Fry Sauce & Grits: July 2013

Monday, July 29, 2013

The Six Most Effective Sunscreens You Need for your Face and Body

Most Effective Sunscreens from FrySauceandGrits.com

Hello!  I'm really excited to talk about this topic.  I have an obsession with sunscreens.  I get excited when I see a new sunscreen on the market.  This passion for sunscreen stems from being apart of a family of redheads with very pale skin.  We weren't like the typical family.  We're like vampire, we don't tan, we burn.  All of my life whenever my family and I would go anywhere we were always slathering gobs of sunscreen all over our bodies all the time to protect our delicate white skin against the radioactive waves from the sun.  It wasn't until my dad found skin cancer on his body was when I knew I wanted to make sure my children understand the importance of taking care of their skin against getting burned, skin cancer, and premature aging.   We used A LOT of sunscreen while vacationing down in Alabama.  Sorry Caitlin, mermaids don't wear t-shirts.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

An Announcement & End of Summer Playlist

Hello, It's Caitlin again!
I am so happy to announce that I have officially joined Fry Sauce & Grits, and that I'll now be posting weekly.  Hooray!  Thank you to all of those who commented and joined in on the curly hair discussion!  I am so excited to be a part of this creative blog with my sisters, and as a special treat I decided to make an End of Summer Playlist to celebrate!

Summer Playlist frysauceandgrits.com

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Something Swanky's Favorite Things Birthday Present Giveaway!

I'm super duper excited to tell you about one of the best giveaways I've seen in a LONG time.  Have you heard of Something Swanky?  If you haven't, you need to head over there right now, make sure you're not hungry or it might cause you to drive to your grocery store and raid the baking goods aisle so you can make all of the delicious and decadent desserts Ashton makes.  I feel so lucky to have met Ashton from Something Swanky this year at the Build Your Blog Conference and instantly fell in love with her, her sincere and kind personality. This girl is so talented and smart!  She blew my mind when she told me she designed her entire site by using PicMonkey!  What the WHAT!?  After spending a night talking with her I felt like we were bosom friends.   Maybe because we both have a love for good food and delicious desserts.  Anyway, it's Ashton's birthday next week and she decided to do a giveaway of the gifts she would love to receive for her birthday.  Ashton felt like blogging has made her life so enriched she decided it would be so fun to pay it forward to the people (her loyal followers and friends) who have contributed to a fabulous year. 

Something Swanky Favorite Things Birthday Giveaway!

Want to win some of my favorite things?! Here's what's up for grabs:
How can you enter to win all of these goodies (an $800 value!)? Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below by signing in with your Facebook or E-mail account (you're required to use one of those so we can contact you if you win!):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Travel Size Obsession! Packing Tips

Let's face it.  Everything is cuter when it's smaller.  Beauty products are no exception.

Why is it that whenever I see something miniature, I instantly want it?  And I always say to myself, "Well, that would be PERFECT for when I travel!"  

You would think I was a world-class explorer with how many travel-sized things I stock up on.  Seeing how at this point in my life, my vacations mostly consist of going to Utah to visit family, I hardly need the arsenal of small toiletries in my linen closet.

So, in an effort to cut back,  I have compiled a list of what I consider to be the most important mini travel items that you should have.  Because if you have 25 mini beauty items, then that sort of defeats the whole travel sized idea, right?

These are great to have packed and ready to go in case a weekend getaway opportunity presents itself.  (fingers crossed here!)

1.  The mini deodorant.

Donna Karen Deodorant from FrySauceandGrits.com
Sephora sells these little gems in a 1 oz. size for $10.  This may seem like a pricey investment for a deodorant.  But, let me tell you it has brought me so much happiness whenever I pack for a trip.  It's adorable.

2.  The travel makeup brush set
Bobbi Brown 'Luxe' Brush Set from FrySauceandGrits.com

  This set is called the Bobbi Brown 'Luxe' Brush Set.  Nordstrom has these pretties available right now.  And for $125, it better be luxe.  But, this is surely an investment piece!  Can't you see the value people?! It folds into the thinest clutch ever, and it will make you feel so streamlined and chic you won't even remember your former self.  

