Stress Eater vs. Finals Week

Hey girl, I see you sippin' on that 44 oz. soda and poppin' those Dorito's. STOP. Let me help you! Finals week will NOT get the best of us my friends. I can tell you right now that your diet during finals week is probably not ideal. Here are some foods that help with stress, AND some foods that help you think better (aka brain food).

Asparagus- these lean, green machines are high in folate, a vitamin that helps you keep your cool

Avocados- blocking certain fats that cause oxidative damage, avocados help you breath and they are full of B-vitamins, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and folate.

Berries- filled with antioxidants, berries will keep you healthy as well as sharpen your cognitive abilities. (Who doesn't need their cognition improved during finals week, am I right?)

Cashews- Since cashews are filled with zinc (a mineral that has been associated with fighting off depression & anxiety), it's the perfect snack for studying. It's also full of protein and carbs so it'll give you plenty of energy to keep on keepin' on.

Chamomile Tea- It's been said that this type of tea calms your nerves as well as helps you sleep

Chocolate- Believe it baby! Dark chocolate has been shown to lower your blood pressure! It can also put you in a better mood, no seriously!

Garlic- Garlic is full of antioxidants which you'll need if your stress levels are fighting your immune systems to the death.

Green Tea- this has been found to enhance your mental performance!

Oatmeal- Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate. Complex carbs tell the brain to produce serotonin (a feel-good chemical) Plus the carbs will give you the energy that you'll need to start your study day off right. Oh and if you throw on a pinch of cinnamon that could help with your memory!

Oranges- Once again with the antioxidant boosters, oranges are filled with vitamin C.

Oysters- zinc machines! (the mineral that fights off depression and anxiety, remember?)

Walnuts- Walnuts are filled with alpha linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acid) which can help prevent memory loss. I would also add that fish is packed with Omega-3 fatty acid!

Spinach- this leafy green has been related to dementia prevention (folate, vitamins E & K are the magicians inside spinach that do this trick)

Grape Juice/Red wine- packed with polyphenols, these drinks can give your brain the boost it needs!

So get to the grocery store and stock up on these foods before your next final or study session! Along with these awesome foods make sure you're getting plenty of sleep, regular meals, & plenty of water in order to stay healthy and keep your energy up during this stressful time!

GOOD LUCK and thanks for reading!

Information curated from these web articles:
13 Healthy Foods that Fight Stress
10 Foods that Help Boost your Brain Power

Fresh Fruit Vs. Dried Fruit

What's the big deal with dried fruit? I've had a request from a friend to post about dried fruit!

My friend posed the question,
" I really love fruit but sometimes it's hard to keep it fresh for so long and I absolutely HATE grocery shopping!  So what's the deal with dried fruit?  I hear good and bad things. I love dried mangos but I know most of them are loaded with sugar. My friend bought some dried bananas and strawberries called "Crunchies" freeze dried fruit. It's delicious!  But I don't know how to tell if they're really considered a "healthy" snack or not. I was thinking maybe you could help me!"

First of all, what is dried fruit? 
Fruit is dehydrated of the majority of the original water content. This is done on a specialized dryer, dehydrator, or dried from the sun. 

Why is it so popular?
Dried fruit has a really long shelf life! Most dried fruits can last MONTHS in the pantry and even YEARS in the fridge/freezer! This can be really attractive as most non-dried fruit lasts about a week usually if it's not frozen. It's also extremely convenient to throw a baggie of dried fruit into your bag to munch on for the day. It isn't going to smash in your bag or bruise as the day goes on. 

