This week I joined Papaya Head as a meal plan publisher. Papaya Head is a website in which individuals can develop weekly dinner meal plans for themselves. You can print shopping lists to accompany your meal plans. Why not let a dietitian do the work for you? Sign up with me via this link for Papaya Head and I can put together your dinner meal plans based on your nutritional needs. Each week your menu will arrive via email.
This week I joined Papaya Head as a meal plan publisher. Papaya Head is a website in which individuals can develop weekly dinner meal plans for themselves. You can print shopping lists to accompany your meal plans. Why not let a dietitian do the work for you? Sign up with me via this link for Papaya Head and I can put together your dinner meal plans based on your nutritional needs. Each week your menu will arrive via email.
I had never heard of Honest Tea until my friend, fellow RD, and future office mate, Kristie Finnan reviewed Honest Tea this summer. I walked into Giant the other day and found the tea on sale for a dollar. So, I picked up two flavors, Honey Green Tea and Half and Half. The Half and Half contains 100 calories per serving and 24 grams of sugar. Ingredients include water, organic cane sugar, organic tea, organic lemon juice, and organic lemon extract. The products contains no artificial colors or flavors. The Honey Green Tea contained 70 calories and 18 grams of sugar.
Recently I was drinking a lot of diet teas. Despite the zero calories, they are often full of artificial ingredients. I try to not consume anything that has ingredients I can not pronounce. Honest Tea tastes great and is great for you too!
I had never heard of Honest Tea until my friend, fellow RD, and future office mate, Kristie Finnan reviewed Honest Tea this summer. I walked into Giant the other day and found the tea on sale for a dollar. So, I picked up two flavors, Honey Green Tea and Half and Half. The Half and Half contains 100 calories per serving and 24 grams of sugar. Ingredients include water, organic cane sugar, organic tea, organic lemon juice, and organic lemon extract. The products contains no artificial colors or flavors. The Honey Green Tea contained 70 calories and 18 grams of sugar.
Recently I was drinking a lot of diet teas. Despite the zero calories, they are often full of artificial ingredients. I try to not consume anything that has ingredients I can not pronounce. Honest Tea tastes great and is great for you too!
After my review of Detour Low Sugar Protein Bars I received from Detour samples of some of their other products. I am just getting around to trying them out. So, stay tuned for more reviews. I tasted first Detour’s Lean Muscle High Protein Shakes. I was sent Vanilla Bean and Milk Chocolate. Both shakes are 14 oz and have similar nutritional contents. Nutrition Facts: 260 calories, 9 gm Fat, 3 gm Saturate Fat, 30 mg Cholesterol, 340 mg Sodium (Vanilla Bean)/ 410 mg Sodium (Milk Chocolate), 520 mg Potassium (Vanilla Bean)/640 mg Potassium (Milk Chocolate), 12 gm Total Carbohydrates, 6 gm Sugar, 32 gm Protein.
Each shake also contains good sources of a number of vitamins and minerals including calcium and omega 3. Both flavors are lactose free although they do contain milk. Flavors are both natural and artificial. Sucralose provides sweetness. The protein source is not 100% Whey, which is preferred for my weight loss surgery friends. The protein source is a proprietary blend of milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, and calcium caseinate.
For individuals looking for additional sources of protein post workout or as a meal replacement this is a good product. For individuals who have undergone weight loss surgery this would not be a great product initially post surgery. In the early stages following surgery when food intake is limited you want a supplement that provides 100% whey protein isolate, which is better absorbed. Consumption of whey protein isolate will also provide you with all of the essential amino acids you need. In later stages when surgery patients are able to consume complete sources of protein (sources that provide all the essential amino acids the human body needs), such as meat, eggs, and dairy, this product can be added to help increase your protein intake. The sugar content for some weight loss surgery patients may be an issue, but in my experience 6 gm of Sugar is usually consumed without dumping syndrome occurring.
Now to taste. In other shake reviews I have stated that I am not a fan of creamy drinks. I personally prefer clear proteins, because they are not as heavy in my belly. I did like the taste of the Vanilla Bean vs the Milk Chocolate, which is unusual because I love chocolate. The Vanilla Bean was sweeter. I thought the milk chocolate needed to be sweeter. Taste however is very individual and I always encourage clients to try shakes for themselves.
This week I received a watermelon from my farm share. When I cut the melon last night I was surprised to find the watermelon was yellow. I have seen yellow watermelon before, but like most folks was apprehensive about giving the yellow fruit a try. Well, I don’t like to waste anything. I brought the melon to the dinner table tonight. My daughter of course refused it, but my son, the watermelon lover, gave it a try. What I have read about yellow watermelons is that they are sweeter than pink watermelon and have a honey taste. The fruit did seem sweeter than most of the pink watermelons I have had lately. My son wanted to know if I had more than what I brought to the dinner table. Unfortunately no!
Watermelon, pink and yellow, contain 6% sugar and 92% water by weight. They are a great source of Vitamin C. Per 3.5 oz watermelon contains 30 calories, 7.5 gm carbohydrates, 6.2 gm sugar, and 0.4 gm Fiber. In addition to Vitamin C, watermelon contain small amounts of Vitamin A, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Iron, Phosphorous, and Potassium.
