Take for example, a woman I know who didn’t drink coffee for a year. Wow, that is impressive. As of Mid-December 2011, she had stuck to her goal and now she is anxiously awaiting January 1st. Stop right there. She is going back to drinking coffee? Maybe she has the intention of not drinking as much coffee in the long run. I’m not sure, but that is more achievable and realistic. Good for her that she did it with a New Year’s Resolution to quit for a year. I’m too chicken for that one. My top three resolutions are goals that I have seen work for people throughout the year, and are obviously health related! Be careful if you choose one of these; make sure you set the resolution to be specific and within your reach.

The first of my top 3 favorite resolutions is to eat out “less often.” I put that in quotes because “less often” is of course relative. Deciding on a number of times you will eat out in a week is necessary to be able to measure your success with maintaining your resolution. Personally speaking, two times a week is my limit, and I can stick to that. Other people might have business lunches, or eat out due to evening activities. In any case, limiting that number is a great resolution, and makes the resolution more achievable and long term. Not only is it healthier, but another reason I like this resolution is because it hits on another hot button… budget!

Another resolution I love to hear is exercising “more.” Again, I put this in quotes because “more” means different things to different people. I suggest going for a steps goal because it almost guarantees to get you more active, and doesn’t always require a trip to the gym. Have an active day at work, or chasing kids, and you will avoid having to go for a formal workout. However, this resolution requires the use of a pedometer, or some other measure of steps taken. I suggest starting with the goal of increasing your current steps by 1,000, and arriving at a final goal of 10,000 steps per day, when possible. To give you a general idea, one mile is equal to between 2,000 and 2,500 steps, depending on your stride. People who walk or run regularly can far exceed the 10,000 step goal, so this resolution may not be the most challenging to them.

The last resolution of my top 3 is to drink more water. Again, I’m all about getting more bang for your buck with a resolution, so drink more water! You will feel better, look better, and possibly lose weight, if that is your desire. You might also save money, depending on if water replaces your trip to the coffee shop or drive through window.

By all means, determine what goal will challenge you, and which ones will reap the most rewards. I still haven’t decided what mine will be, but it might be something not at all related to nutrition. Perhaps spend less money on myself, and more on charity, which of course requires more specifics such as amounts and what kind of charity I’m donating to. Spending more time each week with my kids is another hot button. Designating a game night, or a time of day to relax on the couch with a book and two little ones who won’t be little for much longer is also something I want to do. Resolutions help put goals into action and require accountability, which helps everyone who is trying to achieve something new.

My New Favorite Coffee replacer: Steaz zero iced teas, available at Whole Foods are 100% organic green tea, have no calories, and are all natural. I love the peach mango!

It sounds harsh, and it is easier said than done. And maybe it sounds BOR-RING, but what you eat makes a difference in the quality of your life and quite possibly, the length of time you have left to spend on this earth.

My decisions are probably based on my controlling nature, that I don’t want outside influences to take over. But I realize most people aren’t like me. If food takes control of you, you need to take a step back from it and think about what food is and what it is not.

Food is nourishment. Put to good use, it is energy and health. Food should not equal happiness. Many people argue the point that it does make them happy, but when it comes down to it, food is not really what makes you happy. Happiness should not be temporary. If it is temporary, then the feeling that comes after happiness is usually guilt and or sadness. Remember, long-term success is measured not on a scale, but truly in the quality of your life. If you are healthy, that quality of life will improve because you will be happy, not temporarily happy.

Think about the choices you make each day. Do you choose to eat breakfast on the run versus skipping the meal?  Do you choose to eat at home or from home instead of getting a meal out. Or, is your choice about making a healthy decision when out to eat? Do you choose to drink water instead of sugary or caffeinated drinks? How about the choice to walk to the office next door instead of calling or emailing. You can choose to eat vegetables as a snack instead of potato chips.

All of these little decisions added together can make a very big difference over the course of time.

It seems as though making one “bad” decision isn’t really all that destructive. But determining that you are in control of your decisions and that it was truly just one “bad” decision is important. It is when we lose control that healthy lifestyles can drift away quickly.

If you eat after dinner, here is one choice to make tonight. Make the decision to have a great evening snack:  Fix some homemade microwave popcorn.

