September 26, 2023
I always keep these items on hand to make quick, healthy meals for fall. Here are a few ideas to use these staple items:
September 26, 2023
When you start paying attention to food labels, your eye tends to go to certain things on the nutrition facts label, perhaps sugar or protein. If the nutrients you care about check out ok, you might buy it. However, I recommend you get in the habit of looking at ingredients first.
If the ingredients are mostly items you recognize, continue on to check the nutrition facts. If both ingredients and nutrition facts check out, win-win!
While foods at the grocery store are sold with ingredients generally recognized as safe, or GRAS, it is important that your entire diet isn't made up of ultra-processed foods. So, take a look at your shopping cart and see if you chose more ultra-processed items (like cereal, crackers and canned soup) than minimally processed items (like eggs, oats and apples).
Learn more about label reading for your health goals.
We live in a world of convenience and sometimes to our own detriment. We will have some more highly processed foods in our diet and that's okay. Here's an example of a meal that's mostly minimally processed with a little highly processed food
Convenience foods can save time and are handy for travel, but they've become the norm and not the exception. Work towards eating a larger portion of minimally processed foods on a daily basis.
August 30, 2023
August 19, 2023
July 06, 2023
Yes! In many cases, commercial insurance, like the type you get through your employer, will pay for several visits to a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). Many of my clients never pay out of pocket. Your insurance plan might cover a few or many visits per year for reasons such as preventive nutrition, diabetes or obesity. You could have no cost for these visits depending on your plan.
Schedule a free 15-minute discovery call to learn more about dietitian visits and coverage.
Medicare covers dietitian visits for people who have diabetes or chronic kidney disease at certain stages. Medicare will cover 3 hours of visits in the first year and generally 2 hours in subsequent years. This does require a referral from your doctor. In my experience, doctors are happy to give you this referral to help you make better eating choices. It is also a standard of care for diabetes to see a registered dietitian when you are first diagnosed and/or when something changes in your plan of care like adding insulin to your medications. That means all people with diabetes should see a dietitian to help manage the condition, but many are never referred or seek help themselves. One study of 332 people with diabetes showed only 34% were referred to a dietitian by their doctor.
Whether you need a referral or not, if you want help changing your eating and lifestyle habits, talk to a dietitian. I can help you determine if you need a referral and get it from your doctor if needed.
You pay premiums each month to your health insurance, so use those benefits! Some could be at no extra cost to you.
April 18, 2023
Injectable weight loss and diabetes medications, brand names like Ozempic and Saxenda, are in a class of diabetes blood sugar lowering drugs called GLP-1 agonists. They have been popular, but expensive, options for people with type 2 diabetes for about 10 years. So, if you do not have diabetes, should you try one of these medications to lose weight?
The conversation should start with your doctor to see if you medically qualify for a weight loss medication. If your doctor recommends it, the next conversation (or several) is typically with the pharmacy and insurance, because many plans will not cover the drugs. Check websites like GoodRx or the drug company website for coupon cards that could lower your out of pocket costs. Many health clinics and medspas are starting to offer this service for an out of pocket fee.
From my experience working with clients who take these medications, here are some pros and cons of weight loss injectables they experience:
Pros:
Cons:
Despite the pros, it is important to make lifestyle changes, such as exercise and eating less fast food, to see best results. I always recommend food, exercise, stress and sleep management before trying a medication! If you have struggled to lose weight despite consistent (daily) balanced eating for your body and exercise, talk to your doctor about weight loss medications to add to your routine. If you do decide to take these weight loss medications, you will need to do some type of strength training exercise regularly to help slow muscle loss that comes along with this weight loss. Muscle loss is the enemy of weight loss and maintenance for your future. If you are unsure what your body needs for balanced eating and help with planning healthy meals, work with a registered dietitian.
Schedule a free discovery call with a dietitian here.
All information contained on this site is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The information is not intended to be a replacement or substitute for consultation with a qualified medical professional or for professional medical advice related to a medical condition. Please contact your physician with any questions and concerns about your medical condition
February 11, 2023
"I just don't eat."
A phrase I've heard often working with clients the past 15 years as a registered dietitian. Someone who wants to lose weight and recalls that they don't eat much, or don't eat all day. But, they don't lose weight. In some cases, it's under-eating that's the problem and in others, it's that eating is an afterthought in their busy lifestyle.
Our bodies are amazing. They will work with what we give them. Good or bad, they find a way. In my experience, when eating and meal planning are an afterthought, weight loss and nutrition goals are impossible to meet. Nutrition and health has to be in our foresight, not hindsight, to be optimal. It takes planning, prioritizing and effort, like anything else worth doing. Here are 3 low cost ways to bring meal planning and healthy eating into your foresight.
Make the commitment and start with a few small, specific daily tasks to improve your health.
September 13, 2022
Fast food is so tempting on busy nights. The kids like it, it requires no cleaning up and there's likely at least one option no more than 5 minutes away. If it's time to shake the fast food habit on busy weeknights, try these 3 healthy, quick to cook meals for family dinner.
Choose-your-toppings grilled chicken patty sandwiches with veggies and dip: Costco carries these quick cooking chicken patties that can be microwaved, baked or grilled. Let your kids choose their toppings, like honey mustard and pickles or barbecue sauce and pineapple. Serve alongside veggies and hummus or ranch dip. Make a quick homemade ranch by mixing plain Greek yogurt with one packet of ranch dip mix.
