by Lucy | Jul 27, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
Yep, you read that right! There is such a thing as healthy fast food!
It’s not what you think. I am not saying you should never do to the drive-thru; however, if you ask me about healthy fast food options I will not hand you a list of approved foods from Wendy’s, KFC, McDonald’s, etc.
I believe there is another option (and perhaps I’m saving those menu selections for future Motivational Monday, wink wink).
I’ve recently discovered the Dole Chopped salad kits and let’s just say… I’m obsessed.
It typically includes lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cilantro and other delicious vegetables with crunchy topping such as tortilla chips or almonds AND salad dressing! I’m partial to the Asian variety, but I’ve tried them all and have not been disappointed. The Bacon & Bleu includes real bacon, not those fake bacon bits that you’re expecting. Top with your own protein of choice (I’m weird, so it’s always cottage cheese) and you have a complete meal.
Another easy fast meal, includes a small baked potato (cooks in 4-5 mins in the microwave) with whatever delicious toppings you enjoy. I’m partial to baked beans and coleslaw, but you may prefer the more traditional broccoli and cheddar.
Finally, a dietitian friend of mine used to mix a bag of the precooked Uncle Sam’s rice, a can of tuna and a bag of steamed mixed vegetables. Top with a little Italian dressing or your preferred seasoning and you’ve got yourself a scrumptious and fast-fix meal.
Food for thought:
My point being, food prep does not have to include hours slaving away in the kitchen. Also, fast food doesn’t have to be over-salted, over-processed and come in a greasy paper bag.
What’s your favorite fast-fix foods?!
by Lucy | Jul 20, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
You catch more flies with honey! Let’s apply that approach to our diet and food choices.
Noooooo, I don’t mean putting honey on everything; however, sometimes just a squeeze of the bear can enhance your salad dressing, yogurt, peanut butter toast, etc… Yum.
The power of a positive message is shown to be more effective on influencing food choices. Most of us do not respond well to “don’t.” I believe this is a natural resistance that I liken to our former 2-yr old selves that did not like being told how to do something. Parents of young children, you know what I’m talking about!
For example, telling yourself, your spouse or children the positive effect of picking an apple to fuel our bodies instead of chips or crackers is going to be taken better. Read more on the study conducted by Cornell in this Science Daily article “‘Do’ is better than ‘Don’t’ when it comes to eating better.”
Additional information on the power of positive thinking can be found in this article on the “Six habits of positive people“. My favorite is number 6 because that is important in our health decisions too! Even if you eat ice cream for dinner it’s okay to just accept it and get back on track tomorrow.
Food for thought:
What’s one healthy thing you can pat yourself on the back for this week?
Maybe you got up and went for a nice long walk on Saturday morning or enjoyed strawberries for dessert!
Good for you! I’m here cheering you on and so proud of you for making the right decisions and if nothing else being mindful and enjoying the moments that you indulge.
by Lucy | Jul 6, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
There is always something to celebrate.
Most likely we’ve all been celebrating this past weekend for the 4th of July.
While walking through the grocery store last week I got to thinking about how there’s almost always something to celebrate. Notice the ever present holiday season – thank you retail stores of America for always reminding us what the next holiday is.
Each season comes with it’s own respective food to mark the occasion:
-> Cookies at Christmas
-> Cake for birthdays and graduation
-> Plenty of ice cream to bring in the summer months
If you’ve been following, you already know I’m not opposed to treats (see “What’s your vice?” for proof)! However, this constant bombardment of sweets, treats and so on can seriously start to impede on all the good stuff we do when we are not celebrating.
As someone who often finds herself indulging in these traditional celebration treats I want to take a moment to applaud those of you who have overcome the temptations.
I once had a client for personal training who told me that she had turned a new leaf because when she would go to parties or gatherings and somebody would offer her something off the dessert table, such as a rice crispy treat, she would simply say “no thank you, I already know what those taste like.”
Food for thought:
Never say never. The key to a well-balanced diet and life is to teach ourselves how to indulge within our limits.
If you can’t stop at 2 or 3 Oreos, you know not to buy Oreos. My go-to midweek dessert is 1/2 banana w/ 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter and a handful of chocolate chips. Yummy!
by Lucy | Jun 29, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
It’s that crazy time of year when everyone is hitting the road to make their way up the coast, into the mountains or wherever makes the heart happy. With the chaos that surrounds this season of travel I’d like to bring the focus back to the simple things in life that make summertime enjoyable.
I’m including my top 10 favorite summer activities from realsimple.com 50 Fun Summer Activities. Have you made your list? In September you can look back and see how much fun you had!
Lucy’s Top 10 Favorite summer activities:
10. Go get FroYo with a friend (with all the toppings!)
9. Blow bubbles, do chalk art and catch lightening bugs w/ my niece and nephew
8. Ride a roller-coaster!
7. Play miniature golf (preferably at Lakeside, OH)
6. Take a trip to buy fresh local produce at the big
Farmer’s Market
5. Eat corn-on-the-cob at the State Fair
4. Go kayaking and swim in a lake
3. Collect seashells at the beach
2. Go to a baseball game, drink a beer and enjoy a corndog
1. Go White Water Rafting in WV!!!
Food for thought:
At the end of the day it’s not about the adventures we go on, the stuff we buy or the food we eat. Instead it’s about the people we get to share these experiences with.