• ¼ cup un-popped popcorn kernels
• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 TBSP grated parmesan cheese

Combine kernels and oil in a paper lunch sack.  Fold over the edge 3 or 4 times (don’t tape or staple).

Pop in microwave as you would microwave popcorn, usually 3 minutes or so, until popping subsides.  Remove and parmesan or other seasonings (avoiding salt of course).   Enjoy 3 cups for less than 150 filling calories.

Remind yourself why you have goals. Maybe you are striving for more energy, thinking about being around for your grandchildren, or working hard to improve self image. All of these are good reasons to continue improving your daily habits. If you are unsure of the reason why you want to be healthier, it is probably because you want to feel better in general. That is going to happen… just keep trying!

Consult with a professional, or your support system. Find someone who truly cares about your success, who will help you and not sabotage you! Ask them to be your go-to person when temptation and the desire to give in arise.

Talk positively. It is true that we say many more negative things to ourselves than positive, and when trying to make changes, this is especially detrimental. If you feel that you deserve success, you will more likely achieve it. Place yourself higher on your list of priorities and remember that no matter how hard it gets, you are in control.

Shrink your goals. This doesn’t mean you should make your final goal easy to achieve, but changing the steps you take to get there can be a good idea. Taking an easier route doesn’t mean you are weak, it just allows you to make lifestyle changes versus the dramatic changes that don’t last. Take the example of the person who wants to lose fifty pounds. Instead of focusing on weight, the first daily goals could be to drink an extra bottle of water, get at least twenty minutes of exercise, and eat an extra vegetable. Once these goals are achieved, more progressive goals can be added. While it may take longer to get the weight off, the lifestyle change that is formed is more likely to be forever.

Whatever you do, remember to make promises to yourself not to quit until you reach your goal. If you have an off weekend, that doesn’t mean you quit, it just means it might take an extra week. In the long run of feeling great and living well, what’s an extra week?

Learning self control as a child can help you be in control as an adult, says a recent study by the National Academy of Sciences, who followed over 1,000 children in New Zealand from birth to age 32. The study showed that self control is a skill that if developed as a child, will translate into adult life.

Adults who were in control as children were better able to see the worth in waiting versus making spontaneous short-term decisions in response to appealing stimuli.

In the realm of nutrition, this means adults need to provide an example to children and enforce moderation in eating patterns.  Although it can be more difficult, and not usually the most exciting route, short-term decisions are critical to long-term success of both adults and their children. That success is worth waiting for!

Whether this applies to eating out, emotional eating  or making overall poor food choices, the concept applies to most people, at least once in a while.

Easier said than done, right? In my experience with hundreds of clients, the most often successful intervention in improving family nutrition patterns is limiting the number of meals eaten out each week. Yes, it comes down to eating out less often.  Even when trying to make better food choices and eat smaller portions when ordering, clients have better results when they change the frequency. Control the short term decision of eating out in response to advertising, fatigue, stress, lack of planning and, of course, the begging kid factor.

Control this by setting limits. Reserve eating out for the evenings when you know there is no other choice. Other times, prepare sandwiches ahead of time — even the night before. Have snacks in the car, and have frozen “go-to’s” on hand for quick meals between activities.  Crock pot recipes, frozen fish (unbreaded), turkey burgers, tacos, pastas, soups and sandwiches, and make-ahead casseroles are great examples of quick and easy meals.

You might find that some of these options are just as quick as sitting in the drive through. Even if the nutrition profile on these items isn’t ideal, you are still practicing self control and enforcing healthy limits.

Here’s an example of a make-ahead recipe that goes quickly from freezer (or fridge) to oven.  Have some pretzels and hummus, fruit, a salad or steamed edamame while you wait for your meal.

Make-ahead salsa chicken

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
• 2 tsp taco seasoning
• Cooking spray
• 2/3 cup bottled salsa
• 2/3 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained
• ¼ cup fat-free sour cream

Combine chopped (bite sized) chicken and taco seasoning in bowl to coat.  Heat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook thoroughly.  Cool and place in 8 inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Top with chiles, then salsa, then cheese.  Refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake in an oven preheated to 450 to heat through, about 20 minutes.  Alternately, freeze and defrost in refrigerator prior to cooking, or add 30 minutes to baking time if reheated from frozen.  Serve with any of the following, if desired:  rice, tortillas, sliced olives, guacamole, sour cream, etc.

