I’m usually pretty good at this, but recently, I fell apart.
It was crazy at my house for a few weeks in a row as we scrambled to get our house ready to be put on the market. The stress in my home was palpable, and the to-do lists were endless between work, home, and kids. Our comforting routine was all out of sorts, which left me floundering.
Luckily, all the hard work paid off, and the house was under contract before we knew it! That meant when we were away on vacation in Florida, we didn’t even need to worry about dealing with an open house or incoming offers. What a relief!
Bring on the relaxation.
Warm weather, family time, and a blank to-do list had me feeling like….awhhhhhhh. I think I relaxed a little too much because, toward the end of the vacation, I wasn’t feeling too stellar. My diet was a bit off track, my sleep was lacking (my kids always have a hard time sleeping in new places), and my physical activity level was embarrassing.
I knew I didn’t have to make it up, just make it back on track. On the way home from Florida, I reflected on the things I did well and the things that I could have done differently. This builds on the ideas Lucy shared in part one about being picky and sticking to what works well for you.
Fun foods are fun, but only if they don’t stop the fun for YOU.
I reminded myself of what we remind the tribe all the time. Your diet doesn’t need to be perfect. Annnnd there is a little more room (in my book) for fun foods while on vacation, because, well, it’s vacation! However, having so many fun foods that you feel terrible or wreck your goals doesn’t serve you. Tapping into your intuitive eating skills can come in handy here.
I’ll give you an example. I went out to eat one night in Florida and wanted to enjoy a cocktail. So I had one. Unfortunately, cocktails can include a lot of juice or flavored syrups that make me feel sick. The one I ordered was delicious and fruity – but definitely loaded with sugar. That night, when we returned to the house, I was offered another sugary adult beverage. It sounded fun at the time, but I declined. I knew it might be enjoyable for a bit, but the next day, I’d likely have a headache and an upset stomach. That’s no good when you are headed to the beach!
Your body will usually tell you when you are overdoing it.
Sometimes we don’t end up saying no to that second drink or the dessert. That’s okay. Nothing to beat yourself up about. It happens. If your body responds in uncomfortable ways like feeling bloated, having indigestion, or not being able to sleep well, for example, don’t ignore those symptoms. Take those into consideration next time. In the meantime, you can do this yoga routine to try to feel better.
I know a few people who push through those things and completely zone out from their bodies’ cues. Continously ignoring these signals can lead to health problems, weight gain, and a loss of well-being. Go ahead, tune in, take note, and know where to draw the line next time.
5 Creative Ways To Get Your Veggies In on Vacation
You know we love veggies at Well Balanced Nutrition, so it will likely come as no surprise when I encourage you to find a way to eat them while on vacation. Veggies provide fiber, water, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Here are some things I did on this trip.
BYOV. We had some greens in the refrigerator that we took with us in a cooler so they wouldn’t go to waste while we were gone. When we stopped at Chick-fil-A, I carried in a small container of my arugula and ordered nuggets to go with it. Sorry, not sorry! It was the light and yummy meal I needed to get me through the car trip.
Once we were there, my husband picked up a veggie tray from the grocery store. It was a simple way to make sure we had veggies that were easy to incorporate. Raw veggies and dip can be a great snack or round-out lunch.
Make an egg casserole for breakfast. I love egg dishes because you can make them ahead and sneak veggies in at breakfast. We made this breakfast casserole and even my dad who doesn’t dig most veggies, enjoyed it.
Get an order of veggies on the side when you eat out. From my experience, even when the description on the menu lists an array of vegetables in a dish, the amount of vegetables present in the meal is very small. One night, I enjoyed a creamy pasta dish with broccoli at a table overlooking the water. I was right, it didn’t come with much broccoli at all. So I asked for a side of steamed broccoli that I tossed into my pasta to double up the portion.
If veggies are just really hard to find or get,focus on fiber-rich fruits like pears, kiwi, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Beans can be another good source of fiber.
What didn’t go so well:
After a whirlwind of two weeks, I was ready to rest. Taking it easy is great, but movement is also good for you. I went into sloth mode a little too hard. Sometimes, it’s difficult to find the right balance. In hindsight, I wish I had found a few more opportunities to walk.
If you have young kids, you know – going on vacation is not restful at night. Getting a good night’s sleep can feel impossible.
Make it back!
