Lifestyle Management & Nutrition

When it comes to the price of food, it's extremely important to remember that a food cannot be judged by its sticker price alone. Believe me, a diet consisting of daily $1.99 hamburgers and other fast foods, while appearing to be frugal, is far from it when you consider what these foods are doing—or not doing—to your health.

With that in mind, here are 15 tips that are the best of the best to get high-quality food on a limited budget:

1. Choose local foods over organic foods. Often, locally grown foods are raised according to organic standards at a more affordable price.
2. If all that's available or affordable is fresh, conventionally grown produce, buy it, wash it well at home, and eat it.
3. Look for local farms, farmer's markets and food co-ops offering raw dairy products, eggs, produce, and grass-fed meat. This will allow you to cut out the middleman and save money. Buying in large quantities, such as a side of grass-fed beef, can also save you money in the long run as long as you have room to freeze it (and you consume it before it goes bad).
4. Skip ready-made meals and prepared or pre-cut foods, which can cost up to double the amount as the unprepared versions.
5. Plan your meals ahead of time (including cooking large batches and freezing some for later) so you don't splurge on expensive, unhealthy fast-food at the last minute.
6. Pass on processed junk foods like potato chips, soda, cookies, candy, and other snacks. These are a complete waste of money, even if they're "organic."
7. Buy plenty of fresh veggies, they're usually less expensive than canned versions (just make sure you use them before they go bad).
8. Only buy what you need. Keep track of what's in your pantry so you don't double-up on foods unnecessarily.
9. Clip coupons and use them when you can (but don't buy something unhealthy just because it's on sale).
10. Watch the register when you check out of the grocery store. They often ring up wrong prices, at your expense.
11. Shop with a calculator so you can determine if it's really a better deal to buy something in bulk or in a larger size.
12. Watch weekly specials, and be aware of what's really a good price. You can often find organic produce on sale for less than conventional produce if you know what prices to watch for.
13. If you have the space, consider starting your own vegetable garden. When factoring in startup and maintenance costs, a well-maintained food garden yields a $500 average return each year compared to the market price of produce, according to the National Gardening Association (NGA). So there is a definite financial incentive there.
14. Remember this rule of thumb: Fresh food is always better than frozen, but frozen is better than canned.
15. Make the most of your food purchases by focusing on those that are going to keep you full and satisfied rather than just fill a void. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables; lean protein sources (both animal-based and plant-based); healthy fats such as unsalted nuts and seeds, unsweetened coconut, avocado, olive oil, canola, oil, etc.; and low and non-fat dairy sources.

Most of us are not planning on eating out less, and we do not want to spend much time sorting through nutrition facts. These tips can help you make quick, healthy decisions when eating out, which will allow you to enjoy your food without excess calories!

Choosing the restaurant
· Choose restaurants that offer healthy options, such as grilled and broiled meats, and healthy side items, such as fruits and vegetables

· Avoid buffets when possible, as people tend to overeat and you cannot take home food for future meals

· Look for lunch or early bird specials, so you can eat at establishments with healthier options for less

Choosing menu items
·  Scan the menu for a “lighter,” “low-calorie,” or “healthy option” section, but do not let the name fool you; read the menu descriptions:  

1. Look for good words such as baked, roasted, grilled, broiled, steamed, cooked in its own juices, marinara/tomato sauce, choice/select cuts of meat, and broth or tomato-based soups 

2. Avoid ordering items that use words such as fried, sautéed, batter dipped, breaded, au gratin, scampi, Alfredo, cooked with butter or cream, gravy, prime cuts of meat, and cream-based soups

· Consider ordering a salad if you are searching for a healthy alternative, which is usually better than most entrees. This is true only if you do the following:

1. Ask for dressing on the side

2. Request reduced amounts of high-calorie options, such as cheese and croutons

· Look at the appetizer menu, which sometimes contains the only healthy options at a restaurant, and see if you can mix and match an appetizer with a side salad, soup, or another healthy appetizer

· Ask someone to split a higher-calorie entrée or dessert with you if you want to order one. This way, you can enjoy the food while having half the calories

Ordering
· Ask the waiter how items are prepared or served

1. Are the vegetables buttered? If so, can I get them steamed with no butter?

2. How are meats prepared – ask for no added salt or butter

· Request toast and baked or sweet potatoes dry, or with spreads and toppings on the side  