Nutrition Facts:

• Serving size:  one-fourth of this prepared dish

• Calories:  200
• Fat:  3 grams
• Protein:  33 grams
• Carb:  9 grams
• Sodium:  575 mg

So much love for our kids and so little time. Friends, clients and family members always tell me the biggest struggle in eating healthy is feeding the family a quick balanced dinner that everyone will eat. With places to go and kids to feed, everyone who has a family can relate to this at some point in time. We really do love our kids, and love is best shown through nurturing and providing. Love often can translate to meals out, because kids can eat what they want and parents can make their own choices, too. Not only is there a menu to choose from but there isn’t (usually) whining and fussing. Everybody is happy, and meals are quick. Did I mention no clean up?

Take a step back and think about the meals you have at home, when the kids are happy and the family is around the table. These days might be limited. I remember it as a child, and however difficult it was, my mother always prioritized a family mealtime. Now, I find myself cherishing every moment I have with my own family. Feeding them healthy foods that will keep their bodies and minds strong, and teaching them healthy habits means eating at home has to be a priority. Eating out is left only for evenings when cooking at home is completely unfeasible.

For those nights when you need quick and easy, likeable meals, turn to your family’s list of favorites. It might mean spaghetti with sauce from a jar. That’s OK but make it a little healthier by comparing sauces. Look for lower sugar, lower sodium, lower fat versions when comparing. Add your own meat, instead of buying meat sauce. I have one client who mixes half ground turkey and half ground beef into her sauce. Add mushrooms and other veggies, and prepare 100-percent whole-wheat pasta (my client also uses half white and half wheat pasta for her kids’ palates!) Serve your pasta with raw veggies and dip or salads, and have skim milk to drink. This is just one example, but many of your family favorites can be quickly augmented to make a balanced meal. Add to that list of favorites by experimenting, at least once a week, with something new. Visit a well designed recipe web site to select possible meals to prepare on a night when you will have a little more time. I like Epicurious.com and Myrecipes.com, but there are other sites that are equally as helpful. You can enter ingredients, search healthy choices, and make shopping lists. These sites are a lifesaver when there are ingredients in the cupboard, but no ideas.

Healthy eating is a priority. Remember that providing a home-cooked meal for your family is one of the best ways to show love for them. The kids might not always agree, but they will thank you for it when they’re older!

Family favorite: Four-ingredient beef (or something else!) cups

• 3/4 lb lean ground meat such as ground turkey, beef, or chicken
• 1/3 cup BBQ or spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded low fat cheese
• 1 can reduced fat crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 400. Brown meat over medium high heat, drain off extra fat. Remove from heat and stir in BBQ or spaghetti sauce. Grease 8 regular size muffin cups in muffin pan (don’t use muffin papers) and place dough in each cup, stretching and pressing up the sides. Divide beef mixture among cups, sprinkle each with cheese and bake til golden, 10-12 minutes.

Because it is your body’s most easily utilized energy source, too much sugar can decrease your body’s likelihood of utilizing fat.  Sugar is important for workouts, and placed around exercise, it can help burn fat during activity.  However, for inactive periods of the day, or for more sedentary days in general, sugar hinders our ability to burn fat stores because it affects a hormone called insulin.

Too much insulin is blamed for the development of metabolic syndrome, a conglomerate of disease states that include such things as high blood sugar, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol, and obesity.  Insulin is also blamed for the development of central fat.  One action that can reduce insulin levels is to reduce sugar intake.  This makes the body turn to other sources of energy during the day, and will force the body to burn more fat stores.  It helps make exercise more efficient, because the body learns how to use fat during the day and has a greater memory of that during exercise.  In turn, a more even use of carbohydrate and fat happens during aerobic exercise.  Why is that important? The result of burning fat and carbohydrate during exercise is greater endurance and a better calorie burn!

The World Health Organization currently suggests limiting added sugars to 10% of your daily calorie needs. This equates to about 48 grams of sugar for a 2,000 calorie diet.  Examine a small bag of Skittles and you may or may not be surprised at the 30-40 grams of sugar per package. Take a look at a “No Added Sugar” organic apple juice box and you might be a little more intrigued at its 24 grams of sugar. 

