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There is something in our food that tastes good but is one of the biggest drivers of harmful inflammation.  It's sugar.  Especially added sugars. 

They sneak into sauces, condiments, "health" foods, breads and more.  Some is okay but the average American eats 17 teaspoons added sugar per day. The recommendation from the American Heart Association is 6 teaspoons (or 24 grams) a day for women and children and 9 teaspoons (or 36 grams) a day for men.  

On new nutrition labels, under "Total Carbohydrates" you will see Total Sugar and Added Sugar.  Start paying attention to the added sugar and add up your intake for at least one day to learn your daily added sugar intake.  

In the label above, you see that 2 bars has 9 grams added sugar.  So for a woman, thats 9 grams of your 24 grams goal for a day.  There are three sources of added sugar in this product listed in the ingredients:  cane sugar, honey and tapioca syrup.  Different sources but these are all essentially added sugar.

Enjoy added sugars in moderation.  It's not NO sugar, it's LESS sugar!

I have worked with many people taking injectable medications for blood sugar and/or weight loss.  I have seen positive outcomes and negative side effects.  Truly, it does seem that every BODY has a different experience on these medications, like semaglutide, brand name Ozempic.  Consider these factors before you start a weight loss medication:

• This is only the beginning.  These medications have been around many years for diabetes, but in recent years have been rebranded at higher doses for weight loss.  There are more of these medications, with added agents like glucagon, coming to market soon.  Since the widespread use of them is relatively new, time will still tell how people who take them do in the long run with keeping weight off.
• Fast weight loss isn't always good weight loss. Those who have struggled to lose weight might like the promise of being less hungry and having less cravings.  What's not to love?!  But, when someone loses weight quickly, for instance more than 10 pounds in a month, it is likely a larger percent of total weight lost is from muscle than if they lost weight at a slower pace.  With. weight loss, there is some lean muscle decrease, but the degree is lower with slower weight loss.  Muscle is vital for metabolism, longevity, strength and recovery after illness.  While the body will fill fat cells endlessly given enough energy, muscle cells do not increase as easy.  Do not take losing muscle lightly!
• You might have to be on the medication for a long time or forever.  Talk to your doctor about what will happen if you want to go off the medication and be okay with the fact that your appetite and some weight will come back if previous eating habits return and physical activity does not increase.    
• If you can accept that there are risks to any medication, that keeping the weight off is not guaranteed and that strength training is vital to long-term success, you are more likely to succeed with weight loss medications. 

I always keep these items on hand to make quick, healthy meals for fall.  Here are a few ideas to use these staple items:

A registered dietitian can help you plan healthier meals.  Work with a dietitian one-on-one with convenient virtual visits.

• Add 1/2 can pumpkin puree and a dash of cocoa powder to your chili recipe to thicken the sauce and add a depth of flavor.
• Add drained, rinsed canned chickpeas and roasted pumpkin seeds to salads for added protein,  fiber and magnesium.
• Combine cooked chickpea pasta with fire roasted tomatoes, great northern beans, parmesan cheese and spinach.  Top with a little pesto sauce.
• Make overnight oats with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, vanilla protein powder and pecans. 

Depending on your nutrition goals, of course both are important, but I recommend you look at one of them first. 

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

• Quick lunch: apple, peanut butter, carrot sticks, beef jerky and a ready to drink protein shake  

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.  

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).  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.

What nutrition services does insurance cover?

Visits include nutrition counseling and medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and must be provided by a registered dietitian licensed with the Commission on Dietetic Registration.  Insurance covers counseling, education and planning that occurs during your appointment with a registered dietitian.  

What nutrition services are not covered by insurance?

Plan vary but typically these services are not covered by insurance:

• Custom meal plans or planning outside of appointments
• Labs like food sensitivity testing, hormone panels for weight management or functional health testing like DUTCH panels.
• Weekly check-ins and food journal reviews
• Recommended nutrition supplements or food
• Grocery tours
• In-home counseling and kitchen makeovers

Well My Way has created coaching packages that combine what insurance does and does not cover at a discounted price.  They fill the gaps of insurance coverage to provide more help, accountability and value to clients.  Learn more here.

What about dietitian visits for those with Medicare?

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!  

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:

• Feeling less hungry overall
• Eating smaller portions at meals
• Weight loss
• Not thinking about food all the time
• Less desire to snack when not hungry
• Blood sugars are lower all day without going too low

Cons:

• Just forgetting to eat at all
• Muscle loss along with the intended fat loss
• Stomach upset, nausea and sometimes gastroparesis 
• Cost of the medication caused them to quit
• Quitting the medication caused appetite to return to normal
• Feeling sick most of the day and having to stop taking the medication

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

"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.

1. Commit to it or forget it.  It's a simple, but overlooked step.  Here's how to do it in just two minutes:  write down two reasons you want to focus on your health.  For example, I want prioritize my health to have more energy and prevent future illness.  Write down potential barriers, like lack of time and poor planning, and how you will overcome those.  Write one or two specific things you will do, such as bulk prep breakfast for work days and take 10 minute walk breaks instead of internet scrolling.  Sign and date that paper.  It's a simple self-contract  that you will give your best effort and not give up when it is challenging.
2. Take 15 minutes, once a week, to plan some of your meals.  Add it to your calendar!  Start with one meal.  Sit in your kitchen and decide 3 options to have that week.  Plan to make leftovers to reduce your cooking and grocery list.  Write down the 3 options.  For example, let's plan for dinners:  beef tacos, chicken stir fry and sheet pan salmon with potatoes and cauliflower.  Make a list of ingredients needed.  Search a recipe online if you're unsure (side note:  search for only one minute and pick one to avoid the search rabbit hole!).  Check your kitchen and cross off ingredients you already have.  Proceed to go shopping or shop online for groceries.  Having this plan in place brings planning into foresight and helps you have balanced meals instead of whatever is there (it's always a box of crackers - not a balanced meal!).  No more blank stares into the refrigerator at 6:30 pm wondering what to eat.
3. Make office life work for you, not against you.  If you find yourself at the office vending machine or snacking too much while your work from home, decide on two healthy snacks to have each day.  Pick 1 salty and 1 sweet if you like.  Space them out between meals.  Examples of balanced snacks are Greek yogurt with berries, nuts and fruit or a protein fruit smoothie.  

Make the commitment and start with a few small, specific daily tasks to improve your health.  

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.

A registered dietitian can help you plan healthier meals.  Work with a dietitian one-on-one with convenient virtual visits.

Family Charcuterie Board:  using a large cutting board, platter or sheet pan, create a picnic-like meal board for the family. 

• Pick protein sources like deli turkey or chicken, halved hard boiled eggs, sliced mozzarella cheese or chopped leftover chicken. 
• Then, choose the carbs, like whole grain crackers, apple slices, grapes, dried apricots and sliced pita bread.
• Add extras like olives, nuts, cheese cubes, trail mix or dips to fill in the board.  

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.