· Substitute vinegar, lemon, salsa, plain yogurt, or oil and vingar-based salad dressings for higher-calorie dressings and toppings

·  Tell your waiter to “hold the mayo” and put sauces, salad dressings, and other high-fat extras on the side, and use them sparingly

· Choose a side green salad, steamed vegetable, baked potato (only eat 1/2), or fruit cup in place of the coleslaw, potato salad, or French fries that normally come with a meal

· Opt for the more basically prepared dishes, such as baked or broiled chicken, instead of ordering something that you are not sure about the ingredients, such as a casserole, stew, or other mixed dish

Dining
· Avoid overeating by drinking a tall glass of water before you start eating, and drink several glasses during your meal

· Request a to-go container immediately when your food arrives if you receive a large portion, and put half away before you start eating—two meals for the price of one

· Ask others to share a large meal or a dessert if you're wanting to avoid overeating

· Do not have high-calorie dressings, gravies, or creamy sauces served directly on top of your food:

1. Have them served on the side instead

2. Dip your fork into the dressing, gravy, or sauce before taking a bite—taste the dressing, gravy, or sauce in each bite—you will consume much less by the end of the meal

· Ask the waiter to remove your plate as soon as you feel full to prevent picking at it

· Request that your waiter remove the bread/chip basket or place it out of your reach, if you find yourself snacking too much - you can also ask to NOT have the bread or chips on your table depending on who you are 

· Eat slowly, put your fork down between bites, and chew well 

These tips, along with your devotion to living a healthier lifestyle are sure to keep you moving in the right direction.

Healthy wishes,
Alissa Robertson, MS, RD
(802) 999-5684
lifestylenutritionvt@yahoo.com

When it comes to food, we all have temptations on a day to day basis. Let's face it, there are foods we love, and the thought of not having some is a tough one to swallow. Or does it have to be?

How many of you regret passing on dessert or some other food temptation the next day? My guess is not many of you. Instead, you felt confident, on top of the world, and excited that you resisted a common temptation! The fact is, once the temptations pass us by, we don’t miss it – not even one bit!

Regret, however has a way of hanging around. We beat ourselves up for giving into our temptations yet again, and often times keep right on going with this eating routine. We’ve ruined our day now, why not continue? Why do we do this to ourselves?

The next time you’re faced with temptation in the form of fattening foods, sugary desserts, or anything you know will send you on a binge, decide how you want to feel the next day. Would you rather be guilt-ridden and bloated OR guilt-free, slim, and confident!?

The choice is yours.

Supplementation for a Healthier You

Many experts suggest that supplements aren’t necessary when the diet is complete. Unfortunately in North America, the diet is pretty much never complete. Can you believe that 68% of the population is deficient in calcium, 90% in chromium, 75% in magnesium, 80% in vitamin B6, and 95% in omega-3 fats?

In fact, in a recent study, even athletes’ diets didn’t measure up. In this study, the diets of 70 athletes were analyzed for vitamin and mineral intake and not a single one met the recommended daily amount. All of them were deficient in between 3 and 15 nutrients.

Beyond this, other research has shown the following:

·  Less than 3% of men and 5% of women get the minimum number of fruits and veggies per day (3-5 servings).

·  On average, women get only 80 g of protein per day (when their needs are closer to 120-140 g) and men get only 120 g of protein per day (when their needs are closer to 170-190 g).

I’m definitely not one to promote unnecessary nutritional supplementation. However, with the deficiencies above, folks have to either improve their food intake tremendously or they have to start supplementing their diets with things like:

1. A good, broad spectrum multi-vitamin: I prefer Isotonic supplements due to their superior delivery and absorption. These supplements are drinkable, you absorb 95% of what you are taking, and it is absorbed within 5 minutes. (Compare this to the pill form supplements – absorption may take up to 4 hours and typically only absorb 15-30% of what you think you are getting!)

2. Fish oil supplements – Omega III especially: Helps maintain normal cholesterol levels, protects the heart and overall cardiovascular health, maintains healthy levels of C-reactive protein, promotes a healthy complexion, and enhances mood. 4-6 capsules a day is typical for my clients.

