You Can Still Get Your Five-a-Day in this Winter

Hello all! So, we are definitely into the thick of winter. Living in Upstate NY, I can definitely attest to brutal winters – and it’s definitely a season I’m not a fan of. For all you winter fans out there, you enjoy the season that seems to last forever. I’ll stick with loving fall 😛

Evaluating Your Weight Loss Plan

Hello all! I hope you’re having a productive start to the week. As of today I’m gearing up to head back to school tomorrow (or technically Wednesday since I don’t have classes Tuesday). Come May I’ll officially be done with my DPD coursework (party time!) – and after spending six years in school at that point I’m so ready for the internship and a transition to online learning. It definitely won’t be easier, but being in a classroom has become tiring after all this time.

I hate this time of year

Well, not completely. I guess what I really mean is I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year. I’m sure everybody can relate in some capacity (or I could just be crazy – it wouldn’t be unusual).

Top 5 Tips to Avoid the Freshmen 15 (Because it is avoidable!)

You’ve all heard of it: the dreaded “freshmen-15”, but let’s talk about how it’s not a fate written in stone for all of you who are college-bound.

Hello friends! Did you have a wonderful weekend? I hope so! This weekend we were in full on move-in mode (for the last time ever until I get my own apartment somewhere which’ll be a whole different kind of scary/awesome experience altogether) and today I started classes back up! Mondays are super light for me so not too much to complain about really. Just some good ol’ Medical Nutrition Therapy I (maybe I’m a little terrified?).

So I know we’re in the midst of back-to-college season, and I know there are more than a few of you who have heard how challenging it can be to maintain healthy habits when you’re living anywhere but at home. Now this’ll be my sixth year in those circumstances, and while I’ve been living in an apartment for the last few, I did my fair share of time in a dorm room finding sustenance at a less-than-stellar dining hall (naturally it wasn’t until the first year I got an apartment my alma mater decided to step up their game). But, I digress. My point is I’ve been in your shoes and I know how difficult it can be.

Let me take you back to my senior year in high school where I had some unhealthy tendencies shying toward poor body image and overexercising (I have talked briefly about this in a previous post). After I was at my thinnest, I did put weight on in college and it’s taken me some time to find a happy medium. It wasn’t so much the dining hall meals that did me in, rather their dessert spreads, the cafe food on campus, snacking, ordering out, and maybe perhaps getting cookies and having them delivered at 12am (I’m not joking though – you seriously need to try out Insomnia Cookies if you’ve never had it). In the dining hall I got pretty sick of the food they were serving after awhile and ended up sustaining myself on made-to-order sandwiches (which I still sometimes crave haha), whole wheat pasta with Italian dressing, grilled chicken, cooked vegetables, and salads. The sad thing is, this is not a joke.

Let’s talk about how to avoid putting on the pounds and still manage to eat healthily in college, but remember to still take the time to enjoy the college experience because sometimes ordering cookies and midnight is a necessity (aka: studying for finals).

Sweet Temptation

Because, let’s face it, some of us have a gnarly sweet tooth that needs satiating. 

Hello friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. It was gorgeous here in WNY, which was a wonderful change of pace. Unfortunately I worked all weekend so I didn’t get the chance to enjoy some sunshine and not-scorching-hot temperatures 😦 Oh the woes of a grad student. At least the it was nice for the golfers at the country club I work at!

Now how many of you have a sweet tooth? Don’t be shy to admit it, I’m certainly not. If I could be some childhood cartoon-puppet-thing (I guess Sesame St. characters are puppets?) I would be the Cookie Monster hands down. All of my friends know that if you want to make me happy, just give me a cookie and I’m set. I’m like a five year-old, I swear. Now this obsession also extends to chocolate-covered pretzels…whoops.

BUT let’s be honest, can I cave every time I want a chocolate chip cookie and buy one of the huge gourmet ones from Wegmans or Panera or Mrs. Fields? No, because not only is that expensive, but eating one every time I’m tempted would just be a recipe for disaster. So what do I do when that temptation strikes (it happens a lot, I’ll be honest)? Well today I’ve got some alternatives to satisfy your sweet tooth whether you’re craving that huge chocolate chip cookie or maybe it’s a slice of cake or something else!

The Moderation Movement

Moderation and balance, two of the most used words in a dietitian’s dictionary. But, as someone without the background in nutrition, what do those two words mean?

Hello everybody! I hope you all had a fantastic week. I know this was quite a busy one for me since I started my microbiology class. It’s going to be a challenging few weeks, let me tell you. Once upon a time I was a biology major so much of the material has a familiar feel to it, so that should help. But at the same time cramming all that information into just four weeks is going to be intense. That plus juggling three jobs – what have I done to myself this summer?

Anyways, today I wanted to bring to light something I’ve been seeing a lot of on Instagram and other social media sites.

Moderation.

Eating Well While Dining Out

The two are not mutually exclusive, I promise.

Hello everybody! For those of you in the US I hope you had a relaxing and fun Fourth of July filled with fireworks, BBQ, and lots of family and friend time! Unfortunately I was stuck working in the AM, but afterwards I was able to enjoy a cookout and have fun talking to a friend of my grandparents’ who happened to be a dietitian. Fun times!

A Nutrition Student’s Top 5 Tips for Healthy Living

Taking the knowledge I’ve gained over the past year, plus the knowledge I’ve had from my own interests, what are my top tips for staying healthy?

That’s a fantastic question, and one which, as a Wellness Coach at the Y, I get a lot of. Achieving good health for both the body and the mind is something that is as complex as it is simple. Its complex because there is truly no one bit of advice that is universal for achieving good health. Proper nutrition, exercise, and mental clarity are the general tenants, but they can each be tailored to an individual in addressing that individual’s needs. This is why you, as either a nutrition professional or reader interested in health and nutrition, have to make sure you assess the client or yourself before giving or taking specific advice. This is why doctors and dietitians as well as other medical professionals should work in concert when addressing the growing health problems in both the US and around the world. But this would venture into a different topic which I think I might discuss in another blog post if you’re interested.

Anyways, back to the topic.

Looking for some Healthy Baking Substitutions? Look no further!

Because who doesn’t love a delicious, gooey chocolate chip cookie to bite into?

Hello everybody! I hope you’re all having a wonderful Monday. I’m officially indoctrinated as a Wellness Coach at the YMCA – how exciting! I think what I’m looking forward to most is sitting down with members, who the Y calls “health seekers”, and helping them set up plans to achieve their fitness and health goals. While the main focus is fitness, I’ll be able to insert general nutritional information (but watching that scope of practice rule). It’ll be good practice for future clients when I’m actually working primarily with nutrition concerns, but it all falls under healthy lifestyles anyways!

First Ever Grocery Haul!

What does a nutrition student buy from the grocery store?

Hello everybody! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Things are certainly kicking up a notch as we barrel into the last five weeks of the semester. It’s unbelievable really. After this semester I’ll be half way through my DPD requirements which is crazy!