Is it really healthy?
As of today there are no known food-borne illnesses related to dried-fruit. Dried fruit can have almost the exact same nutritional value as it's non-dried counterpart. There are sugar-infused dried fruits which do contain added sugar content, but most fruit is dried without added sugar. My cousin actually has a fruit dryer and she dries her own fruit. This would be the ideal way to prepare your dried fruit if you're worried about nutrition content. Fruit dryers aren't as expensive as you would imagine. Just like regular fruit, dried fruit has a low sodium content, a good amount of fiber, potassium, essential nutrients/vitamins, and minimal amounts of sucrose. I looked up the "Crunchies" brand that my friend mentioned. These are prepared in a vacuum chamber to dehydrate and freeze dry. According to Crunchie's website there are no added sugars, no GMO's, gluten free (which I can go totally off about because gluten free is so dumb but I'll save that for another post), no additive preservatives, low sodium, and low/no fat. So overall, it sounds like a great product to me! Be aware that the serving content is different for fresh and dried fruit. 1/4 cup of dried fruit is equivalent to one serving. If you are trying to lose weight, fresh fruit might be the way to go. It will make you feel more full because one serving is considerably larger than one serving of dried fruit.

Is it worth it?
Honestly, if you hate grocery shopping every week for fruit that goes bad before you can finish it, I would highly suggest dried fruit! It's so convenient and it has basically the same nutritional value as fresh fruit. If you are not a fan of fruit, try dried! You may find that you actually like dried fruit better than fresh fruit. For example, I'm not a huge fan of fresh, sour grapes but I LOVE all types of raisins. While dried fruit can be pricey, if it's worth it to you, it's great. 

Monthly Workout Calendars

Happy Planksgiving, have an Ab-crunching Christmas, and a New-Bod-New-Year! Need some motivation this season? A workout-timeline is usually very helpful! Check out these awesome Holiday (or monthly) Challenges! I got most of these from Pinterest so feel free to find your own or make your own if these won't work for you. Setting up a timeline is a great way to stay on track and to make sure you're doing something daily to work towards a goal. Work-out calendars work great for any time of the year. Push yourself this season so you'll be swimsuit-ready before it's too late!

 (oh and sorry if some of the dates are from previous years! Adjust them as needed!)

Oh and here's a link to a this awesome printable!

Fast Food: If you have to have it, what should you have?

Whether you choose to dine out at your local MickyD's or you have no choice/time you should be informed on what's actually the best food options available there. Do you think the salad is always better for you than the cheeseburger? You may be wrong about that...

Wendy's

McDonald's

Carl's Jr.

Burger King
(Almost 1200 calories for a sandwich! Can you say heart-attack?)

Dairy Queen
(only food items)

In order to reduce your calorie intake:

1. Look for lighter/less calorie menu options
2. Try grilled rather than crispy!
3. Size small rather than the Large (portion sizes)
4. Skip the dressing on the salads or do a side salad instead
5. The less fatty condiments the better
6. Instead of soda, take the water cup!

All Nutrition labels can be found on the websites of fast food restaurants. This information has to be available to the public. If you ever have a question about the nutrition facts, just ask! :)

Also, 

Just because I have listed fast food restaurants does not mean that numbers aren't similar if not higher in regular restaurants. Portion size has a huge impact on the numbers! 

THINK BEFORE YOU EAT! :)

Couch Potato Fit: 9 Exercises you can do without Leaving the Couch

Hey Lazybutt! You're going to love this one! I've got 9 workouts that you can do without even leaving your couch. I call them "couch-potato workouts." These are simple, easy exercises that can be done on pretty much any couch. I was only wearing gym clothes because I had just gotten back from the gym when we filmed. You can literally do these workouts in your Christmas onesie. I know you all have one. hahaha oh and plus, you'll probably be sitting on a couch 50% of the time during the holidays anyway so why not try it out? enjoy!

1. I learned this in a yoga class! It's harder than it looks, good luck!

2. Shoulder dips! 

3. Stair Steppers!

Whoever owns the couch probably won't like this one very much! haha 

4. Lunges! (both legs of course!)

5. Leg lifts! The stabilizing leg should burn! Feel the burn! :)

6. I call these bad boys butt-squeezers! Tone those glutes, lazybutt!

7. V-ups with a pillow! This one rocks! 

8. Mason-twists! (although a couch pillow doesn't weigh very much, it's still a good workout!)

9. Finally, push-ups! If you use the arm rest of the couch

it's almost easier! You got this!

