Energized, Revitalized, Accessorized: A Healthier Approach for 2017
The holiday season is always filled with way too many delicious indulgences, and then, the rude month of January comes and smacks us upside the head. Guilt sets in. Like many of you, I have a nearly impossible time resisting all the sweets—especially when I’m at my mom’s house where the cakes and cookies flow like water. I’ve been on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet to try to help with some health issues I was battling this past year, but I totally fell off the wagon when it came to sugar this last month. Thank goodness for sweater weather!! But the truth is, as a multitasking mama, it’s become much more about how I feel than what I see in the mirror. When my energy plummets, everything is a struggle. Are you also feeling sluggish and overstuffed with deep-fried latkes and the kids’ “leftover” candy? Are you also trying to get on a healthier path for 2017? It can feel completely overwhelming to make lifestyle changes, especially with little ones around, and if like me, you don’t enjoy cooking. That’s why I’ve called upon the expertise of nutritionist and fellow mama-on-the-go, Tali Pines.
Tali is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who specializes in providing medical nutrition therapy for weight loss, prenatal/postpartum nutrition and sports nutrition. As an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Greater New York Dietetic Association, she uses her extensive training to help clients adopt healthier habits. She also loves to cook and develop healthy recipes. Tali has generously offered to answer our most nail-biting health questions and help us with the daunting task of creating a meal plan that will revitalize us and keep us full. Read on to discover what waistline-friendly, energy-supporting eating should look like.
1. What’s an easy snack for gals-on-the-go to throw in our purses that’s not just “good enough,” but actually beneficial to our health?
My favorite go-to purse snacks include: roasted chickpeas (drain 1 can chickpeas, pour into pan, spray with Pam and season with spices, bake on 350 until crispy), crudités dippers (put peanut butter or hummus on bottom of mason jar or Tupperware, top with any veggies, close), Skinny Pop popcorn or a banana. I also started packing snacks for my daughter that I would be okay eating - in case I get hungry or am running late and all I have is her snacks. My current fave is Happy Baby organic yogis - freeze dried yogurt fruit snacks.
2. I’m exhausted. What foods will amp up my energy?
I'm really sorry for this annoying answer, but number 1 is water. Even mild dehydration is linked to decreased energy.
As a rule of thumb, healthy balanced eating (read: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins) keeps energy levels steady. Eating processed junk foods causes peaks and dips in energy, and results in feelings of fatigue and crankiness.
More specifically, B-vitamins are considered the energy vitamins. Lean foods with B vitamins include: eggs, dark leafy green vegetables, lentils, almonds, asparagus, chicken, fish and bananas. Some of these are more portable and purse-friendly than others, but spread these out through your day and week and you will see a difference.
3. Each time a meal ends, it’s time to prepare the next. I feel like I’m cooking all day! What are some tips to manage my meal prep?
To the extent that you can control it, everyone in your house should be eating the same foods. Obviously infants can't eat raw carrot sticks, and adults don't want theirs steamed and puréed. But on Sundays, we plan for the week as much as we can. What are my staples? What meals are being eaten at home? Are we hosting Friday night dinner? And most importantly, do we have obnoxious amounts of fruits and veggies jammed into our fridges that we can cut and prepare, to make our entire week easier. Whether you buy them pre-cut, or prefer to do it yourself, there is nothing more liberating than opening the fridge, choosing the sliced zucchini and cubed beets, throwing them in a pan with Pam spray and spices and baking them. It literally takes five minutes. I also keep 15 pieces of fish and chicken in my freezer at all times. It's like having gas in my car. Never let it go below half full.