Vacations are awesome! If you come back from a vacation feeling worse than when you left, maybe it’s time to revisit some of your habits while away. Being an intuitive eater, splurging smartly, and fitting in those veggies may help you come back refreshed and balanced. Or maybe you did the best you can, and giving yourself grace is what you need. In the end, it’s a week or two – it is not an end-all-be-all kind of situation. Don’t beat yourself up. Live, learn, and make it back to habits that make you feel your best at the first opportunity you can.
It is an evidenced-based, mind-body philosophy comprised of 10 Principles and created by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch in 1995. In Evelyn Tribole’s words, “Essentially, Intuitive Eating is a personal process of honoring health by listening and responding to the direct messages of the body in order to meet your physical and psychological needs. [This] includes physical activity for the sake of feeling good, rejecting the dieting mentality, using nutrition information without judgment, and respecting your body, regardless of how you feel about its shape.”
With intuitive eating, you call the shots.
Intuitive eating involves using your natural ability to be tuned into your mind and body. Only you know what hunger, fullness, and satisfaction feel like. Only you know your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Therefore, as the expert of your own body, you may be empowered to call the shots about what, when and how much you eat.
Intuitive Eating is not a diet or food plan.
A dieter relies on outside cues and rules, whereas the intuitive eater relies on inner cues to eat as much or as little as they need. A dieter may label foods as bad or good, whereas intuitive eaters find a balance of choosing foods that feel good and foods that provide nutrition the body needs.
Will I lose weight if I use intuitive eating?
Some people will lose weight when they start to eat intuitively. Perhaps this is because when using intuitive eating they eat for emotional reasons less often and no longer have negative emotions around eating that can lead to overeating. However, intuitive eating is not designed for weight loss. It was designed as a weight-neutral approach. The goal of intuitive eating is gaining a healthy relationship with food and your body.
Why we like intuitive eating.
At Well Balanced Nutrition, we work with you to ditch the diet and become an intuitive eater. Diets do not lead to long term change, but paying attention to what your body needs, learning about nutrition, respecting your body, and implementing more self-care habits can leave you happier and healthier in the long term.
Ready to get off the diet roller coaster? You got this! Take the first step.
You know those pretty pictures you see on Instagram or Pinterest with someone’s meals prepared for the whole week? Maybe you think “wow, I should do that too.“
The Sunday meal prep phenomenon
Then after weeks of thinking about it, you buckle down one Sunday afternoon, spend 3 hours in the kitchen, and get the meals for the next 5-workdays chopped, prepped, cooked, and stored in individual containers. By Wednesday, you’re so over the brown rice, broccoli, and baked chicken that your favorite go-to takeout spots are looking better and better.
First of all, you’re not alone. This is completely normal. Our human brains thrive on a variety of nutrients; therefore, when we eat the same meal day-after-day, we get less pleasure each time we eat that dish. You may grin and bear it in an effort not to waste food (or the time you spent preparing the meals); however, consciously or subconsciously you may decide this meal prep thing just ain’t for you.
But I still want to eat at home more
Maybe eating the same meal(s) day-after-day did not pan out, but there are other options.
Last summer, I spoke with a client who decided to pull all of her favorite cookbooks out and prepare 3-4 new recipes each week. She came back a month later, feeling defeated, and expressed disappointment that she had only tried 2 new recipes total since our previous appointment. It turns out that she had a busy work schedule that included traveling at least two weeks out of the month and did not give her much downtime to try cooking new foods.
Together, we talked about options and solutions and I proposed she consider simplifying her food prep plans. All the recipes in cookbooks and Insta inspiration are great, but instead of thinking about preparing an entire meal we can start by incorporating food prep vs. meal prep.
What’s the difference between food prep and meal prep?
Whenever you think of a meal, I hope you picture the Well Balanced Nutrition plate, including half the plate filled with non-starchy vegetables (and/or fruits), happy protein, complex carbs, and a delicious fat to bring it all together.
I will admit, it can be overwhelming to think of incorporating all of the things, all the time. Each time you eat is an opportunity to practice becoming Well Balanced. Instead of preparing meals with every component of the plate, I recommend starting with food prep. This can include making 2-3 dishes that you can later mix-and-match to combine into a meal. For instance, you can prepare a few servings of chicken salad to eat with a simple mixed greens salad or sliced cucumber and whole grain crackers. There is almost always a batch of quinoa or rice in my fridge, which can easily turn into a power bowl or Brown Rice Salsa Salad.
Meal prep may look like this…
Food prep may look like this…
Food for thought
If you’ve been beating yourself up for not being a meal prep superstar this is a good chance to (1) be nice to yourself because we each need to figure out our own system. Next, (2) consider trying food prep instead of meal prep. Pick a few items you already feel confident preparing and try making those this week.
