The Best Portion Control Hack to Avoid Overeating

Figuring out how much you need to eat to reach your goal (weight loss or just maintaining!) is just as important as choosing what to eat. And portion control is usually not for the faint of heart, especially when your stomach is sounding like bad radio static. Have you ever noticed that the apple and peanut butter you usually have as a morning snack is sometimes perfectly satisfying? Sometimes that same apple and peanut butter doesn’t do the trick at all and you’re starvin’ for lunch before 11 a.m. or you eat the apple and peanut butter and dig your spoon back into the PB jar for just a little more. And, then more, and then more, and then more peanut butter. What’s the deal?  How much of this apple and PB goodness should you be eating? The Hunger Quotient Portion Control Hack Today I’m gifting you with one of the best hacks to conquer portion control; the Hunger Quotient (HQ).  Your HQ is one of the more difficult concepts to wrap your head around (yes, it takes mental work!) when it comes to healthy eating. But you can do this, you can learn this, it eventually becomes easy, and it does work. It will be one of your greatest nutrition tools in your knowledge base (regardless of the food you eat) and get you closer to the healthy eater you were meant to be. What is Hunger Quotient? Your HQ is a number on a scale of 1 – 10. It helps you determine how hungry you are and figure out your appetite at any given moment.   When you were born, you had the ability to eat when you were hungry and stop when you were full. As you grow, that ability sadly diminishes. As an adult,  you eat for so many reasons other than true hunger, and sometimes you eat without any hunger. Yes, we’ve all done that!  Many times! Stress, your previous meal experiences, emotions and hundreds of other factors influence your appetite. Quieting all of this “noise” that has a say (a big one) in what and how much you’re eating, connecting with your true hunger and giving an objective number to your readiness to eat is essential to eating the right amount and for the right reasons. Working Toward a HQ Goal This may sound easy, but it takes loads and loads of practice. The pay off? A lifetime of weight management once you conquer this. I promise. I live by it. Your goal is to always be between 4 and 6 on the HQ scale. You do not want to be starving or stuffed. You want to feel empowered knowing that you’ll be eating again in a few hours, so there is no need to overdo it at this meal, or under-do it at the next. At the beginning of each meal, you should be aware of slight hunger as you tuck your napkin onto your lap, take a sip of agua and pick up your (preferably not plastic) fork. You should not be ravenous. Being an 8 or higher on the hunger scale makes it impossible to be in the moment because you’re so hungry all you can do is focus on getting food in your belly.  Translation: Head-first into the leftover Chinese food container. Every opportunity to eat is an opportunity to eat just enough to be comfortable, something I call slightly satisfied. When you are at a 4 on the HQ scale, slightly satisfied, you are just right. This is because you have eaten just enough to feel content without needing to loosen your belt or take a nap. This may sound simple, but it can be the most difficult part of healthful eating. Understanding your HQ forces you to slooooow down. If you need a good example of a healthy meal that is properly portioned, try my Dijon Salmon. Then, before you dig in, take a deep breath and a few sips of water. Turn off your brain, which is telling you, “I always have room for dessert.” Shut down those childhood thoughts telling you, “I must clean my plate.” It’s not easy to get into this mindset of shutting down these thoughts, but you can do it! Take a few minutes to eat your food mindfully and check in with yourself as you go. Is the feeling of hunger going away? Are you enjoying your soup? Could you stop eating now and be satisfied, even though there are a few bites left? There is no true answer to the question, “how much should I eat?” It changes meal by meal and day by day. But conquering this feeling of being slightly satisfied will change everything. Your Secret Weapon to Finding Your Healthy Weight Regardless of whether you’re eating a kale salad or fettuccini Alfredo, if you never eat past this feeling, you’ll never overeat too dramatically. (I’m not encouraging the Alfredo, btw. Just sayin’.) Remember to follow these simple guides and you’ll be well on your way to healthier portion control. Take a minute to shut the voices in your head off, and listen to your HQ. This will help you figure out how much your body needs. Use your HQ and not calorie counting to monitor your food intake. You are not eating numbers, you’re eating food! Mastering your HQ will likely help you eat the proper amount of calories to meet your needs. Today you might need half the meal to satisfy your belly, and tomorrow you might need to finish your plate, plus an extra serving. This is normal. Become confident listening to your body. Don’t give up on this. It’s your secret weapon to finding your healthy weight.    

