Nutrition – Page 3 – Jenna Jamieson, Author

Extra steps…make the most of your day!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 3, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

I was visiting Chicago over the weekend and one thing I love about being in the city is all the walking that it allows. I also learned that they have a new bike program in which the city has biking stations all over the city. For example, you can pick up a bike at Navy Pier and ride it for a half hour and get to where you need to go and then turn it in and hop on another bike for your ride to the bus station or wherever your next stop may be. For a relatively cheap membership, you can utilize this biking program. Point being, that the city helps make biking and walking two great forms of exercise! So, consider biking or walking to work or when you have errands to run (if this is an option that might work for you)! I know that many of us are not fortunate enough to do either as we live too far outside of town or it is unsafe to do so, but if by chance you can bike or walk to work, try it! It doesn’t mean you have to do it everyday, start with once or twice a week and see how you like it! It’s a great way to get in your workout since schedules tend to be busy and time seems to be scarce during the week!

Another great way that my boyfriend and I get extra steps when we are vacationing is to use the stairs when we are in hotels. Rather than using the elevators, we use the stairs to get extra steps into our day. I suggest you do the same. You can also use the stairs at work and any other stairs you encounter throughout your day. Other quick ways to get your steps in that may seem out of the ordinary are walking to the mailbox to get your mail rather than pulling up to it in your car, jogging in place or doing some type of exercise when you are pumping gas, and not parking close to the store doors so you can walk farther.

While I realize that exercise and vacation don’t tend to be two things we associate together or two things we like to put in the same sentence, I am not suggesting that you hop on the treadmill or do a run, but that you allow yourself to utilize the quick and easy exercises that might be at your fingertips. Often times vacationing means extra calories because we eat foods with higher calories, splurge and have dessert, or even just eat more than we might usually. Meals tend to be less structured as lend to less healthy choices. Hence, it is important to consider quick steps you can get during the day to help counteract the extra calories being consumed. While I realize that a break from working out is a great way to refresh and revitalize your body and mood, exercising on the beach such as beach yoga and beach jogs can also be rejuvenating and relaxing. Next time you think about your day – vacation or at home – think about the things you can do to make the most of your routine and day! You may be surprised at how many extra steps and exercises you can fit into your day without much thought or change.

~jj

Ditch your soda…here’s why!

By Jenna Jamieson | May 25, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

You may (and should) know by now that soda isn’t exactly the best drink choice! Or maybe you don’t, so let me be the first to inform you that you might want to reconsider next time you open a soda. If you haven’t given up soda yet, here’s just a few reasons why you should: soda actually has lots of unnecessary calories, many sodas are loaded with sugar and aspartame, and they actually dehydrate you rather than quench your thirst.

This past week when I took a recertification class for First Aid & CPR, we began a discussion on soda. One of the obvious concerns with soda is the high sugar content that it has. Even many juices and sports drinks (i.e. Gatorade, Powerade, Vitamin Water, etc) are high in sugar which is why it is best to stick with water. While I know some will say they can’t stand the bland taste of water and yada, yada, yada. If that truly is the case, I strongly suggest you buy flavor packets that you can add to water rather than turning to soda and other sugary drinks.

This may be a short entry, but it is an important one! For all of you who wish to lose weight and increase energy one of the easiest and BEST ways to do that is to give up soda. Soda alone will help you drop weight quickly (especially if you are a heavy soda drinker)! So, my advice is to get off the soda bandwagon and join the water bandwagon instead. You may hate it at first, but you will thank yourself and me later when you realize how much better you feel.

~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

Conquer the first 5 minutes of your workout!

By Jenna Jamieson | April 24, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

Sometimes starting your workout is the hardest part of your actual workout. You may be tired from work or overwhelmed by all the things on your “to do” list. There are three small tips/tricks that I use each day that might help you conquer starting your workout and make you feel better: 1) Eat an energy snack no more than two hours before your workout. 2) Look at working out as a challenge each day that you will accomplish. 3) Warm up – conquer your first 5 minutes to find your rhythm and get your heart rate up.

