Happy St. Patrick's Day

There will be no blog post tomorrow.  I have to write my next article for Solano Fit Magazine. 


Have a fun, safe and healthy St. Patty's Day!  Today is one of the biggest beer drinking days of the year.  Be sure to drink one glass of water in between each GREEN beer!

Here's a list of some light beers to choose from if you choose to partake in today's festivities.

• Bud Light 110 calories
• Sam Adams Light 119 calories
• Coors Light  102 calories
• Becks Light  64 calories * in a green bottle too!!
• Corona Light  105 calories
• Heineken Light 99 calories * green bottle
• Miller Light  96 calories
• MGD64  64 calories
• Bud Select  99 calories
• Michelob Ultra 95 calories

Knowledge is Power - America's Fat Future

The following graphic was sent to me by one of my blog readers.  I thought it was a powerful message and should be shared.  Happy Friday LOL!


Created by: MedicalCodingCareerGuide.com

5-Day Meal Plan

Are you looking to drop a few pounds?  Well decreasing your portion sizes is one of the easiest ways to lose those extra pounds you may have gained during the winter months.  The five day meal plan below is based on 1500 calories.  This may be WAY TOO LOW for some of you or even too high for others.  This is just one reason why meeting with a Registered Dietitian is so important because they can cater a diet specifically to meet your needs.

 

So if you are busy with work, school, family, etc and don't have much time to exercise and need an easy meal plan then something like this may work for you.  Of course if you feel these meals are way too small and you are very tall, muscular and active then increase your portions or add whole, natural foods the the meal plan during snack times.  I modified these meals below to add more snacks and of course drink water all day long.

Or maybe you are just stuck in a rut and need some meal ideas.  So here you go:

Day 1

Breakfast

·   ¾ cup (C) cantaloupe cubes

·   1 C 2% cottage cheese

·   5 whole-wheat crackers - Triscuits

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice - green tea with lemon

Snack
· 1 medium apple
· 1 Tbs natural peanut butter or 14 raw almonds, glass of water

Lunch

·   Peanut butter and jelly sandwich (2 slices wheat bread with 1 tablespoons [Tbsp] natural, chunky peanut butter and 1 Tbsp all-fruit spread- Polaners is a great brand)

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice - unsweetened iced tea

Dinner

·   5 ounces (oz) boneless chicken breast, broiled or grilled

·   5" baked sweet potato, topped with 1 teaspoon (tsp) unsalted butter

·   Salad (2 C tossed field greens, topped with 1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds, ¼ C grated carrots, and ¼ C sun-dried tomatoes), drizzled with 2 Tbsp fat-free vinaigrette dressing

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice - water with lemon

Snack - before or after dinner

·   8 oz low-fat yogurt (favorite flavor), topped with 1 Tbsp wheat germ

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice - water

Day 2

Breakfast

·   Scrambled eggs (½ C egg whites with 1 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese and 2 Tbsp salsa, prepared using cooking spray)

·   1 slice toasted rye bread, topped with 1 tsp soft margarine

·   8 fluid ounces (fl oz) skim milk

Snack

· 1 medium pear

· light string cheese, glass of water with cucumber slices

Lunch

·   Turkey sandwich (2 slices lite wheat bread with 3 slices roasted turkey breast [1-oz  slices], 1-oz slice low-fat Swiss cheese, 2 lettuce leaves, 2 slices medium tomato, and 2 tsp deli mustard

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Dinner

·   5 oz grilled salmon

·   ⅔ C seasoned brown rice, prepared with 1 tsp olive oil

·   1 C cooked summer squash, topped with 1 tsp soft margarine

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Snack - dessert

·   ¾ C low-fat frozen yogurt (favorite flavor)

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice - water

Day 3

Breakfast

·   1 C cooked kasha, topped with 2 Tbsp slivered almonds and ½ C fresh, sliced strawberries

·   6 fl oz skim milk, added to kasha and/or consumed as a beverage

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice - green tea

Lunch

·   Pasta salad (1½ C cooked whole wheat or Ronzoni Garden Delights pasta [cooled], tossed with 2 diced plum tomatoes, 5 large sliced mushrooms, ½ C chopped red or yellow bell peppers, 2 Tbsp chopped, fresh scallions, 3 sliced jumbo black olives, 1 oz crumbled soft goat cheese, and 1 tsp olive oil)

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Snack
· 1 C canned pineapple chunks in juice not syrup, drained
·  1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese

Dinner

·   Burger (1 black-bean burger on a reduced-calorie hamburger bun, topped with 1/4 avocado and 1 Tbsp low-sodium barbecue sauce or salsa, lettuce, tomato and onions)

·   Spinach salad (1½ C baby spinach, tossed with ¼ C fresh mandarin orange slices), drizzled with 1 Tbsp chunky blue-cheese dressing

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Snack - before or after dinner

·   ¾ oz or about 20 large dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Day 4

Breakfast

·   1 C bran flakes or similar cold, dry cereal, topped with 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts and ½ C fresh blueberries

·   8 fl oz skim milk

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice - green tea with lemon

Snack

·8 oz low-fat yogurt (favorite flavor) or Nonfat, plain Greek is best, more protein and less sugar

·1 medium peach or banana

Lunch

·   1 small (4") wheat pita bread, served with ⅓ C hummus (favorite flavor) with 1/2 English cucumber in slices

