Do You Always Eat the Same Breakfast?
Up until a few years ago, I had a bowl of cold cereal with milk for breakfast my entire life. I ate (and loved) Honey Nut Cheerios for years. Then I moved on to some of the Kashi cereals and other more "natural" options. I didn't question what I was eating because that was all I knew. I couldn't think of anything else I wanted to eat in the morning.

Looking back, it's hard to believe that I kept eating the same thing when it wasn't satisfying me. I would usually get hungry less than 2 hours after I'd eaten and this frustrated me for years.

I ended up experimenting with my breakfast. First, I stayed "safe" with things like eggs, oatmeal, and smoothies. Then, I became a bit more adventurous and tried having leftovers from dinner such as chicken and broccoli, brown rice and vegetable, and even a salad with some hard boiled eggs.

I know what you're thinking. You're saying to yourself, "I could never eat vegetables in the morning!" I used to feel the same way until I went in with an open mind and some out-of-the-box thinking. Truthfully, eating chicken, broccoli, and brown rice tastes delicious (even in the morning) and is extremely satisfying. It's interesting that in our society that we have a narrow idea of what foods we should eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We also tend to limit what foods we eat as snacks between meals.

When I work with my clients, I have each of them complete a Breakfast Experiment during which they try several different types of foods for breakfast. Through this experiment, they start to figure out which foods work best for them. They learn which foods keep them satisfied and give them good energy. At first some of them are a little hesitant to have leftovers from dinner, but once they try it they realize it's not so crazy after all. The idea here isn't that everyone should eat leftovers from dinner for breakfast. The idea is to experiment and figure out what works best for you.

Do you feel like your breakfast food is working for you? If not, think about what types of foods you could try. Create your own breakfast experiment. When you're done, email me. I'd love to hear how it went.

Are You Getting Support from the People Closest To You?
This topic is close to my heart because I know that getting support from the people closest to you can make or break your efforts to be healthy. Many times I speak with clients whose significant others or friends get in the way of them making changes in their food and lifestyle.

Do you experience any of the following with your significant other, roommate, or friends?

· They bring unhealthy food into the house or to your work
· They suggest you go out instead of eating at home
· They complain when you prepare healthy food
· They choose restaurants that don’t have healthy options
· They suggest you skip exercising and spend time with them instead

I want to point out that typically the people closest to you aren’t doing these things to purposefully hinder your efforts. What I have found is that they simply need time to adjust to the changes you’re making, and they need you to be clear about how they can support you.

Don’t expect them to read your mind. We sometimes think that the people in our life should know what we need, without us asking for it. That would be nice, but unfortunately, this doesn’t usually happen. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need. If you’re not accustomed to asking for what you need, think of this as a muscle that you need to work. The more you do it, the more comfortable it will become.

How can you ask for what you need? It can be really helpful to start by explaining your goals for yourself, the changes you’re trying to make, and why this is important to you. Then, simply ask if they are willing to support you in reaching your goals. While they may not know what’s involved, they will almost always say “yes” because the people closest to you love you and want you to be happy.

Get specific with your requests. Once the people in your life have agreed to support you, make one or two specific requests (giving a huge list will be overwhelming). I recommend asking for the things that will have the most impact on you. Realize that it may be challenging for them to fulfill your request, since it will likely affect them. Give them praise when they support you, be patient, and remind them frequently of your request(s) and why they are important to you. Give back to them by asking what you can do to support them, and then fulfill their request.

Simple Steps to Stay Healthy While on Vacation

Do you have a vacation planned this summer? I certainly hope you do! If you’re like one of my clients, you might be concerned about your ability to eat well and stay active while you’re away.

My goal for you is to have a wonderful vacation, during which you feel vibrant and healthy. If I completely let my wellness routine go while on vacation, I end up having low-energy, my clothes get tighter, and I simply don’t feel good in my body. This affects my ability to thoroughly enjoy my vacation. In an effort to help you avoid this, I have some strategies that I have developed that work well for me.

1. Stay active
Find fun ways to stay active on your vacation. This likely won’t mean going to a gym, though that’s always a possibility. Here are some ideas:

• Find a beautiful spot to go for a walk or a jog
• Hike
• Rent bikes (or take yours along if possible)
• Go kayaking or canoeing
• Swim

The trick is to weave these activities into your days away so you’re having fun and getting movement and exercise at the same time.

2. Bring food for the plane or car
Unfortunately the food options at the airport and on the road are usually not very healthy (or tasty in my opinion). Plan ahead and pack foods you enjoy in a small cooler or insulated lunch bag. Some ideas of what to pack include:

• Sandwiches (wraps are easy to eat when you’re traveling)
• Salad
• Hummus or other dip and vegetables
• Cut up fruit or grapes
• Trail mix
• Yogurt
• Brown rice crackers or Kashi’s TLC crackers

3. Allow yourself treats in moderation
I believe that food is one of life’s pleasures, and for me, vacation is a time to enjoy treats I don’t usually eat. If I try depriving myself on vacation I get grumpy and the whole thing backfires. What I have found to work well is to allow myself treats, but to limit it to one per day and really savor it. In the summer, ice cream is usually my treat of choice :).

4. Find a grocery store and buy some staples
Whether you’re staying at a hotel or somewhere with a kitchen, take a trip to the closest grocery store and buy food for snacks – or even some of your meals. At many hotels you can request a small refrigerator for your room. Things you might want to pick up include:

• Cereal and milk
• Fruit (especially those that don't require a knife such as grapes, berries, apples, bananas, and oranges)
• Whole grain bread and peanut butter or almond butter
• Baby carrots and hummus
• Yogurt
• Trail mix
• Cheese and whole grain crackers

5. Have one “splurge” meal per day
This tip is similar to #3, but relates to your meals. When you go on vacation, do you tend to go completely off your normal eating routine? If so, think about keeping two of your meals similar to what you’d have at home. Then pick one meal for more of a splurge. You can vary the meal depending on the day. This will keep you feeling healthy and grounded, while be able to enjoy some special meals.