Dessert for breakfast? Veggies for breakfast!? As a dietitian, I get equally excited about both! And I think you will be excited too when you try this delicious morning treat.
If you want to start your day with a nourishing breakfast that is ready in no time, look no further. Simply make up a batch of these one night and have breakfast for the next 2-3 days.
Carrot cake overnight oats offer fiber, protein, healthy fat, complex carbs, and phytonutrients. In other words, it’s a breakfast that you can feel really good about.
If you like a warm breakfast like me, just slowly heat your oats up in the microwave (or on the stove if you have more time) right before eating.
Feeling fancy? Garnish with your favorite Greek yogurt and a few more raisins. I’ve also put granola or nuts on top to add a fun crunch.
Have you ever bought fresh herbs at the grocery, used a few sprigs, then found them rotting away weeks later in your produce drawer? Herbs add flavor and nutrition to any meal, but paying $5 for two stems of rosemary is an expensive and wasteful proposition. Meanwhile herbs can be some of the easiest and most rewarding plants to grow in your garden.
Getting started
If you don’t have a kitchen garden, herbs can be grown in a pot on a sunny windowsill in the kitchen. I prefer to tuck them in the ground or in a pot in a sunny spot outdoors, keeping in mind that different herbs have different needs. Mint and parsley, for instance, can take a bit of shade in the south and prefer more water. Other woody herbs like rosemary, sage and lavender will suffer from too much water and prefer a well-draining, sandier soil. In general, potted plants need more watering than those growing in the ground.
Many woody herbs are perennial, which means they can last for years. Some only last a season or two. Annuals like cilantro prefer cool spring weather, while basil needs the heat of summer. Parsley is a biennial in the carrot family and will flower and die in its second year. Don’t be surprised, though, if it reseeds itself!
How to use herbs
Once you have herbs readily available, you’ll find yourself reaching for a few sprigs for most any meal. Herbs are delicious in soups, salads, eggs, mashed potatoes and grains, breads, and meats…the list goes on. Besides making food more flavorful, various herbs can be packed with vitamins A, B, C and K. Many are rich in polyphenols, those anti-inflammatory compounds that can help protect against cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, joint pain and other conditions.
Another good reason to grow herbs
Herbs also feed the bees and butterflies in your garden when they bloom. The caterpillars of the black swallowtail butterfly will feed on parsley and fennel, so I recommend putting in extra plants to share the bounty. If you’re not sure about your green thumb, start with one potted plant and grow from there. Even if it doesn’t survive as long as you hoped, you are sure to get plenty of enjoyment and use out of growing your own kitchen herbs.
About the Author:
Brandee Gruener When she’s not blogging for Greener Gardens, Brandee Gruener is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in gardening, food and sustainable living. Brandee also offers consulting services to homeowners who would like to grow a greener garden.
Assemble a salad-in-a-jar and you will thank yourself for it! During a busy week, you can easily grab your salad, dump into a bowl and start enjoying it in minutes.
Putting the salad in a glass jar with an airtight lid ensures it stays fresh for several days. Just be sure to keep your dressing away from your greens by layering your ingredients carefully.
There are many salad variations, but here is one from one of our Meal Prep Workshops that our clients love. It’s sweet, tangy, and satisfying.
If you are looking to complete your meal with a bit more protein, you can easily add more protein-rich foods such as tofu, boiled eggs, chicken or fish. These items are best kept out of the jar and added to the salad right before eating. If you have berries on hand, they go well on top of the salad also.
Lucy Hayhurst, RD, LDN
Sweet and Tangy Citrus Salad In a Jar
Nothing is better than a salad-in-a-jar on a busy day. Get your greens in by simply dumping it all into a bowl! This sweet and tangy citrus salad will brighten a winter day.
Have you ever wondered… how do I lose weight fast?
You aren’t alone. Many people are searching for the magic pill or a secret sauce that can help them get the body they want – like by tomorrow. Unfortunately, drastic weight loss that is kept off is seldom attainable. In fact, if we look at research studies on weight loss (from various diets and methods) we find that roughly 80% of people who shed a substantial portion of their body fat will not maintain that degree of weight loss for 12 months.
What is a safe rate of weight loss?
The general recommendation is 1-2 lbs per week.* Slow and steady wins the race. Even at a slower rate, it is important to be wise about your approach and make changes that are more likely to last. Unfortunately, many people will regain some or all of weight loss regardless of how quick or slow it came off.*
What amount of weight loss is realistic and appropriate for health outcomes?
