fruits – Jenna Jamieson, Author

Holidays…family, friends, and FOOD!

By Jenna Jamieson | November 19, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

This is the weight-gaining, cookie-eating, mouth-stuffing time of the year! It’s the time of the year when people eat cookies, cupcakes, chips, dips, and other sugary and salty foods. It’s the time of the year when diets seem to be filled with more junk food than fruits and veggies. It’s the time of the year when there are parties, potlucks, and events. And, it’s the time of the year when health educators and counselors know what to expect come January when New Year’s resolutions come around!

I am getting ready to cook my “gluten free” Thanksgiving this weekend so that I can actually enjoy it! Otherwise the day of Thanksgiving I get stuck with meat and potatoes without all the other lovely sides that fill the Thanksgiving table (but are often filled with gluten)!

As a way to cut back on fat and to reduce the calories in my gluten free dishes I will be making roasted brussels sprouts and corn with a couple of slices of bacon rather than a corn casserole or corn pudding which are filled with heavy cream, cream soups, and other fattening additives. This is a great way to reduce fat and calories while still having great flavor. The bacon will provide flavor along with chili powder, but since the two bacon slices will be divided among 6 people the amount consumed is very little.

My homemade mashed potatoes will feature part cauliflower. That may sound awful to some, but I promise you won’t taste the cauliflower and it will save a ton of calories! I will also use potatoes, but I will combine them with cauliflower to reduce the calories and add some veggies. I will use reduced sodium, reduced fat cream cheese or greek yogurt to add creaminess to the potatoes.

I will not have bread since I will be making cornbread stuffing. I made cornbread with reduced fat milk and will make the stuffing using reduced sodium chicken broth. To save calories, it is great to consider how many “bready” sides or carbohydrate sides you will serve with your Thanksgiving dinner. Consider having stuffing or bread, pie or cake, with more sides filled with veggies or fruits (i.e. brussel sprouts, corn, green beans, cranberries, mixed fruit, sweet potatoes – healthier than regular potatoes).

If your family does a green bean casserole each year consider roasted green beans, grilled green beans (these are delicious!), or pan seared green beans to cut back on the creamy soups, butter, and fried onions that are all high in calories.

Remember to fill your plates with more veggies than “bready” items and when you go back for seconds fill up on the veggie sides rather than more stuffing, bread, pie, and other high calorie dishes. Oh, and take a quick walk before or after dinner so your food doesn’t sit in your stomach all day or all night. You will thank yourself later when your food has a chance to digest rather than sit and make you feel miserable all night! 🙂

Happy eating, enjoy spending time with your friends and family, and have fun making new memories that you will remember forever!

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

Lunches: Soups, Salads, Sandwiches & More!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 25, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

It’s the summer months and soups, salads, and sandwiches seem to be go-to lunch choices for many people. These can be relatively healthy items if you make sure you are diligent in how you make them or how you order them at your favorite restaurant (mine is McAlister’s:-) ).

During the week, I usually bring salads, lettuce wraps, or sandwiches to work. One thing that I consistently have heard time and time again is that salads are not filling, they seem boring, and it tends to lead to snacking later because the person still feels hungry. My best advice is to make salads frequently enough to where your body gets used to light, healthy lunches. Further, load salads up with a variety of vegetables and fruits, nuts, craisins, deli meat, and other great add-ins. I like to make a variety of different hearty salads throughout the week. The key is to make different salads each day so you don’t get bored with them. For example, I make chef salads, Olive Garden type salads, garden salads, Cobb salads, etc. that have different add-ins and different dressings. Just be careful putting too many add-ins in your salads such as cheese, croutons, dressings, or lots of bacon because these quickly add to the calories and can make a healthy one not so healthy!

For sandwiches, I typically use lettuce as my “bread” to make lettuce wraps. These are easy, delicious, and save calories. You can use different varieties of lunch meat and cheese to change things up such as turkey, ham, salami, roast beef, and provolone, mozzarella, colby jack, etc. I typically enjoy the ultra thin cheese slices, but that’s up to you. If I do make a sandwich using bread, I try to do a 1/2 sandwich and a 1/2 salad to keep it healthy. Again, your choices are endless to what you like so you can change it up easily. Just remember that condiments and sauces typically add a lot of extra calories to your lunch! I try to stick to one condiment on my sandwiches such as mustard or light mayo (I also really like dijonnaise).

