New Year Health Challenge Week 6: Skip the Alcohol

Welcome to Week 6 of the ten-week New Year Health Challenge, courtesy of Christine Kling of Body Basics LLC in Boise ID.  Though there has been recent research link heart benefits with alcohol consumption, the risks/dangers far outweigh the one benefit. Take a look for yourself. The Bad News Calories. Since alcohol is caloric dense at 7 calories per gram, […]

The Magic of Protein Smoothies and Kids

As much as I love preparing dinner, trying new recipes, and introducing my family to different flavors, I struggle with other meal-times– namely, breakfast and snacks. Breakfast is notorious for its high-calorie, high-carb and sugary assortment of options, ranging from cereals to cinnamon rolls. Though eggs are a great alternative, the family will grow weary […]

ABCs of Nutrition: Don’t Skip Meals

There are many excuses for skipping meals. Perhaps you don’t have time, don’t make the time or simply forgot (the latter of which I find quite perplexing because I never forgotten a meal in my life!). More than likely, however, you have skipped meals to avoid unnecessary calories, save up for a meal you haven’t […]

Paleo: Diet or Lifestyle?

The Paleo Diet is based on whole foods presumably consumed by hunter-gatherers during the Paleolithic era, specifically animal protein and plants. It consists mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots, and nuts, and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, potatoes, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oils. Many tout this diet to be advantageous for weight loss […]

10 Ways to Overcome Life’s Little (Food) Addictions

What foods do you crave? My biggest weakness is Kettle Chips Salt ‘N Vinegar potato chips. And select desserts like gooey chocolate chip cookies, chocolate sheet cake, lemon icebox pie and all-time favorite, bread pudding with some sort of rich, creamy sauce on top. Psychology Today tells us that Americas most often crave pizza, ice-cream […]

The Great No-Sugar Experiment

Early last month, my little boy Luke came to me and said, “Mom, I want to eat really healthy. I want to go a whole week without sugar.” Spoken from the mouth of someone who sadly inherited a sweet tooth from yours truly, I was taken aback. Moreover, I couldn’t let him venture into a […]

A Bite is Not Enough

The USDA recommends that we eat less by avoiding oversized meals. I couldn’t agree more, especially in a culture of all things supersized. However, as I mentioned in a blog post last week about my health calendar experiment, I find that eating more meals, as opposed to fewer of them, helps maintain body weight and […]