· Cup of light Progresso soup

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Dinner

·   5 oz center-cut pork chop, broiled or grilled

·   1 medium baked potato with skin, topped with 1 tsp soft margarine, 1 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream, and 2 Tbsp fresh, chopped chives

·   1 C cooked, drained turnip greens, topped with 1 tsp soft margarine

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Snack - Dessert

·   4 reduced-fat chocolate-chip cookies

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Day 5

Breakfast

·   1¼ C oatmeal cooked in 8 fl oz of skim milk, topped with 2 Tbsp golden, seedless raisins and 2 Tbsp chopped pecans

·   1 large hard-boiled egg, seasoned as desired

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice - green tea

Snack
· 1 medium orange
·  handful of pistachios

Lunch

·   Tuna salad (mix 5-oz water-packed tuna with 2 Tbsp chopped white onion, 1 Tbsp lite mayonnaise, and 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, then arrange 1 C shredded lettuce and 3 slices medium tomato on plate and top with tuna mixture)

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Dinner

·   8 large shrimp, grilled

·   1 C steamed broccoli florets, seasoned as desired

·   1 C wild rice, prepared with 1 Tbsp butter

·   1 C fruit sorbet (favorite flavor)

·   Calorie-free beverage of choice

Snack - before of after dinner

·   10 large baby carrots, served with 2 Tbsp fat-free ranch dressing for dipping

·   8 fl oz low-sodium, canned vegetable juice

The important thing to remember is try to keep your meals balanced and include as many food groups as you can at each meal.

Reference: RD 411

*Menus planned using Food Processor SQL by ESHA.

Registered Dietitian Day

Wednesday March 14, 2012, will mark the fifth annual Registered Dietitian Day. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), formerly known as the American Dietetic Association, Registered Dietitian (RD) Day and National Nutrition Month (March) promote AND and RDs to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically based food and nutrition information.

• RDs are the food and nutrition experts who can translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living.
• RDs have degrees in nutrition, dietetics, public health, or a related field from well-respected, accredited colleges and universities, have completed an internship, and have passed an examination.
• RDs use their nutrition expertise to help individuals make unique, positive lifestyle changes.
• RDs work throughout the community in hospitals, schools, public health clinics, nursing homes, fitness centers, food management, the food industry, universities, research, and private practice.
• RDs are advocates for advancing the nutritional status of Americans and people around the world.

Reference: RD411

Nutrition Services

So with a lot of encouragement from friends, family, co-workers and the creative director at Solano Fit Magazine, I have decided to go ahead and actually start building my business of Healthy You Nutrition.  Of course I am starting out small and continuing to work for Kaiser Permanente and Winters Healthcare but I am proud to announce that starting in April I will be available for nutrition counseling and education in Vacaville.  As of now, I will have the opportunity to visit with clients at Akasha Yoga on Merchant Street.  I am currently working on the possibility of partnering with other local businesses in Vacaville.

I will be presenting at Akasha Yoga on Tuesday, March 20th for Wellness Week.  My talk will focus on healthy eating, especially for us busy folks!  This is when I will announce the opening of Healthy You Nutrition.  If you or anyone you know would benefit from individualized nutritional counseling, please check out the NUTRITION SERVICES tab on my blog.  Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to take advantage of the current Grand Opening Discounts.

I hope my services through Healthy You Nutrition can really make a difference in my community and allow my clients to learn that eating healthy isn't always so difficult and expensive.  It is actually enjoyable and gratifying.  The benefits to living a healthy lifestyle are endless and I hope to truly make a difference and offer others a lifetime of happiness.  It's time to take control of your life and become a healthier YOU!

Health and Happinesss,

Stephanie

"The first wealth is Health" ~ Emerson

Cobalamin aka Vitamin B12

Vitamin B 12 may play a role in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin B 12 is necessary for many functions.

·         Metabolism of energy-yielding nutrients

·         Works with folate to produce hemoglobin

·         Needed to create fatty acids and DNA

·         Works as a co-enzyme in creating new cells

·         Protects nerve fibers

·         Helps to build bone tissue

·         Aids in the formation of red blood cells and is needed to make all blood cells

Nutrients react and interact with each other more than you may know. 

·         Calcium is necessary for normal absorption of Vitamin B 12

·         Deficiency of iron or B6 decreases the absorption of B 12

·         A high intake of folic acid can mask B 12 anemia

·         Vitamin E deficiency might impair conversion of B 12 to its active form

·         Efficiency of absorption decreases with age

·         Some B 12 is stored in the liver, kidney and other tissues so signs of deficiency may not develop for up to 5-6 years after complete elimination from the diet

·         B 12 is recycled from bile and other intestinal secretions

The best dietary sources are animal products.  Other sources include fermented foods such as tofu, tempeh, miso, tamari and shoyu, but it depends on the source and the bacteria, fungi or algae used to produce them.  For vegetarians, fortified breakfast cereals and grains offer a good source of vitamin B 12. Some nutritional yeasts also contain B 12.  Those with vitamin B 12 deficiency may need to take a dietary supplement, prescription or injection.  It is important to have your vitamin B 12 levels checked so you can be sure to give your body the amount it needs to prevent cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s.  Vitamin B 12 is known to have potential interactions with certain medications so if you are interested in supplementation, be sure to speak with your doctor first. 

Many people believe Vitamin B 12 is necessary for energy enhancement and athletic performance.  The truth is Vitamin B 12 can help with fatigue and weakness when a deficiency is present but otherwise the additional supplementation isn’t necessary and has not been shown to have to beneficial effect on performance.