3. B - Complex: Deficiencies in Folic Acid, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 or biotin may result in feelings of fatigue. Adequate levels will decrease stress and improve mood, increase energy, promote cardiovascular health, promote normal cognitive performance, and much more! Again, Isotonic supplements are best.

4. Vitamin D: A deficiency in this supplement has been linked to various types of chronic diseases including: cancer, heart disease, depression, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and many more. Living in the Northeast puts individuals at further risk of deficiency because sunlight, a major source of Vitamin D, is not produced in our bodies more than 6 months out of the year!

5. A sufficient antioxidant (such as OPC-3): Antioxidants play a role in scavenging free radical that are produced by normal daily activities and environmental factors – stress, air pollution, exercise, poor diet, lack of sleep, etc. They also demonstrate anti-inflammatory activity, maintain healthy cholesterol levels, help maintain joint flexibility, improve asthma/allergy symptoms, improve complexion, and much more!

I also recommend the following:

4. Conjugated Linoleic Acid: This supplement helps to reduce overall body fat, assists in promoting lean muscle mass, targets stubborn belly fat, and promotes the utilization of body fat as fuel.

5. Calcium: Protecting bone mass is critical…especially for women. Adequate calcium and vitamin D throughout life is important to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, support your cardiovascular health, helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels, and maintains healthy immune functions and general wellbeing.

These are some of my top strategies for helping you to get into awesome shape. Trust me, these strategies work fantastically if they’re consistently applied.

For other ideas and suggestions visit: www.lifestylenutritionvt.com or feel free to contact me with any questions.

Healthy wishes,

Alissa Robertson, MS, RD
(802) 999-5684
LifestyleNutritionVT@yahoo.com

Nutrition - The Key to Achieving Your Goals

Just as exercise is medicine, so is food. And just as it’s possible to dig your grave with your own knife and fork, it’s also possible to prevent and treat disease as well as improve your body with your utensils.

Unfortunately, most people are never very honest about what their knives and forks are doing. In fact, a speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil approach is usually taken. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard one of these lines, I’d be a very wealthy gal.

“I eat really well…”

But…

“…I’m still 20lbs overweight.”

“My diet is perfect…”

But…

“…I often feel sluggish and my energy is low.”

“I make good nutritional choices…”

But…

“…I’ve got high blood pressure, cholesterol, and type II diabetes.”

Obviously these are all fibs. If you ate really well, if your diet was perfect, or if you made good nutritional choices, these would not be problems. So, the best way for you to get started in improving your diet is to follow these five rules:

1. Eat about 4 – 5x a day and don’t wait so long between meals.

Research has demonstrated that those people who eat more frequently tend to have better blood sugar control, lower stress hormone production, lower body fat, and more lean muscle. But their food has to be the right stuff.

2. Include lean protein sources at every meal and snack. Examples: Meats, all-natural nut butters, plain non-fat yogurt (add berries or fruit of your own) or non-fat Greek yogurt such as Chobani, hardboiled eggs, nuts or seeds, reduced fat cheese sticks, edamame (soy beans), beans such as kidney, chickpeas, black beans, all-natural protein bars (look for high fiber, high protein and watch the fat content >6g fat is too much!)

The ideal amount of protein per day for an exercising individual is 1 gram per pound of body weight. For a 140 lb woman, that’d be 140 g of protein. Getting this much means grabbing some protein every time you snack or eat a meal.

3. Include veggies at every meal and snack.

The ideal amount of veggies each day is about 8 servings. Now, the every meal thing isn’t necessary. But it’s quite tough to get all these servings if you don’t include some cooked, raw, juiced, or blended veggies with each meal.

4. Include a variety of healthy fats.

Our food supply today contains an abundance of unhealthy fat sources. To get our fat intake back to where it should be, we need to include things like olive oil, avocados, flax oil, fish oil, raw nuts, etc. each day.

5. Consume carbohydrate-rich foods only after exercise.

Carbs aren’t the enemy. But they should be controlled — especially for women — since it’s easy to over eat them. The best strategy to control carbs is to eat mostly whole grain carbohydrates (like amaranth, quinoa, whole grain oats, etc.) and to save them until after exercise. Since exercise increases our body’s ability to effectively utilize carbohydrates, the ideal time to eat some whole grains is within the first few hours post exercise.

These “rules” are a great start. But they won’t get the job done alone. In fact, there are two other secrets to helping you look and feel healthier.

