Any Questions?

One of my hopes for this blog is to have a conversation with my readers. I want you to be able to ask questions. This will help me know what you are most interested in and might be really fun. So leave a comment in the form of a question if you have one.

Where to Begin? Part 1

The most common question I get from my clients is "Where do I begin?". When faced with the task of losing weight, starting an exercise program, or making dietary changes because of a health condition most people cringe and feel defeated before they even begin. If that's how you feel, you are not alone! But great things in our lives seldom come without hard work and sacrifice. So, think positive! You can do anything!

Here is my best advice:

Start wherever you are today and move forward.

Don't compare yourself to others or you will fall off the bandwagon before you even make progress. Take baby steps toward your goal each day and before you know it, you will have made some awesome changes!

Eating is very psychological and a big part of our social lives. HOW we eat is just as important as WHAT we eat.

With that said, I would like to offer you some of my best steps to help you get on the road to healthy eating. These may sound simple, but you'd be surprised by how often we make poor choices in our eating behaviors.

1. Chew your food slowly. Mealtime should not be a race. Wait 15-20 minutes to go back for seconds. This will allow your brain time to get the signals from your stomach telling you whether you need more or not.

2. EAT BREAKFAST and don't skip meals. This leads to overeating later.

3. Drink a full glass of water before you eat. It will help you not to overeat.

4. Fill your plate in the kitchen at the start of a meal. Do not put serving bowls on the table. It is much harder to resist having seconds when the delicious food is right there staring you in the face!

5. Don't eat while involved in other activities like watching TV, studying, working, etc. Eat only at your table and sit down. (My mother always used to tell me that!)

6. Avoid using food as a reward or treat.

7. Don't deny yourself of all the foods you love. Learn to be content with a small portion every once in a while. Then those foods really will be a treat!

See if these give you a good jump start. I will post some more tips for healthy eating behaviors soon...

Easy Snacks on the Go...

Like many moms, I am always on the lookout for a snack that my 2 and 1 year olds can eat that can fit in my purse, won't go rotten, requires NO UNTENSILS, without a ton of preservatives, and won't make a huge mess. There are a few treats that I have been keeping around that my kids love and I love with NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, whole wheat, and other good stuff. (If you want to know why I emphasized the corn syrup then leave a comment and I will post more about it because those darn TV commercials are terrible and untrue). So when I want a treat, this is where I turn lately.

These Brothers All Natural fruit crisps are just freeze dried fruit. period. A bag of crispy, sweet, tasty yumminess. My one year old LOVES these and will eat at least 1/2 cup himself. He is busy for at least 20 minutes with this snack. They make a great substitute for chips and those super processed baby crackers and cookies that are advertised as snacks for little tikes. They come in lots of flavors and we like the Asian Pear flavor a lot too.

Yum, yum, yum! The tropical mini bites are my favorite and a real sweet treat. These are smooshed fruit, apple fiber, and a little lemon juice. The only "fruit snacks" visiting our house will be snacks made of REAL fruit. I even found the giant bag at Costco. If you like fruit snacks or fruit leather you may want to give Sunrype fruitsource mini bites a try. Go to this link for more info.

Oh how I love these in a pinch! Whole wheat, whole grain oats, fruit, yogurt, and some cane juice to name a few ingredients. Whoever Barbara is, I want her to come to my house. It's just deliciousness that comes from her bakery. They taste a million times better than a Nutrigrain Bar (which shouldn't even be called "NutriGrain") and are way better for you. There are lots of flavors to choose. Our favorites are apple blueberry and apple strawberry.

Click here for more info on Barbara's Bakery.

HAPPY SNACKING!

Welcome to Personalized Nutrition Consulting

Hello and welcome to the Personalized Nutrition Consulting (PNC) Blog! My name is April Lowe. I am a Registered Dietitian (RD) and the owner of PNC. More importantly I am a wife, busy mother of two young children, and a person just like you who is trying to make a great life for myself and my family. I understand how crazy life can get and the challenges of eating healthy and taking care of yourself and your family. I have over 6 years of experience as an RD in many areas of nutrition. This blog is a way for me to update my clients and all who are interested in good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle with up-to-date nutrition information and many topics having to do with achieving or maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

I live in Southern California and offer many services to individuals and groups as well as healthcare facilities in the area. But you don't have to live near me to benefit from my services. I offer internet and telephone consulting, meal planning, and many other things for my clients that live far away as well. If you are interested in learning more or discussing your nutrition needs, you can contact me at personalizednutrition4you@gmail.com or 951-972-7101. Take a look around the blog to learn more about me and what I can do for you. I hope you find something fun, interesting, and educational here.