Research indicates that for people who are in the overweight or obese BMI category, a weight loss of 10% of their body weight over a 6 month period is appropriate.* This amount is likely to bring about improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugars. It’s debatable whether it is the weight loss or the healthy habits that one adopts to lose weight that really impacts health.
The best approach is wellness-focused not weight loss focused.
At Well Balanced Nutrition, we don’t recommend any trendy diets that promise to help you drop weight fast, but we do have a solution to help you feel better about your body. Our solution, the Well Balanced approach, is not just about the food you eat or the number on the scale. We want to see you healthy and happy, and we know you don’t have to drop 4 pant sizes to achieve that. By accepting yourself, improving your habits from a place of self-compassion, working on attainable action steps, embracing the journey and having some fun along the way, you’ll no longer need to strive for unrealistic ideals or fall for another fad diet attempt. Are you looking for solutions? Take the first step today.
For Super Bowl weekend I was looking forward to eating chicken wings with celery, blue cheese dressing, and sweet potato fries. Then I woke up Saturday morning with a pit in my stomach knowing it was going to be “one of those days.” I can often tell when I wake up if I’m going to have and upset tummy that day. Typically, it starts with a lame bowel movement (sorry if that’s TMI) then it’s followed by low-grade discomfort and occasional nausea.
How do I know it’s a flare-up?
For me (Lucy), it’s been years of learning to listen to my body, tune in to my symptoms, and make adjustments. Most people feel awkward talking about their bowel movements (aka poop); however, that can often be a good indicator of how things are going in your digestive system.
Did you ever watch when Oprah would feature Dr. Oz who introduced Americans to what our intestines look? I’ll never forget, I was a sophomore in college and my mom called me geeking out because Dr. Oz was on TV talking about poop. At that time, this had become a regular topic of conversation because part of learning about food and nutrition is also learning about what comes out the other end.
Anyway, after 2012, and the unfortunate stomach virus, my digestive system changed and so did my poo. Also, one of my initial symptoms included sharp stabbing pains in my gut after I ate almost anything (thank goodness for oatmeal). Nowadays, in a flare-up I feel puffy, bloated, and extremely full after eating even a small meal. Sometimes I get a low-grade headache and nausea. Mostly, it’s just plain uncomfortable. It may take away the desire to eat regular meals and snacks.
By the way, IBS cannot be self-diagnosed. It is a functional disorder that primarily effects the bowels and includes various symptoms including irregular bowel movements, bloating, and/or nausea. There are also tests that can eliminate other potential diagnoses, such as celiac disease and Crohn’s disease.
Every body is different.
The other day while discussing IBS-like symptoms my client, Susan*, talked about the “ickiness” of discussing this problem in public. Susan had decided to do the low FODMAP diet to find out which foods were triggering her symptoms. She recognized most people don’t want to talk about what’s happening at the other end of your digestive system. Susan mostly referenced the pain and discomfort that comes with eating trigger foods. She also talked about her own symptoms, which are different than mine, and included a “gurgle-y stomach,” which was her first indicator that something that did not sit well in her gut.
Start with noticing
If you are suspicious about irregularity or other pain and discomfort in your digestive system we recommend starting to notice when, how often, and what the symptoms are. If you’re so inclined, I always recommend food and symptom journal to start to give you a better idea and understanding of how food and symptoms may be connected.
If you’re tired of feeling crappy and ready to find out ways to get on the path of healing contact us. We’re happy to help 🙂
You know that little internal conversation you have when staring at the buffet table, open bar or other indulgent food (or beverage) choice? There’s often opposing voices or thoughts going through our minds such as “it’s not that bad, “or “you know, you really don’t need that…”
You are normal
The good news, you are not crazy if you are hearing voices too! In fact, most of us have an inner helping and sabotaging voice. I think of it as friends versus an accomplice. Our friends help us when we feel down by saying comforting words that are uplifting and encouraging like this exchange with my best friend, Gretchen:
Me: I have a craving to quit my job, eat icing out of a plastic tub, and drink a margarita. Apparently, I’m feeling stressed… G: Is it weird that we have all the same stress things? LoL Me: Hahaha no, makes me feel less strange. And probably just confirms the soulmate best friend thing 😛 G: What’s got you so stressed? Me: It’s the story I’m making up around people canceling or rescheduling last minute (clearly appointments with me don’t matter… Yada yada yada) G: I’m sorry babe. I know that gets to you. You are amazing and important. Everyone overbooks and overdoes this time of year. That’s all it is.