Carrageenan Explained: What It Is, and When and Why to Avoid Eating It

Sometimes it feels like everything we eat is so complicated. It can be really hard to say with 100% confidence that the salad dressing you love is really “clean” of fillers and junk, or the ice cream from the corner store isn’t using some food coloring that could cause an allergic reaction. You can make yourself crazy looking up the seemingly millions of food additives that are GRAS, which is an acronym for “generally regarded as safe.” Sometimes, it might seem simpler to not look at the ingredient list at all and save yourself from the potential horror. But it’s a good idea to stay informed! Educating yourself removes the stress of the unknown and gives you the opportunity to make decisions you feel good about. Today we spotlight carrageenan, a controversial food additive. How is Carrageenan Used? Carrageenan is commonly found in dairy products, where it acts as an emulsifier to keep things from separating. For example, it keeps your yogurt from getting that layer of water on the top, or your milk from getting a layer of cream floating on the surface. We’re often grossed out by foods that separate, but if the labels on our beverages simply told us to shake ’em before we consume ’em, carrageenan would be out of a job! It’s also used in a number of other foods, including everything from deli meats (where it acts as a binder) to vegan and low-fat foods (where its thickening properties come into play). You’ll also find carrageenan in non-food products, including toothpaste. Where Does Carrageenan Come From? Carrageenan is made from algae, which can be cultivated or wild. Specifically, it’s most commonly derived from varieties of red seaweed, including Irish moss, as well as elkhorn sea moss. It gets harvested from the ocean, cleaned, extracted, filtered, concentrated, mixed with chemicals, pressed, dried, milled, blended and refined. Whew! It’s not exactly nutrient-dense seaweed after all of that. Not at all. What Are the Risks of Consuming Carrageenan? There’s strong evidence linking carrageenan to cancer, GI tract damage, diabetes and inflammation. We’re not talking just a little gas or bloating—evidence suggests the additive is a factor in serious health problems. But while solid studies on animals point to this substance’s toxicity, the implications for human health have not kicked the food industry into action. I tell my clients to steer clear of carrageenan. How to Find Carrageenan-Free Foods The Cornucopia Institute has made it really easy to find carrageenan-free organic foods with a list of common brands to look for (and a few to avoid). Highlights include: Organic Valley’s buttermilk, chocolate milk, cream, eggnog, kefir, and cottage cheese Safeway’s O-brand versions of yogurt, cream, and almond-, soy- and coconut-milk beverages Whole Foods’ 365-brand versions of cottage cheese, coffee creamer, and both almond- and soy-milk beverages Trader Joe’s own brands of yogurt, sour cream, ice cream, and rice-, almond-, coconut- and soy-milk beverages — but not their cottage cheese You can find dozens more brands rated for carrageenan inclusion here. Look for These Substitutes Instead Given that carrageenan is often used to thicken foods, there are certainly other ingredients that manufacturers can use instead. One is xanthan gum, which is derived from fermented sugar and is perfectly safe for most people. Other options are guar gum or gellan gum, both commonly found in nut milks, and both thought to be safer than carrageenan. (Image: Shutterstock)

How does Natalie Jill Live a Nutritious Life?

Natalie Jill helps people across the globe reach their health, fitness, and business goals. Natalie left a very successful career in corporate America to follow her passion with health and fitness. As a Licensed Master Sports Nutritionist and functional fitness trainer, Natalie leveraged the power of the internet and in a short amount of time she was able to help hundreds of thousands of people worldwide get in shape and be their best selves. In the process, she created a globally recognized brand with over a million social media followers worldwide and created an online business that has helped hundreds of thousands! Although many see Natalie Jill as a fitness and nutrition expert, she is increasingly garnering attention for her ability to help others create, define, and monetize their brand in the online space. In health & fitness, or in business, Natalie brings out the BEST in everybody she works with and helps them GET RESULTS! What’s not to love about that?! Every time I chat with this amazing woman and friend, she brings out the best in me too! Read on to learn how she lives a Nutritious Life. Oh, and if you wanna get rockin’ abs like she has, check out her awesome workout programs or her book the 7-Day Jump Start! How do you DRINK UP? Proper hydration is also very important for me so I always bring a water bottle with me. I LOVE my stainless steel water bottles – they stay cold, are inexpensive, and come in fun colors and patterns. I also have a fruit infused water bottle to carry with me all day long. Having it by my side is an instant reminder to drink more water! I normally know I have not gotten in enough water if I start feeling drowsy… Time to hydrate! I am also a HUGE fruit and veggie eater so those keep me hydrated as well. How do you EAT EMPOWERED? I am a fan of eating an unprocessed food diet. I have an auto immune disease called Celiac Sprue where my body can’t process Gluten, so I have been gluten free for 15+ years now. I chose to “unprocess my diet” and have learned the benefits of eating an unprocessed diet that is also naturally gluten-free. I eat much more fats (healthy fats), unlimited fruits and veggies, proteins and eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full. Nothing is off limits, but the majority of what I eat once “grew and needed sun”- meats, veggies, fruits, nuts, sweet potatoes. I do not count calories and I do not eat at scheduled intervals. I listen to my body, eat real, natural unprocessed foods and THAT is what I teach and what is on all of my programs. As I noticed the change from the unprocessed diet, I started to unprocess everything including the way I worked out and how I dealt with people and life. Unprocessing every aspect of my life resulted in my mindset changing, the weight leaving and staying off, my body re-defining, looking and feeling younger, empowered, and ultimately becoming truly happy. How do you LIVE CONSCIOUSLY? Deciding comes first. I decided to fix things. I put everything I knew into play- from goal setting, to vision boards, to eating unprocessed foods, positive thinking and getting negatives out of my life. I turned my life around through accountability. Accountability is everything. It doesn’t matter what I am dealing with. I take accountability and ownership and do what I can do in my current situation to change it for the better. Now, my motto is “Be Happy…Be Healthy…Be FIT!” and that is how I live my life in addition to striving to empower other people in achieving their life goals through mindset, drive, fitness, and nutrition. How do you LOVE MORE? I focus on making what I love about myself shine brighter and let go of the self-hate and quit actively looking for what is wrong. I collect loving people in my life every day. When I meet positive, goal oriented, successful, happy, loving, and energetic people…I want them in my life. I find ways to be around them. They energize me, inspire me and help me want to better myself! And when I am my better self, I am able to love more. How do you NURTURE YOURSELF? I workout daily, go hiking, do yoga, eat unprocessed and nutritious foods, listen to motivating music, spend quality time with my family, occasionally go out with friends, and surround myself with motivating, happy, positive, and creative people. How do you SLEEP DEEP? Being happy, healthy and fit, learning to manage my time, and being with the people I love is my secret to having deep sleep. And OH how I love to sleep. I actually get excited around 8:30 pm because I know it is time to wind down. I do take magnesium before bed and drink chamomile tea. Both help me shut off my mind so I can read for a bit and then go to sleep! How do you STRESS LESS? This is a work in progress. I have taught myself to be more present in the moment and to take deep breaths before “reacting”. I stay very scheduled so that I have room for everything important. I make sure not to overbook or book things too close together. I focus on my strengths and delegate the rest.  I focus on what I am good at, what I like to do and the things that I do that make me get lost in time. The amount of money and time I actually SAVE having people help me with the things I am terrible at, has freed up my life and given me time for more of what I am good at and enjoy doing. That has made me more productive, more focused on the right things and more successful. How do you SWEAT OFTEN? I do short, intense workouts that get my heart rate up, and send some sweat running down! Those are the workouts that truly challenge me.  One of my favorite types of workouts is a track workout. This is my type of “cardio”. These workouts can be extremely effective and the training ideas are endless at the track.     Learn more