Spending quality time with the people we love is what really matters. I wish that for you and yours!
by Lucy | Jun 22, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
Last week while working on the fifth edition of my business plan it occurred to me that I need to take a new approach. Instead of worrying this idea or that idea are not going to be “marketable” I decided I need to change the way I’ve been thinking about it.
My preferred approach is to start acting as though I’ve already succeeded.
Our minds are probably the most powerful resource we have regarding what happens in our life. As my friend Cameron puts it, “belief is the foundation for how your world operates.” Another way to think about the power of the mind comes from Theodore Roosevelt, “believe you can and you’re half way there.”
(more…)
by Lucy | Jun 15, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
I tend to say we make time for that which is important to us. Generally, I am referring to people making time or not making time to prepare food or exercise regularly.
Lately, I’ve decided this is not always true. Exercise is important to me; however, sometimes I get so preoccupied in the business at hand I’m lucky to squeeze in a workout in between everything else. (For those of you who don’t know me well, sitting still is not a strength of mine!)
A tale of poor time management
Fridays mornings are my day to attend to Well Balanced Nutrition and do meetings, errands and other business activities that need attention during regular business hours.
(more…)
by Lucy | Jun 8, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
I found this article titled “Three secrets to eating healthy” and I knew I needed to share it with you.
I try to eat healthy most of time time, but I’m always looking for ways to make it easier. Read on for some inspiration from the article.
The 3 secrets include making the healthy choices:
(1) Convenient
(2) Attractive
(3) Normal
Easy to remember because anyone CAN do it!
Below are a couple examples of how you can start to make good choices convenient, attractive and normal.
3 Simple Steps to Eating Healthy
1. Making healthy choices convenient may include having a bowl fruit, washed and ready to eat on the counter for a snack or food-on-the-go option.
2. We eat with our eyes, so it’s important to make the healthy food attractive. Small touches such as carving the watermelon rind into a pretty little bowl for serving a fruit salad increase people’s likelihood of reaching for that food.
3. To make the healthy options normal means to regularly include and offer the foods you want to eat more of. For example, instead of cheese and crackers before dinner, try sliced vegetables with hummus or ranch dressing.
Keeping these options in the house and reaching for them before the other snacks will help to make it less of a chore and more of a habit.
by Lucy | Jun 1, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
As a dietitian I get to spend most of my days talking about food and exercise – the fun stuff! Discussing what goes in often leads to what comes out – or in some people’s case, what does not come out. If I have completely mortified you, I apologize, but as the famous Japanese children’s book states Everyone Poops.
My friend, Kelly*, went to China a few years back and was retelling some tales, but she was particularly excited to tell me about the bathrooms… Did you know they squat over there?!
Turns out we silly American’s are doing ourselves a disservice by taking a seat to go potty. I recently read in this article – According to science you’ve been pooping wrong your whole life – American’s are using an inappropriate form to optimize going to the bathroom.
*Name changed to protect privacy
Keep it Moving
1. Relax – Our digestive systems are made up of a bunch of muscles. Think about when you tighten a muscle versus when you relax it – it’s easier to let things go when you’re relaxed, right?
2. Squatty potty! – In the article mentioned above discusses the benefits of changing your position to change your results. The Squatty Potty will help you make that adjustment without having to change the whole bathroom set-up.
3. Walk it out – A client of mine discovered that a 1-2 mile walk in the morning actually helps her “to go big potty.” Worth a try!
4. Do a little twist – In yoga practice we lay on the floor, bring the knees in toward the chest, drop the knees over to the right and then to the left. Holding each side stretch for 5 to 10 breaths. This motion helps to keep things moving along.
5. Relax – Yes, I’m saying it again because I really believe that if we were not so uptight then our bowels would not be either. Whether you do quiet time meditating, reading a book or taking a bath, do what relaxes you and your body will do the rest.
by Lucy | May 27, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
On this Memorial Day…
Remember.
Today I’m spending some time remembering what this holiday is really about. It does not matter what politics you believe or do not believe in. This is a chance to spend some time reflecting on the sacrifices of our nation’s heroes.
To me, it is important to remember the soldiers that have made the ultimate sacrifice, but it is equally important to remember their families. For anyone that has lost a friend or family member you know how much it can hurt.
I recently learned about a non-profit based out of Apex, NC called Support Military Spouses. This organization offers a multitude of ways to show support, from writing caring cards to volunteering at one of their care package assembly or distribution events.
The Unknown Soldier
by: Roger J. Robicheau
You need not ever know my name
This unknown soldier seeks no fame
I’m here to bring out thought from you
May your heart see more than your view
America, we marched with pride
We gave our life, for you we died
How well we knew the time might come
When life could sound that final drum
Please think of us as life moves on
We tried so hard till that last dawn
Do let our spirit fill the land
Pass treasured freedom, hand to hand
God blessed this country with such love
Hold in your heart, abundance of
And when you stand before my grave
Think not of one, but each who gave
by Lucy | May 18, 2015 | Motivational Mondays
“Ask for feedback; then shut up and take notes.” – Corey Lerch
Recently, I had dinner with a fellow small business owner. I admire for how driven and committed he to continuing to learn and improve in order to succeed. One method of self-improvement he practices is to regularly ask for feedback.
Once I got past feeling awkward, I decided this was brilliant!
[The original post included a survey based on the business model of May 2015]
Now is a good chance to meditate on what is not going how you’d like. Perhaps it’s a good time to reach out to a mentor, friend or counselor for some feedback on that situation?