Other Food Ideas

The first is a lesson we can take from the Okinawans, called hara hachi bu. In Okinawa, heart disease and stroke rates are lower than in North America. So are cholesterol, homocysteine, and blood pressure measures. Rates of cancer are lower as well – especially breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancer. Hip fractures are lower and dementia is rare. Plus the Okinawans tend to live longer.

What’s their secret? Hara hachi bu. Roughly translated this means eating only until you’re 80% full. And no more. Now, this isn’t a dietary suggestion. Rather, it’s part of their culture. Anyone who stuffs themselves is considered a glutton. In the end, many experts believe that this cultural practice, in conjunction with the Okinawan diet rich in fruits and veggies, fish, and legumes is the secret of their success.

The other thing that’ll help you look your best? If you have a male partner, make sure his portion sizes don’t impact yours. If you live and/or dine with a male partner, chances are you automatically overeat simply because you two are eating together.

Think about dinners out. You are served the same portions. Yet you’re likely not the same size. Do you really think that you need to eat the same amount as he does? Only if you want to weigh the same as him, I guess. And the same goes for meals at home. I bet you serve meals on the same size plate for both of you. That’s another recipe for overeating.

To help prevent his portions from influencing yours, there are a few strategies you should adopt immediately.

First, when at restaurants, ask if they’ll accommodate small potion sizes. He gets the normal size, you get the smaller one. And if that doesn’t work, here’s something else I do. I order what I want. Then I tell the server to split it into two, boxing up one half for later. This way I get two meals for the price of one.

Next, at home, make sure you have two different size plates: One large one for the man of the house, and one small one for the women or children. Then you can fill all the plates, none of them look sad and empty, and all of you eat an appropriate portion.

Next time I'll be discussing the last component of transitioning your body - proper supplementation. In the meantime, begin with making small changes in your dietary intake. What can you commit to this week?

Healthy wishes,
Alissa Robertson, MS, RD
(802) 999-5684
LifestyleNutritionVT@yahoo.com    

There’s a lot of information bouncing around the internet suggesting how we should train, eat and supplement to get in the best shape of our lives. A lot of it is really great. However, very few authors have put an entire program together for you — one that tells you how to train, how to eat, and how to supplement. To help you cut through all the nonsense, let’s get right down to it. Over the next week, I'll share the information you need to achieve the results you've been looking for.

Exercise

I love this quote:

“Movement is medicine for changing a person’s physical, emotional, and mental state.”

Indeed, recent research has demonstrated that exercise is more effective in treating depression than antidepressant medications! Beyond that, we all know that exercise helps us lose weight and build lean muscle. Wow! Exercise helps reshape the body, brighten the spirits, and sharpen the mind. I’m sold! How about you?

The biggest question I get about exercise is: “What type of exercise should I do?” Well, for starters, any exercise is better than none. The best exercise is the kind of exercise you’ll actually do. But if you want to really reshape your body, you’ll need to do mostly high intensity exercise.

Two types of high intensity exercise work best.

1. Strength training
2. High intensity interval/conditioning training

Strength training
While most of us think of strength training as something reserved for bodybuilders and strongmen, nothing could be farther from the truth. While strength training can be done in the gym with weights, it also can be done with dumbbells, sandbags, old tractor tires, exercise bands, or even your own body weight. And all of this can be done at home, at a local park, or at a community center. The real key is challenging your body through six key movement patterns:

       Pushing 
       Pulling 
       Twisting 
       Squatting 
       Bending 
       Lunging

Be creative with this and most importantly, have fun! Let me know if you need some ideas - I have tons of great strength training workouts that are both challenging and effective.

Conditioning Work
In addition to strength exercise, you should also include some conditioning exercise, often referred to as cardio. Now, although most people think of long jogs, bike rides, or the Stairmaster, this type of exercise is not all that effective. Indeed, high intensity interval exercise, in which you work really hard for 20-90 seconds, rest, work hard again, rest again, has been shown to be the most effective form of conditioning work.

Below are two examples of my favorite forms of conditioning exercise: interval circuits.