Since sugars in fruits (fructose and sucrose), vegetables, and milk (lactose) are naturally occurring, they don’t count toward your daily goal.  This is confusing for some people.  For example, the 24 grams in the no added sugar apple juice comes from the fruit- which is a naturally occurring sugar and doesn’t count toward your 48 grams.  Looking at ingredient labels can help you determine whether juices and other products contain “added” sugars.  The following are examples of added sugars that appear on ingredient labels. If, beyond fruit juice, water, and added vitamins, any of these are listed, they are added sugars. 

• brown sugar
• corn sweetener
• corn syrup
• dextrose
• fructose
• fruit juice concentrates
• glucose
• high-fructose corn syrup
• honey
• invert sugar
• lactose
• maltose
• malt syrup
• molasses
• raw sugar
• sucrose
• sugar
• syrup

It is possible that a Nutrition Facts label contains some added and some naturally occurring sugars, and the labels do not discern between them.  That is when it gets tricky to track your intake of added sugars. To be sure, only drink juices that contain “no added sugar” and are 100% fruit juice.  Other ways to eliminate added sugars from your diet include cutting back on the following:

• regular soda

• candy, cookies, cakes, pies, doughnuts, granola bars, pastries, and other sweet baked goods

• fat-free cakes, cookies, and ice cream as they may have as much added sugar as their fatty counterparts and they’re often high in calories

• Breakfast cereals with more than eight grams (about 2 teaspoons) of sugar per serving.
• Sweets served in restaurants: ice cream, shakes, and pastries. Their huge servings can provide a day’s worth of added sugar. For example, a large McDonald’s Vanilla Shake and a Cinnabon each have 12 teaspoons (48 grams) of added (free) sugar.

Try this easy recipe for a great no added sugar breakfast. Just be aware it is a lighter breakfast choice with only about 100 calories. Most people need another source of carbohydrate and healthy fat for a more substantial and satisfying breakfast.  A piece of whole grain toast with peanut butter is a great example.

Balanced Breakfast:

• 2 large egg whites
• 2 TBSP oatmeal (plain)
• 1/4 of a small banana, sliced/diced
• 1/2 packet Stevia, Splenda, or similar
• dash cinnamon

Mix all ingredients and cook like an omelette/pancake

If desired, top with 1 tsp sugar free syrup (10 cal), ground cinnamon, or 2 TBSP Redi Whip (15 cal)
Nutritionals:  <100 calories, 12 carb, 10 protein

A busy life is a common reason for many people to pick up takeout, make meals out of boxes, and eat fast food on the run.

One recent day, I had the kids at home on a snow day. I did a short run on the treadmill for exercise, then had lots of emails to return and computer work to get done. In the fridge, we had blueberries and spinach that needed to be used and leftover buns from chicken sausages.

If you were me on a day like this, here is an example of what you might eat.

Breakfast:

• 1 ½ cups of Special K with Strawberries
• ½ cup Almond Milk
• ½ cup blueberries
• Coffee with Silk Creamer

Snack:

• 1 oz Wheat Thins
• ½ Honey Crisp Apple
• ½ oz Almonds

Lunch:

• Grilled ham and cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread with two-percent cheese
• ½ cup two-percent cottage cheese with 2 T mango salsa
• 1 oz baked Lays

Snack:

• Chocolate Milk
• 1 graham cracker with 1 TBSP natural peanut butter

Dinner:

• 2 cups whole-wheat pasta prepared with red wine, garlic, mushrooms, spinach and bacon
• ¼ cup veggie soufflé with egg whites and veggies
• ½ cup blueberries
• Homemade cheese bread

I try to follow my own recommendations about eating often, choosing whole grains, eating protein and carbohydrate at every meal or snack, and eating following exercise. On that day, I did a particularly good job — possibly because I was writing it down and planned  to tell all of you. The lesson: Write it down and be accountable to someone; you will eat healthier, too!