Those are my 9 Couch Potato workouts! I hope you enjoyed them and tried them out! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and thanks for reading!

8 Simple Tips to Avoiding a "Thanksgiving Hangover"

We are all guilty of over-eating on Thanksgiving... and there's nothing wrong with it! One day of binge-eating isn't going to hurt you my friends. (sigh of relief) However, I do have some tips to limit yourself this Thanksgiving! I know that when I eat entirely way too much I get a stomach ache afterwards. Having a stomach ache while all of my cousins are in town is never good. We like party.

1. Dress up! My family loves to dress up for the Holidays. You can never go wrong with staying classy, am I right?? No, but seriously, dress up! If you go to dinner in a big t-shirt and sweatpants you're going to eat more because you feel lazier. I know it sounds strange but it's totally psychological. Plus you'll want to look thin and trim in your holiday dress for pictures so you won't bloat yourself with too much food.
2. Trick yourself by pulling out a smaller plate. The smaller the plate, the smaller the portions. You'll feel like you've got plenty because your small plate will be completely full of food. Rather than loading up a large plate, trick your mind by filling up a small plate!
3. Think about your portion sizes before you scoop that heaping mountain of mashed potatoes onto your plate. How many cups would that be? How many tablespoons of gravy did you almost pour all over your plate? Think before you pour and you may find yourself only scooping the amount of food that you actually know you'll want to eat.
4. Place dessert onto your dinner plate... (you'll have to make room for it, thus you'll get less food). Now some of you (if you're like me) won't like this because this means all of your dinner foods will be touching your delicious dessert. If you have this problem go ahead and use a separate plate or bowl, but limit yourself to ONE dessert. OMG that's so hard I know! Pick your absolute favorite dessert that you don't think you can live without and dish THAT up instead of all of them.
5. Variety! Don't be that guy/girl who just has a village made of stuffing on their plate. Mix it up and don't be afraid to try new foods! It's okay to get more of what you love the most, but be open-minded when it comes to other types of foods this Thanksgiving.
6. Make sure you eat breakfast (and lunch if you have Thanksgiving meal at dinner time). This will keep you energized and full until the feast. If you show up to eat with an empty stomach, chances are you're going to eat a LOT more than you normally would.
7. Hold a conversation... or if your family is like mine, multiple conversations at once at the table. Talk, joke, and listen with others while you eat. This will slow you down so that your food will actually have time to digest. When you eat slowly you are able to tell when you are full.
8. Exercise in the morning! I think it was two years ago that my cousins, aunts, and I went to the "turkey burner" zumba early morning session on Thanksgiving day. It was awesome! We all got together and danced our turkey butts off then came back to grandma's for our thanksgiving feast. Exercising is a great way to feel better about yourself this thanksgiving. Get with your family members and plan something fun! Hiking, biking, running, dancing, playing football/basketball, golfing, swimming, or even shopping are great things do to together before or after your big meal. (yes I did just justify black Friday shopping as an exercise)

The most important thing is to enjoy the time you get to spend with family/friends. Make the most of your day and don't end up spending it sitting by the toilet! Happy Thanksgiving!

How to Make Drinking More Fun

Drinking water can be a daunting task. It's hard to get enough water throughout the day. Think about all of the bathroom breaks! In my opinion it's EASIER to get enough water when you are BUSY. Sounds contradictory right? Wrong. If you have a water bottle bring it with you EVERYWHERE. If you don't have a water bottle, go get one! During your busy day you'll reach for that water bottle 3x more likely than getting up and getting a drink from the fountain. A water bottle is a great investment for your health.

One way that I like to make "drinking more fun" is to infuse my water! You can add whatever you'd like to your water to spice it up a bit. It's easier to drink water when it tastes delicious.

Infuse your water with cucumbers, strawberries, lemons, mint leafs, etc.
SHOP mason jar tumblers 

This is the pitcher I own. (Target) It totally rocks
 SHOP infusion pitchers from Target

You can actually buy water bottles that are made for infusion!
SHOP pure flavor 2 go Tritan infuser water bottle

If you enjoy your water, you'll drink your water! What are some of the ways you convince yourself to drink enough water throughout the day?