3.  Shampoo and Conditioner

Kiehls Amino Acid Shampoo from FrySauceandGrits.com
Kiehls Amino Acid Conditioner from FrySauceandGrits.com

Shampoo and Conditioner are personal.  I received these travel gems when I attended a Kiehl's training at work.  I love them and used them on my beach trip last month.  The weight of regular sized S&C bottle is too much for a 3 day trip.  Lighten your load.

4. Shaving cream
Skintimate Shave Cream from FrySauceandGrits.com
Drugstore

Let's not over think this one.  It just cuts down so much space.  No need for frills here.  It washes right off, smooth legs are a must.  


5. Hairspray

 Fekkai Sheer Hold Hairspray from FrySauceandGrits.com

This hairspray is lightweight and perfect for every day.  Small can, love it.

Okay, so this is by no means a complete list.  But, these are the things that I always bring with me, and depending on where I am headed, I will pack more.

This is the amount I would typically pack for a week away.

Must have travel size toiletries from FrySauceandGrits.com


Please share any of your favorite travel items or minis with me.  Or, any other ways you save space and weight while packing.

Another packing secret: I love the "Zip and Ship" method from the girls at MMandLshow.


Check it out, you won't regret it the next time you are headed out of town!  You will feel so relieved knowing you have what you need, and your bag is underweight to boot!

And just because....


Dexter was trying to be a part of my travel products photo.  Sweet guy.


Monday, July 22, 2013

Celctic Knot Inspiration

I have a new obsession this summer.  I'm in love with Celtic knots!   I used to think this art form was only worn and loved by Lord of the Rings and medieval fanatics you find at the park sword fighting each other. I've changed my mind about that and this ancient insular art form is my go to for this summer and fall.  

What started this obsession was when I received two Celtic Knot Turbans from Very Jane one in black and coral.  I wear them almost every day!  I wear them to church, hanging out with my girlfriends, when I'm home all day, and I even wore them while camping (made me feel classy when I had dirt embedded in my nails).

Celtic Knot Headband from FrySauceandGrits.com

Friday, July 19, 2013

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

It's a girl!!

We found out on Friday, that we will be having a baby girl in December!  I am delighted to be able to share all girly things with this baby.

We've been holding out on buying anything, thinking of names, and how to decorate the nursery until we found out what the sex was.  So, it has been fun the past couple of days to begin to think more seriously about the future!



Now that we know she's a girl, I put together a mood board for the nursery.  I have always loved mermaids, and used to love to pretend to be one in the pool every time I went swimming.  

I adore this inspiration from Laybabylay


I have been using olioboard.com to create my own mood board because although I want the nursery to be girly, I'm not the hugest fan of pink everywhere, so I want to put my own twist on it.  It's a work in progress, but this is what I have so far.


Any advice to a new mom on the nursery?  I want it to be clean and peaceful, but have some fun, quirky twists.  





Monday, July 15, 2013

Healthy Chocolate Avocado Gelato

Healthy Chocolate Avocado Gelato from FrySauceandGrits.com

I've fallen off the bandwagon with my LeanMoms program.  I've been eating foods I shouldn't have, eating more then I'm suppose to, and I haven't been as faithful about going to the gym.  This has resulted in me gaining some pounds and feeling more soft and flabby :(  

Friday, July 12, 2013

Ottoman Reupholster Makeover


Ottoman Upholstery Makeover from FrySauceandGrits.com

 Having a blog has help me complete projects I've put on the back burner.  In March of this year I was at my local Deseret Industries causally shopping with my friend when I came upon these two forest green ottomans.  They were N-A-S-T-Y!  They smelled and had cat hair all over them.  I really liked the shape of them and how simple they were.  I thought, this would be a really great replacement for the Duncan Phyfe coffee table I already have in my living room because I wanted a more eclectic living room.  I could also use them for seating if we needed more seats in our living room!  They had function and style!  So I bought the two ottomans for $20 and put them in my garage for the time being.  