Still, there are days when eating healthy just isn’t in the cards. Reserve your splurges for these meals and realize there is a rule to eating better “most” of the time. The best rule to follow is that 80 percent of your calories should be from healthy, nutritious foods, and those foods should be without a doubt healthy. If you follow a “clean” diet 80 percent of the time, you probably are eating better, and you also are not completely depriving yourself. Journal your intake and look to your averages to find out what you should eat for that next meal out. Reserve splurging or eating out until you really need the convenience.

My Favorite 200 Calorie Easy Snack:

Avocado Nest:

• ½ Avocado
• ¼ cup one-percent to two-percent cottage cheese
• 2 T salsa (my favorite is mango salsa)

Take the pit out of the Avocado.  Fill the hole with ¼ cup low fat cottage cheese and top with 2 TBSP salsa of your choice.

If the habit you are trying to fix is overeating, it can be more complicated than just changing the foods you are allowing yourself to eat.

The easy part is determining how much and what kinds of foods we should be eating. Still, many people struggle with the control of eating those things and not the salty, sugary, fattening foods that are sources of comfort. Why? To force behavior change without dealing with the cause is usually wasted effort.

Step one may be to simply identify a cause to your behavior.  For example, maybe overeating is caused by stress.  It helps you avoid a feeling in your head about work, past relationships, family issues, or self esteem.  Eating is the path of least resistance, and it gives you comfort.

Changing our behavior involves changing our feelings about the causes of our behavior first. Simply having a feeling, instead of suppressing it is important.

Determine what causes, or triggers, overeating. Write it down. Then when you are experiencing a trigger, rate the likelihood of acting on it on a scale of 1 to 5. One is you can avoid acting and five is you simply have to eat. Perform this rating in your mind. Then recognize that salt, sugar, carbs, alcohol, or whatever else you turn to is not going to solve the issue at hand.

Most importantly, do not avoid the trigger. Instead, work through the feelings you are having instead of skipping straight to the behavior change.

Solving behavioral problems is multifaceted. As a registered dietitian and behavioral health nutritionist, I am frequently reminded of the fact that lists of healthy snacks and meal plans for calorie restriction aren’t the answer to emotional eating problems. Achieving health and fitness goals requires a careful look at the causes, triggers, and emotions involved.

Start by examining the causes of your behaviors. Identify your emotions. Make goals, work progressively, and be forgiving to yourself. Establish a support system and determine rewards. Most importantly, realize what your emotional triggers are, and develop alternate responses that will help you face the emotional issues at hand.

It’s not easy. Behavior change is a lot harder than just “changing.” Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

A Hungry-Time Snack Fix

• ¼ cup unpopped popcorn
• ½ tsp soy oil or other vegetable oil

Combine the two ingredients and add to a paper lunch sack. Fold over the top, but do not tape, staple, or seal. Microwave on high 2 minutes, or until popping subsides. Open and use butter spray to moisten.  Sprinkle in seasonings — I like a little ground cinnamon, but many people enjoy a squirt of lime juice and a dash of chili powder, a bit of grated parmesan, or other spice blends. Shake the bag to distribute, enjoy the bag for yourself or share!

The idea of having a snack needs to be just that- an idea.  We have to think about eating a snack as a comfort and then enjoy each and every bite.  So how do you do that?  Once you have tried to talk yourself out of it, and you determine that it is food that will make you feel better, decide what you truly want.  That’s right, think about it first.  Go to the cupboards and fridge and decide what that food will be before you start experimenting.  People who just start eating and then determine that it was really something else that they wanted either never get satisfied, or they end up eating too much.

After you’ve made the decision to eat, and decided what you will eat, get out a plate or a bowl.  You are thinking, this sounds ridiculous.  A step-by-step process to eating a snack?  Is this lady out of her mind?  For people who struggle with emotional eating–and there are many, it works. Keep reading!

When you have the food that you really want, arrange it on a small plate or in a small bowl.  Make sure you have a decent serving size so that you won’t return for more, but don’t exceed the serving size on the package, or fill your plate/bowl to overflowing.  The next step is to put any packaging away, and to either sit down at the table, or leave the kitchen with your snack (don’t tell my kids you can eat in the living room though!)  Take a big glass of water or a warm cup of tea with you to drink.

