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Categories Food, Advice, Health, How To, Nutrition, Weight Loss

10 Tips For Meal Planning

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

Do you struggle with planning your weekly meals? Does your goal of healthy eating become sabotaged by last minute food choices?

Meal planning is key for maintaining a balanced diet. Here are some simple tips that will set you up for success and help you to stay focused on your nutrition goals.

1. Block off time on your calendar to plan your menu for the following week. It is recommended to plan your meals on a Thursday or Friday, so that you can grocery shop and prep over the weekend. Organize your list by food group: Fruits, vegetables, proteins, starches, dairy/dairy subs, and healthy fats. Strive to make as many foods as possible whole real foods with minimal ingredients.

2. Determine the number of dinners you have in your meal plan. If you double the portions, you will have enough for leftovers. Remember the phrase “cook once, eat twice”. Leftovers can be used for either lunch the next day, or for dinner later in the week. This will significantly reduce the number of meals you need to prepare each week.

3. Make a list of all ingredients needed to create the meals. Ideally, do this while you are at home so that you can take inventory of what you already have. Cross off the items you do not need to purchase. This will help you to greatly reduce costs for unnecessary items.

4. For an additional means of cost cutting, scan store apps, circulars and newspapers for coupons. If you can’t find coupons for the foods in your meal plan, try using coupons for other household goods such as paper products, cleaning products, and personal items.

5. Don’t be afraid to repeat what works. If everyone loves Mexican, keep a Mexican dish on your list each week but just vary what you serve (fish tacos, bean burritos, chicken enchiladas etc).

6. Try using a weekly template. Here’s an example: 2 nights per week poultry; 2 nights per week fish, 1 night per week beef or pork, 1 night per week vegetarian, 1 night per week dining out. Another way to plan a template is by theme: Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, Crock-Pot Wednesday, Stir-Fry Friday, etc.

7. Got picky eaters? Try stations or “bars” that provide variety but also satisfy individual preferences. Examples include: Salad bar, taco bar, pizza bar, potato bar etc. Each family member can customize to their hearts delight.

8. Stumped for ideas? Get the family involved. Ask each family member to help you come up with 1-2 meals each week. For kids, have them pick the night of the week the want “their meal” served. Take it one step further and have them help you prepare and serve the meal. This is a great way to get kids more involved in the kitchen.

9. Keep an inventory of meals that are family favorites. Ideally, build this up to 15-20 recipes. You can pull from this inventory each week to allow for non-stressful meal planning.

10. Stock your freezer and your pantry. Load up on beans, whole grains, healthy oils, frozen vegetables, fruits, and proteins. Set aside 1-2 days per month to make and freeze meals. This will really come in handy during busy times when you may not have been able to effectively meal plan.

SAMPLE MEAL PLAN:

SUNDAY: Baked cod, asparagus, sweet potatoes

MONDAY: Broccoli, red pepper, garlic frittata, salad, roasted potatoes

TUESDAY: Fish Tacos (use leftover cod from Sunday), salad (leftover from Monday)

WEDNESDAY: Roasted chicken, broccoli, butternut squash

THURSDAY: Leftovers from Wednesday’s dinner

FRIDAY: Beef stir fry with veggies and rice

SATURDAY: Dine Out

Suggestions like these can make meal planning easy and fun. For more ideas or to book a private session, contact me here.

Categories Advice, Health, How To, Nutrition, Sleep, Stress, Weight Loss

8 Steps to Better Sleep

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

Ahh, sleep. How many of us out there wish we could get more of it? We know we should be aiming for 8 hours per night, but an estimated 33% of the population falls short of that goal. Hectic schedules, chronic stress, anxiety, excessive screen time, and alcohol consumption can all contribute to regular amounts of sleep deprivation.

Poor sleep leads to poor health outcomes. According to the CDC, individuals who achieve less than 7 hours of consistent sleep per night – meaning you fall asleep easily and stay asleep – are at a higher risk for weight gain, obesity, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, diabetes, anxiety, depression, heart disease, stroke, asthma, and cancer.

So what can you do to improve your sleep? Here are 8 quick and easy steps to show you how.