1.)        30 seconds each of the following:

-          Ball Toss
-          Flying lunge
-          T – Push-ups
-          Sit-ups
-          Leg lunges

2.)        Treadmill intervals

1. First, do a 5 minute walking warm up.
2. Next, set your treadmill at an incline of 15% and a speed of 8 mph.
3. Run for 20 seconds.
4. Next, recover for 10 seconds (jumping off while the treadmill is still going along).
5. Again, 20 seconds of running.
6. And 10 seconds of recovery.

Try to do this for 5 total minutes. Then, take a 5 minute rest and do it all over again. In total, it’s a 15-minute workout. And believe it or not, this workout is way more effective at burning fat and improving her conditioning than 45-60 minutes of walking or jogging!

Thus, my recommendation: in addition to the 3 weight training workouts per week, add in 1 circuit workout and 1 sprint workout, at least at first.

Other exercise

You probably think of your exercise time in terms of single workouts - “60 minutes three times per week”. I encourage you to think of it in terms of total time per week.

Research that has been done in conjunction with the University of Wyoming has demonstrated that 5 hours per week is the magic number. Anything less fails to produce results while 5 hours or more of exercise produces great results.

To reach the 5 hour threshold, and to help you recover from this high intensity work, finish your week with some very low intensity cardio work: Walk around the block. Go for a bike ride. That’s the sort of stuff I mean. Lower intensity yoga counts too. 30 minutes 3x per week should do the trick.

Tune in next time where I’ll discuss the nutritional component of the puzzle. Take it upon yourself today to commit to some form of exercise on a daily basis. You’ll be glad you did!

Healthy Wishes,
Alissa Robertson, MS, RD
(802) 999-5684
LifestyleNutritionVT@yahoo.com

The US Deptartment of Agriculture (USDA) dietary guidelines recommend 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day for a 2000-calorie diet. Think about what you ate yesterday. Did you eat enough fruits and vegetables? If not, it's time for a change. Including fruits and vegetables is essential for overall health and wellness. Here is a list of the benefits of including fruits and vegetables in your diet... 

The benefits of fruits and vegetables

- Promoting long-term maintenance of a health body weight
- Providing essential vitamins and minerals that your body need to function every day
- Giving you fiber that keeps your digestive tract healthy and helps protect against diseases such as diverticulosis
- Possibly preventing some types of cancer and chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cataract formation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

These health benefits are even more pronounced when consuming a wide variety of produce, in particular, dark, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, and deep-yellow-orange fruits and vegetables. While some people are happy to have a salad and a few pieces of fruit every day, you may prefer to integrate fruits and vegetables into your usual meals. Whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it is always possible to add more fruits and vegetables.

Portion examples
The following is the same as 1 C of fruits or vegetables:

- One piece of fruit
- 2 cups of raw leafy greens
- 1 cup of other chopped fruit or raw/cooked vegetables

The size of your fist or a baseball is approximately 1 cup. According to the USDA, this is about 12 baby carrots or 32 grapes.

Here are some tips for integrating fruits or vegetables into your meals and snacks.

Breakfast:

- Include a piece of fruit in the morning, along with your toast w/peanut butter and coffee/tea.
- Add two handfuls of berries to your morning cereal.
- Add chopped vegetables, such as tomato, mushrooms, onion, spinach, or peppers to your scrambled eggs or omelette.
- Add fresh fruit, such as banana or berries to your pancakes or french toast recipe. Tope with sliced apples and fresh plain or Greek yogurt.
- Make your own fresh-fruit smoothie with some skim milk or yogurt or ice. Add some vegetables as well such as cucumber, cilantro, or tomato for a mild flavor and extra nutrients.
- If you drink juice, make sure it is 100% juice without added sugars or fillers.

Lunch:

- Top your sandwiches with lots of fresh vegetables, such as romaine lettuce or spinach, tomato, onions, sprouts, mushrooms, or fresh red pepper. These add fresh flavor and a nice crunch.
- Choose soups loaded with vegetables such as minestrone, chicken with vegetables, or carrot ginger. Add a handful of spinach and/or broccoli for an added boost and texture.
- Bring along a handful of baby carrots, celery spears with peanut butter, or a piece of fruit to much on with your lunch.
- Consider adding fruit to your salads, such as apples, pears or oranges for a sweet and fresh taste!