5 Healthy Snack Ideas That Require NO Skills

I’ll set the scene. It’s 4PM. Your morning coffee has worn off. Your lunch was 3 hours ago, dinner is at 7PM and you have 15 minutes before your meeting. And, you’re about to crash hard. Must. Have. Fuel. You always have a yogurt just about now, but . . .uch. You have no interest in it. You’ve unenthusiastically had the same one for the past 3 days. If this is you, right now, go ahead and eat it today (it’s better than the candy jar on your boss’s desk) but tomorrow try one of these 5 fab healthy snack ideas that need no skill and are ready in seconds.   5 Healthy Snack Ideas That Require NO Skills:   Healthy Trail Mix Who doesn’t love a little somethin’ sweet and crunchy? Break out a bunch of tupperware and toss in 1 cup GMO-free air-popped popcorn, 1 ounce dried apricots (about 4, but double check with the packaging and make sure no added sugar or sulfur) and 10 almonds. Make a bunch to grab and go. Better yet, have your kids do it. Gorgeous fuel: calories 185, fat 6.5g, protein 4g, fiber 4.5g. Eggs in a (Leafy) Blanket If you can boil water, you can have hard boiled eggs anytime. Boil up a bunch on Sunday. Slice ‘em up in one quick step and eat ‘em on a romaine leaf, wrapped up like a little burrito. Voila. Two large hard boiled eggs on 2 romaine leaves serves up 157 calories, fat 11g, protein 12.5g, fiber 0. Chickpeas + Chia If unusual eats are what you crave, grab a green magic Mamma Chia Squeeze (loaded with omega-3s and fiber) and an ounce of roasted chickpeas. You can mix and match your chia squeeze and chickpea flavors (you can also buy these at the grocery if you don’t want to make them yourself) for endless excitement. No assembly required, you’ll refuel with 180 calories, fat 2g, protein 7g, fiber 9g. Calming Oatmeal If you are a self proclaimed stress eater, I have a perfect comfort snack that you can feel great about. OK, so you do need hot water, a bowl and spoon, but if you unleash a packet of high quality oatmeal into a mug, stir in some coconut chips and sprinkle with cinnamon, you’ll release some serotonin, and your fried brain will thank you: calories 245, fat 10g, protein 6g, fiber 8g. Bonus if you take deep breaths and enjoy slowly. Avocado Lentil Boat It doesn’t get healthier, more satisfying or easier than this, peops. Halve a small avocado. Fill with ¼ cup steamed lentils (you find them in the refrigerator section by the produce) and a squeeze of lemon. You can use ¼ cup prepared tabbouleh instead, if lentils are hard to come by. Avocado + lentils: calories 127, fat 7g, protein 5.5g, fiber 7g. Avocado + tabbouli: calories 169, fat 12g, protein 3g, fiber 5.5g Covet your co-worker’s snacks no more. Get out of your snoozers snacktime rut. If any of these 5 delicious, healthy snack ideas take you more than 5 minutes to grab and go, somethin’s wrong. Happy snack time = happy, more productive you.