Four months later I was sick and tired of running into them whenever I would pull my car into the garage, they were taking up valuable real estate, and our living room is in desperate need of some decor.  This week I tackled the challenge of reupholstering my first pieces of furniture.  It wasn't too bad.  It took me all day, literally.  My mother-in-law was so kind to drive a hour to spend the entire day with Amelia so I could focus on this project and get it done!  Thanks Ann, I owe you one!  

This is what the two ottomans looked like before.


Drum roll.....  Here is what they look like now!   


 The first thing I did was cleaned off the nasty cat hair that was embedded into the fabric.  I carefully pulled apart the fabric by taking out each of the staples (long and tedious).  I did this by using an ice pick tool my husband had in his tool box and some dyke cutter to pull out any broken pieces of staples.  Remember to wear a pair of handy dandy leather gloves (these are a must!).  I tried to be as careful when taking apart the fabric because I needed it to be intact so I could trace the pattern.  Underneath the fabric was some cotton batting, I decided to keep it on instead of replacing it because it was in good condition and I didn't want to spend the extra money.  I purchased my chartreuse yellow fabric from Home Fabrics for $7 a yard!  What a screaming deal.  


To assemble the ottoman I had to sew two pieces of fabric that wrapped around the sides and then sew the top to it.  After I was done sewing the fabric, I slide it over the ottoman, then started to staple the fabric to the ottoman.  Make sure everything is taut before you staple and take your time with this. 

The trickiest part was installing the tack strips to the inner sides of the ottoman.  You wrap the fabric around the tack strip and then once in place hammer it in.  This is harder when you're a lone ranger likes I was, but it can be done.  Just be patient.  The first one I installed, one of the nails got bent, and it was being a stickler by  not going into the wood.  I cut out the nail and hot glued it to the fabric.  Having a hot glue gun on hand is really important when you reupholster anything.  

After I installed the tack strips to both sides, I started to nail the brass nail stud strips.  By purchasing the nail strips, you only have to hammer in a nail every five studs. Therefore making the process a lot easier then hammering each nail head.  I nailed the bottom portion of the ottoman because I liked the look of it the best.  And that's pretty much it!  It took me all day to complete one ottoman.  That's including getting distracted many times, watching glimpses of Kitchen Nightmares, going potty, getting hydrated, and fueling up on snacks.  

Supplies: 
two nasty ottomans 
2.5 yards of yellow chartreuse upholstery fabric 
two packages of brass nail stud trim 
stapler 
nails 
leather gloves 
ice pick tool or flat head screw driver to get staples out of wood
dyke tool to take out the broken pieces of staples

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Ain't Nobody Got Time for That!


aint noboby got time for that


Sometimes, as I am perusing the pages of Pinterest, I am inspired.  Sometimes, I am left thinking--REALLY?!  Some people are taking the DIY craze to the next level.  I love a good fun project or craft as much as the next girl, but I just have to rant for a minute here.

 Who has time to make their own homemade bite-sized Goldfish crackers?!  Especially at the rate I have seen some toddlers consume them.  I mean, come on now people!  I guess I would just be happy if I could make a homemade healthy dinner every night.  Maybe if I didn't work full time, and freelance, and try to blog, and didn't go to church.  Then my family would have some fresh cheese crackers at all times.  Yes, they would.


Or spend all night doing intricate nail designs that require taping the nails off and letting them dry for hours in between.  And, anyone who knows me, knows I AM A FAN of painting my nails.


And, can someone please explain to me, why making your makeup remover wipes out of paper towels is a good idea?  Especially after reading they can become moldy within days?  Gross!


For these people, I have a few words for you.  Target.  Neutrogena.  $4.99.


With all that being said, who am I to judge if one particularly intricate activity is worth ones time, more then the next?  And, this is coming from the girl that watches The Bachelorette weekly--a guilty pleasure of wasted time.

So, if you have tried any of these, or any other type of DIY project, and want to let me know why it was totally worth your time, I would love to hear about it!


Monday, July 8, 2013

Bosch Mixer Giveaway!

Hello my friends. Hope your 4th of July and weekend was incredible!

Today I am so excited to share with you this fabulous giveaway and the amazing company and bloggers that I've teamed up with to bring this prize to you!

Check it out!