Dinner:

- Add some chopped vegetables such as carrots, mushrooms, or peppers to your baked sweet potato. Garnish with a sprinkle of reduced fat Cabot cheddar cheese. Yum!
- Buy a bag of spinach and throw a handful on top of any of your dinners as a colorful garnish. The heat of the food will wilt the spinach so it blends into your food and becomes a healthy additon with little extra effort.
- Roast vegetables while you cook. Slice some vegetables such as eggplant, peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes, rub them with a little olive oil and spices, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes, depedning on thickness, while you cook the rest of your meal.
- The 7-minute potato: Poke a bunch of holes in a sweet potato with a fork. Place it in the microwave on high for 6-7 minutes, turning the potato once halfway through cooking. Cut it open and top with some cinnamon and non-fat Greek yogurt.
- If you are in the mood for pizza, buy one slice loaded with vegetables instead of two or three plain slices. Have a salad on the side.
- If you're in the mood for Chinese, chooose an option that has "mixed vegetables" or "broccolie" in the name.
- If you're in the mood for mexican, make sure to add beans, peppers, onions, and any other extra vegetables that you have such as tomato, cilantro or fresh salsa.

The simple act of integrating fruits and vegetables into meals can help you to become more satisfied with less amounts of food and stay fuller longer. This is due to the fiber, water, and high-nutrient content of the fruits and vegetables.  By gradually making these additions each day, you'll be amazed at what even the smallest dietary changes can do to positively improve your health. Do yourself a favor today and choose one meal to add fruits and vegetables. You'll be glad you did!

Healthy wishes!
Alissa Robertson, MS, RD
(802) 999-5684
LifestyleNutritionVT@yahoo.com

Most of us know that beans are a healthful food, but how many of you are unsure of how to cook with them, or are intimidated by the thought of even eating them. Well put your hesitations aside! Read on and we'll discuss various types of beans, how to cook them, and I'll even share a yummy recipe with you that you are bound to love!

First and foremost, why eat beans? Well, nutritionists and health professionals tout beans for their role in: 
▪ Lowering risk of colon cancer 
▪ Reducing blood cholesterol, as well as LDL or "bad cholesterol," a leading causes of heart disease 
▪ Lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes 
▪ Improving diabetes control for existing type 1 and 2 diabetics 
▪ Strengthening the immune system

There are thousands of bean varieties, and they all offer a host of benefits. On average, cooked dry beans provide roughly 120 calories per ½ cup (C) and are full of B vitamins, folic acid, selenium, zinc, fiber, and are a low-glycemic carbohydrate, which means they can help to control blood sugar levels aiding in better weight management. It is recommended by the USDA that people consume 3 C of beans/week. Try one of the many varieties below, and find out which ones are your favorite:
▪ Adzuki beans
▪ Butter beans
▪ Black beans
▪ Black-eyed peas
▪ Cannellini beans
▪ Chickpeas
▪ Great northern beans
▪ Kidney beans
▪ Lentils
▪ Lima beans
▪ Mung beans
▪ Navy beans
▪ Pinto beans
▪ Snow peas
▪ Soybeans/edamame
▪ Split peas
▪ White beans

So how can you add beans into your daily intake?Toss drained and rinsed canned beans into your salads, into a dish of brown rice, or add some flavor to a stir-fry. Hummus, made from chickpeas or garbanzo beans, is a great substitute for mayonnaise in your sandwich or a perfect dip for your vegetables at a snack or pre-dinner nibble. Add beans to a soup or stew for a boost of flavor and fiber! Sautee beans and add them to a side dish of vegetables. Instead of poultry, meats, or fish, try beans as your protein choice and serve with sauteed or steamed vegetables and a serving of a whole grain such as 1/2 cup brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. The next time you go grocery shopping, stock up on cans of a variety of beans and make sure to always have them in your pantry. This way you'll always be ready to add beans to your meals for a quick and yummy nutritional boost. 

What about dried beans? 
Well, they do take a bit more time to prepare, but you'll eliminate the added salt you get from canned beans. Here's how to prepare them:
▪ Rinse the beans under cool water and remove any stones or debris (you do not have to rinse split peas, lentils, or mung beans)
▪ Soak beans in water in a large bowl that doubles the height of the beans for 8-12 hours  
▪ Replace the water every few hours
▪ Transfer the beans to a pot and boil them for 10 minutes
▪ Lower the flame and simmer the beans for 1-2 hours until tender

Replacing the water and slowly cooking the beans should greatly reduce the raffinose, which is the compound that may cause gas or bloating. The key to avoiding this common complaint is to increase your bean consumption slowly. This should cut down on the gastrointestinal discomfort sometimes associated with beans.