How Does Natalie Uhling Live a Nutritious Life?

Natalie Uhling is the creator of NUFit, an Under Armour Athlete, Woman of WILL and pretty much a total bad ass rock star fitness guru! She rocks one of the fittest bods I’ve ever seen (have you seen those abs?) but it’s her awesome energy and passion for what she does that makes her such a superstar. In her words: I do my best to create an ecosystem where I have positive people and energy around me.  I am allergic to negative vibes.  When my life is balanced I feel the best. This summer, Natalie is doing a 4 week intensive workout summer series in Denver, CO (for the month of August.) She’ll be teaching NUFit at Pura Vida Spa and Fitness in Cherry Creek. Not making it to CO? No worries, read on to learn how Natalie lives her most Nutritious Life: How do you DRINK UP? Water baby!!! Lot and lots of it!!! I love putting slices of lemon in my water bottles too. Refreshing and helps detoxify the body.   How do you EAT EMPOWERED? Plant based diet! Not even a question.   How do you LIVE CONSCIOUSLY? I am very cautious about the words I use and how that affects the people around me. I want to be known as a bright positive light.   How do you LOVE MORE? You have to love yourself first, then you can spread your love all over.   How do you NURTURE YOURSELF? Self love. It’s so important to appreciate our individual gifts.   How do you SLEEP DEEP? Stress less.   How do you STRESS LESS? Be organized!!! I am super anal about that. 🙂   How do you SWEAT OFTEN? Do activities you love. Movement is a form of self expression.  

How Does Candice Kumai Live a Nutritious Life?

CANDICE KUMAI is a classically trained chef, wellness journalist and best-selling author of Clean Green Drinks, Pretty Delicious, Cook Yourself Sexy and Cook Yourself Thin. She is a regular contributor on E! News and The Dr. Oz Show and has appeared as a regular judge on Iron Chef America and Beat Bobby Flay. She contributes to food and lifestyle publications such as Cosmopolitan, Shape, Men’s Health, Clean Eating and Prevention and volunteers at dozens of charitable organizations. She is a Top Chef alumni, and is obsessed with avocados, coconut and her cat, Sisi. One funny thing you may not know about her, “I do a killer impression of my Japanese mom. I’ve been told, if all else fails, stand up comedy is right around the corner. Hell yeah!” Her latest book  Clean Green Eats is filled with recipes I promise you are going to want to chow down on! I recently had the chance to do just that cooked by the lady herself (the benefits of healthy friends!) When Candice and I chat health, we usually can’t stop.  Read on to learn what she told me about how she lives her most Nutritious Life. How do you DRINK UP? With my Clean Green Drinks, of course! 😉   How do you EAT EMPOWERED? Clean Clean Clean & Green. Donnatella Arpia coined me as the “queen of clean green”, so I’ll have to live by that line.   How do you LIVE CONSCIOUSLY? Meditation, yoga, I dig green beauty products only, I clean with safe, green household cleaners and I love my DIY recipes for beauty, cleaning and life! No need to over-consume! I try to be as mindful as ever of others and their lifestyle. I respect differences and keep my heart open to change.   How do you LOVE MORE? With my sweet man, we love making delish dinners together, spending time together reading mags, relaxing in the park or the beach in the summer, traveling all over, opening our hearts and minds to new cultures and foods all over New York and the world. We are obsessed with watching Mister Wonderful on Shark Tank. Sharing, being mindful & laughter together are key! How do you NURTURE YOURSELF? I’m a big fan of long-time friends (I’m still friends with all of my girls from elementary school, high school, and college in California!). I love them all to pieces and would not have the depth of life I possess now, had it not been for these life-long girlfriends. They are incredible women and they accept me for me, and I do the same for them. I love laughter and a lot of phone calls with Mom. My Mom (back home in San Diego) is one of my favorite people in the whole world, we chat about food, recipes, Japan, Japanese food, how the cats are doing, Dad and my Sis. She truly feeds my soul!   How do you SLEEP DEEP? No electronic devices in our bedroom, no tv in the house, only reading, art, vision boards and photography on our walls. Lots of plants in the house for oxygen. Lavender tea, yoga class, valerian root drops can help naturally on those long, stressful work nights, and I try to meditate as much as possible!   How do you STRESS LESS? I love my Young Living essential oils, my diffuser with lavender oil, yoga with a girlfriend and green matcha tea.  I am totally cool with aging, and who I have become today. I feel we get calmer, more graceful and wiser with age… plus you stop giving a damn about what everyone else thinks!!   How do you SWEAT OFTEN? Lots of workouts! I am constantly at Bar Method, Soul Cycle, yoga and doing long runs with my man! Anything to get my ass moving 30 minutes a day, minimum. Check out Candice’s new book, Clean Green Eats available to purchase now!  

Is Your Home Layout Hurting Your Waistline?

