Great nutrition questions from clients and friends!!!

_{1.         I am having trouble making a meal for 1; I freeze leftovers which I will eat if I remember I froze them. I find myself eating popcorn or fast food or I don’t eat because I have over eaten at lunch. If the hospital has something I like I will bring it home.  I am stuck with food choices, portions?}

_{Single serving fish, chicken, or even steaks are great. If you want to do something with leftovers soups are great options. Casseroles and pasta dishes can get you in trouble quickly! If you like salads make sure they are made with enough ingredients to really be a meal. Add a protein like meat, tofu or beans and add fat to keep you satisfied. Cheese can add a lot of flavor and lower fat options like feta or goat cheeses are also full of protein.}

_{Eggs are also great! You can make a frittata or omelette for one.}

_{2.         How do you eat healthier with a busy schedule and kids? What are your go to snacks? What is something you always have in the house to eat? Annnnd how can you eat healthy when you go out to eat?}

_{It’s your choice on how strict you want to be when eating healthy. But being of good health and at your ideal weight is totally doable with moderation.  It’s all about stocking your pantry and fridge with foods that are good choices. Save chips and candy for special days and don’t keep them in the house. Keep granola bars that are lower sugar, lots of easy to eat fruit like apples and bananas and crackers with fiber in the house. Know your craving. If you crave salty then find some healthy options or your favorites in single serving bags around.}

_{Crave sweet? Try flavored yogurts, canned or frozen fruit with cottage cheese, popsicles or small ice cream bars that come in single serving sizes. My go to crave food in the house is Skippy Natural, Nolan’s is semi sweet chocolate chips.}

_{This is a quote from an awesome client earlier this week… She puts it in perspective better than I could answer on my own! “I learned today that GONE are the days of endless buffets! We used to go to brunch every Sunday after church to eat. Today my family and I revisited that. I made good choices and only took my favorites, drank water, and enjoyed a small dessert and a few bites of my sons (3 bite I promise) cheesecake. Needless to say, I went way over calories today, but here's what I learned. Its life to go out on occasion and it will put you over, I used to eat triple what I ate today and I felt good upon leaving, I thought through every food choice and I chose to ENJOY everything I chose, I spent time enjoying talking to my family and not shoving food into my mouth after I was full.... Yes I went over, but guess what? Tomorrow is another day to get a butt kicking workout and eat under my calorie goal! I am saying totally different stuff to myself than I would have said 6 months ago. I love my new frame of mind and I am paying attention to what I am feeling about all situations.”} 

_{3.         Is a calorie a calorie? No matter where you get that calorie?} 

_{Yes and no. There are better quality calories out there like those from complete proteins, veggies and whole grains. These calories are full of vitamins and minerals and contribute to healthy body function. Calories from alcohol, processed sugar and other refined foods lack the nutrients to give you good energy. But just because your calories may not all be quality does not mean you can't achieve success. It just means that your energy satisfaction levels may not be as good during the journey.}

_{4.         What's an average time frame for an average person to get their metabolism roaring again?} 

<sub>Depends on the where they are starting from and what they want. 6 weeks of eating better and exercising regularly and SLEEPING well can do wonders for anyone’s metabolism.
5.       How much does age, gender etc. play a role in that time frame? Once again depends on where you are coming from. IF you have a long history of yoyo dieting, bingeing or stressful living it may take longer to get back on track. Treat your body well and it will return the favor. It is EXTREMELY forgiving.</sub>

_{6.          If you're counting calories and working out, do you eat back your exercise calories?}

_{Calories Consumed (Food) - Calories Burned (Exercise) = Net Calories 
We went into this one in depth during discussion. But it really depends on you, how you log and how you exercise. Some people eat their calories back with success. Some find they do better by not eating their exercise calories back. There is no right or wrong way. Your body will tell you if it is working.}

_{7.         What are the “net” calories to take in to lose weight/fuel your body, but not put your body into deprivation mode?} 

_{This is also determined by your body. Starvation mode is essentially your body slowing down because it is trying to be as efficient as possible. Since it is very difficult to determine your exact daily metabolic rate it is difficult to put an exact number on what you need to be taking in.}

 Food logging is a tool, but it takes listening to your body to succeed. Watch your energy, your appetite and the scale and listen to the cues!