Are you drinking enough water? See my previous post HERE to find out

Hydration: Why It’s So Important

Hydration: Why It’s So Important -- FamilyDoctor.org

Why is it so important to stay hydrated?

Your body depends on water for survival. Did you know that water makes up more than half of your body weight? Every cell, tissue and organ in your body needs water to function correctly. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste and lubricate joints. Water is essential for good health.

How does my body lose water?

You lose water each day when you go to the bathroom, sweat, and even when you breathe. You lose water even faster when the weather is really hot, when you exercise, or if you have a fever. Vomiting and diarrhea can also lead to rapid fluid loss. If you don’t replace the water you lose, you can become dehydrated.

How do I know if I’m dehydrated?

Symptoms of dehydration include:

• Little or no urine, or urine that is darker than usual
• Dry mouth
• Sleepiness or fatigue
• Extreme thirst
• Headache
• Confusion
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• No tears when crying

Don’t wait until you notice symptoms of dehydration to act. It can be hard to recognize when you’re dehydrated, especially as you age. Actively prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of water.

How much water should I drink each day?

To find out and read the rest of this article head over to:
 Hydration: Why It’s So Important -- FamilyDoctor.org

Curated content from http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en.html

Meal Replacing Smoothies that are EASY to make!

I said I would finish off my meal prep from last week but I really didn't take that many pictures. Here is one of the many meals from Wednesday-Saturday.

The meal I'd like to focus on though is my awesome smoothie! I had this smoothie as a meal replacement for lunch. I can make this smoothie in less than 10 minutes so it rocks when I'm late and trying to run out the door. You can use whatever type of blender/bullet blender you'd like as long as it gets the job done. I like to use my bullet-style blender rather than my ninja just because it's SO much easier to clean up.

 When trying to decide whether you'd rather make your own or just hit up Jamba Juice or Tropical Smoothie, think about all the sugar content. I looked up a classic smoothie from Jamba Juice and it contained 114g of sugar. (28oz Aloha Pineapple)  If you are lazy like me this may be a desirable option, Ask for the light smoothies or reduced sugar. Those will always be better for you but there's nothing better than drinking your own, healthy smoothie. Go for the purest option out there, make it yourself! You'll know exactly what goes into it because YOU are in charge of the ingredients.

 I've added a link below with LOTS of smoothie recipes that I think are delicious.  Try some out and you won't be disappointed! 

Here's one of my smoothies! Enjoy!

Half an orange, Half an apple, and 1 whole banana

Throw in some baby spinach... yuck.

1 cup of frozen or fresh mixed berries

Add a little milk, yogurt, or apple juice to thin out your smoothie,
then it's ready to be pulverized!!!!

Easy as that!

 There are lots of smoothie recipes that I love! Basically I'll use whatever I have on hand in the fridge but here are some easy, great smoothie recipes! Link below.

EASY, YUMMY SMOOTHIES!

Meal Planning: Healthy, To-Go Meals

I promised to blog my meal planning progress so here we are! I've noticed that most of my meals are "To-Go" meals because I'm a working student. I was also really lazy with my meal planning... which was expected! I am posting my Monday-Wednesday meals today. It really isn't that hard! You can do this! Here's some simple steps to get started:

1. Make a calender and a grocery list: plan out every meal you'd like to make for the week, including lunches, breakfasts, AND dinners. Try to have a few repeat meals. For example, I decided to do chicken, rice, and veggies (bagged, microwavable veggies are super easy by the way) for dinner one night, and the same meal for lunch two days later. Leftovers ROCK when it comes to meal prepping. You'll be cooking your foods in one day so you'll have PLENTY of food to store in the fridge for another day.
2. Groceries and prepping! After you've headed to the store it's time to get cookin' good lookin! (I was lazy with my prepping and I only cooked half of my chicken breasts on Monday) You can prep your meals however you want. Get some Tupperware and get going! (I bought a salad keeper from Walmart which works wonderfully because it's a great lunch box, the tray is freezable and the bottom compartment can be microwaved. There's also a little bottle for dressings.) 
3. Add snacks! Just because you've planned 3 great meals for each day doesn't mean you can't snack in between! In fact, you actually maintain weight better if you have 2 small snacks between your meals. 