If you aren’t a “make and take” type lunch person because you can’t get yourself to make it the night before or can’t get yourself up early enough in the morning to make it, consider places that have great soup, salad, and sandwich combinations. I suggest that you always get a salad with your meal and then choose a soup or a sandwich. The greens are great for you and the sandwich or soup can be your less healthy choice. Remember that cream-based soups tend to be higher in calories just like bread for sandwiches. Also, be sure to ask for dressing on the side so you can control how much you put on. I am a huge fan of McAlister’s Deli because they accommodate my food allergy. Plus, they serve a great variety of salads and sandwiches that allow me to change things up, which I enjoy during the summer months. One thing about McAlister’s is that it seems very healthy, but the calories add up quickly if you don’t pay attention to what you are ordering. They have a list of spud, soup, salad, and sandwich combinations on their website that are under 600 calories. Check it out if you are curious on how many calories your typical go-to meal is!

Lastly, with your lunches and during summer in general, many people enjoy iced lemonade and iced tea, but remember these popular summer drinks add on the calories and are usually high in sugar. You may think having a healthy meal will allow for the extra add on calories for your summer drinks, but be aware of what you are consuming. Remember that your best option is to estimate your calories as best as you can so you aren’t mistakenly eating a “healthy” soup, salad, or sandwich combo that is actually as much as two meals combined. Sometimes eating your sandwich at lunch and then taking your salad for later in the afternoon or vice versa is a great option. Consider reading Find what works for YOU! and All about eating! for other great tips on eating such as full versus stuffed, eating small meals, and pacing yourself when you eat.

Happy healthy lunching (and eating)! 🙂

~jj

Health notes to myself!

By Jenna Jamieson | May 12, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

Today’s inspiration is something that I love to do so I do it often on post-it notes, calendars, and “to-do” lists. It seems kind of simple and probably somewhat silly to some, but it works for me and maybe it will work for you, too! I often write myself small health notes, reminders, and encouraging words to increase my motivation level, remind myself why it is important to exercise and eat healthy, and small things I can do to further improve my health.

Many of us have calendars at home and work, cellphones, notebooks for work and school, or other planners and organizers that we frequently use. I often have “to-do” lists (which the blog always seems to be on 😉 ) as well as grocery lists, calendars, etc where I write down health notes to myself. For example, I might write “Decrease sodium intake by eating less salty foods such as chips and cheese” or “Reduce eating sugary cereals in the morning and eat a brown grain cereal with fruits and raisins” to remind me of better and healthier choices I can make to improve my overall health. Further, I might write “Exercising and eating right help reduce heart disease” so that I recall why it is I exercise and strive to eat healthy each day. Lastly, on days when I feel tired, overwhelmed, or lack motivation to exercise, I might write myself a note that says “Keep going and relieve your stress with a great workout” so I know what I can do to rejuvenate and refresh myself at the end of the day.

These simple reminders can be posted at your desk, on your calendar, or like me on my “to-do” lists or grocery lists so that they are a reminder to make healthy choices. My suggestion (because it works well for me) is to place notes on things or in areas that you frequently look at, open, or see throughout the day so that it is a constant reminder to you. You can get creative and have fun with it by writing exercises to do such as “Run up and down the office stairs 3 times” or any other exercise that might help you achieve your health and fitness goals. The point of this is to have fun with your health, make your choices stick with you by recalling what you write down, and using notes to reiterate the importance of making healthy choices. After all, constant reiteration, reminders, and continual practice help ensure that you maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle over time.

Happy writing (health notes) to yourself! It may seem silly or too easy, but give it a shot because it might just help!

~jj

A {healthy} routine…what foods do YOU feed your family?

By Jenna Jamieson | August 14, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

Whether your family consists of kids, you’re a newly married couple, or you are a baby boomer near or in retirement, a great way to keep up with your health is by using those around you to keep you in check. It doesn’t mean that they hold you accountable for what you put in your mouth, but it might mean that the reason you serve healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables with meals is to be a mentor to inspire and provide an example to the people in your life (kids, sisters/brothers, cousins, spouse, etc). It means YOU care enough to help show those around you that through healthy eating and regular exercise you decrease your chances for diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

