Spring Clean Your Nutrition Habits

Spring clean your fridge and pantry! This is your chance to cut down on some of those high-calorie and high-fat foods and replace them with healthier items. Stocking your pantry with healthy ingredients is key to better eating. Having healthy ingredients on hand will inspire and compel you to make better decisions! I c...an clean your pantry to jumpstart your Weight Loss Goals! Call/email me for more info!

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Healthy St. Patty's Day Tips#links

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Healthy St. Patty's Day Tips#links

Healthy St. Patty's Day Tips

You can fix up a traditional St. Patty’s Day meal while maintaining a healthful eating plan. Here are tasty tips for preparing a healthy Irish feast:

•For corned beef, purchase the leanest brisket possible and trim off any extra fat before cooking. Also rinse with water to remove the brine.
•Prepare home made mashed potatoes with low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt and milk in place of butter. Season to taste with garlic and onion powders and fresh ground pepper.
•Steam vegetables using frozen steam in the bag varieties or steam fresh in season veggies to preserve as many vitamins and nutrients as possible while maintaining the flavor.
•Serve corned beef on whole-wheat bread or sandwich thins with reduced-fat Swiss cheese. Mix low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise with horseradish for a tasty condiment.
Also watch the additional calories from green beer and have a glass of water in between each drink to help prevent dehydration. Calories from alcohol are metabolized as fats so be sure to exercise portion control!

If you just can’t part with traditional, higher-calorie ingredients, eat a lighter meal earlier in the day, eat smaller portions and make sure to include physical activity to burn some calories!

Happy St. Patty's Day and Healthy Eating!

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Bridal Bootcamp

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Bridal Bootcamp

Bridal Bootcamp

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Power Up With A Healthy Breakfast!

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Power Up With A Healthy Breakfast!

Power Up With A Healthy Breakfast!

Breakfast gives you energy to start the day. A healthy breakfast is important for everyone. Get the morning nutrition you need with these quick breakfast ideas.

• Make instant oatmeal with milk instead of water. Mix in raisins or dried cranberries. Top with chopped walnuts.
• Layer low-fat yogurt with your favorite crunchy cereal and sliced fruit or berries.
• Mix up a breakfast smoothie made with low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana.
• Top a bowl of whole-grain cereal with blueberries, sliced peaches or any favorite fruit. Pour on low-fat or fat-free milk.
• Top a toaster waffle with low-fat yogurt and fruit.
• Stuff a whole-wheat pita with a sliced, hard-cooked egg and low-fat shredded cheese.
• Spread a flour tortilla with peanut butter. Add a whole banana and roll it up.
• Spread almond butter on a whole-grain toasted bagel. Top with apple slices.
• Add lean ham and low-fat Swiss cheese to a toasted whole-grain English muffin.

Who is the Nutrition Expert? A Registered Dietitian

If you need to remodel your kitchen, you call a licensed contractor. When your car has trouble, you take it to a mechanic. So why would you cut corners when it comes to your health by taking food and nutrition advice from a friend, Web site, or other non-expert?

“I have met people who wouldn’t dream of changing the oil in their car by themselves but will follow advice from a total stranger in a forwarded e-mail when it comes to losing weight,” says registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association Spokesperson Sari Greaves.


When seeking expert guidance on food and nutrition, “Look for the RD credential. While some registered dietitians call themselves nutritionists, not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. There is a very big and very important difference between the two.” While some states have licensure laws that define how a “nutritionist” can legally practice, in other states, virtually anyone can call him-or-herself a “nutritionist” with little or no education or training.

American Dietetic Association’s Top Ten Reasons Why Consulting with a Registered Dietitian Can Benefit You
You have diabetes, cardiovascular problems or high blood pressure. An RD serves as an integral part of your health-care team by helping you safely change your eating plan without compromising taste or nutrition.
You are thinking of having or have had gastric bypass surgery.
Since your stomach can only manage small servings, it’s a challenge to get the right amount of nutrients in your body. An RD will work with you and your physician to develop an eating plan for your new needs.
Y ou have digestive problems. A registered dietitian will work with your physician to help fine-tune your diet so you are not aggravating your condition with fried foods, too much caffeine or carbonation.
You’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant. A registered dietitian can help make sure you get nutrients like folate, especially during the first three months of pregnancy, lowering your newborn’s risk for neural tube or spinal cord defects.
You need guidance and confidence for breastfeeding your baby.
A registered dietitian can help make sure you’re getting enough iron, vitamin D, fluoride and B vitamins for you and your little one.
Your teenager has issues with food and eating healthfully. A registered dietitian can assist with eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia and overweight issues.
You need to gain or lose weight. A registered dietitian can suggest additional calorie sources for healthy weight gain or a restricted-calorie eating plan plus regular physical activity for weight loss while still eating all your favorite foods.
You’re caring for an aging parent. A registered dietitian can help with food or drug interaction, proper hydration, special diets for hypertension and changing taste buds as you age.
You want to eat smarter. A registered dietitian can help you sort through misinformation; learn how to read labels at the supermarket; discover that healthy cooking is inexpensive, learn how to eat out without ruining your eating plan and how to resist workplace temptations.
You want to improve your performance in sports. A registered dietitian can help you set goals to achieve results — whether you’re running a marathon, skiing or jogging with your dog.
To locate a registered di