P.S. don't be afraid to add something sweet. A little cookie or mini-candy bar in your lunch is perfectly fine! Your meals don't have to be pure rabbit food. Monday I tried eating just salad, celery with peanut butter, carrots and ranch, and applesauce. It was the worst day of my life. Make sure you add some carbs into your meals as well. Without carbohydrates you will get tired and lose your energy throughout the day. 

Here are a few of my meals from this first half of the week! ENJOY!

Yogurt, granola, and raspberries! yum!

Prepping my chicken! woo hooo!!

Chicken, white rice, and steamed veggies

Salad, Ranch dressing, and Applesauce

Chicken, veggies, and rice again! So good.

The best day of the week hands down! Spaghetti, Salad, Applesauce,
 Yogurt w/ Raspberries, & a mini sugar Cookie!

Big breakfasts are always awesome. They keep you full of life until lunch time!
No hangry fits at school guys.

Carrots, applesauce, and ranch

Rabbit Food :(

Halloween Candy Alternatives

Yes, I realize that halloween has come and gone but last night I discovered something awesome! Before my husband and I went out for the nightly festivities I left our big bowl of halloween candy out on our porch. I also left out a basket of granola bars. hahaha I know I know! Such a nutrition major thing to do. My husband thought it was funny and bet me that all the candy would be gone and the granola bars wouldn't even have been touched. When we got home that night we found the exact opposite to be true. Half of the granola bars were gone and our candy bowl had barely even been dug around in. This may have been a result of not very many trick-or-treaters...BUT, of the ones that did come, they chose the healthy option! I was shocked! This got me thinking... maybe if kids were given better options on trick-or-treat they would actually enjoy it. 

Don't get me wrong, I'll never stop handing out candy because that's so lame of me to crush the candy dreams of little monsters and witches (and elsa's). I just think I'll start handing out options to chose from from now on.

I found some great ideas for halloween candy alternatives on Parents.com and I thought they were worth a share!

Halloween Candy Alternatives HERE!

p.s. haven't forgotten about my promise to post my meal prep! It's coming soon!

Why Plan Meals? 5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Meal Planning

Ever been really frazzled at your last wits and then heard the dreaded question, "What's for dinner?" Gah! It just makes me want to rip my hair out! I want to help you because I know how you feel. Meal planning will help you in many ways.

Meal planning/prep is a great way to have constant control of your eating habits throughout the day. If you are going to school or work every single day and never know what you're going to have for lunch, chances are you're going to buy something gross on campus or get fast food. Planning ahead is always a good idea. I'm not the best at this, I often find myself grabbing a pizza stick or junk food for lunch if I'm in a bind. Here are 5 reasons WHY meal planning can be effective in your diet.

1. Obviously you will eat healthier if you plan healthy meals and have them readily available to take with you each morning. 
2. Grocery shopping will be more efficient! If you make a list of foods you need for your meals for the week you will end up only buying the essentials. When I go to the grocery store without a plan I buy everything in site... including oreos and ice cream. While you may think buying healthy food is expensive, it can actually save you money to plan ahead and make a list.
3. Variety! Variety is very important in your daily diet. If meals are planned you can choose what you'd like each day. Whereas, if you don't plan you are stuck with the only options available where you're at. Eating the same things every day isn't terrible but you may get sick of it and planning what nutrients you need each day will definitely increase your diet variety. Print out a blank calender each month and start planning! 
4. No Stress! This is probably my favorite point. I absolutely hate to cook. I used to plan every meal for the week on Sunday nights and grocery shop on Mondays. Example) If I knew we were making chicken Alfredo that night I would remember to thaw the chicken. If I just decided to make it that night I would get frustrated and cooking is more burdensome. Also if you have busy days and you have lunches packed and ready in the mornings you don't even have to think about it. You just grab your pack and head to school/work. It feels good to be prepared and organized!
5. Last but not least, you utilize everything in your fridge/freezer/pantry. Often times I'll find that things go bad in my kitchen because I totally forget that I even bought them. If you are meal planning and making a list for groceries you will obviously CHECK your kitchen for what you've got already! You also learn that you can plan meals using foods already in your supply. You'll end up using the food you've already got on hand and only buying the extras that you absolutely need to create the meals.  
6. OH AND BONUS NUMBER 6: your husband/significant other/family/roommates will LOVE you for doing this!!!