By Samantha Linden, RDN, NLC As a nutritionist, I have always encouraged clients to have a “closed kitchen” after dinner. This is because, for many people, nighttime can be an opportunity for mindless or emotional eating. Lots of my clients manage to make the healthiest choices all day but then the wheels might start to come off after dinner. They stop listening to their bodies at night and start eating for reasons other than hunger, most of which are emotional triggers.  One reason this happens is that many of us have been programmed early in childhood to believe that dessert is part of our routine: dessert is something you have after dinner, much like brushing your teeth is something after you wake up. In addition, clients often admit to using nighttime snacks to help them cope with the stress from the day. Some even say they can’t watch TV unless they have something to nosh on. Since nighttime snacking is associated with weight gain, closing the kitchen door and turning off the lights is a good way to signal to yourself that you have nourished yourself for the day and that you don’t need anything else to eat until the morning. Since I have become Nutritious Life Certified, I have started to take a more holistic view with my clients and taken a deeper look at not only their eating habits, but their daily lifestyles as well. Because of this, I have started to realize that part of the reason nighttime eating is such a problem for many of them is the open layout of their homes, specifically the clients with open kitchens. Open kitchens have become a popular trend in home design over the last few decades because the kitchen is often a central gathering point for families and friends. This means the kitchen is no longer just for mealtime, but is also the main entertainment area of the home. With this type of layout, how do you close your kitchen after mealtime? How do you turn off the lights if your kids all do their homework or watch TV on the couch near the kitchen? How is this architectural trend affecting our waistlines? My interest in this topic led me to find research done by Dr. Brian Wansink, a leading researcher in the field of eating behavior and the author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think. His study supports the idea that the proximity and visibility of food can consistently increase consumption of it. His research also suggests that the more convenient it is to eat a food, the more likely you are to forget you ate it. {Tweet this}. So basically, if you are hanging out in the kitchen/family room most of the day and night and are constantly being exposed to food, you are setting yourself up for a cycle of mindless overeating, possibly causing you to gain weight and preventing you from living your most Nutritious Life. Of course, if you have an open kitchen, I am not telling you to go put your house on the market! Houses with this layout are beautiful and can be the setting for a lot of great memories. I am just highlighting this idea to make you aware of how your environment might be preventing you from losing weight or might even be causing you to gain weight. Here are some tips to “close off” the open kitchen (these work for all kitchen layouts too): Improve the view. If you can’t escape the view of the kitchen appliances, at least put the food out of plain sight. Don’t keep snacks on the counters, and only use open shelving to store non-food items. Even healthy foods like a fruit bowl might trigger us to think we are hungry even if we aren’t. Switch TV time to “Tea V” time.  Create a nightly ritual that does not involve eating food, and try making a cup of tea instead. Tea is a great choice  not only because of its nutritional benefits but also because a hot cup of tea warms your insides, which makes you feel good and helps relax you at the same time. Unplug and go old school. Instead of lounging in the kitchen watching television or playing on the computer, shut off your electronics, brush your teeth and curl up in bed with a good book. Your mind and your waistline will thank you! About Samantha: Samantha Linden, RDN, NLC is a registered dietitian nutritionist and the founder of Nutrition In Balance, a nutrition consulting and counseling practice in Southeastern Michigan. In her practice, Samantha works with both individuals and families that need guidance on many nutrition related issues, from weight loss to nutritional management of chronic diseases. Samantha writes frequently on nutrition topics and is also a regular nutrition educator for many local corporations and organizations. She graduated from the University of Michigan and received her post bachelor’s certificate in nutrition from Wayne State. Samantha is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as well as the Nutrition Entrepreneurs in Private Practice and the Michigan Dietetics Association. She also recently completed her Nutritious Life Certification and is very excited to help Keri and her team spread the Nutritious Life message.

Why We Overeat So Much on Thanksgiving?