First of all, how many of you use Bosch already? How many of you WISH you used a Bosch? I know, I know, you all do! THIS my friends is the mother load! It's the Universal PLUS mixer with 800 watts of butt-kickin', cake bakin', bread makin', anything you can imagine creatin' power!

For an in-depth review of the Bosch line, check out Ashlee Prisbrey's great series on I'm Topsy Turvy here.
And if you just cannot wait to get your own, hop on over to Bosch Mixers right now for their web exclusive deal going on right now and save over $100!

In the meantime, we wish you the best of luck in winning this incredible beast of a machine! Your kitchen and family will thank you!

Follow the simple steps in the Rafflecopter widget below. After you complete the first set, you'll unlock your bonus entries!! And please be patient and reload the widget if needed since sometimes Rafflecopter gets bogged down.
xox

Friday, July 5, 2013

Alabama the Beautiful!


I've been looking so forward to our trip to Alabama and there were many reasons. First, I haven't seen Melanie and Andrew since Christmas.  Second, I've never been to the Deep South and was really excited to be eating, seeing, and doing what the southern folk do.  I enjoy going off the beaten path when it comes to trips.  I love seeing and experiencing different cultures.  Third, Alabama is a random place to go on a vacation. You don't hear many people say, "I'm going on my summer vacation to the deep south of Alabama where it's nasty humid."  Fourth, my entire family was coming, the more the people the more cray cray and fun it was going to be.  Fifth, this was a major trip for us.  We don't fly very often and this was Amelia's first airplane experience.  McKay and I were both anxious and downright terrified.


Our first day in Alabama we had to eat at the IHOP of the South, the Waffle House!  They're on every corner, they're cheap, fast, and are known for their waffles.  I ordered the pecan waffles with cheese grits, bacon, toast, and scrambled eggs and it was pretty dang good.  This meal was definitely not my healthiest.

My family are big Diet Coke fans, so my mom saved up all of her Coke Reward Points and was able to get all of us into the World of Coke for FREE in Atlanta!  This was fun, we got to see the history of Coke and the best part was we got to try different drinks from around the world.  My favorite were some of the South American drinks like Inca Kola.  The worst was The Beverly.  I don't understand how the Brits like the taste of carbonated bitter garbage.  We drank until we were sick.

We visited the iconic The Varsity in Atlanta.  It's the world's largest drive in.  Meh, the food was not the highlight of Atlanta, but at $7.25, it wasn't that bad.      


Nearby we saw there was a very old and historic Oakland Cemetery .  There were a couple famous people buried here and its the site for the 3,000 unidentified confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. Walking around and seeing such beautiful gravestones was so such a treat but also very sobering.  It made me think how precious each of those lives were and how each of those men and women buried there had a life, family, passions, and a story.  Sometimes I wondered, what was their story?  We saw Margaret Mitchell Marsh, the author of Gone with the Wind resting place.


The next day we drove the four hours to Gulf Shores, Alabama.  On the way there we stopped at this place called Uncle Mick's Cajun Cafe in the small town of Prattsville (15 minutes west of Montgomery).  This cafeteria style place had very southern and Cajun cooking going on.  The owner who also served the food could tell we were first timers so he had us try a taste of his recommendations.  I ended up getting the dirty rice, with alligator gumbo and crawfish etouffee.  It was a fun place and a great way to experience a taste of the bayou!  Also, their pecan pie was really good.  

In Gulf Shores the sand is white as sugar and the water is warm as bath water.  We were lucky enough to rent a place RIGHT ON THE BEACH!  I would recommend this!  It made it super convenient with kids and babies. It was fun to see beach goers fish for sharks.  We saw a couple 3-5 ft sharks being cast onto the beach.  Kind of crazy!  Some of the family got stung by jellies.  Good thing we had kind beach neighbors who had this numbing liquid so we didn't have to pee on anyone.  I was really happy to see the beaches restored back to where they were like before the BP oil spill of 2010.