Family Charcuterie Board: using a large cutting board, platter or sheet pan, create a picnic-like meal board for the family.
Black Bean Tacos: it's usually the meat that takes the longest to cook, especially when you don't have anything thawed out! Try tacos with black beans instead. Add 2 cans of drained black beans to a large frying pan over medium heat. Add taco spice, 1 tbsp oil and stir to coat. Add 2 tablespoons of salsa for more flavor. Then make tacos as usual, using corn shells or whole wheat tortillas.
Save any leftovers for lunches the next day. The black bean taco filling is good on salads too.
August 16, 2022
The lines at Chick Fil A don't lie. Everyone is going there at some point! If you find yourself there often, here are 3 healthier choices at Chick Fil A for someone with diabetes or for people who have a weight loss goal.
Top low carb, filling Chick Fil A meal: 12 count grilled nuggets with zesty buffalo sauce and a kale crunch salad, Diet Sunjoy (half unsweet tea, half diet lemonade).
At about 370 calories and 17 grams carbohydrate, this meal feels light but with 41 grams of protein, it a filling meal.
Best Chick Fil A balanced breakfast: Egg White Grill sandwich and a fruit cup, coffee, 1% milk (optional).
With the milk, this meal is about 440 calories, 10 grams fat, 55 grams carb and 34 grams protein. The milk will make you feel a little more full with 7 grams of protein, but if you want to keep this meal around 45 grams of carb, just get coffee and water. Watch out for the Chick Fil A iced coffee. It has 30 grams of carb and 24 grams of sugar, which can throw your blood sugars and hunger levels off all day.
Get help with meal planning that fits your busy lifestyle. Schedule a virtual visit with a Well My Way registered dietitian.
Best Chick Fil A salad: Grilled Market Salad with Grilled Filet or Grilled Nuggets, light balsamic dressing, light Italian, or 1 dipping sauce size honey mustard. You can use the dipping sauce ranch or honey mustard as a more portion controlled salad dressing compared to the dressing packets. With the grilled chicken and balsamic dressing, this salad has 620 calories, 35 grams fat, 51 grams carbohydrate and 28 grams protein. Save some sodium by using half a dressing packet.
If you haven't tried the fruit cup as a side dish at Chick Fil A, try it! It actually has fresh fruit in it - sliced strawberries, blueberries and chopped apple. Though fast food is not a good option to have regularly, there are ways to make it a healthier option for people with diabetes.
July 15, 2022
Camping and glamping are popular means of vacation or just a change of scenery the last two years. The 2022 North American Camping Report showed camper households increased drastically in 2020, going from 4% increase in 2019 to a 21% increase in 2020. If you are planning a camping trip or living the camp life while working from anywhere, take these healthy, quick camping meal ideas with you.
Grilled Pita Pizzas: a family favorite since everyone can choose their own toppings. Try one of these for a healthy, high protein pizza. Start by lightly toasting whole wheat pitas on the grill. Remove from the grill and choose your toppings:
Grilled Barbecue Chicken Pita Pizza: spread 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce on one side of each pita. Top with your choice of:
Grilled Greek Pita Pizza: spread 1 to 2 tablespoons hummus on one side of each pita. Top with your choice of:
Grill 5 to 6 minutes or until the bottom of the pita lightly browns; or cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Veggie Packed Foil Packets: these are versatile and easy to clean up! Make them with lean meat like shrimp and a variety of non-starchy vegetables for a low carb option. Start with a large piece of foil (about 15-20 inches). Try any of these combos:
Greek Chicken and Potato Foil Packets
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click the link and purchase the item, I may receive commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Hawaiian Overnight Oats: camping and hiking? Definitely make overnight oats for a morning energy boost or mid-day snack. These are good for 3 days once mixed up. In a small dish with a lid or mason jar, combine:
Stir to combine and top with pineapple tidbits, shredded coconut, chopped macadamia nuts or pistachios. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy in the morning cold or warmed up.
If you are looking for a gift your camping/glamping friends will love and use, check out this cookbook from Claire Thomas and mini waffle maker that you can make MUCH more than maple laden waffles with. Claire makes everything from pizza waffles to perfect on-the-go breakfast sandwiches. Get the cookbook and waffle maker here and be sure to follow Claire on Instagram to see all the fun ways she uses her waffle maker on her van-life adventures.
May 24, 2022
For people with prediabetes, diabetes or those looking to lose weight, a balanced snack that has protein and fiber-rich carbohydrates can help decrease hunger pains between meals and help reduce blood sugar swings. Here are 5 options for healthy snacks for people with diabetes or prediabetes:
Get a list of high protein, low carbohydrate foods here to create more snack ideas of your own.
Some links in this post may be affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. But rest assured that all opinions remain my own. You can read my full affiliate disclaimer here.
May 16, 2022
"I'm just not motivated to do it."
If you've ever felt this way about healthy eating or exercise, you are not alone. It's something I tend to hear in the 5th or 6th visit. We get off to a great start when we feel "motivated" and then time passes or vacation happens and motivation drops. Here are a few tips to get over the motivation slump:
Stop waiting on motivation to improve your health. It's a fickle friend! Take steps towards improving your health by working with a registered dietitian, trained in nutrition counseling and behavior change. Book an appointment in minutes.