer!
by Lucy | May 27, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
Y’all, I just found out my boyfriend used to be a couponer! How awesome is that? I’m frugal too but in a different way. I’ve been joking for years that I’m actually a 90-year-old woman because I frequently wash and reuse Ziploc baggies, I save all the plastic soup containers from the Chinese restaurants, and I have no problem buying the store brand.
Recently, while talking with a client and learning about all the delicious fresh produce she has been throwing away, I decided it’s time to share some of my frugal secrets with the tribe. A major key to saving money is making the most of the food you buy and not letting it go to waste. Make your food bill stretch a little bit further by doing these 5 things.
1. Don’t throw away perfectly good leftovers! Some folks throw away leftovers 2 days after cooking them. According to the Mayo Clinic, we can keep leftovers up to 4 days. Cooking on Sunday? Eat it or freeze it by Thursday.
| In America, we throw away an average of $1,200 in groceries every year! Yikes! |
2. Make friends with your freezer. At one point I found 9 different kinds of cheese in the refrigerator and thought “that’s a little excessive.” I put a couple blocks in the freezer because then I don’t feel obligated to put cheese on everything – not there’s anything wrong with that. :-P. It’s not just cheese that can store well in the freezer until you need it. Here is a great list of all the things you can freeze. Another great freezer tip I love is how some folks buy meat in bulk at the local market, such as Kenyon’s Meat Market, in Mebane and then they pull out what they need for dinner each morning. Brilliant!
3. Buy in season. Have you noticed that asparagus gets to be really affordable in March? That’s because asparagus is an early Spring crop. Seasonal produce is not only more affordable, it tastes better too! And if you buy local produce from the farmer’s market, you will typically find the most nutritional value as those foods are picked when fully ripe. Check out what’s in season now.
4. Chop it up immediately. You know those sad green onions, celery stocks, or bags of lettuce you find wilted and juicy at the bottom of the refrigerator? Instead, we recommend designating one day to wash chop, and store in Ziploc baggies or other see-through containers all those delicious colorful foods you intend to eat that week. Doing so increases your chances of eating them, not wasting them.
5. Don’t put produce in the beer drawer! Seriously, the drawers in the refrigerator especially the old less fancy refrigerators aren’t doing you much good. When we hide our fruits and vegetables in drawers we tend to forget about them until it’s too late. Instead, let’s refer back to tip #4 and keep our washed and ready to eat fruits and vegetables on the top or middle shelf where we will see them and enjoy them regularly.
Food for thought
When you throw away food consider looking at that as throwing away $5 or $10 bills. That sounds crazy!
You can save money, time, and guilt by implementing one or two of these tips. Which one will you try this week? Tell us in the comments below!
by Lucy | May 15, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
Monday, May 15, 2017
There are so many diets, research articles, and ideas it can become overwhelming to try and choose the healthiest diet for you and your family. Kristen and I have talked about many different diets, and you know it’s our well-balanced mission to help people ditch the diet mentality and make it simple.
Knowing yourself is important.
I had a client come to me with an interest in feeding her family more healthy food choices. She told me “I’m really good with the guidelines and rules so if you can just give me a few rules to stick by, I will do it.” This rule mentality works really well for some folks and I was glad she knew herself well enough to tell me her preference.
How we kept it simple
In our session, we focused on simple, healthy habits that start at the grocery store, like understanding food labels. She took the guidelines we discussed to heart and ran with it. By the next appointment, she was proud to report putting any foods with unpronounceable words or too many ingredients back on the shelf. Instead, she is eating mostly whole foods. Now, this mama feels confident making healthy foods choices for herself and her family. Success!
Why this works
After watching this TED talk about The Mindset for Healthy Eating by Gillian Riley, I was reminded that diets typically include prohibiting certain foods or food groups. That prohibition mindset typically leads your brain to fixate on the food that you are supposed to be avoiding. By implementing healthy habits instead of restrictions, and by keeping things simple, we can set ourselves up for success and make it a more enjoyable experience.
Food for thought:
Sometimes we make healthy eating a little more complicated than it needs to be.
Consider this week one simple change you can make it to your eating habits to incorporate more whole foods or reduce the complication of eating well. Tell us about it the comments.
by Lucy | May 10, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
We all know we need to move our bodies, that sitting is killing us, and that we ought to get to the gym or go outside more. After all, our health depends on it. Right?
BUT WAIT, we are thinking about it all wrong….
As it turns out “health is not an optimal way to make physical activity relevant and compelling enough for most people to prioritize it in their hectic lives,” says Dr. Segar, a psychologist who specializes in helping people adopt and maintain regular exercise habits and the author of “No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness.”
The exercise mistake
We are making the mistake of putting too much emphasis on the long term effects of exercise. According to the research, we spend the least amount of time exercising when we do it for weight loss and better health. That is true even for older adults, a study of 335 men and women ages 60 to 95 showed.
Furthermore, we think of exercise as hard work, a struggle, or a chore.
So what are the two secrets to exercising more?
First, make it FUN!
This may be different for everybody. What you think is fun, might not be the same thing your coworker thinks is fun. That’s okay! You get to find what works for you and your personality. If you grew up participating in team sports, then find an activity you can do in a group. If you like dancing, find a fitness class that will reflect that. Outdoor activities like walking on scenic trails or riding a bike in the neighborhood could be the right fit for those who hate the gym. If you are a busy mom or busy professional, you could find quick workouts on youtube that take 20 minutes or less that you can do from anywhere.
Second, call it anything but exercise!
Give your workout a name that focuses on the immediate benefits you will receive from moving your body. Here are some ideas to get you thinking.
- Adventure – Scenic Walk – Field Trip – Play Break – Nature Bath
- Mood Lifter – Stress Reliever – Trail Mediation – Me Time – Sanity Saver – Mindful Moment
- Brain Booster – Memory Lap – Clarity Walk – Mental Break – Focus Booster
- Daily Vitamin D Dose –Sunshine Soak – Sunshine Therapy
- Fresh Air – Breathing Break – Energy Enhancer
Food For Thought:
Similar to the word diet, exercise has a negative connotation for many of us and doing it for “better health” is just not rewarding enough to make it a regular habit. Answer these questions in the comment section below.
- What could make exercise fun for you?
- What immediate benefits of exercise do you enjoy most?
- What will you call your workout sessions now?