We went to the most unique and crazy restaurant called Lambert's just north of Gulf Shores.  They're known for their homemade baked rolls and servers throwing them at their customers.  Melanie got pegged in the head by one of these airborne rolls.   The roll guy comes out with a pan of hot and fresh rolls from the oven on a cart and walks around and throws rolls at starving customers.   They're also known for their pass arounds where servers walk around with large bowls of fried okra, beans, fried potatoes, macaroni, cooked cabbage, and a bunch of other random food and they'll serve it on your napkin.  My favorite was how they served drinks in 50 oz plastic convenience store mugs.  Talk about real casual dining.  It took over a hour to get a table and I can say that as I was waiting outside in the misting fans, I thought to myself, "this better be worth it."  I ordered the BBQ ribs and they were pretty good.  What makes this place worth the hour wait was the fun atmosphere and the throwing rolls.    


On the way back from Gulf Shores we stopped in Montgomery where we saw some of the historical sites of that town.  We saw the church where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached and we took a tour of the First White House of the Confederacy.  

The next day we spent the day in Montgomery where we visited the Civil Rights Museum.  This was a really cool place but it made me really upset and sad that people were treated the way they were because of the color of their skin.  We learned about the history of segregation and how African Americans were hated, persecuted, bombed, and terrorized in their own city.  I really liked it how the museum portrayed how different the lives of blacks and whites were during that time.  How the mortality rate for blacks was half of whites. 

Right across the street is the famous 16th Street Baptist Church where four little girls were murdered when members of the Klu Klux Klan set off a bomb in the basement of the church.

For dinner we went to this place called Moe's BBQ in Vestavia Hills.  This was one of my favorites.  I was in the mood for a lighter meal because when you're on vacation you tend to eat so much more then you do at home!  So I ordered the smoked turkey breast salad that came with a slice of grilled cornbread.  McKay ordered a side of wings and they were my favorite out of anything I ate there!  I had a bite of the catfish sandwich and a pork ribs and both were delicious!


We went to the historic Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham.  This was such a fun place to see!  It was built in 1882 where it produced pig iron until 1971.  This place is haunted and it was kind of eerie and spooky as we walked through the tunnels, engine, furnace, and blower rooms.  I loved the industrial architecture of the place.  I kept on thinking how cool it would be to take some of the artifacts and put them in my house.  We saw a couple getting their wedding pictures taken here.  They hold concerts and weddings here too.  The best part about it, it's free! 

We went to this restaurant called Urban Cookhouse located in Homewood, Alabama.  SO good!  It was fresh, cheap, and really good.  I ordered the Down Home.

I was really sad to leave Melanie, Andrew, Dexter (their dog), and Alabama the beautiful.  Once we got home and I was able to sleep in my own bed, I realized how good to finally be home.  Thanks Melanie and Andrew for hosting six additional people in your home for an entire week.  You're great hostesses!

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Six Summer Slimdown Secrets

six summer slimdown secrets

Hi folks! Let me start off by saying how excited I am to be guest posting for the lovely gals at Fry Sauce & Grits! As a dietitian and self-proclaimed foodie, I am totally into anything that incorporates food in some way or another. Just so you know a little about me, my name is Sheena Gregg and I currently work as a dietitian in the lovely Tuscaloosa, Alabama (ROLL TIDE!). I have the pleasure of seeing clients of all different ages, all coming to see me for different reasons....weight loss, weight gain, chronic conditions, or more "fun" things such as preparing for beauty pageants, Iron Man competitions, and even MMA fights! As much as I love talking about food and its health benefits, I absolutely enjoy eating food. During college and grad school, I kept a personal blog to stay in touch with family and friends. Within this past year however, I decided to blog more specifically about food, nutrition, and health...hence the birth of A Filipino Foodie! This little project has been a way for me to share practical information about eating, including recipes and ways to be a more informed consumer when it comes to eating. If you guys ever get a chance, I would love for you to come by and visit!

