Homemade Hummus

Homemade Hummus  (easy)

4 Servings

3/8 t. garlic powder
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 T. lime juice
1 t. olive oil
1/4 t. salt
2 cups garbanzo beans

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Serve at room temperature with pita chips, crackers, carrots or other veggie.

Cost per recipe:  $1.28    Per Serving  $0.32

1 serving:

• 160 calories
• 2.5 grams total fat
• 26 grams Carbohydrate
• 5 grams fiber
• 8 grams of protein
• 190 mg. sodium

Fit Club Announcement

It’s official. We will be holding a fitness class every Wednesday at 4 pm in Lake County Florida. Contact me for details.

Our workouts are designed to get you moving and feeling good. Come for a jolt of endorphins and simple, healthy fun. Best of all, it’s FREE. From the makers of P90X®, INSANITY®, and TurboFire®.

Slim in 6 is our first scheduled workout on February 2nd and we will be giving out free samples of Shakeology.

Hope to see you there!

Handy Portion Control Guide

Handy Portion-Control Guide
By Debbie Siebers, creator of Slim in 6®

To achieve weight loss—and maintain that healthy weight once you’ve achieved it—it’s crucial to really understand what a portion is. Here’s what may prove to be an indispensable tip: use your hand as a guideline for portion sizes. (If your hands happen to be extra-large or extra-small for your size, adjust accordingly.)

Palm = Proteins: Make protein portions the size of your palm. Protein is found in animal products, like fish, meats, and cottage cheese. Some veggie protein sources include legumes (beans, etc.), tofu, tempeh, and wheat glutens.

Thumb = Fats: Fats are important, but they’re also very dense, so match fat portions to the size of your thumb. Good fat sources are avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

Fist = Fruits, Grains, etc.: Your bread, fruit, cereal, rice, and grain portions should be about equal to the size of your closed fist. Remember that it’s always preferable to consume whole grains.

Hand = Veggies: Open your hand and spread your fingers as wide as you can. That’s a good vegetable portion. Raw vegetables are loaded with fiber and nutrients, and they contain very few calories.

Prevent Hip Fractures with Calcium and Vitamin D

According to the CDC:  In 2004, there were more than 320,000 hospital admissions for hip fractures, a 3% increase from the previous year. However, from 1996 to 2004, after adjusting for the increasing age of the U.S. population, the hip fracture rate decreased 25% (from 1,060 per 100,000 population to 850 per 100,000 population).   In 1990, researchers estimated that the number of hip fractures would exceed 500,000 by the year 2040.7  In 1991, Medicare costs for hip fractures were estimated to be $2.9 billion.

A study revealed daily supplementation of 1.2 g (1,200 mg) of calcium and 800 IU (20 μg) of vitamin D₃ given as two pills of 400 IU each was safe and decreased the incidence of fractures among elderly women.  As these results demonstrate, it may never be too late to prevent hip fracture.

Fracture reduction can be achieved by increasing bone density through a combination of medication, weight-bearing exercise, and a bone healthy diet that includes adequate calcium and vitamin D intake.   Food sources of vitamin D are limited. Fatty fish, cod liver oil, egg yolks, fortified milk, and other fortified foods (margarine, yogurt, juice) provide some vitamin D.   However, most people are not able to get adequate amounts of vitamin D through food sources. Therefore, vitamin D supplementation is usually recommended.

Foods high in calcium

300 mg

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 cup calcium fortified soy or rice milk
• 1 cup calcium fortified orange juice
• 1.5 ounces natural cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or swiss)
• 2 ounces processed cheese (american)
• 1 cup ready to eat pudding
• 1 cup macaroni and cheese

200 mg

• 3 ounces canned salmon (soft bones)
• 3 ounces sardines (soft bones)
• 1 cup calcium-fortified cereal
• 1 ounce feta cheese

150 mg

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup tofu
• 1 slice calcium-fortified bread

Do you meet the requirements for Vitamin D and Calcium on a daily basis?  For more information contact Diana.

Top 4 Recommendations for Successful Weight Loss

The National Weight Control Registry is a group of people who have lost an average of 60 pounds and kept it off for more than 5 years.  Here are their recommendations for success:

1. Eat breakfast every day.  High fiber cereal is a popular choice.
2. Follow a low-calorie, low-fat meal plan and consume half of the calories from fruit, vegetables, grains and low-fat milk.
3. Be active for 60 minutes each day.  Walking is a popular activity.
4. Keep track of your weight, food choices and activity.  Personally, I would recommend iChange.com to track your progress and success.

Have you been successful on your weight loss journey?  What would you add to the list above?  Leave a comment below so others can gain valuable knowledge from your success.

Happy Healthy Halloween

Treats for Halloween and Other Holidays

Halloween is just the kickoff to a season of sweet indulgences. The following tips can help keep you and your family on a healthy track.