Try this recipe to get started!

Yummy Black Bean Casserole
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) olive oil
1 C chopped onions
¾ C + 2 Tbsp yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons (tsp) chili powder
1¼ C skim milk
One 1-pound (lb) can black beans, rinsed and drained
One 1-lb can whole kernel corn, drained
One 1-lb can stewed tomatoes
One 4-ounce (oz) can chopped green chilies (mild or hot), drained
¼ C shredded low-fat cheddar cheese (1 oz)

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Lightly oil an 8˝-square baking pan or spray with a nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except the cheddar cheese. Mix well. Place in prepared pan. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

It's hard not to notice the headlines of many of the articles from major newspapers, magazines, and internet media. "Americans are eating too much sugar: 22 teaspoons daily." "They're not going to outlive their parents." "Childhood obesity has soared in recent decades, making it one of the country's most pressing problems." "Obesity: Lifestyle Changes Needed." "Big bellies can lead to big problems." "Report suggests ways for cities to slim down." "Fat is suddenly fabulous at least on TV." " Plus-sized characters moving to the forefront of teen literature." You tell me, is there a weight problem in America?

As a dietitian, I take this serious problem to heart. It is my job to help those who want to help themselves - who want to help those around them who they love and care so much for. It really comes down to the fact that millions of adults and children are killing themselves by eating the wrong foods, packing on pounds from over-sized portions and undoubtedly not moving their bodies enough. What are we becoming? It's time for all of us to STOP making excuses, and START working on the solutions. So many of us sadly do not realize what we are doing to ourselves when we overeat and simply justify it. Not only are you hurting yourself and ultimately your quality of life, but you are negatively influencing those around you. If we are going to work on reducing the number of overweight, unhealthy people in this country and worldwide, we will need to work together. This starts with you and I - caring for one another in terms of giving encouragement and taking the responsibility for ourselves and being positive examples and role models.

I am not only referring to our dietary intake here - I am referring to living an overall healthy lifestyle and achieving wellness. Diets DO NOT work. When you diet, you may lose weight. But most often, this weight loss is only temporary - you gain the weight back plus a little more, and the weight gained back is usually in the form of fat. In order to prevent this dieting cycle, it takes making a permanent transition to modify your lifestyle, including your food and beverage selections. You'll need to learn which foods help your body burn fat, which ones will give you the most energy, and which foods will negatively impact you and your health. It involves finding "new" favorite foods and having the understanding that it's not about never eating your current favorite foods (and possibly not so great for you foods), it's simply about eating smaller portions and less frequently. It is important to learn how to move your mass. Commit to doing so and find physical activity that you enjoy - not that you dread! Tell others of your goals. Explain to them why this is important to you, and begin your journey to better health. Be excited about becoming stronger both mentally and physically. Be the example! You deserve to feel good, look good, and have the confidence to live a happy and fulfilling life.

If you're ready to begin working towards a healthier lifestyle, but are not sure where to start, contact me to learn how to do so. I offer one-on-one lifestyle and weight management, as well as group classes. I will be starting a new 12-week class on February 21st, 2011. Feel free to visit this link to learn more about the Transitions Lifestyle Management System I teach and personally follow. Here you will receive a formal introduction to the program by weight management and fitness expert Lydia Martinez. Learn about low-glycemic eating and the fact that with this system, you no longer need to count calories or points. You will also have access to state-of-the-art behavior modification tools that will support your efforts in transitioning to your new lifestyle. Finally, you will learn how to find your favorite activity and exercise program that will last a lifetime. You can also view testimonials from individuals who have had success with the Transitions Lifestyle System by clicking on the above link, or view my testimonials page.

By utilizing the Transitions Lifestyle Management System, your weight management success is a reality. Whether it is utilizing this system or not, it is your responsibility to take action It is just a matter of you taking action to begin your transition from who you are today, to who you want to be in the future!


Healthy wishes,
Alissa C. Robertson, MS, RD
(802) 999-5684
LifestyleNutritionVT@yahoo.com