cropped-white-header-2.jpg

With summer season in full swing, I've been doing a lot of work with folks lately to improve their eating habits and possibly shed a few pounds. Today at Fry Sauce & Grits, I thought it would be fun to share some of my top tips for healthier eating and living which I will playfully call, "Six Summer Slimdown Secrets". I'll preface by saying that there's nothing really "secret" or magical about these tips, but I think a lot of times when we're in a "diet" mentality, all common sense goes out the window. My recommendations below are intended to help with improving your long-term eating habits to promote health... not just a quick crash diet route to temporary weight loss. So with that said, let's get the party started! :)

hangry1  1. Avoid Skipping Meals I cannot emphasize this enough. Growing up, my mom was convinced that only eating one time a day would help with weight loss, simply because that would limit the opportunity for consuming calories and gaining weight. Truth is, your body's metabolism works much like a fire. If you want a fire to burn continuously throughout the day, then you've got to put new wood or kindle in that fire every few hours so it can continue to burn. Same goes for our metabolism. If someone skips breakfast, barely eats lunch, and then eats a massive dinner in the evening, the body starts thinking "hmmm...this person barely fed me at breakfast and lunch so once they feed me this big huge dinner, I'm going to hold in all these calories for survival because I don't know the next time he/she is going to feed me!" Also, if you've waited the whole day to finally eat something, chances are by the time you eat, you'll eat much larger portions than you would have compared to if you had gotten to eat at regular intervals earlier that day. Take home point: Avoid going longer than 4 hours without eating anything (ideally you want to try to eat about every 2 ½ to 3 hours). If you're in a meeting or running errands during a meal time, make sure to at least have a snack (trail mix, peanut butter crackers, pretzels, etc.,) to tie you over until you can get an actual meal. If you’re going out with the girls for dinner or any other meal, try to avoid being ravenously hungry when you get to the restaurant. To do this, have a snack such as a small peanut butter sandwich or an apple about 30 minutes to an hour before going out to eat. This snack will help curb your appetite so that you’re still hungry enough to enjoy your main entrée but you’re not so hungry that you mindlessly eat copious amounts of chips and salsa, bread and butter, or any other pre-entrée items that are usually served at restaurants.

food plan  2. Make Your Meals Complete I know that carbs often get a bad rap when it comes to trying to lose weight, but you want to avoid having meals and snacks comprised of only one type of macronutrient (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats). When it comes to carbohydrates, we often think of the traditional bread products and starchy vegetables, but luckily, fruit and dairy (milk, yogurt, & pudding) are also carbohydrate sources. The body’s preferred source of energy is carbohydrates and the only thing your brain can run off of. The reason low-carb diets appear to be pretty successful in the beginning in terms of weight loss is that if you’re eating less carbohydrate than your body needs to function, the next most immediate nutrient it can break down for energy is protein. And since protein is stored pretty richly in your muscle tissues, your muscle starts to squeeze out body water (hence quick drops in weight reflected on your scale) as the body breaks down protein for energy. Once your body has finally sacrificed enough protein for energy in your nice pretty muscles, it will then go into fat burning. Fat ends up being the last resort just because it’s so dadgum hard to burn fat! Take home point: Make sure you’re getting enough carbohydrate throughout the day (from whole grain starches, fruits, and dairy products) so your body can use this energy to burn fat and not breakdown any precious protein/muscle tissue for energy. However, be sure to pair your carbohydrates with protein and fat as well since these nutrients are key in providing satiety and keeping you full for a longer amount of time. If your meal isn’t well-rounded, you may find your body making you hungry sooner than later to prompt you to eat the nutrients you were missing previously. The best analogy I can share is thinking about your protein, carbs, and fats like your shirt, pants, and shoes in terms of essentials…you’d look a little silly and incomplete without all three components - at least if you're headed out in public ;)

eat slowly3. Take Time with Your Meals Are you a quick eater? Hectic schedules and society in general tend to make us eat quickly out of necessity. Unfortunately though, rapid eating leaves little opportunity for our body to provide us the sensation of fullness. It takes about 15-20 minutes for our brain and stomach to communicate that we’ve eaten something and give that full feeling. Often times, we end up eating so quickly, that within the first 5 minutes of eating, we’ve already eaten the volume of food it takes for our stomach to feel full BUT since the brain and stomach haven’t had time to communicate yet, we keep on eating and eating until about 20 minutes later we feel that “overfull” feeling (I call it gross full or that level of fullness that makes us want to unbutton our jeans or take off our Spanx) since our brain and stomach have finally caught up with us. Take home point: Slow down your pace of eating so that it takes you at least 15-20 minutes to eat your meal. One way to accomplish this is making sure to put down the fork in between every bite of food. Sometimes we end up eating so quickly and we end up already having the 4th bite of mashed potatoes ready to go on our fork before we’ve even completely swallowed our first initial bite! Other ways you can slow your pace of eating include taking a sip of water (or other low calorie beverage) in between bites of food or even having conversation in between bites of food. Slowing down your pace of eating not only helps with getting full off of a smaller portion size but also allows you to take time to really enjoy and savor each bite of food.