Recently I was given fennel and leeks with my farm share. I had no idea what to do with them. I found a recipe for roasted vegetables that incorporated these two vegetables. Roasting a mixture of vegetables together gives you nice tender vegetables that are full of flavor. The rich nutrient content is an added benefit! You can find the recipe at Fig and Fennel.
Recently I was given fennel and leeks with my farm share. I had no idea what to do with them. I found a recipe for roasted vegetables that incorporated these two vegetables. Roasting a mixture of vegetables together gives you nice tender vegetables that are full of flavor. The rich nutrient content is an added benefit! You can find the recipe at Fig and Fennel.
After spending time in Arizona in April my husband and I have become addicted to guacamole. I started thinking about avocados and the bad wrap they sometimes get because of their fat content. The California Avocado Commission has great information on avocados including nutrition, recipes, growing etc.
Avocados contain about 20 essential nutrients. They are rich sources of fiber, potassium, vitamin E, and some B vitamins. Per servings (1/5 of a medium fruit) contains 50 kcal, 4.5 gm fat (which includes 0.5 gm Saturated Fat, 0.5 gm Polyunsaturated Fat, and 3gm Monounsaturated Fat), 150 mg Potassium, 3 gm Carbohydrates, 0gm Protein. As you can see avocados do contain monounsaturated fat, which is a heart healthy fat. Yes fat will add extra calories to your total intake, but this type of fat has been shown to not lead to cardiovascular disease. The high levels of potassium and fiber also make this a powerful heart healthy food. So the verdict is that avocado is a good food!!
Check out the California Avocado Commission’s bank of recipes. There are tons of ways to use avocado. My favorite of course is guacamole. My favorite recipe comes from the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. The Flying V Bar and Grill located at the resort serves up their classic Tableside Guacamole. Check out their recipe: Flying V Signature Guacamole.
This is so simple to make. First you mash the avocado. I use two forks and sort of cut through the fruit to mash it.
Next I dice up the tomato, jalapeno pepper, red onion, and garlic (I did not have the green onion on hand) and add to avocado mash.
Season with salt and pepper. Add lime juice and finished!
The gym is a wonderful place to get your workout in, but it is not an option for everyone. If you are unable to get to a gym or a fitness center for your workout, don’t feel discouraged. There are plenty of ways for you to get your daily activity in.
CARDIO:
Getting your cardio in does not require any gym membership. The only equipment you need to get your blood pumping is YOU!! You can even add some cardio intervals into your strength training routine for an added calorie burn.
• You can walk, jog, or do a combination of both. Interval training is a great calorie and fat burning exercise.
• Climbing stairs is a great way to tone your legs and butt. Go up as fast as you can and then walk back down.
• If you can, go for a bike ride. It’s a great way to get some fresh air while toning your lower body and getting your cardio workout in.
• Swimming is an excellent full-body workout. The water provides natural resistance to your movements, and swimming lets you exercise in your full range of motion.
• Give calisthenics a try. Jumping rope is inexpensive and can be done anywhere, making the exercise accessible to just about anyone. What’s more, jumping rope can burn up to 1,000 calories an hour! No rope? Jumping jacks have similar benefits.
• Crank up the music and dance. Move with the music. The faster and wilder, the better.
STRENGTH TRAINING:
You will need to… invest in some equipment. A good pair of dumbbells, ideally ones that have an adjustable weight will get the job done. You can do a variety of exercises with them and target almost every muscle group in your body. Here is a sample strength training workout.
Total Body:
1. Push-Ups – You can do these on your knees, your toes, or change things up by doing staggered or traveling push-ups. (Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions)
2. Squats – Keep your toes facing forward and your weight on your heels.
Lower yourself down slowly as if you are sitting down into a chair. (Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions)
3. Dumbbell Row – Holding a dumbbell in each hand, bend over until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Keeping your arms close to your torso, pull the dumbbells up until they touch the sides of your chest. (Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions)
4. Calf Raises – Stand on the edge of a step with your heels hanging off the back. Keeping body straight, lift the body up onto toes by contracting the calves.(Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions)
5. Triceps Dips – Turn your back to the chair and place your palms on the seat you’re your fingers facing forward. Stretch your legs out a few feet in front of you and lower your body until your butt is just a few inches off the floor. Straighten your arms again, using your triceps to lift your body weight. (Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions)
Core:
1. Planks – Position your forearms flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Keep your body rigid, with only your toes and forearms touching the floor. The idea is to support your body solely with your core muscles. (Do 3 sets of 1 minute)
2. Crunches – Pick a spot on the ceiling and keep your eyes focused on it. (Do 3 sets of 25 repetitions)
3. Oblique Crunches – Lie down as if you were going to perform a basic crunch. Roll your knees over to the side and rest your legs on the floor. Perform a crunch. (Do 3 sets of 25 repetitions)
4. Lying Leg Lifts- Lie on your back with your legs straight. Place your hands under your hips with your palms on the floor for support. Lift your legs until they are perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower them, but do not let them touch the floor. (Do 3 sets of 25 repetitions)
Guest Blogger Jennifer Bayliss, MSEd, ATC, CSCS, is Manager of Fitness for the calorie counter tool on EverydayHealth.com.
Book An Appointment Today