I find that eating an energy snack one to two hours before my workout is a great way to fuel my workout and give me that extra dose of energy that I need to make my workout more enjoyable, push me to my limit, and make it less exhausting. Eating my energy snack two hours prior to my workout works best for me, but I suggest you find a time that works best for you based on your schedule, routine, and body. My pre-workout snack might be carrots and cucumbers, almonds, craisins, apple slices, rice cake snacks, or an almond/dark chocolate chip/craisin trail mix.

I am a disciplined and dedicated person once I set my mind to something so I love to look at my workout as a new challenge for me to accomplish each day. Looking at your workout as a new challenge is a great way to get your mind in the game and change your mindset from “I don’t want to do this” to “I can and I will do this”, which is a great attitude to take with you to the gym each day! This attitude will help motivate and inspire you to put forth the effort necessary to meet your challenges and overcome obstacles while you workout.

It’s all about warming up and getting the first 5 minutes under your belt! Conquering the first 5 minutes of your workout, getting started, and allowing your body to get warmed up will give you the energy and motivation to keep going without giving up! It allows your body to get in the mode of working out, which in turn allows your mind to adjust to the needed increase in energy to fuel the workout. Once that occurs, you get into the rhythm of your workout, maximizing your success! 🙂

I know taking the plunge to start your run, jump in for your swim, or beginning your cardio or strength training workout can be difficult, but I promise that finding small tricks to help you ease in and make the start less overwhelming or dreadful will provide a small sense of relief! So, get to finding ways that will help YOU start your workout…use my tips, find alternative tips/tricks, and more than anything get off the couch and start your workout! 😉

~jj

Are you a statistic? Don’t be…instead, be the BEST you!

By Jenna Jamieson | April 16, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

When I was exercising this week, I was thinking about what lit a fire in me to make working out and nutrition such a big part of my life. I have, for the most part, been mindful of my mind and body, but sometimes life gets busy and we don’t care for ourselves as much or as good as we should. In high school, I played tennis during the fall and considered what I put in my mouth occasionally, but the less than healthy lunch options were something I ate too frequently without much thought. Once I got home from school, I usually ate a snack which often consisted of unhealthy microwave foods such as pizza rolls, bagel bites, or hot pockets. While I may not have been fat, my eating choices weren’t nutritious and I was heading down the wrong road. Believe it or not, I actually weighed about 20 pounds more when I was in high school than I do now. I was not considered overweight or obese, but I wasn’t exactly in shape either.

So what sparked the change? It’s quite simple and can be said in one sentence: I didn’t want to become a statistic. I was getting ready to enter college and didn’t want to gain the “Freshman 15.” For those who are not familiar, this is the extra 15 pounds college freshman tend to put on when they go off to college because of dorm food, cooking for themselves, and eating out with their friends in between classes, on weekends, and frequently when drinking. Further, the change in schedule and the new college lifestyle typically contributes to poor food choices and irregular workouts. That wasn’t the only thing that spurred the change within me. While I was not overweight or obese, I was not in shape and that bothered me. At 18 years old, I was not fat, but more than anything I was not in shape. I could run several miles and I could play tennis, but I wasn’t in shape and I wanted to change that. I wanted to get in shape and not become a statistic. Statistics that are heard and read all the time such as increased risk for heart disease and stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or even Type II diabetes.

I was bound and determined not to become a statistic. In fact, I still am. I refuse to allow myself to become a statistic that defines, determines, or tells me my choices are killing me. You should consider the same thing and what impact it has on your body (i.e. eating junk food, smoking, texting and driving, etc.). Choices that I can control are choices I will continue to try to sway in my favor to make me be in shape and stay in shape! Like me, use statistics and negative health facts (i.e. Freshman 15) to spur your own health goals. How did I go about making the changes I needed to get in shape and stay in shape to keep from gaining the “Freshman 15”? I made nutrition, exercise, and wellness my way of life. This was not a temporary fad or diet, but a permanent lifestyle change.