veggies  4. Make Friends with Veggies Unless they’re breaded and/or deep fried, non-starchy vegetables are pretty much water, fiber, vitamins, and minerals…and extremely low calorie. Non-starchy vegetables including broccoli, asparagus, green beans, spinach, tomatoes, etc., are a great way to get extra volume on your plate without adding excessive calories. Vegetables can be your friend when you’re trying to reduce your portion sizes of other food groups (such as starches and protein) because you can add these veggies in to provide more fullness to your meal. Take home point: Be mindful though that since vegetables do not contain many calories, they will not be very helpful in providing energy. Avoid getting so full off of vegetables that it prevents you from eating the calorie-containing foods that you do need for weight management and daily function. Make a practice of making ½ of your plate veggies followed by ¼ starch and ¼ protein when building your plate to ensure nice balance. Great ways to sneak in vegetables throughout the day include between meal snacks and popping frozen veggies in re-usable steamer bags for a quick vegetable sidekick at dinner.

water-glass  5. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Water Feeling hungry pretty soon after a meal or snack? Before getting second helpings, drink a glass or bottle of water and then reassess your hunger level. Our body will sometimes mimic the feeling of hunger to prompt us to drink more water, especially if we’re dehydrated. Waiting until you have the classic dry lips and parched mouth before drinking anything is waiting way too long. Being dehydrated can lead to feelings of light-headedness, fatigue, nausea (ick!),constipation (double ick!), apathy, and lack of concentration. Take home point: Even though it may seem contradictory, drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help with reducing water retention and bloating, especially since you’re getting to flush out your system. If you have trouble getting in the usual recommended 8 glasses of water/day, buying a cute water bottle to have at work or at home can be a fun way to prompt you to drink water. Also, naturally flavoring your water with slices of fruit to steep in a pitcher of ice water can be refreshing and avoids artificial sweeteners.

  6. Get Moving Sure you can lose weight with diet alone, but physical activity is a must in keeping weight off and managing your weight long-term…or at least this is my opinion as a dietitian--- I’m sure my exercise colleagues would agree ;) But don’t feel like traditional exercise is the only way to manage your weight. Being physically active by taking the stairs, parking farther away from the building, getting up from your desk and walking, etc., can be normal activities to incorporate in your day. On average, we spend 60% of our time at work so why not use it for movement?! Did you know that to build and maintain muscle cells you need to eat 4-5 times a day? The more muscle cells you have in your body, the faster your body uses up fat storage. Stretching and breathing (which can be done while sitting at a desk) are two of the best forms of muscle cell builders! Take home point: Physical activity is a natural appetite suppressant and is a key player in increasing your metabolism and decreasing fat mass. Health professionals recommend 30 minutes/day of physical activity in the prevention of chronic disease. But, if you are trying to actively lose weight, the recommendation is closer to 60-90 minutes of activity most days of the week. The great thing for busy people is that the 60-90 minutes do not have to be accomplished all in one session. As long as you do physical activity raising your heart rate for at least a 10 minute increment, you can break up your workout as it best meets your schedule.

  I hope the tips above can be helpful in your every day eating and even possibly help you lose a few pounds this summer! Having balance in our every day eating habits whether through our timing of meals or how we make our plate can help prevent chronic disease in addition to help manage weight. I am always up for questions and conversation so please feel free to comment. I'm also available on Facebook, Twitter, and good ol' fashioned email (sheena.gregg@gmail.com) if you're interested in reaching out and keeping in touch.
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