healthy restaurants (from Jill)

I have read, in several different places, a recent review of the top healthiest restaurants in the nation and, while I think this list is a good start, I still hope that people won't get carried away and assume that everything on the menu is a health food. If you've seen this list, please investigate and read the full article because the details will tell you why this restaurant was chosen (rankings included things like using natural or organic foods versus just having lower-fat or lower-calorie fare) and, most importantly, also list which dishes were found to be healthier choices and which dishes are still not a good idea. So, I think it is great that there are healthy menu options to be found in almost every restaurant but just be warned to PLEASE still read the menu carefully - look for how the dishes are prepared and what types of dressings and sauces they use - and remember that, in a restaurant, even a healthier dish may still be way to big of a portion. If you eat out often and need some more help in deciding what would be good menu options for you, feel free to make an appointment with one of our health educators to discuss your concerns and get some helpful hints to get you on your way to a healthier you!

website to check out

Happy spring! Isn't it great we are finally seeing 70 degree weather? It's a great time to get outside and enjoy...everything is so green!
I recently had a client that told me about a website that she has found helpful, it's called www.hungry-girl.com. It's got alot of healthy tips and ideas from calorie saving cooking tips to fabulous food finds (or horrors), as well as nutrition news. It's a fun website to check out!

Enjoy the week...

Kim

Happy Passover

To anyone out there celebrating Passover this upcoming week, I just wanted to remind you all to look out for one of the common pitfalls of the holiday - lack of fiber! Now, maybe you've never really paid attention to fiber before (and if not, then this is a great time to start) but matzo is notoriously low in fiber which can lead to alot of abdominal discomfort - in addition to the fact that many holiday foods are very high in fat (eggs and butter instead of flour in recipes) that can also contribute to a stalled digestion process. So, this may be just the time of year to really examine the fiber in your diet and look for it in other places. For the rest of the year, very-high-fiber breads and cereals are some of the major sources of fiber each day but, for this week, why not concentrate on fiber from fruits and vegetables - which likely means increasing your servings of fruits and vegetables (and not from potatoes), brown rice and legumes (depending on how you observe the holiday). Also, look for fiber in SMALL amounts of nuts and seeds and, even when you do go back to bread, make sure that you continue to strive for lots of fiber in your diet. If you're unsure of how much fiber to get or if you are getting enough, you can always contact a dietitian at Total Nutrition Technology for an appointment! Jill

Warmer weather can pose new challenges

This week, with the weather getting warmer, I thought I'd write about what seems to be a common phenomenon here in Charlotte, and probably alot of other cities around the country. When it's nicer and sunny out after work, we don't feel the need or desire to rush home as much and that often means hanging around at an outdoor bar or restaurant whiling away the afternoon with a few drinks. Now, I'm not suggesting that ONE drink wouldn't fit into a healthy lifestyle, but often these scenarios involve more than one drink and often more than one night a week and that is where we can get into "trouble". Wine or beer may seem more "acceptable" on a healthy diet versus fried foods or sweets like cake but, after that one glass of wine, your body really isn't going to do anything with it but store it as fat (just like the fried foods or cake) so, just like you wouldn't attend a "happy hour of cake" EVERY day and expect to still be healthy, you'd want to view alcohol in the same way and recognize that adding this into your diet every day, in large quantities, is going to derail your healthy eating and lifestyle efforts just as much as those foods that you try so hard to avoid. Just some food (or drink) for thought this week :-) Jill

Top Foods To Eat

I recently read an article of the top foods to eat. Among the list was spinach, carrots, nuts, blueberries and black beans. Black beans are one of my favorite foods. Black beans are not only good for your heart but have antioxidants which help to boost brain power. A 1/2 cup serving has 7.5 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein, as well as being low in fat and calories. Here is one of my favorite recipes using black beans. It's a great side with grilled fish tacos.

Corn & Black Bean Salad

Combine 1 (15oz) can black beans drained & rinsed with 1 (7oz) can of "Mexicorn" drained, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/4 tsp cumin. Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Kim

keep going....

Hi, Everyone,
Don't have much to say today other than this one interesting thing I heard on the radio yesterday.... these hosts were saying that this past wednesday was "fat wednesday" and this has nothing to do with Mardi Gras. They were saying that there has been some study that shows that this week is the middle of a 3-4 week period where MOST people who had made some kind of weight loss or exercise new years resolution begin to lose motivation or "back slide" and that this particular wednesday was a day when people would go way overboard and eat upwards of 4,000 calories in one day!!! So, the reason I am writing about this is to say "KEEP GOING with your resolutions" and also that it's not too late to start. If you are one of these people who has been trying this on your own and need some new motivation, guidance, structure or just someone who will focus solely on YOU to help you achieve your goals, contact us at TNT and let us help you keep your resolution and don't become a statistic in that VERY high percentage of people who give up on their new years resolution! Jill