Why is Thanksgiving a binge-fest? Why do we not only allow, but plan to give in to our gluttonous selves on the last Thursday of November? Why is Thanksgiving all about the pumpkin pie? The puffed appetizers? The in-dul-gence?! Wow, we’ve taken this holiday and made it all about stuffing our senses like we stuff that bird. The thing is, why we eat so much on Thanksgiving may not have everything to do with the food. It’s super possible that the food is just a symptom of something bigger. Whaaaa? Yeah. Have you ever thought about eating the Thanksgiving meal on a Tuesday in July? You could probably eat that decadent meal in an empowered and healthy way without eater’s remorse and the three day post turkey day coma. If it isn’t just the food, what is it about Thanksgiving that makes it so challenging for us to navigate this holiday? Stress comes with the holidays and stress is a huge trigger to overeat. Thanksgiving brings on not only stressors of travel, broken routines, extra time in crowds, and the like. It also brings good stressors that you may not think of: spending time with your 2 year-old niece or 85 year-old grandmother, writing your holiday cards, standing out in the cold while you watch your alma mater annual football game. . .these are wonderful things, but they take extra energy and this can be draining. Managing stress is important because with stress comes the hormone cortisol, which can be destructive to both your waistline and your health. NL Live Consciously Tip: PLAN for these stressors, both good and bad, so that you are less likely to feel overwhelmed when they come on. Identifying the stressors of the day will help keep you in check. Have a mantra, something like “be in the moment” to remind you stay present and not get overwhelmed. Your world is disrupted during the holidays. Is it possible you’re overeating at Thanksgiving because you’re out of routine? We celebrate Thanksgiving to honor a time when bread was broken among strangers from different lands and harvests were meaningful because everyone participated. These days, the holiday has evolved and we eat with our families and friends and shop at the market down the street for our feast. Still, Thanksgiving is a day, followed by a day off, followed by a weekend that turns our regular day-to-day on it’s ear. Most schools and businesses are closed. Our world breaks routine. The thing is, your body likes routine. It likes to sleep in it’s own bed, go to the bathroom in your toilet, and sleep and wake at the same time. Routines are healthy and even good disruptions keep our systems from humming at their best. NL Live Consciously Tip: As much as possible, stick to your daily lifestyle routines of sleep, waking, morning habits, coffee of choice and wellness work. The little bit of consistency will make it easier to recover from Thanksgiving and set you up for a healthy December. Your nurtured self is on a shelf. Could the desire to overdo it on the sweet potatoes covered in marshmallows related to your disconnection with your body? Let’s face it, celebrating turkey-day is not always easy on the old self care routine. As a host, there is lots of planning, prepping, organizing and expectation to manage. Taking time to squeeze in a lavender bath, read a few pages of a novel, or use your red light therapy mask is just probably not going to happen. But, we need our nurturing time to restore balance to our bodies. Taking care of ourselves, beyond the basic teeth brushing and hair washing takes us from surviving to thriving. When your wellness isn’t thriving, you’re more likely to get sucked into overeating, skipping the exercise and having the extra glass of holiday cheer that starts a cycle of unhealthy behaviors. NL Conscious Living Tip: Feed your soul like you’re feeding your tummy this Thanksgiving by planning to listen to your favorite tunes, call your bestie in Cali, or use that red light therapy mask. Feeling good makes you want to fuel-good! Enjoy yourself this turkey-day, and do it in a way that you can feel great about. Think beyond the food to the underlying reasons why you may have overdone it in the past. Maybe one of the reasons above speaks to you. Squash your stress, maintain balance in your world and remember to nurture yourself. Happy Thanksgiving!

Easy Broccoli Soup for Thanksgiving

By: Jennifer Amato, RD As Thanksgiving approaches we might feel ourselves getting swept into a frenzy of elaborate meal planning, too-many-to count trips to the grocery store in search of the perfect ingredients, prep-work, dovetailing, and anxiety over our finished products as we carefully pull them out of the oven. The list of stress-inducing tasks could go on forever. Even if you are not hosting Thanksgiving or preparing any dishes for the occasion, the journey to be with family on the busiest travel day of the year, the onslaught of super-rich food, and really all the excess can be too much to handle. In such chaotic times, stopping to catch your breath and reflecting on the true meaning of Thanksgiving can do wonders. Isn’t Thanksgiving about acknowledging all the things in our life for which we are thankful and spending time with our loved ones? The simple things in life such as the comfort and the support we feel from our family is a gift. The simple things in life are the best things. When I think of simplicity, I often think of my grandmother’s broccoli soup.  My grandmother is of Sicilian descent, feisty and healthy as ever, and celebrated her 94th birthday this past summer. She prepared this soup for me, my siblings, and my cousins when we were children.  Now I serve it to my family and we all marvel in how simple yet flavorful and nourishing it is. I don’t think she realizes how much of a gift her soup is to me. Here is how I was taught to prepare it: Empty a box or bag of frozen broccoli spears into a pot and cover with water. Add some olive oil (about a tablespoon), and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then simmer for a few minutes until the broccoli is tender.  That is it!  My grandmother would pour the soup over a small serving of cooked pasta, but more nutrient-dense options could be cooked quinoa or brown rice – just as yummy! I can remember my grandmother insisting I drink the broth.  “That is the best part!  Don’t let it go to waste!” She was right. While the broccoli will provide you with fiber, the broth is nutrient-rich with vitamin C and several B vitamins that are leached from the broccoli during the boiling process. Not that I needed much convincing to drink the broth…I found it to be delectable and soothing. So during times when we feel as though we need to slow down and take a deep breath, let’s return to the simple things in life…perhaps a recipe passed down from family such as my grandmother’s broccoli soup.  Flavorful, nutritious, and delightfully simple. That is the beauty!     About Jennifer: Jennifer was born and raised in New Orleans, but she’s been a NYC resident since 2000. She is a registered dietitian and worked as an RD at the VA in New Orleans as a renal dietitian. After moving to NYC, she worked at the Brooklyn VA where her focus was oncology. She is currently a stay-at-home mother and training for the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon (which she hopes to have successfully run by the time this goes live!).  