6. Focus on the fun and relaxation
Do you sometimes find you put a lot of emphasis on food to provide fun and entertainment? During your next vacation, try to focus on the pleasure and relaxation you get from the surroundings, the people you’re with, doing things you enjoy, and slowing down.

My thoughts at 37 weeks of my pregnancy

As you might already know, I am 37 weeks pregnant (due July 8th) with my first child (a girl :). While I am having some discomfort now, I have been blessed with a wonderful, healthy pregnancy.

Throughout my pregnancy I have been overwhelmed (in a good way) with the idea that another person was growing and developing inside of me. And, that I already loved this baby - who I had never met. I have enjoyed experiencing her growth by noticing how her movements feel different and stronger. I am amazed that I have an approximately 6 lb baby inside of me. While I haven't yet laid eyes on her, I know she will become the center of my life.

As I approach this major life change, it is difficult to imagine what life will be like as a new mom. Things I wonder..

• Will I be a good mom?
• Will I find the patience necessary in caring for a baby or child?
• How will I deal with sleep deprivation?
• How will I deal with not being in control and able to follow a plan? (I am a huge planner.)
• What will it be like to balance being a mom, wife, and professional?
• What will our little girl look like? (I've imagined her will a full head of dark hair, but who knows..)
• What kind of personality will she have?
  
• Will she be an easy baby?

Like most expecting moms, I have a picture of how I think things will be, but I know rationally that I actually have no idea. I am finding comfort in the unknown and realizing that while I have thoughts about how I'd like to be, that I yet to meet the little one who will dictate much of this.

What I ate this week (from my farm share)
We are members of a CSA (Community Support Agriculture). This basically means that we purchased a share in a farm for the growing season. Each week we pick up a box of produce that contains whatever is being harvested at that time.

Last Wednesday we received:
Beets
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Summer Squash
Basil
Strawberries

Here's what I did with all those fruits and veggies.

• Wednesday we ate the strawberries and they were delish. Picked that day and warm from the sun. I also made whole grain pasta with some of the basil and broccoli.
• Saturday I made a salad for a potluck and added grated carrots (from the previous week) and raw beets.
• Sunday we grilled the summer squash and ate along with pork chops
• Monday we had the leftover grilled squash along with quesadillas
• Tuesday I made brown rice pasta with chicken, tomato sauce, and cauliflower (which I steamed before adding it to the pasta).
  

It's sometimes a challenge to figure out how to consume the abundance of vegetables we pick up, but it's a good one to have!

How to Achieve a Healthier Body

Are you confused by conflicting advice on what to eat? Would you like to feel better in your body without willpower or deprivation? Would you like to get peace and freedom around food so you can enjoy life more?

Join me for a F*ree Workshop-by-Phone entitled

"How to Achieve a Healthier Body:

8 Steps to Whole Body Wellness"

Many people want to have more energy and feel better in their body, but they don’t know where to start. Or, they’ve tried lots of things that haven’t worked or yielded lasting results. I created a system to teach others how to feel vibrant and confident in their body and generally enjoy life more.

In this F*ree Workshop-by-Phone, you’ll learn the steps my clients and I use to feel dramatically better with the way we’re eating and living, and I will answer your questions about the program.

In this practical, info-rich program you will learn to:

• make your health and wellness a priority
• choose higher quality foods
• determine which foods work best for you
• practice extreme self-care
• not just feed your body, feed your soul
• start or change your exercise routine
• change HOW you eat
• address the emotional piece of what’s going on

This Workshop-by-Phone is being held on Wednesday, June 11th at 12:00 PM EST.

Click here to register

Are you truly eating WHOLE grains?

You have heard the term “whole grain” but do you know what these words mean? When I ask clients for examples of whole grains, they often say “whole grain bread and crackers.” While these foods may use whole grains, they are not a whole grain.

In order for something to be considered a whole grain, it must not have anything added or removed. The entire edible portion must be intact. The most common whole grain is brown rice. And just like any whole grain, it has three parts – a germ, bran, and endosperm. If any of these parts are removed, it will then be considered a “refined” grain or refined carbohydrate. Brown rice is turned into white rice when the germ and bran are removed.

Why do we care about the bran and germ? These are the parts of the whole grain that contain most of the nutrients and fiber. The endosperm is largely the starchy part of the grain. When we consume a grain that is still “whole,” we may experience the following benefits:

• Feel more satisfied
• Steadier, longer-lasting energy because the grain takes longer to be digested than a refined grain which quickly turns into sugar
• Lower cholesterol
• Reduced risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease
• Improved elimination

Food manufacturers realize that health-conscious consumers want to eat more whole grains, so they have been adding more of them into their products. This is a good thing, but not all “whole grain” products are created equal. Some products have a very small amount of whole grains and others may be made with 100% whole grains. In either case, the packaging may tout that it is made with whole grains. In most cases, when whole grains are added to crackers or bread, the grain is milled into a flour instead of being left whole. In this case, we still get the fiber and nutrients from the whole grain, but it is processed differently by our body because it has already been broken down.

Next time you go food shopping, buy some whole grains. I recommend buying a few and trying a new one each week. Whole grains to look for:

· old fashioned rolled oats

· steel cut oats

· oat groats

· barley

· buckwheat

· quinoa

· bulgur

· millet

· amaranth

· wheat berries

Note that some of the whole grains listed above (such as buckwheat, quinoa, millet, and amaranth) are not technically grains; they are seeds or berries. From a culinary perspective we consider them grains because of how they are cooked and eaten.