Consider making health a daily family event or routine. For example, make dinner an occasion where you make a protein, carb, and vegetable side. You can help your kids learn about their food choices by placing foods in categories that are easy to understand such as “Go”, “Slow”, and “Whoa” which is used in school heath curriculum. For example, fruits and vegetables in their raw form are usually “Go” foods (eat most often, almost always) while canned fruits in light syrup or frozen vegetables would fall under “Slow” foods (eat less often, sometimes) because a lot of the nutritional value in these foods lessens once they are altered. Examples of “Whoa” foods (eat least often, once in awhile) might include donuts, cake, cookies, chips, and other foods that are high in sugar and sodium. Help teach those around you how to categorize their foods. Make this a fun activity for kids (or adults) by cutting out foods they love and asking them to place each picture under the correct category. This helps them learn while providing a great chart to hang on the refrigerator as a reminder. We all need a reminder every now and then and what better place than on the front of the refrigerator so you are constantly reminded every time you open it?! 😉 Once you understand the idea of categorizing individual foods such as breads, cheese, meats, pasta, etc. into “Go”, “Slow”, and “Whoa” you can take it a step further by combining food groups (as we often see when we make meals). For example, a bagel pizza or English muffin pizza made with low fat cheese or vegetable lasagna/pasta made with a red sauce would be considered “Go” meals while macaroni and cheese or pizza would fall into the “Slow” meals group and deep dish sausage pizza or fried chicken with gravy would fall into the “Slow” meals group.

Remember that your attitude toward food, nutrition, exercise, and fitness impacts your children, your spouse, and those around you so make sure you are the positive influence that helps them stay healthy! For example, take a 30 minute walk in the evenings with your spouse or take a family bike ride. Think of fun activities that allow you to make memories and are fun so that your children, spouse, and family have a positive experience as it relates to exercise. Making a positive association with exercise and healthy foods is very important, if not vital. This helps you, your children, your spouse, and family recognize the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise while also making them feel like it is easy, fun, and stress-free. After all, remember that health starts with family and friends because children, friends, and family often echo the behavior of people they are surrounded by. Be the difference in your family and group of friends to show those around you how to make health a priority through regular exercise and healthy eating.

~jj

Replace + Reduce > Rationalizing

By Jenna Jamieson | July 29, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

All too often I hear people say, “I worked out earlier, so it means I can eat this cake and cookies now” or “I ate fruit at breakfast and a side of vegetables at lunch so I can cheat at dinner” or the best one is “I ate clean all week, so it means I can eat whatever I want this weekend” but rationalizing your choices when it comes to your health is not a good compromise or balance. Try replacing rather than rationalizing to reduce your calories and your chances for heart disease (which I will add is the number one killer of Americans yet can be reduced by the choices we make).

I am not suggesting that you don’t allow yourself to eat sweets or desserts, but getting into the habit of rationalizing your choices is a sure way to lose track of your fitness goals and see a decrease in your progress. Instead, eat in moderation and remember that replacing with fruits and veggies rather than rationalizing with junk food will boost your energy level and make you feel much better. Consider replacing at least one food item at each meal to reduce the fat content, sodium, and carb load that is almost always higher than it should be. Replace unhealthy sides such as mashed potatoes for a baked potato or make mashed potatoes that are 1/2 cauliflower and 1/2 potato and use Greek yogurt, low fat milk, and unsalted butter to get the creamy consistency you want. Replace onion rings or french fries for healthy veggies such as grilled onions or roasted potatoes. Further, at breakfast, replace potatoes and bacon in an omelette for veggies such as spinach (leafy greens are great for you!) and mushrooms. At lunch, replace BBQ potato chips for plain tortilla chips or unsalted almonds and a BLT or chicken quesadilla for a turkey, spinach, and cheese wrap. Small healthy choices at each meal may not seem that important, but small steps can help make a big difference in the overall progress you see. Three small healthy choices (one at each meal) is a great way to work on making progress over time.

Remember that when you eat like crap, you often feel like crap so don’t use your weekend as an excuse to give up on your goals. Instead eat for success because no diet does what healthy eating will do for your life. It will change your mood, stress, and energy level! Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to eat less, just eat right! 🙂

~jj

Simplicity might just be key!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 30, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

One constant for most people is that their schedule is always filled, life is always busy, and there never seems to be enough time in the day to do everything on the “to do” list. People often want short, simple, and easy workouts and quick, healthy meals that keep us on track to maintain or reach our fitness goals. Why? Because spending time with family and friends is what most, if not all, of us want. We basically want the cake and to eat it too! Shocking, right? Well, obviously, not really. That is the majority, not the minority, so if you feel this way, you can rest assured that you are not alone. So, what can you do to still make the most of your day, save time, and not feel like your entire day is dedicated to health and wellness? Let’s face it, we are often so busy we don’t necessarily think about all the choices (or lack of) that we are making that impact our health.