Enjoy every bite, putting your utensils down, and avoiding getting lost in a tv show or on facebook.  Concentrate on your enjoyment.  When you are done, finish your water or hot tea and put the dishes away.  Focus on what you are going to do next, visualizing yourself doing your next activity such as being productive in the house, or calling a friend.

As a behavioral health nutritionist, I often strategize with my clients about real world situations.  The steps above may seem obvious and silly, but it is often having a process and structure to the situation that gives you control over your emotions.  Getting your mind into your food choices is important. Enjoying life and all of its indulgences is okay, as long as you don’t become desensitized to those indulgences.  When people splurge too often, their level of satisfaction decreases with each splurge, and they require more and more to be satisfied.  That is when indulging gets out of hand.

For now, have a cold weather comfort snack such as the one below, go through the steps described above, and enjoy it!  Spring will be here before we know it.

 “This is Easy” Cold Weather Comfort

• 1 packet plain instant oatmeal, or 1 pouch frozen prepared steel cut oats
• ½ scoop vanilla protein powder
• Dash of cinnamon
• ¼ cup skim, Light Vanilla Soy, or Almond milk

Prepare the plain oatmeal.  Add protein powder cinnamon, and milk.  If you don’t have protein powder, add a couple of tablespoons of walnuts or dried fruit for added satisfaction.

There are important terms to look for, like “whole” and “100 percent,” as well as some to avoid, such as “hydrogenated.”

There also are phrases that have little relevance when considering the big picture of a healthy diet. Be careful of these phrases and remember what’s most important: that you get the most nutrition out of your food choices.

1. All natural:  I liken this to how some people call themselves “nutritionists” but actually have no formal training. A Registered Dietitian, for example, has extensive university degrees and other certifications through the American Dietetic Association. Not only does “all natural” have no legal definition in the U.S., but there also are no rules set by the USDA or FDA regulating what food companies must do to call a product “all natural.” Yikes! Basically, all natural could mean something, but it also could mean nothing!
2. Organic:  These foods are made in such a way that follows government standards for organic, such as forbidding the use of non-organic pesticides on plants, and the use of antibiotics and growth hormones in animals. While eating organic may be considered socially responsible and may provide some safeguards against disease, it does not automatically ensure that you are eating nutritious foods. Take for instance organic baby formula, where “organic” is not relevant. According to Dr. Laura Jana, a widely known expert in practical parenting and pediatrics and a fellow Live Well Nebraska blogger, baby formula would not involve non-organic processes in its “normal” production, therefore “organic” is insignificant.
3. Gluten-free:  I admit, this term is VERY important to those who suffer from celiac disease and/or gluten intolerance. However, the widespread rumor that gluten is “bad” is causing a stir among those who are misinformed. Gluten is the protein found in wheat and is a perfectly healthy ingredient for those who have not been diagnosed by a doctor with gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
4. No added sugar/no high-fructose corn syrup:  This could be a really long one, but I’ll keep it short and sweet (no pun intended)! No Added Sugar doesn’t mean sugar-free, it just means there wasn’t any extra sugar added to the already occurring natural sugars in the food. Take for instance spaghetti sauce. There is one brand out there that claims No Added Sugar, and this version actually has more grams of sugar than the regularly labeled, same brand spaghetti sauce. High-fructose corn syrup is an ongoing debate. The bottom line is that all sugar contributes to the problem of obesity, and there are similar amounts of fructose in table sugar as in high-fructose corn syrup.  Lesson learned: Read the nutrition facts label for the amount of sugar. The goal of the World Health Organization is 40 grams of sugar/day. There are other groups suggesting as low as 24 grams per day! 
5. Reduced fat:  This one is simple. “Reduced” fat simply means the product has at least 25 percent less fat than its regular version. “Low” fat means the product has 3 or less grams of fat per serving, and 30 percent or less of its calories are from fat. Depending on the product, “low” fat is typically more significant. Consider the “reduced fat” doughnut. It still has a significant amount of fat at 75 percent of the regular version.

Remember, read the nutrition facts labels on foods that have one, and look for low saturated fat, high fiber, some protein, and other vitamins and minerals such as calcium and potassium. Look at the ingredients label for the word “whole,” and avoid the word “hydrogenated”. Better yet, eat fresh foods that are lean and full of nutrients instead of fat, sugar, and salt.