Now, I don’t eat overly processed foods as much as possible, my diet consists heavily of fruits and vegetables, and I eat scheduled meals that include diverse foods (spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, hummus, grilled chicken, etc). It doesn’t mean I do not splurge and eat cookies or ice cream or some of my favorite foods such as Pad Thai or pizza, but I eat these foods in moderation and my pizza is homemade and loaded with veggies! 🙂

I wrote this long blog that either bored you to death or hopefully inspired you from beginning to end to make fitness, working out, nutrition, and wellness a way of life! A life changing decision that you choose to embark on to make yourself a better you!

~jj

Weight is a number…healthy bodies = all shapes & sizes!

By Jenna Jamieson | April 2, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

I missed posting last week. Not intentionally, but because I didn’t have any inspiration for a post and didn’t want to post just to post. I like to find a passionate topic to talk about each week and last week for some reason nothing came to me. So to my routine readers, I apologize for the missed entry. Maybe if you’re lucky I will post twice this week! 🙂

I have been thinking about weight, body image, and how much we judge ourselves (and others) by weight. We even tend to judge people more by their weight than their personality, pretty typical, but we often say, “Don’t judge a book by the cover and don’t judge a book by its movie” so why don’t we follow this same rule when it comes to people? More than judging others, we even judge ourselves by the number we see on the scale. We use that number to decide whether we want to lose weight, how much weight we want to lose, and how perfect (or not) our body is because of our “ideal weight” goal. So how do we get past this idea of judging ourselves by the number on the scale? I will share a little secret with you. I got rid of my scale about 13 years ago. It’s one thing that I changed and I haven’t looked back since. I do not own a scale, I do not know how much I weigh other than a guess and I always ask my doctor to refrain from telling me my body weight. Why? Because I don’t want to be able to judge myself by the number staring back at me on a scale. Instead, I can easily tell how my body weight is doing by how my clothes fit, what foods I am putting in my mouth, and how much physical exercise I am getting in comparison to my daily caloric intake.

So I talked about judging ourselves and judging others, but I didn’t really connect the two. We know that we judge ourselves and others, but now we must realize that we judge without knowing the health choices a person makes and the lifestyle they lead. My point is to convey the differences in people and to realize that “healthy” for one person isn’t going to be “healthy” for another person. Think of it like this: “our” healthy is our own unique “setting” similar to how we look, our personality, our characteristics and traits, goals, aspirations, etc. While we are all unique in that aspect, we are also all unique in what “our healthy” is and means. For example, my “healthy” as a 26 year old female might be exercising 5 days a week on my own, high metabolism, few genetic health concerns, but another 26 year old female’s “healthy” might be to exercise in a group class 3 days a week because of her lifestyle, steady, but not fast metabolism, and several genetic health concerns. My point is that each person’s individual “healthy” is different hence different body shapes and sizes.

Try to remember that healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Often we think or believe that if you are thin, slender, or skinny that the person must be healthy and if a person is large, curvy, or plus-sized that they are fat and unhealthy. This is so stereotypical and false. A large person can be healthier than a thin person and a thin person can be healthier than a large person. Healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes, I cannot say and reiterate this enough. Physical exercise, eating and nutrition habits, family history/genetics all contribute to a person’s overall health and well being. It’s something that the world must realize to move forward. Not only will it make you feel better about yourself, it will make the world a more accepting and less judgmental place.

So, next time you see someone thin, large, slender, plus-sized, etc remember that healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes because all bodies are unique and different. I will also suggest that next time you consider stepping on the scale that you reconsider and instead use your clothes to judge how well you are meeting your health goals.

~jj

Go meatless (sometimes)…and love it!

By Jenna Jamieson | February 26, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

As I was working out tonight I was thinking about the blog and what might be a good entry this week. I recently started eating more meatless meals, not to lose weight, not because I think it is healthier, but because sometimes I just don’t crave meat or the thought of meat kind of grosses me out (at times) when I go to fix dinner. No, I am not a vegetarian and while I know that some people would say it is better for you, I truly believe in “everything in moderation.” I do what I feel is right for MY body and I suggest you do what you feel is right for yours, too! In all of my posts, I want to continually emphasize that you should always do what YOU think is best for you and take my advice or leave it, use some of it, and realize that I do not have the answers to each individual’s unique lifestyle and routine.

