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]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=92 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:12:58 -0400 Motivation http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=91
Think about the real reasons you may want to improve your lifestyle, lose weight or get back into shape and then build goals off of those reasons.

Write down your goals, yes, I know it sounds corny but if you put it in writing then it is more concrete. Tell your friends and family about your goals, this way you will be accountable to those who are watching you achieve them; after all you can't go back on your word!

Spice up your routine, if you have been doing the same thing for the past few months like walking for 30 minutes 5 times per week and you have seen no results, shake it up a little. Take a dance class, go to aqua aerobics, hire a trainer to teach you how to effectively resistance train, the options are endless! Also shake up your eating, look up some healthy recipes online and make eating healthy fun.

Develop a support system. No, I don't mean invite a group of people over to sit in a circle talk about their cravings and all of the junk food they miss, that is what nutrition therapy is for. Enlist a group of friends with common goals to workout with, share recipes and plan healthy social outings like going to the farmer's market, hiking a new trail, etc. Studies show that if you have a good support system you will maintain results for a longer period of time and it is much harder to go about a lifestyle change alone.
]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=91 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:21:31 -0400 Diabetic Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=90 null
Type 2 Diabetes is turning into an epidemic; it breaks my heart to see both children and adults who are diagnosed with this disease that could have been prevented with weight management and proper nutrition. There are millions of people in this country who are walking around unaware that they have diabetes. I often hear from clients that they did not feel any symptoms when they were first diagnosed so they did not take it seriously and were not compliant to the diabetic diet their doctor recommended to them. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and feel "fine" you will have a better quality of life down the road if you make some healthy habit changes NOW. Don't worry, you can still enjoy your favorite foods and your quality of life will not go down, just focus on making small changes. Controlling your diabetes through diet and exercise is optimal. A common goal of most of my diabetic clients is to get off diabetes medication while avoiding further complications such as neuropathy, blindness, amputation, or becoming insulin dependent. You can have that goal too!

Exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week, studies show that exercise helps stabilize blood sugars. Some experts even suggest that on the days you exercise you do not have diabetes. I would not go that far, but to say the least exercise is VERY important when it come to diabetes.

Aim to lose 7% of your body weight, several studies have proven that weight loss contributes to stable blood sugars. For a 275 lb. adult male this means lose 20 pounds or for 170 lb. female they should lose 12 pounds.

Focus on fiber and lean protein. Fiber helps slow down the absorption of carbohydrates which leads to stable blood sugars and helps one avoid high blood sugar readings. Aim to eat a minimum of 25 grams of fiber per day; fiber sources include whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Protein also helps slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and should be included in most meals or snacks. Instead of having pasta with marinara sauce add a grilled chicken breast or lean ground turkey or beef to the sauce. Rather than having a piece of fruit as a snack has it with some low fat cottage cheese or 1-2 Tbs. all natural peanut butter. The extra protein will keep you feeling full for a longer period of time thus avoiding overeating later in the day.

If you are struggling with diabetes and have specific questions or comments I would love to help you! Post a comment or e-mail me directly.
]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=90 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:25:52 -0400 Vegetables in Your Diet http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=89
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]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=89 Wed, 9 Jun 2010 05:45:53 -0400 It's Hot Drink Up! http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=87 null
Summer is on and it is hot out there, I am constantly fussing at my boys about drinking more water. They will come in from playing basketball and swimming all afternoon and tell me they drank 1 bottle of water, which is NOT enough! Then they complain about a headache and become irritable and sleepy, these are the most common signs of dehydration.

If you are thirsty then often it is too late. Aim to drink a minimum of half your body weight in ounces of water per day. So if you weight 150 lbs. then aim to drink a minimum of 75 ounces that day, BUT 100 ounces is ideal.

If you hate drinking water because it "has no taste" don't reach for the artificial flavored sweetener packets, they are laced with harmful chemicals that are almost just as bad as being dehydrated. Sweeten your water with sliced fresh fruit, I have been making a pitcher of water with sliced strawberries and lemons and the flavor is BETTER then the horrible artificial sweeteners that people tend to reach for.

Forget about diet sodas, regular sodas, teas or coffees. There are some beneficial antioxidant properties to coffee and tea but when it comes to hydration stick to plain H2O, and limit sodas, there are no hydration benefits about sodas.

Here are some general guidelines to think about when hydrating, especially if you are training, working, or spending any time out in the sun.

• Drink about 8-16oz. of fluid 2 hours prior to exercise or an event outside.
• Drink about 4-8oz. of fluid 15 minutes pre-exercise to maximize absorption without urination.
• About 4-8oz. of fluid is needed every 15-20 minutes during exercise (working or training).
• Drink at least 16oz. of fluid following exercise. During hot weather it is a good idea to weigh in before and after exercise and consume at least 16-24oz. of fluid for every pound difference.
• Try drinking at least 8oz. at each meal and between each meal. Remember-thirst is not a reliable indicator of hydration status.
• Limit caffeine and beverages containing alcohol since they can contribute to further dehydration.
• Sports drinks containing carbohydrates have been associated with enhanced performance and delayed fatigue in events lasting 1 hour or more, sports drinks are NOT necessary most of the time, they contain extra sodium and sugar needed fro prolonged exercise lasting for 1 hour or more.