  1. Strive for a consistent bedtime each night. The more consistent you can be, the better. Your bedtime should allow you to achieve 7-9 hours of sleep per night and ultimately should occur during our prime sleep hours (10pm-7am).
  2. Unplug all electronic devices 2 hours prior to bedtime. The artificial blue light from these devices will lower the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is needed to help you fall asleep. Devices are also a trigger for stress and emotions. Give yourself plenty of downtime in order to ready your body for sleep.
  3. Practice stress relaxation techniques. A warm bath, reading, journaling, listening to soft relaxing music, prayer, meditation, yoga poses, whatever you like. Implement one of these strategies each night as you ready yourself for sleep.
  4. Keep your room dark and cool. Avoid having any devices or electronics near your bed that can emit light. Use room darkening shades if necessary.
  5. If you are a light sleeper, consider using deep breathing or meditation techniques to achieve deep sleep. Another thing that can help is a sound machine that will generate white noise. 
  6. When possible, expose yourself to sunshine or daytime light upon waking either by going outside or opening a window. This will support healthy melatonin levels throughout the day.
  7. Consume dietary sources of Melatonin. These include eggs, fish, pistachios, mushrooms, oats, black rice, organic cow’s milk (if tolerated), green beans, cherries. You can also consider a melatonin supplement.
  8. Eat plenty of magnesium rich foods such as bananas, almonds, spinach, cashews, black beans, peanut butter, and avocado, or take a magnesium supplement if needed. Magnesium can help your body relax and achieve restful sleep throughout the night.

Set a goal to implement these strategies in order to enhance your sleep. Along with proper diet and exercise, quality sleep can help you to significantly improve your health. For more information, contact me here.

Photo by Vladislav Muslakov on Unsplash

Resources:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12114-causes-of-sleep-problems

https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html

Ferreira, S. (2018). A Dietitian’s Guide to Assessing and Treating Fatigue.

Categories Advice, Exercise, Fitness, Food, gym, Health, How To, Nutrition, Sleep, Weight Loss

How To Get Back On Track With Healthy Eating

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

I had a great Easter holiday. We spent a couple of days at the Jersey shore, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I indulged in some of my favorite treats. Pizza on the boardwalk, salt water taffy, fudge. Yes, that’s right, I’m guilty. But I loved every minute of the time I was able to spend with my family, away from the day to day stress of life in general. If felt really good to relax and just enjoy myself.

But now it’s back to reality.  Those few days of letting go and giving in to temptation were fun, but it’s time to get back to eating healthy again.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation after a vacation or a holiday? If so, recognize that for the most part this is normal. And while for some, it can affect morale and leave you feeling unmotivated to get back to your routine, it is possible with a few easy tips.

Hold yourself accountable – Accountability is one of the best ways to get motivated and stay on track with your goals. One of the easiest ways is to track your food intake. Whether it be through an app or a traditional food log, food tracking works. It can be a real eye opener in terms of calories, fat, and sugar consumed. If food tracking just isn’t your thing, you can still find other ways to be held accountable. Write down your goals, tell a friend, share your progress on social media, or work with a dietitian. Once the accountability is there, you will be much more inclined to stick to a plan.  

Exercise – Get back to your favorite activities. Whether it be the gym, yoga class, walking, golfing, tennis or gardening just make the time to move your body. Commit to 3x per week minimum. Exercise releases endorphins and endorphins make you happy. Exercise will also help you to have more energy, lose weight, and feel great.

Drink more water – One of the simplest things you can do to get back to a healthy routine is to drink more water. Drinking water will help control your appetite and reduce calories if you are using it to replace sugary beverages. Aim to consume half of your body weight in ounces per day. Use a reusable water bottle, have a glass or two in the morning before your first cup of coffee, keep a water bottle  in your car, drink water before your main meals, or plan it into your schedule (Example: Drinking a set amount at the gym) and stick to it.

Double up on the vegetables– Veggies are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and they are low in calories. They are truly your best defense in terms of maintaining a healthy weight. Plus they are delicious! Start out by filling at least half of your plate with vegetables, which is equivalent to two servings. Include a serving or two as a snack and you will be well on your way to meeting the recommended goal of 5-7 servings per day.