My solution (and challenge to you) is to find several small and simple (key word is SIMPLE!) health oriented things that you can do that will help change the big picture over time, then incorporate those into your schedule. I will give you an example of some fitness and health choices that will assist you in creating a more simple, less overwhelming lifestyle.

First off, start with steps and walking. Grab a fitness tracker, a very basic one that counts steps is all you need. If you prefer a more fancier fitness watch/tracker, by all means, get what suits you best. It used to be that 10k a day was the fad and maybe it still is, but don’t stick with fad diets and exercises. Strive for what works, so get your count to 14k a day! Yes, that seems like a lot of steps, but think of walking to the bathroom, in the kitchen, at work, etc. And just in case you aren’t convinced that getting steps are great for you, walking helps with digestion, is great for your bones, and can improve your mood! You can do it and it really isn’t difficult. You may be surprised by how many you get!

Next, the fabulous 5: basic weights, lunges, crunches, squats, and push-ups. This will help build strength and tone your body. Do sets that work best for you. I suggest 3-5 sets of 10-15 reps depending on your lifestyle and fitness level. You can do these in the morning when you wake up, in the evening to de-stress, while you are outside, while you are watching television, etc and it takes a total of 15 to 20 minutes, if that.

The next one may be somewhat difficult for many, but it is important and will make the biggest difference on your waistline and energy level. Avoid baked goods. These are salty, sugary foods that provide little to no energy. While you avoid cookies, brownies, and cakes, turn to water. Drink at least a gallon of water a day to stay full, focused, and alert, aiding in keeping your energy level high. Also, turn to fruit and veggie smoothies that you make at home. Buy frozen fruits if you are rushed for time or buy fresh fruit and have it pre-cut and in containers so it is ready to be thrown in the blender in the morning or evening. (This doesn’t mean you can’t have ice cream, this specifically eliminates baked goods, BUT like I continually say, everything in moderation, so don’t go overboard with the ice cream!) 😉

That’s it…simple as that! 5 small and simple tips to incorporate into your busy schedule so that healthy choices are being made without even thinking about them! 1) 14k a day 2) Fabulous 5 exercises 3) No baked goods 4) Smoothies 5) 1 gallon of water per day. That’s it, an easy exercise and nutrition guide to fit into each day without a workout or a special diet.

~jj

BBQs, Restaurants, and Parties, Oh My!

By Jenna Jamieson | May 5, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

The weather is starting to change for many of us and as we transition into warmer days and higher temperatures, it often means getting together with friends and family for BBQs, potlucks, picnics, graduation parties, and outings/events that have finger foods and appetizers. While all this is great and provides lasting memories, remember that potlucks and parties also mean added calories. Spring and summer are often the time for family get togethers and reunions, graduation parties, and BBQs, but it also means buffet style eating which equates to lots of food. Frequently, these types of gatherings mean grazing on appetizers and snacks followed by a large buffet style meal and ice cream, popsicles, trifle and punch bowl cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, and lots of delightful summer favorites for dessert.

Some great ways to cut back and lighten BBQs, potlucks, picnics, and graduation parties is to have fruits and veggies only as your appetizers to reduce the extra calories that chips, cheese dips, pretzels, etc have. If you want dips, consider veggie dip, hummus, and fruit dip. These can be enjoyed with fruits and veggies and prevents unnecessary salty foods for dippers. If you are having a potluck style get together, plan out the meal so that you have a balance of sides that are healthy. You might consider limiting the number of sides to 3 and ask guests to refrain from bringing chips, pretzels, etc and help with drinks, paper plates, napkins, etc to fulfill the list of what is needed. Another great way to help with portion control is to not leave the actual meal and sides out all day. While grazing makes it feel like a fun party atmosphere, consider leaving food out for a specific amount of time. For example, 11:30-1 for a midday gathering and 6-7:30 for an evening get together. It is nice to allow guests to graze, but leaving food out all day can be unnecessary. I realize you want to make parties enjoyable for your guests, but I PROMISE that guests will thank you later for not ruining their diet, making them feel miserable from overeating, and preventing a high calorie meal that they feel guilty about the next day! Consider keeping your more healthy options out all day, like fruits and veggies, if you feel the need to have something for your guests at all times. Go ahead and put away the main meal such as brats, hot dogs, burgers, pasta salad, potato salad, corn on the cob, french fries, tator tots, etc to prevent grazing all afternoon and evening.

