I Won't Leave Home Without THIS...

Before I became an RD I was doing the same thing everyone else is: trying to balance work, school, family and a social life with taking care of my body and mind. Heck, I'm still trying to do all those things! I used to load up on all the free health and fitness magazines that I got from my media jobs and I'd tear out pages about 15-minute workouts and fast healthy snacks.

My friends and co-workers saw my passion and would always ask me to share my secrets. As a dietitian, I still get that question: "What do YOU do?" People always want to know what I eat, where I work out and how I fit cooking and exercise into my own busy schedule. 

Today, I'm taking another page from my favorite magazines to show you what I do to stay healthy & fit even when things get hectic. 

Before I became an RD I was doing the same thing everyone else is: trying to balance work, school, family and a social life with taking care of my body and mind. Heck, I'm still trying to do all those things! I used to load up on all the free health and fitness magazines that I got from my media jobs and I'd tear out pages about 15-minute workouts and fast healthy snacks.

My friends and co-workers saw my passion and would always ask me to share my secrets. As a dietitian, I still get that question: "What do YOU do?" People always want to know what I eat, where I work out and how I fit cooking and exercise into my own busy schedule. 

Today, I'm taking another page from my favorite magazines to show you what I do to stay healthy & fit even when things get hectic. 

Are You Back-Loading Your Protein?

I recently read that while most of us Americans get plenty of protein in our diets, we tend to back-load our days with protein so that we eat the largest amount at dinner, a little less at lunch and a lot less at breakfast. The problem with this is that our bodies can only use a limited amount of protein at a given time, so it's important to spread out our protein throughout the day, getting plenty at each meal and snack.

The article, from the March 2013 Today's Dietitian, Milk Proteins: Packing a Powerful Nutritional Punch by Karen Giles-Smith, MS, RD,  focuses on the idea that:

"evidence shows high-quality proteins, such as milk proteins, promote satiety, weight maintenance, muscle synthesis, and blood glucose control"

I recently read that while most of us Americans get plenty of protein in our diets, we tend to back-load our days with protein so that we eat the largest amount at dinner, a little less at lunch and a lot less at breakfast. The problem with this is that our bodies can only use a limited amount of protein at a given time, so it's important to spread out our protein throughout the day, getting plenty at each meal and snack.

The article, from the March 2013 Today's Dietitian, Milk Proteins: Packing a Powerful Nutritional Punch by Karen Giles-Smith, MS, RD,  focuses on the idea that:

"evidence shows high-quality proteins, such as milk proteins, promote satiety, weight maintenance, muscle synthesis, and blood glucose control"

A new take on the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich

On a recent sick day I caught an episode of Dr. Oz and was inspired by something I saw: a peanut butter sandwich that featured sliced strawberries in place of jelly or jam! I've heard of peanut butter and banana sandwiches, but as I'm still learning to like raw banana, it's not something I eat. For a healthier take on the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich, try starting with 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread (aim for one with, per slice: 70 or fewer calories, fewer than 200 mg of sodium, and 2 grams or more of fiber) and all natural peanut butter, then add either sliced strawberries or sliced banana instead of jelly or jam. Can't say goodbye to the jiggly stuff just yet? Try using Polaner All Fruit 100% All Natural Fruit Spread. My favorite is seedless raspberry.

On a recent sick day I caught an episode of Dr. Oz and was inspired by something I saw: a peanut butter sandwich that featured sliced strawberries in place of jelly or jam! I've heard of peanut butter and banana sandwiches, but as I'm still learning to like raw banana, it's not something I eat. For a healthier take on the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich, try starting with 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread (aim for one with, per slice: 70 or fewer calories, fewer than 200 mg of sodium, and 2 grams or more of fiber) and all natural peanut butter, then add either sliced strawberries or sliced banana instead of jelly or jam. Can't say goodbye to the jiggly stuff just yet? Try using Polaner All Fruit 100% All Natural Fruit Spread. My favorite is seedless raspberry.