Since I have been going meatless more frequently than I usually do, I decided I actually kind of enjoy my meatless meals, maybe some more than the ones where I do eat meat. I typically enjoy “Meatless Mondays” each week, but I have now taken it even farther and decided to also eat at least one meatless meal per day. So, whether you already occasionally eat meatless or whether you never eat meatless I challenge you to “Meatless Mondays.” This is a great way to start and ease into what meatless meals can offer! I promise meatless meals can be just as delicious, fun to cook, and can make your creative juices flow! 🙂 This means you will eliminate meat on Mondays, so no meat at breakfast, lunch, or dinner! No cheating either! Sounds challenging maybe, but it really isn’t. Consider peanut butter toast and sliced apples for breakfast, grilled cheese and veggie soup for lunch, and pizza or pasta minus any meat for dinner.

Once you have “Meatless Mondays” down I encourage you to take it one step farther as I have by eating one meatless meal per day. That should not be hard and should be a routine that you already have in place. One meatless meal per day is actually very healthy as the consumption of meat at every meal is not necessary (or healthy)! It does not have to be the same meal each day. It can be breakfast one day, then dinner the next, followed by breakfast again, and then lunch the following day. For example, you might have a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit for breakfast, a spinach and feta quesadilla for lunch, and then chicken parmesan with broccoli for dinner. You went meatless at lunch so you met your goal for one meatless meal that day.

You say that you can’t get full on meatless meals? I DON’T buy it! That’s crazy! Eat more veggies, which are one of the best things you can fill your body with! Consider some of the following if you don’t believe me: 1) veggie stir fry with brown rice 2) pasta with a meatless marinara sauce and garlic bread 3) sliced potatoes layered with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and ranch dressing (potato nachos) 4) breakfast foods including eggs, hashbrowns, waffles, pancakes, french toast, biscuits 5) veggie pizza. You can’t tell me that none of these foods speak to you because it includes nearly every food group (and all are meatless)!

So, next time you sit down for a meal think MEATLESS! I know I do and my body still loves me and I feel great!

~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

Do it for your heart health!

By Jenna Jamieson | February 9, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

Happy HEART HEALTH month! Let’s talk about some important statistics and discuss what you can do to make sure your heart is strong and healthy. This is a particularly important topic that I hold close to my heart (no pun intended)! 😉 I worked collaboratively with the American Heart Association (AHA) for 2 years and it opened my eyes to the wonderful initiatives and projects of the AHA as well as the severe concerns regarding heart health that face the United States today.

According to the AHA, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined (heart.org). While this stat is geared toward women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, but heart disease is preventable and controllable (cdc.org). These stats alone should be enough to make you strive to exercise at least 30 minutes each day so that you can spend many moons making fun memories with friends and family! Remember, heart disease impacts all shapes and sizes, big or small, as well as every age, young or old.

What can YOU do to help prevent heart disease?

-Eat and maintain a healthy diet.

-Exercise regularly.

-Keep a steady, healthy weight.

-Don’t smoke.

-Regularly check your blood pressure and cholesterol.

For additional or more specific information, visit heart.org (AHA), millionhearts.hhs.gov (CDC), and cdc.gov/features/heartmonth (CDC).

I hope you recognize that the tips, advice, and stories I post each week are to help encourage people to “exercise2behealthy” for this very reason. Not because I am concerned with the outside of each person, but because I care about the inside and the health concerns such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, etc. that can be side effects of poor health choices. Hence, there is no time like the present to get moving and start making healthy dietary choices for you and your family!

~jj

Whole grains = full & focused!

By Jenna Jamieson | February 3, 2014 | Comments 2 comments

Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that take the body longer to digest, so their nutrition is released slowly and continuously, leaving you feeling energized and full for much longer, partly because they won’t spike your blood sugar. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, iron, potassium, and manganese.

Consider these foods:

Breakfast – oatmeal, steel cut oats, whole grain toast

Lunch – whole grain bread (sandwich), whole grain pasta, brown rice with vegetables

Dinner – whole grain pasta, brown rice, quinoa stir fry

So, next time you fix dinner, sit down to eat, or have a snack, consider whole grain options!

~jj