Buy treats you do not like
The best Halloween candy for trick or treat are the treats you don’t like.  If you don’t buy it, you won’t eat it! Buy Halloween candy or holiday treats that do not usually appeal to you. If you prefer chocolate, buy gummy treats or sugar-based treats. If you like sugary sweets, purchase chocolate. You are less inclined to overindulge if what you have in the house does not tempt you.

Purchase treats on the day you need them
Buy treats the day you plan to eat or distribute them. If you are buying candy or goodies for a holiday or gathering, keep them in the house for as short a period of time as possible and give away the leftovers.

Consider some alternatives
Pretzels, crackers, granola bars, books, stickers, bouncy balls, toys, and crayons are great alternatives to candy. Kids are usually thrilled to get something unusual.

Set the ground rules
Come up with a philosophy for dealing with sweets and treats that everyone in the household agrees with. For example, “You can eat as much candy/dessert as you like today, and then we will donate the rest.” Another popular choice is to ration candy or desserts for a period of time. “You can have one piece of pie or one cookie each day for a week.” Make sure this philosophy goes equally for everyone in the house, parents too!

Keep healthy eating and living as a priority
Make sure you drink a good amount of water, exercise, and consume fruits and vegetables every day.  You decide the role tempting treats will have in your family. Do not substitute treats for healthy snacks.

Make homemade treats
Homemade treats are the best bet. Choose holiday recipes that are low in fat and sugar and high in fruits and whole grains. Try reducing sugar and fat in recipes by replacing them with applesauce, apple juice concentrate, or flax meal.

Kathy Smiths Project:YOU! Type 2

As a CDE, I’m very pleased to offer a diet and fitness program developed in conjunction with doctors, certified diabetes educators, and the American Diabetes Association for people with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Contact me or leave a comment for more info.

Slim in 6 – Day 8

Just finished day 8 of Slim in 6 and I love it.  I just pop in the DVD and I’m doing my body good.  I’ll do one more week of Start It Up! and then I’ll begin Ramp It Up!  And then on to Burn It Up!

As I said previously, I’m looking to tone my abs.  The Slim & 6-Pack that is included in the program is doing just that.  It’s only 15 minutes, so it’s very doable.  I’m feeling great!  There is also nutrition guidelines that go along with the workout.  Plan 1, 2 and 3.  Plan 1 gets my stamp of approval.  It’s 1200 calories, 120 grams of carb, 90 grams of protein and 40 grams of fat.  Which is 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 30% fat.  If you’re an iChange member you can easily keep track using your food journal.  Another meal plan that caught my attention was Michi’s Ladder and I highly recommend using it.  Focus on Tier 1 and Tier 2 and you will be eating clean foods that properly fuel your body.

Stay tuned for more updates by subscribing to my blog.

Keep it healthy,

Diana Young, RD, LD/N, CDE

Before Slim in 6

I’m 51 years young with 52 fast approaching on October 7th.   My Body Mass Index is 24 which is considered normal.

I’m very comfortable in my own skin but I’ve let my abs go.  So, I’ve decided to begin Slim in 6 for the next 6 weeks.  I plan to keep a journal of my progress.   Anyone else up for the challenge?  If so, leave a comment and we’ll do this together.   I became a Beachbody coach because I was impressed with my friend Jenn’s transformation:

Doesn’t Jenn look fabulous?  You can keep up with Jenn here.

I’ve also created a Slim in 6 group on iChange to keep things rolling.

So here goes:

Weight: 133

Measurements:

Chest   40

Waist  30

Hips  37

R Upper Thigh  19

R Arm  10.5

I’m ok with losing about 10 pounds but I don’t want to lose any more than that.   A few weeks after I delivered my daughter, I weighed 110 and my family complained fiercely that I was too thin.  I do have a large frame size and therefore I looked “bony”.   Let’s see how it goes.  One day at a time and I can adjust my eating habits as the days go by.

So, who’s with me?  Leave a comment.

Lose Weight with The Plate Method

When it comes to meal planning and portion control, a frequent complaint is that portion control is too complicated and time consuming. So, let’s take a look at “The Plate Method”. This meal planning method helps increase  nutrients and fiber and lowers your intake of fat, and keeps a more consistent level of carbohydrate and calories at each meal. Here’s how it works:

Start with a 9 inch plate. Not a dinner plate, but a salad plate.
Pretend there is an imaginary line dividing the plate in half. And then an imaginary line to divide the plate in quarters.
1/2  of your plate or 2 quarters should consist of non-starchy vegetables like salad or broccoli.
1/4 of your plate should consist of your protein source, for example chicken, fish or beans.
The last 1/4 should consist of a starch like rice, potatoes, noodles or a slice of bread.

Keep in mind that each quarter should be filled only to 1/2″ deep.

Round out your meal with 8 ounces (1 cup) of low-fat milk and a piece of fresh fruit.

Congratulations, You have now succeeded in portion and calorie control. Practice this method at every meal and you will be well on your way to a new healthy lifestyle.

Diana Young is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator who uses a science-based approach to weight management and diabetes. Diana has helped thousands of people reach their goal weights, blood glucose targets and cholesterol levels.