Acorn Squash: The Winter Squash You Need to Know About

by Samantha Linden, RDN, NLC Fall is in the air! Which means it’s boots, blazers, and…squash season! Pumpkins always seem to take center stage around this time, obviously fueled by the energy and excitement of Halloween (I think a dietitian’s least favorite holiday). Butternut squash comes in a close second, getting its yearly fifteen minutes of fame on menus everywhere right now. As a nutritionist, this makes me so happy! Is there anything better than seeing people eat seasonally? When you eat foods that are in season, you are eating produce picked and eaten at its peak. In general, these foods will be richer in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. And while pumpkin and butternut squash certainly deserve the spotlight, I think some of autumn’s other produce offerings get upstaged far too often. So I am taking this opportunity to highlight a new star of the show: my personal favorite winter squash, the acorn squash. Acorn squash is the green, speckled round squash you see next to butternut squash at the grocery store…the one that probably has not made it into your grocery cart. Hopefully, that’s about to change.   Why I think acorn squash should not be ignored: Like pumpkin and butternut squash, it is an extremely nutrient dense food, meaning that it is rich in nutrients and low in calories. Acorn squash is an exceptional source of antioxidants.  A 1-cup serving gives you 25% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A and 25% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. {Tweet this}. Like all winter squash, acorn squash is rich in carotenes and has been linked to being protective against certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration. Acorn squash is a starchy vegetable so it is higher in carbohydrates than many other vegetables. However, it is rich in fiber, providing around 5 grams of fiber per 1 cup serving. That fiber will help slow down digestion, fill you up and might even help prevent you from digging into that leftover Halloween candy. Acorn squash is also known for being high in thiamine, a B vitamin that helps the body metabolize food. Like its orange counterparts, acorn squash is rich in minerals such as magnesium, iron and calcium. Magnesium and calcium help to maintain normal blood pressure and magnesium has also been shown to help inhibit fat absorption. Iron is needed to help form red blood cells to carry oxygen through your body. Winter squash, acorn included, has a long shelf life. So, if you don’t get around to preparing it the week you bought it, you have a few more weeks to give it a shot!   At Nutritious Life, Keri promotes finding your healthy food memories and incorporating them into being your most nutritious self. Healthy food memories are healthy foods that were part of your childhood that personally invoke happy, comforting emotions.  For me, my dad’s acorn squash is one of mine. It was nothing fussy, just simple and yummy and always appeared on our dinner table in the fall.  Below is the recipe he used to make and I added an egg baked in to help bump up the protein and turn a side dish into a meal. I hope your family enjoys this as much is mine did, and maybe it will even become one of your kids’ healthy food memories!   Baked Acorn Squash with Egg Baked Inside Preheat oven to 400 degrees Slice acorn squash in half and scoop out all the seeds (set aside if you want to cook them for an extra nutritious snack later). Add a teaspoon of sweetener like honey, agave or maple syrup to each half. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Take out of the oven (but leave the oven on). Crack one egg into each squash half, trying to get the yolk in first. Place back into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the egg is cooked to your desired consistency. Sprinkle your favorite herb or spice on top of the egg and enjoy!       About Samantha: Samantha Linden, RDN, NLC  is a registered dietitian nutritionist and the founder of Nutrition In Balance, a nutrition consulting and counseling practice in Southeastern Michigan. In her practice, Samantha works with both individuals and families that need guidance on many nutrition related issues, from weight loss to nutritional management of chronic diseases. Samantha writes frequently on nutrition topics and is also a regular nutrition educator for many local corporations and organizations.  She graduated from the University of Michigan and received her post bachelor’s certificate in nutrition from Wayne State. Samantha is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as well as the Nutrition Entrepreneurs in Private Practice and the Michigan Dietetics Association. She also recently completed her Nutritious Life Certification and is very excited to help Keri and her team spread the Nutritious Life message.  

What’s the Difference Between Gourds, Squash and Pumpkins?

Nothing says fall like the Cucurbitaceae family! No, they’re not actually a family that only comes out in the fall. The cucurbitaceae family is the latin term for gourds, squash and pumpkins, which most of us lump into one big category of bumpy, vine-y, hard to hack into, often ugly things that grow in the autumn. What’s the diff between gourds, squash and pumpkins? Read on. You’ll wow ‘em at your next dinner party. Gourds This ornamental squash comes in different shapes, sizes and colors. You’ve got your hardshell, bottle, turban and dipping (the most common) type. Gourds aren’t much for eating. They’re decorative and can be dried into containers or Instagram-worthy centerpieces, but don’t waste your time trying to crack into their hard shells for fleshy meat or seeds. They’re not designed for that. Still, they make you feel festive, so consider enjoying them outside the kitchen. Squash You’ve got your hubbard, butternut, acorn, delicata and spaghetti squash, to name just a few. Squash are perfect for roasting, souping, dicing, pureeing and all-around eating. The trick is to crack into the thick skin and dense flesh with a sharp knife and a strong arm. Scoop out the seeds and you’re ready to follow your favorite squash recipe. A pound of winter squash yields about 2 cups of flesh. If you can’t be bothered with an arm workout in the kitchen, it may be smart to buy the pre-cubed butternut squash sold at the market. (We won’t tell anyone!)  Winter squash is really mild in flavor and full of fiber, vitamins and minerals. It’s also super satisfying and low in calories. Try sautéing some for brunch, instead of potatoes. YUM. Pumpkin The all-occasion cucuritaceae, pumpkins are both ornamental and edible. Treat the super mini’s like gourds, and don’t waste your time trying to extract nutrition from them. They’re eye candy. The medium pumpkins are fantastic for making pumpkin bowl soup, which is as pretty as it is delicious. Use the large ones for jack-o-lanterns around Halloween or roast them to add to your recipes all  year long. RELATED: Pumpkin Flaxseed Pancakes with Pomegranate Maple Syrup Cucurbitaceae is to fall as snow is to winter. Celebrate the season with squash, gourds and pumpkins on your table and plate. Happy fall! Image: Tim Mossholder via Unsplash

How Does Maria Rodale Live a Nutritious Life?