The next obstacle to tackle during spring is how often you eat out! You may want to put a limit on the number of times you eat out each day and each week. During the winter, we often tend to curl up at home and make comfort meals to enjoy, but once the weather changes, there is often a spike in how frequently people eat out. The weather is nicer so you enjoy being out more. A great way to combat eating out too much is to set goals for yourself. For example, don’t allow yourself to eat out more than once per day and more than X times per week. Personally, I typically try to allow myself to eat out one lunch and one dinner during the week (Monday – Friday). During the weekend, I try to eat no more than two complete meals out. Try to look up calories and nutrition on restaurant websites when possible and consider hidden calories such as salad dressings. Remember that foods in restaurants often have extra additives, may be overly processed foods, and typically have higher caloric counts than home cooked meals.

Don’t forget about the alcohol at parties. Often outdoor BBQs and parties have alcoholic drinks or even virgin drinks that are high in sugar and calories. These calories count, too! You don’t want to have 3 sugary, high caloric drinks, appetizers, a large buffet meal, and dessert at a party and end up eating two meals at one time! That can destroy your progress! I understand the hard choices that summer BBQs, parties, potlucks, and picnics present, but remember you can enjoy it all in MODERATION (and by using some or all of these tips!) 😉

~jj

Small pieces to the health puzzle…

By Jenna Jamieson | February 22, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

Need a few quick tips to keep you going through your workouts? Here are a few things I continuously keep on my radar to ensure I can get through my workouts without feeling tired or bored.

1. Get yours zzz’s. Sleeping is vital to ensure you feel refreshed. It helps get you through the whole day, and that includes your workout! Try to get 7-8 full hours of sleep each night.

2. Stretch. Just do it. Even if you are short on time, stretch before and after your workout. If you don’t think it will help, read last week’s post and it’ll help convince you! 🙂

3. Eat more fiber. Your body will thank you now and later. I promise!

4. Drink water, and plenty of it. What is plenty? At least 64 ounces each day! That’s eight 8 oz. glasses. It’s easy. Spread it out throughout the day…before meals, with meals, and between meals. Trust me, it’s worth it. Drinking plenty of water also helps give you a full feeling in your stomach, typically causing you to eat less.

5. Make your meals rather than eating out or on the run. You eat less healthy food when you eat on the fly. You tell me you don’t have time to make food? Pre-plan and pre-make food ahead of time. Fruits and veggies can easily be sliced and put in a container with water and lemon juice to keep them fresh, sandwiches can be pre-made, whole wheat crackers are an easy throw in. No excuses!!

6. Find a way to control your stress. I cannot emphasize this one enough. Stress is not good for your mind or body. What’s my way to destress? Working out and exercising, of course! 🙂

7. Drink…water, not lots of sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages. Bummer, right? Not necessarily. I am not saying give them up, just don’t over do it. Everything in moderation!

8. Try to limit how often you let your sweet tooth win AND find sweets that are “healthy” sweets. I sound crazy, right?! Not exactly. For example, eat a slice of whole wheat bread with Nutella or cinnamon sugar, chocolate mousse pudding, strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, etc. rather than a huge bowl of cookie dough ice cream or chocolate cake.

9. Exercise regularly. Not when you want to lose weight or because swimsuit season is coming. Those are great motivators, but exercising and maintaining your health is a continuous process. You can’t “diet” for a month, decide to go off the diet, and then back to your previous eating habits and expect to keep your results. You have to watch what you eat all the time. You don’t have to restrict your diet of all sugars or all carbs, but eat in moderation instead. You also can’t decide that you want to lose 20 pounds and then decide it’s time to start walking everyday or going to the gym. Exercise is a life long commitment. Why? Because exercise and eating properly keep your body happy and healthy. I promise.

These are little things I try to remember. Not things I just occasionally think about, but truly have engraved into my brain. Things that are in my phone and on my bulletin board, so they can’t escape my mind. When I am struggling during a workout, I think about what it’s doing for me. When I am not drinking plenty of water, I remember, it is what helps get me through my workouts and keeps me focused. When I want something sweet, I may go ahead and let myself eat something sweet, other times I don’t eat anything sweet at all. Try limiting yourself to having sweets a certain number of times each week. You don’t want your body and mind to become accustomed to getting something sweet after every meal or whenever you feel like it.

~jj