Up your protein – I always recommend spreading your protein throughout the day by including protein at each meal – especially breakfast. Protein helps you to feel fuller longer and crave less. It also helps to build and maintain muscle. Strive for at least a quarter of your plate to include protein, which is about 3-4 oz or the size of the palm of your hand.

Get back to meal planning – Plan at least a weeks worth of meals. One simple tip is to prepare 3-4 meals but make double the portion so that the recipe yields leftovers. This will cut your meal planning for a week in half.

Go to bed earlier – Restful sleep promotes hormone balance, which will help you to crave less. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If this is something you struggle with, set a goal to go to bed 30 minutes earlier for one week. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel, and how much easier it is to stick to a healthy eating routine.

To sum things up, we all have those moments in life where we let go, relax, and indulge. I support this in moderation. We need to live life!! But if you find this derails your progress and your motivation know that you are not alone. Let go of the guilt and tell yourself it’s time to get back on track and continue forward with your goals.

For more tips and support, contact me here.

Photo by Peter Bravo de los Rios on Unsplash

Categories Advice, Health, Nutrition, Weight Loss

Things like this really fire me up!

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

Really??!! Would you want to get nutrition advice from these guys?? I wouldn’t.

When I see crap like this I get so frustrated!

Would you get medical advice from a random salesperson at the local shopping mall? What about legal advice or tax advice? Nope. You’re smart enough to know that seeking advice on these topics from anyone other than a licensed professional could be a huge mistake and cause you potential harm.

Why should nutrition advice be any different?

I love the field of nutrition, and I love my job as a dietitian. It was a second career choice for me, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. But you know what? It was HARD WORK getting here.

It took me years in school learning about nutrition, anatomy, biology, biochemistry, metabolism, clinical nutrition therapy, psychology, and the art of counseling. Not to mention a year of internship in a variety of settings including a top-notch hospital in Philadelphia, plus a rigorous exam that I studied for and stressed over for months.

Why is the process of becoming a dietitian so demanding?

Because as dietitians we dedicate our lives to the field of nutrition. We believe in food as medicine. We want to help others live their best life. Dietitians truly care.

I know there is a lot of controversial nutrition information out there. So much that it can make your head spin and be completely overwhelming.  There will always be a new diet trend, a new shake, a new pill, and a new promise. But know this…invest your time, your health, and your money in someone who takes nutrition recommendations seriously.  Someone who knows the facts.  Someone who cares as much about your health as you do.

I mean it when I say that. I care about you and I want to help. When you are struggling I am here to help you sort it out. When you are overwhelmed, I am here to make things easier. When you are feeling defeated, I am here to pick you up. And when you celebrate your victories, I celebrate with you.

So don’t fall for the snake oil salesman. Get your nutrition advice from an expert. Don’t settle for anything less.  You are SO worth it.

March is National Nutrition Month. Celebrate with me by giving yourself the gift of health. Book your session today by clicking here.

Categories Nutrition, Advice, Health, How To, Weight Loss

PCOS: TIPS FOR BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE AND WEIGHT LOSS

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is an endocrine disorder that affects up to 10% of reproductive age women. It is often associated with infertility due to an imbalance of reproductive hormones that affect the ovaries. Many times, women with PCOS are initially misdiagnosed.

PCOS results in higher levels of androgens (male hormones) and insulin in the body.

As a result, women with PCOS may struggle with their weight and are at a higher risk for developing impaired glucose tolerance, Type 2 Diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Women with PCOS often have additional cardiovascular disorders including hypertension, elevated cholesterol (high triglycerides / low HDL) and elevated blood sugar related to insulin resistance.

The insulin resistance seen in PCOS is somewhat unique. It may occur in women of normal body weight, and it is not always corrected with weight loss. The insulin resistance results from a defect in the actual cell, rather than the impaired ability of insulin to bind to the cell receptor.  Often times, medication such as metformin is prescribed to help with insulin resistance and restore ovulation.

