This Saturday I’m teaching a cooking class to kids called “Whole Grains You’ve Never Tried” with the hopes of opening them up to some new flavors and textures through healthy whole grains. Little did I realize that this would open my eyes as well!  As a dietitian and the cook in my house, I thought I’d explored a lot of the healthy grains out there. I learned that I’ve barely scratched the surface! The 3 recipes for the class include quinoa, wheat berries and bulgur, all grains I’ve tried but figured kids probably haven’t. When I went to the natural food store to get the grains I got a lesson in the many, many more that are out there. Amaranth, millet, Kamut, to just name a few. Most are really high in fiber and many are gluten free, which is helpful for recommending to my clients that have celiac disease.  I can’t wait to get try them all. I’ll post next week and let you know how the recipes went on Saturday and the response from the kids. For more info on whole grains and recipes, you can visit The Whole Grains Council website.

Tags: amaranth, bulgur, Kamut, millet, quinoa, wheat berries, whole grains

Okay - I have to share this program with you — I evaluate diet and exercise programs for my clients often.  And one that is really hot right now is P90X.  From a dietitian’s and exercise instructor’s perspective, it is a great program.  The eating plan is pretty balanced and the exercise regimen is great.  I am not a huge fan of supplements, so based on my advice my clients and friends did not purchase any of the supplements and just followed the eating plan. Not only have people lost weight and improved their muscle strength, stamina and flexibility on the program, but some have improved their blood pressure, triglyceride and cholesterol.  If you are looking for something to help you lose weight and get fit, P90X might work for you.  You can also buy it used on Amazon.

Tags: baby fat diet, healthy eating, nutrition, P90X, weight loss

Yum. I’m eating a delicious and healthy afternoon snack of raw whole almonds and dried cranberries. About 25 almonds with a Tbs or so of cranberries. Filling with fiber, healthy fats and protein along with just enough sweetness to hit the spot at 3 o’clock!

Tags: almonds, dried cranberries, healthy snack

A new study finds there are consistent keys to successful weight loss. The secrets?

• Eat breakfast
• Exercise about an hour a day
• Maintain a consistent eating pattern on weekdays and weekends

The first one seems easy.  Don’t skip breakfast.  I find that most people don’t eat enough for breakfast, trying to save up calories for later in the day. However, this tactic always backfires and leads to overeating in the evening. So, make sure you have a healthy, fiber and protein filled breakfast of at least 400 calories. 

Exercising an hour a day may seem daunting, but it needs to be something you work into your routine, just as you would with showering, brushing your teeth and getting dressed. If you exercise more vigorously you can cut the time down. So start with an hour a day of brisk walking and work your way up to jogging if you can. Then you can cut your exercise down to a half hour while burning the same number of calories. I also find that evening workouts, after the kids are in bed, are the easiest for me to stick with. Perhaps you’re a morning person so a morning workout is better. Either way, just schedule in the time and stick to it.  I also find that having equipment in my house offers more flexibility. Whenever I have 15 minutes free, I hop on the elliptical - a few bouts like this and I’ve met the requirement.

Maintaining a consistent eating pattern on weekends and weekdays isn’t hard, it just requires a commitment. Many of my clients say that they eat out on the weekends and the choices they make aren’t the healthy ones. They feel they deserve it because they’ve been so good all week, yet they negate all of the hard work they’ve done. In reality everyone needs to stick to healthy habits even when eating out. Pick the healthier choices on the menu - grilled fish or seafood, lean meats, steamed veggies. Pass on the fries. Limit the drinks to one. I promise you, the old adage is so true, “nothing tastes as good as being fit (okay, I changed it slightly) feels.”

Try these three changes and you’re on your way to a healthy, fit you for life.

Tags: breakfast, eating out, exercise, secrets, weight loss