Limiting your nutrition plan and only eating boring or bland foods can be a recipe for disaster when it comes to sticking to your weight loss goals. Unfortunately, many flavorful and delicious dishes are packed with calories and other weight-gaining properties. One of the simplest tricks to keeping your food tasty and exciting is to have a the proper condiments on hand that will still assist with your weight loss results. Below are my seven favorite meal additions that will add the flavor, without sabotaging your nutrition plan. 1. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Extra-virgin olive oil is a healthy m ..read more

There are so many health foods that have been around for hundreds of years, but are just now gaining popularity as producers are finding ways to mass manufacture and distribute them. While these foods are gaining popularity in some circles, many of us are still unaware of their existence or how to use them in the kitchen. The five following nutritious finds are not only relatively inexpensive, they are packed with nutrients that can be hard to find in other foods, and they are simple to use in the kitchen. 1. Hemp Seeds Hemp seeds are little soft and chewy seeds with a mild nutty and cheesy ..read more

Starting your morning off on the right foot when it comes to proper nutrition will do wonders for your weight and wellness. Not to mention, developing healthy morning time habits and routines will help to motivate you to stay on track for the rest of the day. Moreover, a proper breakfast will dictate your blood sugar levels throughout the morning and keeping those levels even with a nutritious breakfast will prevent blood sugar crashes and cravings. Your breakfast should have three essential components: quality protein, healthy fat, and low-glycemic carbohydrates. So yes, that means ditching ..read more

As a nutritionist, one of the biggest mistakes I see people making when trying to shed the pounds is falling victim to "train gain." This phenomenon occurs when people actually gain weight, the more they work out. Now, I'm not talking about gaining good weight like muscle--I am still referring to the not-so-desirable physiological outcomes that occur when improper nutrition is the culprit. A false sense of security of being able to eat whatever one wants can happen when hitting the gym as the thought of burning 'x' amount of calories results in the possible tendency to overeat. If you are one ..read more

An estimated 160 million Americans are either overweight or obese. Of these 160 million people, almost 75 percent of American males and more than 60 percent females fall into these overweight and obese categories. To put this into perspective, the most overweight country in North America is the United States with an obesity rate of 32 percent, compared to under four percent in Japan. Obesity is one of the most critical health risk factors that is presented today. Ironically, it is one that can be controlled through proper lifestyle choices such as good nutrition and exercise. In response to t ..read more

If you're a globetrotter or business traveler, it may be even more difficult for someone with your schedule to maintain optimal nutrition. A fast-paced lifestyle, with all of those tempting foods in restaurants, airports, and convenience stores make food on-the-go a potential diet disaster! Here are four tips to make your traveling nutrition plan one that will promote your weight loss and wellness goals. 1. Scope Out Your Options The healthier food movement has now officially trickled into most sectors of society...even into airports and train stations. Though they are still laden with chip ..read more

Happy New Year and welcome to, not only, a new year, but also a new decade! As we all know, January is popularly known for setting goals and restarting, and one of the most common resolutions is to shed some pounds. With so many nutrition resources out there, you may wonder where to start and what type of plan is most effective. The five-step guide below is so simple and effective that almost anyone can do it! 1. Accurately Assess Your Situation The most effective way to set goals is to accurately and honestly assess your current situation. Weigh and measure yourself and write it down! And o ..read more

Vitamin B12 is one of the most essential nutrients you need for good health. In a relatively short amount of time, lack of B12 can lead to numbness, the sensation of “pins and needles” in the limbs, trouble with movement and walking, joint pain, and shortness of breath. An added concern, severe vitamin B12 deficiency can result in extreme conditions such as fatigue, deep depression, delusions, memory loss, paranoia, incontinence, and loss of senses. We don’t mean to sound alarming, however, the outcomes of vitamin B12deficiency are a reality, so we want you to be prepared and have access to al ..read more

Let’s face it--many of us know what it takes to lose the pounds. We know what we should be eating and doing to see the progress we are looking for, but it’s easier said than done, right? Instead of giving you food and nutrition-based tips in today’s blog post, below are seven actual strategies that may help with the mental hurdles that are sometimes in the way of achieving our weight loss goals. 1. Focus on that day you decided it was time for change. Most of us have that memory of when we decided enough was enough and it was time to make a change with our eating habits. Where were you when ..read more

It has been marketed, time and again, to consume brand name sports drinks in order to stay hydrated to get your electrolytes, however, popular sports drinks contain a variety of sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup and liquefied table sugar which will not assist your weight loss efforts. Even more alarming, some sports drinks contain harmful chemicals such as brominated vegetable oil. Brominated vegetable oil is a combination of bromine and vegetable oil and is similar in composition to brominated flame retardants; this additive used to remove any cloudiness to the appearance of the bev ..read more