Look forward to my next blog post! I will be featuring my very first experience with meal planning and prepping for the entire week in one day. AKA Tupperware central in my kitchen. 

10 Things that Should Motivate You to Hit the Gym

Alright, I must confess! I'm totally eating a doughnut right now as I post this! BUT, I did however go to the gym this morning so I feel like that outweighs the doughnut? No? welp, it's gone now. No turning back.

Have you ever felt like you have ZERO motivation to go to the gym? Like every possible excuse you can think of pops into your head as soon as you put your gym shorts or yoga pants on? This list is for you excuse-maker! If you've got a great way to motivate yourself that I don't mention, please leave a comment below! I would love that!

1. New Gym Clothes: I mean, come on! Am I right? Once you buy that new sports bra or pair of Nikes you're BOUND to go to the gym at least once! Those babies have to make an appearance because let's face it, you look great in them. Plus if you go early like I do you'll need cute gym clothes to distract from your 5AM, makeup-less face.
2. Timing is Everything: find a time that works for your schedule and STICK with it. If you don't have time in your schedule set aside for the gym or you go at a different time every day, chances are you AREN'T going to go every day. 
3. Nice Bod Bro: hello? Don't you want to look good? Look Good, Feel Good. I'm not saying you have to look like those super model fitness girls/guys. Everyone has their own body type and looking good means something different to everyone.
4. Do it for the Goodness of the Day: Honestly, have you ever gone to the gym and NOT felt great afterwards? (Sure, your muscles are on fire and you can fill up a cup with the amount of sweat dripping.... BUT, at least the rest of the day will feel wonderful!)
5. Stress Relief: Some days I feel like punching a wall with my head. These are the days that I really appreciate the gym. (these are also the days that I work the hardest at the gym so it's a win-win)
6. Affair with your Ipod: Who doesn't love jamming out to your favorite songs while fighting old ladies for a stretching mat and dumbbells? When I'm at the gym I listen to classic 80's rock n roll baby. It's one of the only times during the day that I actually get to listen to my music so I really appreciate it.
7. Justify Eating More: You knew it was coming. 
8. Better Sleep: Studies have been done, and this crap is true! I've cited an academic journal at the bottom on exercise effects and sleep fluctuations if you're interested.
9. Social Interaction: Yeah, so maybe the old guy that runs on the treadmill next to you everyday is the only one that you talk to, but at least it's a start! I like to go to the gym with my husband. If you've got a roommate or significant other that wants to start going, GO WITH THEM. I promise it makes it so much easier when you have someone pushing you and vice verse. Word of advice though: don't go with your really good friend that you go on McDonald's runs with... or you'll probably end up there instead.
10. Something to Brag About: What's going to the gym if you don't post about it? LOL only joking. please don't do this. Your confidence will increase though, and you'll feel better and better about yourself each time you go. 

Stupid things that get me excited to workout!

Buman, M., Hekler, E., Bliwise, D., & King, A. (2011). Exercise effects on night-to-night fluctuations in self-rated sleep among older adults with sleep complaints. Journal of Sleep Research, 20(1), 28-37.

Dear Protein,

.....at least I hope not. Don't eat eggs like Rocky either.