4. I fell off the wagon and gained a few pounds. I’m so bummed! What do I do now?
The first thing to do is RELAX. Stress is a fact of life, but it’s also a fact of fat. When we stress, cortisol, literally the “stress hormone” in our body, increases. Cortisol can increase insulin levels, which makes our blood sugar drop, which then increases our appetite, and causes us to crave (and unfortunately eat) fatty and sugary foods. Bottom line, this is a roundabout, scientific way of saying STRESS = FAT. Figure out a way to reduce stress in your life. Don’t shy away from the obvious: 1. Get more sleep 2. Drink more water 3. Do yoga - if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
The second thing to do is to stop associating diet with feelings of deprivation and starvation. While most people replace the word “diet” with “lifestyle”, I’m sick of that word as well. One of my New Year’s goals for my clients (and for anyone reading this) is to just feel NORMAL. What does normal feel like? Who really knows. But what I do know is that it isn’t compulsive, obsessive behavior that makes us count calories (or carbs, or steps) and controls our mood when the scale displays a number we don’t like (even if we’re weighing ourselves first thing in the morning, after we pee, totally naked). My normal is changing the focus from dirty words like diet and lifestyle to positive words like health and energy and longevity. And with that new normal, comes weight loss, skinny jeans and feelings of liberation from the shackles of a diet lifestyle.
The third thing to do, only after you’ve mastered #1 and #2, is eat well. Eating well does not mean drinking a green juice, taking a daily shot of apple cider vinegar or cutting out carbs. For me, this is what eating well means:
- Drink 8 cups of water a day, including one before each meal. I add lemon to my water - they say that it keeps your metabolism humming. For me, it makes me feel like I’m at a spa, and feeling like I'm at a spa relaxes me. Win-win situation.
- Eat 1-2 high fiber fruits per day (like berries and pears), and 4-6 vegetables per day (raw, cooked, steamed, whatever). Fruits and vegetables contain fiber (which keeps you full) and vitamins and minerals (which basically makes your skin, hair and nails beautiful, as well as keeps your body functioning) - you decide which you care more about, it does both anyway.
- Create an attainable, easy eating pattern for yourself that combines a fruit or vegetable with a protein at every meal or snack. You’ll feel full, but not fat, and totally energized.
Sample energizing and slimming menu:
Water
Breakfast: omelette with one egg, 3 egg whites, lots of sautéed veggies (mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, spinach) and a side of (1 cup) berries
Water
Lunch: non cream based soup like veggie or lentil (check out SupCircle!) , gigantic salad with grilled salmon and dressing on the side for drizzling or dipping
Water
Snack: 40 pistachios or 20 almonds with a fruit
A glass of red or white wine
Dinner: chicken breast with artichokes, side salad and cauliflower rice (sauté riced cauliflower in vegetable broth, onions and whatever veggie of your choice)
After dinner: the kitchen is CLOSED, you're not hungry anymore. Shut the lights, close the door, and pretend rustling around in the kitchen will wake your kids - it's a sure way to keep you far far away unless you enjoy sleepless nights rocking babies back to sleep. If you really can't help yourself, stock your home with any of the above: Hu Kitchen dark chocolate (1-2 pieces max), Skinny Pop popcorn or crudités. I have been known to eat boxes of cherry tomatoes and pickles while watching a movie. Try it.
5. What is the verdict on alcohol?
Drink it! New research comes out daily: it's good for your heart, it's bad for your waist, it's full of antioxidants, drink red not white.... bottom line: in my mind, a glass of wine or spirits (sans sugary mixers) does only good.
6. How important is exercise for weight loss?
Exercise is a funny thing. Some of us love it and can’t live without it, and as many of us love to hate it. You don’t need to do intense exercise 7 days a week in order to lose weight; weight loss is technically 80% diet (I say 90%) – what you eat and how much of it you eat.
In the wellness industry, the tricks are all in the details and specifics. With foods, it's not about generally eating less, but about what you're eating. Same goes for exercise. It's not about how much you do, it's about what you do and how you do it. If you love it, and feel it helps your body feel and look better, aim for cardio 1-2 times a week (spinning, walking, running, dancing), and weight training (barre, Pilates, TRX) 2 times a week. If exercise makes you hungry, drink more water and eat an extra serving of protein (like fish or chicken).
You may or may not know me, but do me a favor. Don't exercise for weight loss. Exercise for your mind. Exercise for your heart. Exercise because it makes you happy. Exercise because you love (read: buy too much) athleisure and want an excuse to sweat in it. Exercise because it provides 1 hour uninterrupted from the rest of your crazy day. Let exercise be the cherry on top to your normal balanced eating, which I promise will lead to a happier, healthier, more thoughtful lifestyle. You will realize you're lighter on your feet, both physically and emotionally.
Learn more from Tali and get in touch with her at TaliPinesNutrition.com
Balloon Photos: Scott Bracher