As the granddaughter of the founder of organic movement in America, Maria Rodale is a third generation leader of  Rodale, Inc. (the company that publishes magazines like Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Prevention, as well as the forthcoming re-launch of Organic Life; plus bestselling books like the recently released Thug Kitchen, Jessica Alba’s The Honest Life, Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Mama and The Kind Diet, and Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth) and she is also the author of Organic Manifesto: How Organic Farming Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World and Keep Us Safe. Maria’s mission for Rodale is the same as it was in 1930 when her grandfather JI Rodale started the company.  He knew that there was a direct relationship between the declining health of America’s soil and the health of America’s people, a revolutionary view in those days.  In 1942, Organic Farming and Gardening magazine launched, today known as Organic Gardening, which taught people how to grow better food by cultivating healthier soil using natural techniques and today, the Rodale family is widely recognized as pioneers of the organic movement in America. Maria is passionate about carrying on that tradition and forwarding the movement.  She recently launched Rodale’s, a specialty e-tail store offering healthy products that nurture happiness, protect nature and help people around the world. Every product offered (from food to home to personal care products to apparel and more) is responsibly sourced. She is committed to inspiring and enabling people to improve their lives and the world around them every day. As an activist, a speaker, a businesswoman, a cook and a mom, she is dedicated to promoting the benefits of an organic and healthy lifestyle. How do you EAT EMPOWERED? I try to eat as closely to nature as possible. That means organic, real food and I want to know where it comes from and how it is grown. I worry less about calories and more about nourishment. I also do heaps of cooking from scratch! I post lots of my favorite recipes on my blog, Maria’s Farm Country Kitchen. How do you LIVE CONSCIOUSLY? Living consciously for me is a constant process of checking in with myself (how am I really feeling? Am I loving or hating what I’m doing? What’s most important right now?) and then pushing myself (Is there more I can be doing? Am I doing too much? How can I make myself healthier and happier?) I try to make my life a rewarding life of service to others — through my family, my business and my mission—but to truly be effective I have to cultivate that consciousness within myself first. Keeping a journal is key, and fascinating to look back on as well. How do you DRINK UP? My current obsession is ice water! Sometimes, if I’m feeling the need for a “drink” (I don’t drink alcohol) I order a sparkling water “on the rocks.” How do you LOVE MORE? If love were easy, the world would be a very peaceful happy place. But love is hard, especially unconditional love, which is what I strive for. Love means listening and observing and seeing beyond the surface — realizing that underneath anger is often hurt, but also realizing that anger is ok sometimes! Unconditional love also begins with learning to love ourselves, even though we are not perfect by any means. Even though we will never get everything done or make everyone happy or accomplish all we want to accomplish. The deepest love is incredibly forgiving and patient…and sometimes hard. But if we don’t love ourselves first, it’s incredibly challenging to love other people. How do you STRESS LESS? Making lists, checking them off, writing things down, I am constantly asking myself — do I need to do this? Do I want to do this? What can I say no to? What can I say yes too? What can I let go of? What can I delegate? And then try to focus on what really matters and is most important and let everything else (and everyone else) fend for themselves. My life got a whole lot better and happier when I learned that it wasn’t my job to fix everything and everyone else! {Tweet this}. How do you NURTURE YOURSELF? Hot baths, monthly massages, the occasional spa visit, yummy organic food, snuggling with my kids and especially connecting with nature — even just going outside and laying down on the earth — it’s so grounding and healing. I also enjoy laughing. So anything to make me laugh is good. I also love to paint, write and listen to music. Often at the same time. How do you SLEEP DEEP? Generally I am a good sleeper. But I prefer a really cozy bed with soft pillows and blankets (when I travel I take a shawl that makes any bed “my own.”) My bed at home is an organic mattress and all the bedding is organic and I can sleep really well in it. I LOVE to sleep with the windows open! And my sedative of choice is a good paper book. I’ll read until I can’t keep my eyes open and then drift into dreamland while expressing deep gratitude for all the wonderful people in my life. And for my bed, too. How do you SWEAT OFTEN? This is the one area I need to work on more. I sweat the most when I run, but I’d like to run more. I can’t ever seem to hone in on just one sport — I like to walk, lift weights, do yoga, ride my bike. But I’m constantly struggling to motivate myself and make myself work out harder and more often. But that’s life, isn’t it? We all have things we can work on and do better at. I’ll add it to the list…