What's the deal with everyone thinking they need more protein? Okay, I get it, you lift weights and think you look cool while you drink your protein shake... but do you really need that protein shake? Maybe, but not necessarily. Here's a little math problem for you to figure out how much protein you need daily. Find where you fit in on the graph then calculate your weight in pounds or kilograms. If you choose to do kilograms all you have to do is divide your weight in pounds by 2.2!

		gm/lb		gm/kg
Sedentary adult		0.4		0.8
Recreational exerciser, adult		0.5-0.7		1.1-1.6
Endurance athlete, adult		0.6-0.7		1.3-1.6
Growing teen athlete		0.7-0.9		1.6-2.0
Adult building muscle mass		0.7-0.8		1.6-1.8
Athlete restricting calories		0.8-0.9		1.8-2.0
Est. upper requirement for adult		0.9		2.0

Multiply Kg x _______(number from chart gm/kg column) 

OR

Multiply lbs x_______(number from chart gm/lb column)

The number you come up with will be your daily protein need!

Is the number you came up with smaller than you thought it would be? I'd bet it is! You should be able to reach your daily protein need each day just by eating meals throughout the day that contain protein. Here's a little exchange chart to help you realize where you can find protein at in your food.

Food	Portion Size	Grams of Protein
Milk or yogurt	8oz	8 grams
Cheese	1 oz	7 grams
Meat	1oz (JUST 1)	7 grams
Egg	1	6 grams
Cooked Legumes	1/2 cup	6-8 grams
Peanut butter	1 Tbsp.	4 grams
Bread	1 slice or equivalent	3 grams
Pasta	1/2 cup cooked	3 grams
Vegetables	1/2 cup cooked	1-2 grams

Plan your diet accordingly! Try to get around 30-40 grams of protein for each meal/snack. REMEMBER: Protein isn't everything! You need to make sure you're getting enough carbs and fat as well as protein in your diet. There are carb exchange lists as well! If  you'd like to see a more detailed exchange list I've linked it HERE. Now you can tell all of your "meathead", protein-loving, weight-lifting friends the truth about protein! 

How to Keep Eating Treats without Getting Diabeetus.

If you haven't seen the Diabeetus guy on youtube... I suggest you scroll down & watch it!

Have you ever bought 3 bags of candy expecting it to last the entire week only to realize that it's gone the next day? Why is sugar so addicting? Sugar is a total mood-booster because it tells the body to release serotonin (a neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, mood, and appetite. AKA it makes us HAPPY!). I've also discovered that our "sweet tooth" starts at birth! Babies actually prefer sweet, sugary things. Sugar is EVERYWHERE. You may not realize how much sugar something has because you may not know the different names and types of sugar. Sugar is tricky! It hides everywhere under all sorts of different names.

• There's glucose and fructose which are simple sugars
• Sucrose is a disaccharide of the two and it's considered complex. 
• Then there's lactose, maltose, and high fructose corn syrup. 

When we consume large amounts of sugar our blood glucose levels sky rocket! Our body secretes insulin into the blood stream in an effort to control the madness. I think the main reason we KEEP eating so much of it is because it's such an empty carbohydrate. It stimulates our brains but not our stomach. Solution? Eat treats that will satisfy the hunger and chill out on the suga, sugar.

Food Sweaters & other cool food crap HERE

I'm the type of person who wished that was really pie.... and I really want that sweater. What side of the pie are you on?  I'm going to share with you a few of the treat or snack recipes I've found to be super delicious AND aren't chalk-full of sugar. So whether you eat healthy, balanced meals or not so much... you'll appreciate this post!

                               

Obviously appropriate for October:

Flourless + Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies HERE

SUGAR FREE Peanut Butter Cups OMG! HERE

Yogurt Banana Pops HERE

 HERE!

Awesome ENERGY balls {great for hiking trips!}

This Blog {cupcake & kale chips} is WONDERFUL! 
Check it out!

Gluten Free Banana Snack Cake w/ Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese Frosting HERE

DIABEETUS with Wilford Brimley Video! Hilarious!