Signs and Symptoms of PCOS include:

  • Infertility / Impaired ovulation
  • Menstrual irregularities / Amenorrhea
  • Hirsutism (unwanted hair growth, such as on the face)
  • Acne
  • Sleep apnea
  • Weight gain / Difficulty losing weight / Obesity
  • Cystic ovaries

Dietary Guidelines

The following are some simple dietary guidelines that can help women with PCOS manage blood sugar and support healthy weight management:

  • Consume small frequent meals within the appropriate calorie range. It’s important to understand that each person’s calorie range is unique. Calories are based on a person’s height ,weight, age, gender, physical activity level, and goals. So, if someone you know is following a 1200 calorie diet (hint – which for most people is WAY too low), this may not be right for you.
  • Consume a high fiber diet. I recommend at least 25g of fiber per day. Foods that contain fiber can be found in many types of healthy complex carbohydrates. These include fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains. Fiber will support digestion, help keep you fuller longer, help to lower cholesterol, and support overall health and weight loss.
  • Choose complex carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index and will not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. Complex carbs include fruits, starchy vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains.
  • Avoid processed foods and foods with added sugars. Sugar has no nutritional value and will only make matters worse by increasing your caloric intake and cravings.
  • Consume a diet rich in protein. Ideally strive for a diet that is at least 25-30% protein. Choose lean proteins such as poultry, cold water fish, lean cuts of meats (preferably organic or grass fed), eggs, or plant based protein such as miso or tempeh.
  • Avoid skipping meals. This will impair your metabolism and lead to blood sugar crashes that will cause intense cravings for carbohydrates. The exact opposite of what you need to support PCOS and insulin resistance.
  • Consume healthy Omega 3 rich fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil. Fats will help keep you satiated and they will not spike your blood sugar. Unsaturated fats will also support healthy cholesterol levels.
  • Avoid inflammatory foods. Sugar and processed foods are obvious, but sometimes even healthy foods can be inflammatory in certain individuals. This list might look different for everyone, but if you know that certain foods cause an inflammatory reaction in your body then it’s best to avoid them. A common example would be dairy causing lactose intolerance. The idea here is to reduce inflammation not create it. Keeping a detailed food journal and working with a qualified dietitian can help you identify which foods might be inflammatory to you.
  • Consume plenty of anti-inflammatory foods that are rich in nutrients and anti-oxidants. Examples include: Cinnamon, flax, oats, berries, apples, pears, dark leafy greens, ginger, turmeric, fenugreek, and green tea.

Nutritional Supplements:

Studies show that certain nutritional supplements (along with medication) can support fertility, insulin resistance, and weight management issues associated with PCOS.

  • D-chiro-Inositol and D-pinitol or Myo-Inositol– Has shown to improve insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, weight loss, androgen lowering, and fertility.
  • Vitamin D3 – Supports proper metabolism of carbohydrates.
  • Chromium – Promotes insulin sensitivity by helping to reduce body fat and increase lean muscle.
  • N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) –Has been shown to improve insulin resistance, androgen lowering, dyslipidemia, weight management, menstrual regularity.
  • Magnesium  – Has been shown to improve insulin resistance, improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and support healthy digestion.
  • Cinnamon – Anti-inflammatory and helps to lower blood sugar.
  • Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Helps to reduce inflammation and improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and improve insulin resistance.
  • Fenugreek –Has been shown to improve insulin resistance.
  • Probiotics – To support overall gut health, mood, and weight management. 

In addition to implementing dietary strategies I recommend getting plenty of exercise. Engage in cardiovascular activity 3-4x per week and weight bearing exercise at least 2-3x per week such as strength training in order to reduce body fat and build muscle.

In my practice I work with women all the time who are struggling with PCOS and weight management. If you are seeking guidance and support for PCOS, you can contact me here. I would love to work with you.

References:

Gaby, Alan R., MD. Nutritional Medicine. Alan R. Gaby, M.D., 01/2011. VitalBook file.

Nutrition Care Manual Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome / eatright.org

https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovary-syndrome

Grassi, A. (2013). PCOS; the Dietitian’s Guide (2nd ed., Vol. 1)

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