See how Gretchen affirmed my feelings and gave me a chance to process through my negative thoughts? On the flip side, my thoughtful office mate, Richard, is more of an accomplice. When I told him that I was stressed out and craving sugar and/or booze he offered me animal crackers with icing and a beer or wine from the mini fridge. Not that he was purposely trying to sabotage me! On the surface, it sounds like those external stimulants or numbing agents are the cure to our problems, but we typically feel worse about ourselves after using comfort foods to “feel better.”
The answer is in you
I can tell you in moments of stress nothing outside of us can make what’s going on inside feel better. Sure, the chocolate may light up some happy hormones in your brain which could temporarily take away the sadness. However, often when we turn to food or a drink to deal with negative feelings those choices cause guilt or shame, which leads to the downward spiral of making more unhealthy choices.
Recently, while speaking with the client, she mentioned when she eats ice cream with her son in the evening or on weekends her sabotaging voice will say “it’s OK, you’ll do better tomorrow.” I asked, “what does your helping voice say in opposition?” She responded, “I tell myself ‘you know you’re already gaining weight and you don’t really want to gain more weight’.”
Did you notice her helping voice sounds super judgmental?
Is that helpful?
Instead, I asked, if her friend called and explained she was feeling upset and was about to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream “what would you say to a friend you know is trying to lose weight?” She had much more supportive words for her friend that did not include justifying or shaming her choice to eat ice cream.
Food for thought
What kind of stories is you’re sabotaging voice telling you? When do you notice yourself reaching for food or a drink to soothe your negative emotions?
How can you respond to these cravings as a friend instead of an accomplice?
Looking for a friendly dietitian to help you sort out your food cravings? We can help🙂
Did you know approximately 1 in 5 of American’s have IBS and 40% of the population is living with a chronic condition? This is a good reason to be nice to ourselves and nice to others because we don’t know what they are going through. It can be especially challenging to know how to eat well while traveling.
In January, Kristen and I went on our first international Well Balanced adventure to Costa Rica! It was an incredible trip coordinated by our new friend, Amanda Chay, with Wonderment. Needless to say, we had a lot of new experiences such as repelling down the side of the canyon into surprisingly cold water and discovering my new obsession with papaya!
As many of you know, I (Lucy), have been managing and coping with IBS for several years now. Click here to learn more. Anyway, whenever I travel, I get a little extra anxious around the lack of control regarding my food choices. In our small group of seven, we had 80% of the meals preplanned and catered to us. Normally, this sounds like a dream come true! However, when you have food sensitivities it can be more like a nightmare.
How I stay routine and regular
On our first morning in San Jose, Costa Rica, while I scooped up a small bowl of oatmeal my fiancé told our tour guide leader, Amanda, that oatmeal is a daily ritual of mine. She laughed and said, “well you can enjoy a break from that because I don’t have oatmeal on the menu for our breakfasts this week.” I laughed, I looked at Andrew and said, “isn’t she so funny?“ What Amanda did not know is I had packed six portable oatmeal packets and mini almond and peanut butter packets in order to continue my routine, which helps keep other things routine (*wink *wink).
So often, while talking about setting up healthy habits and sticking with them I hear clients say “but I don’t want to be picky or difficult.” For instance, if someone has a digestive and sinus issues they may greatly benefit by going dairy-free; however, when going to a friends house or out to eat they decide to just be polite and eat all the things despite knowing the negative effects of eating dairy products.
Change takes effort at first
Two years ago, when I did the big IBS elimination diet, I found my brain consumed thinking about “what am I going to eat at my next meal??” We’ve learned between 80 to 95% of everything we do is subconscious – think about last time you took a shower… did you think about every move you made? It takes time and energy to make conscious changes to our dietary choices, but it is possible. First, we must become aware of what and why we want to change. Then, we can make a plan and take action.
It doesn’t take that long to start feeling a little better and for your brain to pick up on new habits if you stay consistent. Some people will tell you it’s only 21 days; however, we learned from the book Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin that on average new habits take about 66 days.
Your permission slip…
If you’re in the midst of making dietary and lifestyle changes or you already know what works for you, remember it’s OK to be picky and know that on occasion we might slip up and put cheese on the salad with ranch dressing because after all, we are human.
If you’re ready to feel better and determine which foods may be triggering inflammation and pain in your body, let’s chat.
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