]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=87 Tue, 8 Jun 2010 07:53:02 -0400 What kind of dieter are you? http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=86 null
An assertive dieter is not really a dieter; they are a healthy eater who is firm in their decisions. They do not gorge on junk food while eating their favorite foods in moderation and they stop eating when they are full or satisfied not stuffed. An example of being assertive at a party would be to take only a small sliver of cake this way you will not insult the host, you will still enjoy the treat but not break the bank on calories. To be assertive is been defined as a quality of being self assured. This is a wonderful characteristic to have when it comes to your nutrition. I was at a family get together last weekend and was observing behaviors of those around me when it came to food, and let me tell you there were only a few assertive types out there.


Another dieter is the aggressive dieter, they never last! We have all met someone who is so crazy about losing weight and then you see them 6 months later after they gained all of their weight back and then some! During the aggressive dieting stages their quality of life is not great because they are typically counting points, calories, and eating bland foods. They don’t enjoy parties, eating out or cocktail hour because of the all or nothing attitude towards their diet. Aggressive dieter typically is a yo-yo dieter and struggles with balance of life and health. I have had clients pass up dinner parties with great friends because they did not want to mess up their diet, come on that is not life! The best advice I could give an aggressive dieter is to search for a healthy balance and realize that they will maintain a lifestyle change forever if they follow a healthy eating plan 80% of the time. An occasional cheat meal (1-2x week) does not mean that you have no will power, giving into cravings once in a while will help you stay on track for all of your other meals.

The most common dieter that I see is the passives, they have a difficult time because they give into peer pressure of those around them and their will power is not very strong. If someone justifies to them why it is okay to have fried foods or desserts then they 9 times out of 10 will give in. A passive dieter is really not ready to change no matter what they tell you, they enjoy food and open excuses to eat the foods they enjoy. I try to help passive dieters by coming up with healthy alternatives for the foods they love, if they love pizza then I will give them a recipes for a whole wheat tortilla pizza that taste just as good with half of the calories and fat of take out pizzas. Cooking tasty healthy dishes will keep them from feeling deprived and they will not give into peer pressure as easily if they are enjoying healthy food.

Aggressive and passive dieters can be turned into assertive successful healthy eaters! Comments and questions are always welcome. Happy May to all of you!
]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=86 Thu, 13 May 2010 12:58:45 -0400 Eating for Two http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=85
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]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=85 Wed, 12 May 2010 10:03:51 -0400 How To Handle Cravings http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=84
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]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=84 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:22:42 -0400 Chia Seeds http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=83 null

Ben, my husband, and I had a very healthy productive Sunday. We started out our day with berry protein smoothies and some easy housework. Then we grab coffee and headed downtown to the Farmer's Market, we try to go once per month to load up on spices, herbs and other miscellaneous items. While we were at the farmer's market I picked up some Chia seed. It seems like Dr. Oz, nutrition magazines, e-mails and blog posts I look at are buzzing about Chia seeds. I have tried them at different smoothie shops and juice bars, but officially today I have made a commitment to regularly incorporate this "super food" into my eating plan. These magical seeds are a rich source of fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, even more then it's sister super food flax seeds!

Here are the benefits of the Chia seed....
Natural appetite suppressant
Stabilizes blood sugars
Has been linked to reducing high blood pressure
Has been shown to prevent or manage diverticulitis
Increases energy level due to high content of vitamins, minerals and protein
They are rich in age defying anti-oxidants which is typically lacking in a regular eating plan.
They have been shown to decrease foods cravings, due to the high vitamin and calcium content your body will be in better balance and crave less

If you are ready to give them a try make sure you store them in an air tight container and you can add them to any liquid such as smoothies, juice, water, a sports drink, or yogurt. A typically serving size is 2 tablespoons. After they hit water they form a gel like substance, which is normal.

Chia seeds are becoming more popular with endurance athletes increasing energy and recovery with the high demands of training. Next tri season, after I have my baby girl, I will incorporate them into my nutrition for training. If you are in the middle of tri-season put a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds in your water bottle and let me know how it goes!
]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=83 Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:11:42 -0400 Eat like a kid again http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=82
Let’s go back into time and think about Mother Nature. Think of a bear, they eat a lot of food at once, hibernate and store body fat around their belly, thighs and arms, now think of a horse, they are lean and strong, nibble all throughout the day and they run like the wind very lean and strong. Or better yet think of a skinny child in your life and observe their eating habits, they eat what they want off of their plate and then they go play and they are begging for a snack 90 minutes later. They don't make themselves sickly stuffed and lounge around on the couch they eat, play, eat, play. If you fuss at your children to finish their entire plate beware you could be leading them to an entire life of finishing their plate which down the road could lead to obesity. Encourage them to finish their vegetables and take polite taste of everything else on their plate, they should feel comfortable leaving food on their plate. This will help them from overeating in the future as an adult.

Our bodies are programmed to be lean when we eat small portions all throughout the day, the fire (metabolism) is burning and our bodies will never go into starvation mode. Starvation mode is when our bodies start storing fat due to not eating enough or working out too hard without consuming enough fuel. Starvation mode is considered working hard not smart. Yes, if you starve yourself you will lose weight, but that does not last forever, if you eat healthy mini meals and snacks all throughout the day then your body will respond by speeding up your metabolism and you will burn more calories at rest and this will lead to a permanent healthy lifestyle change.
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Speaking of kids (babies) I got to meet my new nephew, Carter for the first time last week and he is eating 9-10 times per day!
]]> Dana's Tips http://eating-right.southernfoodsathome.com/index.php?itemid=82 Tue, 6 Apr 2010 11:15:16 -0400